Three Quarter Bag Project

Awhile back (2 maybe 3 years) I purchased a kit from Connecting Threads for a bag called the "Three Quarter Bag". The kit was in a green color-way and I also purchased enough fabric of the same line in the pink color-way for a second bag.  At the time these were purchased, I intended to jump right on making them. Well, things got in the way and that didn't happen. You know how it goes.  With lots of determination that these would get done for this year's Spring and Summer season, I tackled the project.....finally. All was going along quickly and smoothly, but then along came a couple of "important" interruptions and a mystery quilt that just begged to be done. (Yep, that was the last post.) So the bags were put on hold in order to work on other projects.

Officially as of this morning, the bags are finished!

I took a few process photos along the way, but mostly followed the pattern. Of course you read that right. I said MOSTLY followed.... True confession time...I am a Pocket NUT...I want pockets and lots of pockets in my bags. A girl never knows just what she may need to have a special place for.
Anyway, I added a pocket to the front of the bag(s) between the handles. I did it in matching fabric on the green bag, but used accent fabric on the pink bag. Why? Because this is how it looked best on each bag.
 When the fabric was originally purchased, my intent was to make the pink bag exactly like the green bag using the same fabrics for the main fabric, the accent fabric and the lining fabric; just in the pink color-way. But when my daughter (who will be the recipient of the pink bag) saw the fabrics, she asked me to switch the fabrics (if there was enough) because she liked the swirly vine fabric better than the flowery print for the main fabric.  There was enough to do this, so I made the change for her.

Here is a look at the top of the bags showing the zipper closure.

I like having the full zipper closure for the tops of the bag. Much less likely to loose things this way.

The original pattern only had one big divided side pocket inside. This shows a close-up of the pocket divisions and top stitching.

 

 It is divided into three sections, and is a big deep pocket unit. BUT....I wanted more. So I added a double layered pocket, with a zip closure and divided pockets, including a section for pens/pencils. I also included a key fob. The key fob is placed directly above one of the small divided pockets so if you wanted to, the keys could be kept in the pocket while on the key fob to prevent them from getting in the way.

I took other photos of the construction process, but since I didn't blog about this as it was constructed, it seems a mute point to post those now. It is just a lot better photo to show the inside pocket prior to construction than it is to try and stick the camera down inside the bag to get a look of the pocket units.

This is a really big bag measuring approximately 16 1/2 " wide by 12" tall. I referred to these a "purses", but when my  husband saw them he said they looked more like carry-on suitcases. Well, they aren't THAT big! My daughter calls this a "Mommy Bag". You know, big enough to hold everything you need when you have children, but no longer need a diaper bag. :-)

Well, that's it for today's project. Until next time...
Kathy