As always when my quilting friends ask if I want to make something using their new fabric line I say YES! I am so grateful to have made such wonderful (and talented) friends in the industry. Tammy Silvers designs fun and beautiful batiks for Island Batik and I just can’t say no to making a bag from her collections. If you haven’t mixed batiks with cork yet then you should! There’s something so pleasing about the combination that I just love! Below is my new Elly Handbag pattern featuring Kismet batiks, Navy with Silver Cork fabric, faux metal zippers and Icicle strap anchors in Silver.
Here’s a little about the Elly Handbag. I was asked recently what comes first in the design process – the name, the style bag, etc…. And here’s my answer. Elly was destined to be the name of my next bag. As you may or may not know my names are picked from my friend’s children and grandchildren. It gives me a unique name opportunity as well as a “secret” little shout out to my friends. Elly is my friend Lisa’s first granddaughter, with the bluest eyes I’ve seen, who couldn’t be cuter. I knew that I would user her name. Now onto the style. I am always thinking (sometimes it’s a curse) and on a drive home from a show thought about something I hadn’t done before – putting a zippered pocket in the front separating the top and bottom. Done! And now onto hardware. I knew we had a new color of strap anchors coming in and I like to have more than one style of bag that works with the hardware. I knew that this bag would be great to showcase the Icicles or Jewels. So Elly was created in that order. Not always true of every bag, some are developed in different ways and names last. The creative process is unique per pattern!
Below are some other Elly bags, not using Kismet but still beautiful!
The bags above feature quilting cotton, cork and even wool!
Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all the other blog hoppers on the Kismet tour!
Happy Sewing,
Jess
The Straight Stitch 