Sweet Harmony

I did it! I finally completed the Sweet Harmony Handbag from Amy Butler. Intimidated is the best word to describe how I felt about taking on this project. Let's face it, I had heard from more than one person that Amy Butler patterns are complex and sometimes difficult. But now that it's done, I'm so glad I forged ahead and tackled this pattern!

In keeping with the Amy Butler theme, I thought it appropriate to use some of her fabric. I chose Wallflower in cherry and Full Moon Polka Dots, also in cherry. The piping is kona cotton in coral. The pattern doesn't call for using two different prints like this on the main bag and exterior pockets but I really wanted to combine these two fabrics and I'm very pleased with the result.

Here's a peek at the inside. The lining is a kona cotton in cream? ivory? Honestly, I don't remember! There are two interior pocket variations so I did one of each. In the photo above you can see the two open pockets and in the photo below you can see the zippered pocket.

You can also see the two magnetic snaps as well as the small cell phone pocket in the exterior pocket at the lower right of the photo above. This purse is nice and roomy without being a big slouchy bag, which I like. It's a bit more tailored than what I usually make or carry, but I like to change things up a bit every now and then. Plus, who doesn't love a good red bag?!

I'm not going to lie - this took me quite awhile to make. Part of that had to do with making a brand-new-to-me pattern. I know I was being very methodical and thorough because I was nervous about making mistakes. And by doing the exterior in two different fabrics, I had to be sure I adjusted my cutting to accommodate that change. That said, the most time-consuming part was definitely the cutting and preparation of the fabric (trimming and applying interfacing and fleece). Once all that prep work was done the actual assembly wasn't hard and didn't take long at all. Oh, except for adding the zipper pocket. For some reason my brain just seized up and I couldn't figure out the instructions. Until, of course, I did and then felt like a dork for not understanding them sooner.

So there you have it. I'll probably busy myself with a few simpler projects now and enjoy my new handbag!