Handbag Heaven (img heavy)

[stephielou]

I just posted a pic of my first batch of purses from last year here http://www.thethriftshopper.com/forums/shopper/index.php?topic=715.0, and I wanted to share more of my bags. They're made from thrifted or estate/garage saled (saled? Why not.) clothing and fabrics. I've also got an extensive stash of vintage trims, zippers, and buttons. I try to use as much vintage stuff as I can for each bag, sometimes all the way down to the thread! An they're all sewn on my mom's old 70's Kenmore, which has a cord that is still electrical-taped together from when I cut it with scissors while mom was sewing on it! ** ZAP!!!

Anyway, on to the bags!

This was made from a 50's tablecloth:



These were made from a 50's table cloth as well:



This was a thrifted dress. I went back to the same store the next week and found the matching tie belt, which became the strap for another bag from the same fabric.



My sister commissioned me to make a diaper bag for her girlfriend. The polka dot fabric was a maxi dress. I laminated the lining with iron-on vinyl. Never. Again.





Before:


After:







(I love maxi dresses!)


Before:


After:





There are more, but this is probably more than enough for one post. Thanks for checking them out!

[SecondhandSophisticate]

You are a creative genuis, and I say this sincerely!  Your purses look genuine for the era. Have you marketed them?  You could be the next Kate Spade!

I am so impressed with your abilities. I can barely hold a needle and thread 

Ciao,
SeSo

[Femme1]

These are fantastic! You are not only talented, but you're determined...you've gotten a lot done. 

[oceangurl]

Bravo Stephielou! You are one creative girl! I finally get to see my vision through someone elses eyes and work! How many times when I was in a Thrift store and I would see the beauty and the hidden ways to use old dresses and such with my creative eye, but NEVER did anything with myself, now iam able to see that it can be done and not only done but tastefully and wonderfully executed, you have my praises! You go Girl!

[Mattie]

FABULOUS!  You have a great eye for fabric and design.

An they're all sewn on my mom's old 70's Kenmore, which has a cord that is still electrical-taped together from when I cut it with scissors while mom was sewing on it! ** ZAP!!!

Aiyeee.  I have (and love) a 1950s pink Atlas sewing machine with a spliced cord.  I keep a fire extinguisher handy when I'm sewing with it, just in case.   

[Good Buddy]

SL,

I checked out your bags when I added you on MySpace, way cool.
We love recyclers...

[foutchie]

These are just wonderful - I am thoroughly impressed with your eye, your creativity, your talent, and your end product!

[stephielou]

Wow! Thanks everyone! It's really great to get such compliments from like-minded folks like you.

You are a creative genuis, and I say this sincerely!  Your purses look genuine for the era. Have you marketed them?  You could be the next Kate Spade!

Kate Spade! What a compliment!  Thanks so much
I do sell my bags on etsy, but I don't want to turn this into a plug for that by any means. Right now my store is pattern-heavy and handmade-slim. I'm very sad to say that I haven't been able to sew as much as I'd like to recently because of school and work, but I did manage to eke out a bag yesterday!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Very cleverly done work-- the look is just great, and no one would ever imagine the source of the fabrics!

[ChrisMiss]

Wow!  I'm impressed you do great creative purses.  Do you start with a pattern or have you advanced to making a pattern up as you look at the fabric?

[stephielou]

Wow!  I'm impressed you do great creative purses.  Do you start with a pattern or have you advanced to making a pattern up as you look at the fabric?

Never one for a simple "yes" or "no," here's my convoluted answer: It depends.

Some items I make from patterns I drafted (well, the wristlet pattern is just a rectangle, so sometimes I go crazy and wing it ). A lot of the time there are stains or holes/wear to work around, so I plan based on what I can salvage, and I usually make a pattern based on that so I can cut my lining and interfacing the same way. If that makes sense. I use tracing paper for my patterns so I can see through to the fabric and its obstacles. I save the patterns so I can make more if I end up liking the end product, though I am always reinventing the wheel anyway.

The  tote bags (the diaper bag and the red & white floral bag) I skip the pattern all together. It's a really easy construction, so I just cut the largest pieces I can from the dress skirt and use those as patterns for the lining and interfacing.

[foutchie]

want to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE the one with the fish!   BTW, I'm foutchie59 but had trouble with my account and posting, so am "reborn" as just foutchie......

[stephielou]

want to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE the one with the fish!   BTW, I'm foutchie59 but had trouble with my account and posting, so am "reborn" as just foutchie......

Thanks foutchie! My mom fell in love with that one too, so I gave it to her. I think I have more of that fishy fabric around here somewhere...

[LadyinRed]

Wow SL your bags are amazing!!!  I am so impressed.  Those old clothes never dreamed of becoming something so awesome.

[valleythriftshopper]

You are a creative genuis, and I say this sincerely!  Your purses look genuine for the era. Have you marketed them?  You could be the next Kate Spade!

I found this barkcloth & faux fur bag at the SA today for $4.  Kinda reminds me of the bags pictured in this thread.  This company who makes this bag, Atenti, was started by two women in CA, their bags are made in the US (a novelty!).  According to some online retailers they normally sell for $80+ dollars.  Stephielou's bags are just as nice so I agree she should market them!

Also, I would like to know how people put pictures in the post.  I use irfanview to reduce the pictures to the acceptable size, but I always get an error message saying the uploader is full.  Help!