Covered in Threadmalaka’s adventure in sewing

So the story goes something like this.. I made the Amy Butler Birdie Sling for my sister Jameela, and then my sister Elizabeth got upset (in a non-upset sisterly kinda way) that I hadn’t made her a bag yet.  The issue here is that Jameela saw the purse she wanted and I bought the pattern and made it.  I have NO IDEA what kind or size Elizabeth would want.  I improvised.

I took the Birdie Sling pattern and scaled it down dramatically.  Seriously, this bag is likely 1/4th the size of the original pattern.  I loved it so much that I asked Tia what I should do.. keep it or give it to Elizabeth?  I showed her a picture and she said SHE wanted it.  Oh goodness.  I stomped back upstairs and made 2 more, using the same pattern.  One for me, one for Tia.  The one for Tia looks -exactly- like the one I made for Elizabeth.  I used a different fabric on mine — I was sick of looking at that same fabric and I didn’t want to be twinkies with either of them.

This is my blog so I don’t need to make a long story short — I’m keeping it long!  Elizabeth got here and claimed to love the one I made for her but wanted to learn how to make one for herself.  She also LOVED the material I used for Jameela’s bag… so we trucked on over to HoneyBee Quilt Store on Black Friday and bought up some more material.  I’m glad she appreciated the quilt store fabrics as much as I did.  We literally sewed for 2 days straight, taking breaks to eat and buy more supplies.  It was fun, but I was left with a HUGE mess in my sewing room.

Oh I need to make a note here about the quilt store.  They have those frequent buyer punch card thingies, and after something like 15 punches (I think you get a punch for every yard of full-priced fabric you purchase) you get $25 in store credit.  I had about 1/2 of my card punched, then adding what I bought, plus what my sister bought, I was only a few punches away from filling the card.  This nice lady who was also shopping there, from out of town, asked the sales clerk if she could put her punches on my card since she lives out of town.  They agreed and she bought nearly $200 worth of material!  This filled up my current punch card and half of another.  I wanted to kiss the stranger but I think just chatting with her about quilting was enough to make her day

We also purchased another Amy Butler pattern, her Madison bags.  We both started one but I haven’t finished mine.  She took her supplies back to Houston, so I’m not sure if she’s finished it either.  Overall, it was nice to have someone to sew with, but at the same time.. it’s nice to know where everything is.  When someone else is using the scissors, seam rippers, etc.. they get lost in the mess!

Right now I have so many works in progress: Nico’s quilt, my Civil War Crossings quilt, and the Madison bag.  Of course, I’m supposed to make another Birdie Sling for my brother-in-law’s cousin, by Christmas.. and I promised a purse to my mother-in-law as well.  Oh yeah, I forgot about Shara’s shoulder bag.. ahhh!!!  I guess it’s good that all of our TV shows are ending for the season, I have a lot of work to do!

I took a trip to Denver last month to see my twin sister and her new baby.  I drug her to a quilting store to look at fabrics (addiction, you know) and she picked up an example in the store and came running up to me with it.  It was Amy Butler’s Birdie Sling.  I groaned because not only did I not like the shape and size of the bag, but the Amy Butler thing is so overdone.  I told her I would consider making it for her.  A month later, she called to inquire about the bag so I decided I better get on it.  On Tuesday after work, I ran up to my favorite local quilting store, Honeybee (bad website, GREAT store!)  I get excited when I walk into craft stores, hardware stores, and fabric stores.  It’s ridiculous, but the idea of creating things makes me really happy.

Back to the point.  I whole-heartedly resisted making this bag, then when I started looking for material, I kept traumatizing myself by looking at too many different things.  I couldn’t decide if I wanted to go wild or go practical.  Then I saw it.  Totally wild, totally NOT my sister’s style, but I fell in love.  It was RJR’s Red and Black Soiree (the pictures there do not do this collection justice.)  I specifically stayed away from Amy Butler fabrics, even though my sister loved the whole collection — I couldn’t handle it… it’s way too overdone.  I walked over to the ladies at the cutting table and laid it out for them — they both loved the idea of making it into Amy Butler’s birdie bag.  One of them teaches a class every month on making this bag, so she’s seen lots of combinations.  She loved my idea so much she bought the same fabrics for herself!

I got home and immediately started on the pattern.  I have to admit, I was having a ball with this pattern.  Even cutting it out (my least favorite thing ever!) was fun.  I was scared because this bag had pleats and bands and TONS of interfacing… but I couldn’t wait to see it come together.

I thought it would take me a week to finish, but I completed in about 4 hours.  I even added a bunch of stuff to it that the pattern didn’t call for.  I did some research, since it’s such a popular bag, and lots of bloggers out there had “things I would do next time” so I took that and ran with it.  The “large interior pockets” were too deep, so I shortened them about 2 inches.  They’re still big, deep pockets.  I added a zippered interior pocket and put the “small pocket” right over it.  I also added a keyfob and a magnetic snap on the band.   I had SO much fun with this bag.  I can’t wait to make another Amy Butler bag.  I know, hypocrite!  But, I’m admitting it.

Let me say that Amy Butler’s bags are popular for several reasons.  The first, they’re super cute and modern.  The second — these patterns are a breeze to read.  They work more like tutorials than patterns, and I think that’s why most of our generation has shunned pattern-sewing, because they rarely come with instructions.  Amy Butler’s patterns come with illustrated instructions, walking you through every step.  I felt like I had a teacher.  I never got hung up once.  It was a blast.

with Jasmin, for size

interior