Clutch Bags and Crossweave Fabric

Just a quick posting this weekend as I wanted to show you my latest 'make'.

The sewing pattern for this Clutch Bag is by Anna Maria Horner and is free to download via her Janome Page or click here.   There is a full video showing how to make this project and as soon as I saw it, my fingers were just itching!!  I pretty much love everything Anna Maria makes and am a massive fan of her fabrics, which,  unfortunately, are so hard to get hold of in the UK.  This however was a store cupboard project for me and I was able to dive into my new bolts of Moda Cross weave fabric as I knew it was just perfect for making this bag.  I chose the Chambray blue colour, very similar to the fabric she uses, and because it will team up well with jeans.

Then I had to address the embroidered motif.  Ms Horner is using an 'out of this world' sewing machine and has it all programmed to stitch a beautiful rose motif. I have a pretty cool sewing machine, but it is not in this league, but then again,  I can use a needle.   In deciding how to tackle this, I looked first for the lining material that I would use for the inside of the bag.  I picked from my stash the last piece of one of my very favourite Anna Maria Horner prints. It is called 'Echinacea' from the Pretty Potent collection. If anyone out there knows where I can get some more of this - PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

After cutting out the 2 pieces of crossweave and the 2 pieces of lining, I drew the outline of the Echinacea flower head onto the blue fabric.   It was an easy motif to copy and unless you are good at drawing, (I am not!), I suggest you keep your subject matter relatively simple.   Before I popped it in my hoop, I zig zagged the edge of the crossweave fabric to prevent it from fraying whilst I was doing the embroidery.   I used black perle cotton #8 and a lovely silk variegated thread that I bought last year at the Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate.  I confess I am thread junkie and when I see these unusual threads I do try to buy them.  Once I started embroidering this, I was just swept away with how lovely these kinds of variegated thread are.  I just used long and short stitch to fill in the petals and the colours of the thread did all the talking.  The centre of the flowers is filled with colonial knots, which gives it a real layered look.   It took me just a weekend to complete this and once pressed it was ready to go.

Following the video, I quickly made up the bag to Anna Maria's instructions.  The tassel, just finishes it off and I am now the proud owner of my first ever clutch bag.  I think there is something of the 1930's glamour about Clutch Bags in general and this has a modern twist to it, which makes a great choice with the more casual clothes of today.    It teams up perfectly with a pretty scarf that I was lucky enough to be given last year and some rose quartz beads that belonged to my grandmother.  Guess I'm all set for the theatre trip we have planned next week!

Moda Crossweave fabric is absolutely one of my favourite kinds of fabric.  The woven texture of the fabric brings life and luminosity to sewing projects and is just perfect for bags, cushions and small projects such as zippered bags. 

I have a few cross weave bundles available in my Etsy shop - the colours are just delicious.   I also have some yardage if you need some to make up this project.

Happy weekend!

Ruby x 

PS. Next week is all about Daisies...hope to see you then!