The Tea-Rose purse and drawstring bag

The Tea-Rose purse and bag

Here's a sweet little purse I made a while ago, based on a free pattern available at Belle Epoque.  I made this purse smaller than the original pattern by folding over areas of the pattern print-out before cutting out.  Then I dressed the project up with some pretty details.  I used a tutorial on Tea Rose Home for the flower, on the tutorial page it is used to adorn a ruffle shirt, but I liked the style with the "tails" hanging down as if they tie the flower on, so I used it for the bag.  I also stiffened the bag with some batting I bought when pondering on a quilt project a while back.  I didn't make the quilt but I have lots of batting now to make fun stuff with!

This little project is quite elaborate, there are many more fancy details that went into making it fab.  Follow the link to see...

I named this the Tea-Rose purse because of the amazing teapot fabric, the flower, and rose colors used (not because I used 2 tutorials from Tea Rose Home, but it is a wonderful blog!)  I carefully cut the teapot fabric so that 2 big teapots appeared on each side at the bottom of the bag, couldn't have any teapots cut in half!  Similarly the printed rope trim on the fabric had to be positioned just right so it went all the way around and plenty of little teapots and teacups appeared above it.  The rope trim also had to line up on each side.  Many thanks to my dear sister in law for giving me her fabric stash!  Most of my projects are made from fabrics she gave me, including this one.

Lace trim is inserted on each side of the bag just under the bias tape at the top, this was tricky to do since it involved using lace that was cut in half lengthways and there was not much to catch in with the sewing machine...some re-sewing was required there!

Covered buttons were called for in order to make a bag closure, since I wasn't about to go buy any purse hardware, I am way too cheap for that!  Instead I matched up the patterns on the mini teapots with other areas of the remaining fabric, cut little circles, stretched it over the buttons and stitched it down.  No button covering devices were used... no one's going to see the mess at the back, are they?  Anyway, then some of the bias tape had to be sewn into a tube and elastic inserted through it, the resulting stretchy pink loop was then stitched under one button on one side of the bag, and looped over the other button at the other side.  Simple cheapskates bag closure!

I also put a little pocket on the inside, and I should mention that this project involved making my own bias tape without the help of a bias tape maker.  Yikes!  I used this tutorial to make the bias tape.

The matching drawstring bag accessory with satin lining and strings is made in the same way as my previous little baggie creation, click here to see that.  The satin is a lovely color,  a very soft pale aqua.  Many thanks to Mum to sent me all my satins and silks!

This purse is now the property of a darling little girl who likes Tea Parties.  Just as it should be!