Introducing the Locked and Loaded Bag!

A few months ago I was lucky enough to be chosen to be a pattern tester for Sara over at Sew Sweetness.  Sara is an super talented lady and her handbag patterns are so original and fun.  If you head over to her site, you will see her pattern shop in the menu. Click on it and see the handbag patterns she has available for sale.

The bag you are seeing right now is her latest, called “The Locked and Loaded Bag”. It features an adjustable strap, zippered pocket and a metal twist lock closure.  I really enjoyed making this bag and can honestly say I learned a new skill…how to CORRECTLY insert a metal twist lock.  I had never used one before, but Sara’s detailed directions made it so easy that I got it right on the first try.

This pattern would be great for a beginner to advance sewist. The twist lock may be a challenge, but the rest is straightforward and to the point. Sara is very detailed with her directions, so getting stuck will not happen!  The fabric I used was *suprise,surprise* Robert Allen. I used a navy cotton for the lining and Pellon SF101 for the lining. I also added a layer of fusible fleece in between to bulk up the pattern too.

For the rest of the day (minus a big baseball game) I will be editing my tutorial and making sure it actually makes sense to someone besides myself!  I also just printed out the next pattern I’m testing for Sara and this one is my favorite yet, so I may start picking fabric for that one too.  Happy Friday ~