July 29, 2014

The Convertible Reversible Bag Tour and Fun Giveaway






Welcome to shades of BOLD !  If it is your first time here, I hope you stick around awhile and peruse my posts.  I'm Marilyn and sewing is my passion.  My blog is about all things handmade but particularly about sewing those addicting handbags!

Speaking of handbags, I was invited to join a bag tour by Sarah of Cozy Nest Designs and the time has finally arrived to share this amazing bag with you.  Sarah is offering this pattern for 25% off until Aug. 2, 2014.  Just go here and enter the code bagtour for your discount.  And look for the giveaways on all the blogs everyday!  Keep reading to find the one here.

Now onto the bag.....  How did Sarah ever figure this one out???  You make one bag and voila...you actually get four bags.  All it takes is some tucking in, reversing and tucking in again.  It is hard to explain but really not that difficult to make.  My words of advice are:
  1. Don't read ahead. 
  2. Stay in the moment and just sew step by step
  3. It's magic ....out comes four bags in one!
Here is/are my bag/bags. (How do I say that?)





When choosing your fabric you have so many options.  You can use contrasting colors, one side casual, one side dressy, etc.  My fabric selections were inspired by the Fourth of July holiday as I was making this bag near then. 

Let's look at each of the bags to see what you get.





Here is the first bag.  It measures 9"wide, 11" high and 2 1/2" deep.  This is a crossbody bag with an adjustible strap.  Now if I just remove the strap, tuck the top of the bag down into the bottom, pull the bottom flap up and reattach the strap to the D rings hidden under the flap, I have this bag....



This is my favorite.  It measures 9" wide by 5 1/2" high and 2 1/2" deep.  It zips at the top.  Now if I remove the strap again and turn the bag inside out all of the way, I get this bag...




What was the lining of my first bag becomes the second full sized bag the same size at the first.  I have attached the second adjustible strap in that matching color.  I have also glued a button on a magnetic closure to fit inside the magnetic closure, that would be showing, to decorate it.  Sarah also gives a tutorial to make covers for these snaps.  If I remove the straps again and fold this bag down into itself, I get the fourth bag, a clutch.


That's it.  Four bags in one!  Glad I only had to sew it and not design it!!!! (Thank you Sarah)

Sarah's pattern was easy to follow.  I have never followed a pattern like this with hyperlinks to these great tutorials to give you even more direction.  There are also instructions to make a vinyl insert to keep the inside (which becomes the outside of another bag) clean and to make it easy to switch bags.  She also includes directions to make it out of laminated fabrics.  Since the pieces can get a little confusing, she has tags that you can print to put on the pieces so you know what they are.  What is really cool about this is that they are sized to print on computer labels so that all you have to do is print, peel and stick.  Great idea!

(I received a free pattern for participating in this bag tour but the opinions expressed here are mine.)

Here is the schedule of the other bloggers who will participate and the links to their sites.  Visit them all for the most chances to win.  There is a giveaway for each blog here.


 















Monday, July 28th

Maria of Mia's Creations
Niki Stringer of Roonie Ranching
Alyssa Carrion at Keep Calm & Carrion



Tuesday, July 29th

Lynn Potts of PottsCrafty
Marilyn Brandt at Shades of Bold

Wednesday, July 30th

Vicky Myers of Vicky Myers Creations
Liz Schaffner at Moments

Thursday, July 31st

Amy Macdonald with Friends Stitched Together
Judith Clauss of Judith Stitches and More



Friday, August 1st

Jonie Brooks with Knot Sew Normal
Lorena Rey of my way of...
Bethany Rapp with Sweet Bee Buzzings
And now for the giveaway........



http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/dd7070507/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway



















 















 

54 comments:

  1. Beautifullllllllllll. I love both your fabric choices but you know me I like the stripy one the most. When I make this bag again I'm going to choose plain fabrics but maybe something a bit sparkly for the evening clutch version. Today is my cleaning day, I notice you make so many bags and yet there's not a spec of dust in your house LOLLLL Any tips? LOLL

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    1. Not a speck of dust??? Who's house are you looking at? Not mine. Trust me, I have more than my fair share. I could blame it on the pets but we don't have any!! Off to look at all of the blog posts from yesterday. How fun is this??

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  2. yaaaa, your post is up..I have been checking all morning ! LOL
    I love the colors..guess which side the most ?? LOL

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    1. Thanks, Liz. I scheduled it to post at 5 AM, got up at 5:45 to check to see if it did and it didn't. Glad I checked. Just 45 minutes late. Looks like I'm up for the day!

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  3. Love you choice of fabrics! I really love this design - the clutch is great~!

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  4. So adorable! The stripes with the houndstooth is my favorite. When I make this bag again (my friend already begged me to make her one!), I will definitely do more of a casual one with the dressy one on the other side (the one with the clutch). When I finally make one for ME, I will do one side in muted tones and the other side in really bright tones so I can match my mood. : )

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  5. Do love the fabrics you chose! The houndstooth and red swirls are fantastic!
    Your clutch is adorable.
    I'd use fabrics my kids designed...lots of colors!

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    1. Thanks, Kerrie. If you had a chance to poke around on my blog, you know I like lots of color, too.

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  6. Love your bags especially the red print one. I will choose coordinating fabric and both sides casual. Thanks!.

    Please click on the delaineelliott above for my email link.

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    2. Thanks. Fabric selection is the toughest part.

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  7. I would choose a batik for one side and a handyed for the other. Love your fabrics Marilyn.

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    1. And it would be fabulous, I'm sure. Thanks, Daryl.

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  8. This is such an amazing pattern. I would make mine with teal floral fabric with a dotty fabric as my second choice.

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    1. Love flowers and dots together...have done it in the past and will do it again in the future.

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  9. I really liked the striped fabric you used, and I think my favorite is the one you said you like the best too, the smaller version of stripes.
    I think if I made this I might try large prints on one side, and maybe a solid for the other.
    VERY interesting pattern!!

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    1. You can't think about this one and try to anticipate how it is going to go together. It will drive you crazy. When you are done sewing...it just turns out!

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  10. I love your red version!!! I'd like to do one side in reds & the other side in black & teal geometric print fabric. :)

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  11. I would use both sides casual but probably one more solids or tone on tones and one with a fun novelty print.

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    1. That would give you a lot of versatility. Hope you try it.

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  12. Absolutely LOOOOVE your purse!!! the red side is my favorite!!! :)

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    1. Thanks, Lori..I'm from Ohio, too. At least I think that is what OhioLori means.

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  13. You have a great eye for choosing fabrics. I would probably do both sides of the bag casual, with coordinating, but different colors. I would mix tone on tone or solids with prints on each side so it would look interesting, but not too busy.

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    1. Thanks, Diann. Picking out the right fabric is fun. I, like others here, had a really difficult time picking out fabrics for this one. You get to pick a primary and accent fabric for each side. That's a total of 4 fabrics. That should make it easier, not harder.

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  14. I love your version! I'm a sucker for houndstooth but your colors/fabrics are great. I would probably do a floral on one side and a coordinating stripe/dot on the other side for contrast (for those days I don't feel so floral!) :)

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  15. I would probably use casual and patterned on one side, and solid and fancier on the other side. Thanks for the giveaway! sarah@forrussia.org

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    1. That was one of my choices but I went casual in two different colors instead.

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  16. I would use two casual prints for mine. Thanks.

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  17. I think I need to read before I leap.....yesterday I left my comment in the field I'm supposed to leave my email address....so sad...smh lol Eventually I am getting it right...only took me two days haha

    I would either use two coordinating colours or two contrasting colours.....but this, as with most things in my life, is subject to change at a moments notice lol

    Hugs
    Naomi

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    1. Thanks, Naomi. Sounds like me before my coffee!!

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  18. wow your bag is so beautiful !!! I love those fabric, but I love more that strippy one (I can't use striped fabric because mine never end straight)
    You make a great job

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    1. Thanks, Lorena. It was a fun bag , wasn't it?

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  19. I kind of want to do plaid, but that's probably out of my reach. Maybe a bigger print that has birds on it, but probably a solid with some embroidery.

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  20. Looove your bags...the red one is my favorite!! :) This is a fun tour! Grrrreat talented ladies!

    I would use some cool paisley fabric I have, and a solid added to match.

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  21. I love the almost nautical feel of this bag! Very nice :)
    Amy

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  22. Thanks Amy. Enjoy the bag tour. Good luck.

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  23. Your bags look great! I have some sewing themed fabric that would be fun to use for one of these, with a simple accent that could be more versatile as an alternate print. :) Thanks!

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  24. I love your bag(s)! I have a lot of purple fabric, and I love anything purple, so I would use a combination of purple prints and solids on both sides. It would be a great project for using some scraps. I'd make it casual and fun, since I almost never need a dressy bag. Thanks for the inspiration and the advice!

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    1. You are welcome and thank you. Purple would be beautiful

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  25. I'm not sure about prints or colours, but I think I'd do one side with laminated cotton, so if it rained everything would stay dry.
    jen dot barnard at btinternet dot com

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    1. I think laminated cotton would be great. Sarah has some pictures of some done with it on her website above under Wednesday's group.

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  26. Fabulous - I'd like to make one in contrasting colours/styles!

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  27. I like the idea of doing one side casual and one side dressy! Or maybe one in spring/summer colors and one side in fall colors? That way you wouldn't have to change purses, just turn it inside out!

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    1. Great idea. Making the vinyl insert Sarah has in her pattern would keep the inside clean until you need it.

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  28. I would choose one side causal and one side dressy! To the mall, club, wedding, etc. I would be set either way.

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