Sewing Stylish Handbags & Totes

Sewing Stylish Handbags & Totes
Gifted by Design Originals
d-originals.com
Reviewed by Annie Rosean

Most shoppers are familiar with the instant connection between themselves and a beautiful designer handbag. The color, straps and curvature of the bag deem it love at first sight. However, immediately after that initial moment, reality sets in once the price tag is observed. Instead of mourning over every inaccessibly overpriced purse, explore different ways to sew a bag from Sewing Stylish Handbags & Totes.

This collection, compiled by Choly Knight, reads like a detailed catalog of your favorite bags. However, instead of divvying up a lot of cash and waiting for your purse in the mail, these totes arrive when you decide to start making them. That’s because Sewing Stylish Handbags & Totes offers 18 tutorials on how to sew a bag. Ranging from reusable shopping bags to satchels, these patterns vary enough to fulfill your whole purse wardrobe.

What’s most assuring about Knight’s wide collection of purses to sew is the additional tips she provides. As if it weren’t generous enough to include the full patterns in this book, Knight takes the time to differentiate between fabric types and sewing tools that are invaluable to a beginner sewer. For clarification on interfacing, bias tape, fusible fleece and more, simply refer to the introduction of Sewing Stylish Handbags & Totes. The breakdown of these often overlooked sewing supplies presents itself so accessibly that even the most inexperienced sewer will be prepared for production.

The sewer who possesses intermediate skills won’t be at a loss for projects in this book either. Far from conventional, these bags aren’t only appliqued totes. Install snaps and zippers, stencil designs and increase the size of your sewn bag from these tutorials. 

Published by Design Originals, an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishing, in 2013, Sewing Stylish Handbags & Totes is soon to be a classic on all seamstresses’ shelves. Even if you are an extremely experienced sewer, this book serves as a pedagogical tool. Every sewing teacher would do well to refer to Choly Knight’s collection of how to sew bags and follow her example of conveying simple sewing lessons to new beginners.

No need to waste any more tears on that designer purse. Thanks to Sewing Stylish Handbags & Totes, your favorite purse will be at your fingertips the moment you set eyes on its pattern from this book.