Sunday Sewing - Pinterest Inspired

 Sometimes I just get lost on Pinterest, don't you?

 I love looking at purse/bag patterns. I love making bags and I have my favorite designers (as evidenced by my current home page).  While I do own almost every pattern by my favorite bag lady and several others by my other favorite bag ladies I sometimes like to venture out and try to make something on my own or with a tutorial found online. Sometimes it works out, sometimes its a fail but it's always entertaining!

Prior to my quilting cruise I created a board for travel organizers. I found several really cool places that sold travel accessories that I really found inspiring...but I didn't purchase any as I do have an abundance of all sorts of bags, organizers, containers, etc. And I don't travel as much as I used to...But ya' never know - that's the beauty of "pinning" - later on I might remember "I saw that somewhere now where was it?" and low and behold it's on Pinterest.

Fast forward to today...it's been a very busy month since coming back from the cruise - been busy with graduation t-shirt quilts and customer quilts....and today I just wanted to chill out. I have several things cut out and ready to work on, but I didn't have the time to devote to a full fledged project today so I decided to clean out my zipper box...

One thing lead to another...In making a list for replacement colors I found a "short" orange zipper leftover from another project...well....the rest as they say is history...my Sunday Sewing Distraction.

What to do with leftovers...

My first thought was to find some fabric scraps to go with the orange zipper. I found this fun butterfly print that had been cut into squares. I don't remember purchasing this, I think I inherited  scraps from someone else - but they are "so me" - my colors and I love butterflies.  

I remembered seeing some simple vinyl bags on Pinterest and pulled out my vinyl scraps and attached the zipper to the fabric facing and then to the vinyl...and then I changed my mind. I didn't really want a small clear bag, at least not today. So I dug around in my Soft and Stable scraps and found a piece almost the size of my squares. Good enough.

That's when I remembered a pin on my travel board....it was for a cellphone wristlet that you carry when traveling - a design that allowed you to use the phone while inside the bag and wrapped securely around your wrist to prevent a snatch and grab. Even though I don't travel that much (especially airports) I thought WHY NOT! Besides, what else was I going to work on this afternoon!

So I dove right in. Okay, so I didn't really have the right size zipper, foam, or fabric  - but I'm a quilter and I know how to make do!

In reviewing the "store bought" photo online I discovered that the ad boasted of a "hidden pocket" - didn't I have an extra yellow zipper scrap in the clean up pile? Yep, sure did - it was a cut off without it's zipper pull, but have no fear! I'm a quilter and I know how to make do! Actually I have learned from some of my favorite designers how to change out zipper pulls to make things more colorful and fun...good thing I keep a stash of extra zipper pulls for both my regular size zippers and my handbag size zippers....

Long story short, about an hour or so later I had my own little cellphone wristlet and low and behold I could actually operate my phone through the vinyl! who knew! The only negative was trying to take the photos with my phone inside the bag. Grin.  The iPad photos aren't nearly as crisp as the new iPhone's camera but I documented it!

My Cell Phone Wristlet
Notice the yellow zipper pull on the orange zipper
And the orange zipper pull on the yellow interior pocket zipper

If I were to make this again I would make it a tad bigger, and if I really wanted to make it more functional I would add a zippered pocket on the back to hold my car keys. They could fit in the interior hidden pocket but this is a flat design and I think an exterior pocket would have more give. IDEA - maybe a mesh pocket??!!  Always room for a design change. But then again - there are soooo many other bags I want to make.....

Cell Phone Wristlet Closed
The interior pocket is indeed hidden!

Ya'never know where floating around on the internet will land ya' - especially in Pinterest - but today I think I landed on something fun. Not sure I really needed this item but making it for myself accomplished two things - I saved money from buying the original and I had fun using up my scraps!

Sunday Sewing - Pinterest Inspired

I think this will make a fun little runaround bag - especially when walking on the seawall in Galveston or along the shore - no sand blowing on my phone! I can't wait to try this out on my next walk on the beach! Which I hope will be soon!

karen