Pretty little purses & pouches
There are several books in the Pretty little-series from Lark Books and I’ve been browsing through them lately. They are perfect gifts for yourself or a creative friend that wants to sew but are not that advanced (yet). My favorite is the one on bags, so I’ll write a review on that book today. Enjoy!
Well, I love bags! I’m a bag addict. And in the book Pretty Little Purses & Pouches, there are several that I totally want. Want to make, want to own and best of all, want to use.
The photos in all of these books are great and the sewn up models are in colors and fabrics that has me drooling. Everything is styled in a way that makes me really want to get sewing!
Each book starts out in a similar way, going through the basics; tools, materials and techniques. I think this is nice for the beginners, but also a bit irritating for the more experienced. I guess it’s a necessary evil in this kind of book, and it’s a good thing it’s so easy to flip a couple of pages into the book and get to the juice stuff; the yummy designs!
Each project was submitted to Lark online so most of them are made by well-known bloggers we already know and admire. In the end of the book you can read more about each designer and go visit them online. It reminds me of one of my favorite craft books that came out a few years ago, The Crafter’s Companion (tips, tales, and patterns from a community of creative minds), which has presentations of one project from each person but also studio pictures and interviews with the crafter about what inspires them etc. Cute projects and lots of inspiration, just as the Pretty little-series has!
The Pretty little purses & pouches-book is divided into a couple of chapters, starting with smaller pouches gong to the bigger “carry on” and totes.
This is my mother’s version of the “beach baby” bag on page 93. It’s the third bag she has made from this book – I think that is great evidence of how good this book is, don’t you?
Some of my favorites include the “bling sling” pouch for jewelry that has a special sling to hold your rings. I need one of those! And the “bowled over” bowling bag, because it is big, sturdy and cool. I gave this book to mom and as she is a bag producer of big measurements, she was thrilled with some of the designs! She has already made the blue bags in the book; the “patch madame” bag that is round (!) and the “ruffled delight” handbag, a layer upon layer of girly ruffles. Yummy! I want both of these – in pink!
There are a few errors in the book, though this one made me laugh:
To an experienced seamstress I think some of the mistakes are rather obvious, but to someone who has not made a bag before this will be difficult with patterns like this. In the fight between fun layout and good quality how-to images the layout often wins, and I think that’s where the not so advanced crafty girl looses. Written descriptions are hard to follow for a first-timer sometimes.
Want a peak of the inside of the Pretty little bag book? Here you go;
This is the ruffled delight bag… If you want to see how my mother’s bag turned out?
It’s soooo cute!
Mom’s bag. Can you imagine it pink? That would be a delight indeed!
Pretty little purses, potholders, pincushions and patchwork
All the books in this series are yummy inspiration to me;
I have a hard time motivating you to get some of the books in this series (the one on potholders and pincushions) mainly because I think it’s easy to make both potholders and pincushions… I think the books are pretty, full of inspiration and lots of unusual designs though, and if you love to make either of these things I highly recommend you to check out the books for yourself and then get sewing.
I like the “purses & pouches”-book best because I think bags need a pattern more than potholders. To me this one is a must-have for all sewing girls who wants yet another bag. And don’t we all? Maybe it’s because we are all on the lookout for “the perfect bag” for any occasion…
More information on each book:
- Pretty Little Purses & Pouches (Pretty Little Series)
- Pretty Little Potholders (Pretty Little Series)
- Pretty Little Pincushions (Pretty Little Series)
- Pretty Little Patchwork (Pretty Little Series)
Potholders, patchwork stuff, bags and pincushions in themselves makes great and pretty little gifts! This year two new books in this series is coming out a little bird (a lark I think it was) told me. The first one is on cozies and the second one is called Pretty little Presents… And I can hardly wait for that one, ti-hi.
* * More craft and art books that I recommend.
Which is your favorite craft book that got you sewing like crazy?
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LOVE your craft-filled place here…and such lovely bags all over! Thanks for visiting me this week–nice to meet you! :o)
Oh my!! Make me wanna grab a copy of the book now!!
Oh fab, I’ve wanted to start making bags for a while now and this books seems great!
x
Oh, If I only knew I could of made my own bags years ago.
Dd brought home an Amy Butler Purse Pattern. Oh brother.
I had to end up going to the stop to look at the one that
was made. They had it locked to something so I coundn’t
take it off and really look at it good. One gal tried to explain
to me about it. I still had to figure somethings out. I wasn’t
use to going by someones pattern. If I make the purse again
I will hand stitch some of it. Because of the type of vintage
sewing machine it was a bit hard to do one part of the purse.
I did make a reversible purse pattern from Martha Stewart.
Oh, Brother that was something to figure out too. I finally
did after watching the video but still I wished who ever makes
videos to stop putting a lot of focus on the person and more on
the project. I so like making the reversible purse.
Click on Flassie and it will take you to the Amy Purse I made
and a link to two reversible purses I made. One adult and
one child.
I had to finish up on child I made at my sil’s on Christmas eve
and my little gnph was watching me sew it. He kept saying you
really know how to knit good. LOL! I told him I don’t knit, I wish
I did but it was hand stitching. I told him his grma knits beautiful
things.
God Bless You and Yours and Your Creative Life!!!
PS. I mean shop and not stop. LOL! I think I made
another error but you can probably figure out what
I mean.
Anyway, Thanks for the reviews! I am really wanting
to make purses. I’d like to learn how to make beaded
ones too.
What a great bag!!
LOL! I just noticed the mistakes. I finally read the words
on the patterns.
Love the bag your mom made!!! What is the
little pouch she made with it?
Doesn’t it remind you of a women’s top?
If you added more length and left it open
at the bottom and added a seam and connected
the straps to make a sleeves, it could become a top.
That ruffled one is cute too.
God Bless You and Yours and Your Creative Lives!!!
LOL! I just noticed the mistakes. I finally read the words
on the patterns.
Love the bag your mom made!!! What is the
little pouch she made with it?
Doesn’t the bag remind you of a women’s top?
If you added more length and left it open
at the bottom and added a seam and connected
the straps to make a sleeves, it could become a top.
That ruffled one is cute too.
God Bless You and Yours and Your Creative Lives!!!
I enjoyed your bag making adventures! Happy week, hanna!
I have always enjoyed your blog, especially the links to tutorials. Really Fab! Thanks! I own three of the “Pretty Little” books mentioned above. The only one I do not own is the “Pretty Little Potholders”, because like you, I cannot see why I must purchase a book for such a simple item, if only for creative ideas. I can’t say I have made many projects from any of these books though. The most recent one I bought is the “Pretty Little Purses and Pouches” and I must say, it is my favorite of the lot. I will most definitely be making some of these bags.
The book I made the most projects from since I received it are Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle and Sew Pretty Homestyle, both by Tonne Finnanger; In Stitches by Amy Butler; Seams To Me by Anna Maria Horner and most recent, Sew Darn Cute. I have posted many craft (sewing mostly) book reviews with detailed photos on my blog, so please feel free to visit http://pinktulipza.blogspot.com. I know I always appreciate other bloggers posting reviews on books as it helps me decide if I want to buy it.
Thanks for a great, informative blog!