Birth of a Bag

Someone recently made a comment to me about designing handbags. Now I don't think she meant to be mean or rude, she simply spoke her mind. Her comment was anyone can make a purse, "come on it's only basically a square or a rectangle with some handles". True most bags are a form of one or the other, some with rounded edges or a combination of both. But really folks it's not that easy! My husband always says to me when I get crabbing about how frustrating a design is being, "if it was easy everyone would be doing it". He could not be more right. So I thought maybe it was time to give you a slight peek into the birth of a bag!

A lot of thought and effort goes into the pattern. I use my own patterns as well and designing those takes time. I begin with paper and pencil, many sketches later I settle on what looks most similar to the image in my head. I measure things and cut out a paper pattern. I start with a muslin as most fashion designers do (a mock up in cheap fabric that you don't get sick about throwing away). A few muslin's later I am typically satisfied with my design or it's back to the paper!

Ok that doesn't sound too bad! But here's the thing...where do you place the handles for the best drape? Do you use hard handles (bamboo, etc.) or do you use fabric? Which would maintain the structure of the bag best? How wide do you make the bag to work with those handles? Too wide and the bag caves in, not wide enough and it looks homemade! What about interfacing? Do you use the heavy kind or the soft one? Both? Do you interface the outer fabric, the lining, or both? Which will maintain the feel and drape of the bag while maintaining the integrity of the structure? When the bag is filled will it hold everything or will the contents be poking out here and there? And then the cutting process...what is the most efficient way to use the fabric. Same with the sewing process...what is the most efficient way to sew to save time yet produce a bag that looks handcrafted and not crafty? I won't even tell you about the hand stitching needed!

Ok so yes maybe you too can make a bag, it comes pretty easy to me, but anyone??? As the other women stated to her friend "just getting the image from my brain onto a piece of paper would be challenge enough"! I could not agree more.

Check out A World of Creativity for a well written article about my bags. (Pic is of a Singer Sewing Machine circa 1901).