...an actual clutch bag!

Hurrah! I did it! I made a clutch bag that I might actually take out with me in public without fear of people asking me "say, why have you brought all of your belongings out in your soap bag tonight?"

This is still just a prototype/practice piece though - the real deal, which I will be making before my bridesmaid duties next Friday, will be made from a different Amy Butler fabric altogether (shown below, next to a snapshot of my lovely dress) and will be modified and embellished slightly from this more straightforward version.

Now, time for a quick post-mortem of the prototype. Some likes and dislikes if you will.

Likes:-

1. It's very roomy - excellent for those of us that can't seem to leave the house without most of the contents of our dressing table crammed into our handbags.

2. The simple style of the bag is perfect for showcasing some nice bold prints such as these geeeeorgeous Amy Butler ones.

3. I like the cheeky bit of gathering just beneath the band at the mouth of the bag (hmmmm, not sure 'mouth' is quite the right term for bag anatomy).

4. It's really quite easy to make - this first one took me a couple of hours to pull together, including all of the ironing and pattern-cutting etc. That's not bad for a slow coach like me!

Dislikes (or "slightly less likes"):-

1. The velcro fastening. Doesn't really scream "classy evening bag" does it? And I can't imagine I'll be able to discreetly retrieve a few Kleenex from my bag during the wedding service if I've got to rip open 8 inches of velcro just to get into it! No, I think it will be a nice simple magnetic clasp for my final version.

2. Although I do love the simplicity of the pattern, I think I would be tempted to jazz it up a little bit next time. Perhaps with a nice trim beneath the band at the.....top....of the bag. Or maybe a nice big ribbon to fasten it with at the top. The options are indeed endless.

3. The main body of the bag is still a little bit floppy - I might have a go at some heavy-weight interfacing next time (I used medium-weight on the facing fabric only for the prototype), to make it that little bit more robust.

All things considered.....a success!

I'll be back again, with pictures of my final fully-developed wedding clutch, as soon as I can get my hands on a fresh stash of heavy-weight interfacing!

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