The other day some good friends and I got together for our weekly sewing morning and we decided to try out a pattern from a new sewing book I received my mother called 101 Great Ways to Sew a Metre by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins. The book is full of patterns for various bags, purses, clothing, toys and other household items and no project asks for more than a metre of fabric. The patterns are all really well explained with clear instructions. I have to admit that the spats (cowboy boot covers) found on page 147 will not be made by me though.
We decided to sew the Scrunchie Bag (page166) because it’s a big and roomy casual purse that we thought would come in quite handy. I decided to use a gorgeous fabric with vintage typewriters on it by the Japanese brand Kokka (Melody Miller’s Ruby Star Shining). For the inside of the bag I used a spotted linen that I purchased in Japan last year. The two fabrics compliment each other perfectly.
We loved the fact that there were rings for the strap and that the top was elasticized. Both new sewing techniques for us. We cut and finished sewing the bag in less than three hours. My kind of sewing project.
I’m quite in love with my new typewrite purse.
(here’s my last sewing project using Echino fabric)
Jillian In Italy 
Great purse, I want to try it. What are the sewing pitfalls I might encounter with it?
The pattern calls for a piece of elastic to be put in at the bottom of the purse to give it a rounded look. Mirjam tried it and decided it’s nicer to just put in some pleats instead.
LOVE IT! AM soooo making this bag too. I have Melody Miller’s fabric with teacups and teapots on it, love it.
And this kind of looks like a purse i say on pinterest with belt loops and a scarf to gather the purse up. mmm, might have to do the elastic thingy though too and then cover it up with a scarf. eek! Great timing on this post!
I love Melody Miller fabrics! This purse would be great in that fabric.
Send a photo when it’s finished!
This is SO strange, I was looking for a recipe for plum and rhubarb jam, found one on your blog, looked at your sewing tutorial, decided to look at your most recent post and saw that you were using 101 great things to sew with a metre. I was looking at that book yesterday trying to decide if I wanted to buy it. HOW STRANGE!! Or was I fated to find your blog?
Jakix
Definitely fate. The book has some great and simple patterns and I love that they only call for 1 metre. Happy you found me!
I love that fabric, I have the red and blue version, but still undecided on what to make. This purse looks great! I believe I need a beginners version 😉