Mary Poppins Bag: Helpful Stuff and Things Part 2

I won't bore you with the details but suffice to say the move is sudden and unexpected and while we know we are moving, we still don't know where. Summer is not the time to be looking for a rental, FYI. So long story short, I've been packing and I've somehow lost sight of five yards of gray velveteen. The same gray velveteen, if you were wondering, that I intended to use for my bag, the same velveteen I need to photograph so you can see.

Seems like a good reason as any to discuss fabric choices, though this post will be lacking pics thanks to the absconding of the velvet. Maybe it's hiding from my scissors.

So fabric choices.

Have you given thought to what you're making your bag from? The sample on the Sew Fearless site looks to be made of quilting cotton and a velveteen. Quilting cotton is a perfectly acceptable choice and you'll get decent results from it. But don't limit yourself to one small section of the fabric world. Personally, that $30 dollars worth of hardware alone calls for something a wee bit more elevated than a mere quilting cotton.

Be bold! Be brave and consider . . . corduroy, denim, suede, or even leather! Lucky for you, Fabric Mart has a leather sale going on right now. Mood had a great selection of heavier weight fabrics as well. I'm also pretty partial to Fabric.com's Premier Prints. They come in all sorts of colors and, if you guessed by the name, prints. Nautical, paisley, chevrons of all colors and sizes, and all sorts.

Do you like blue? Navy isn't my favorite color but I'm not sure you'd know it from my wardrobe. I own a ton of blue. It looks good on me, coordinates with quite a bit, and is a year round color. For all of these reasons I support a navy lambskin purse or I would if Fabric Mart hadn't just sold out. Instead, I'll support a navy suede purse thanks to Mood Fabrics. Perhaps with beige textured pockets and a vivid purple lining that will make you smile each time you dig in there for that pen you could have sworn you put in there.

Or maybe you favor something more eye catching. Perhaps a bright yellow purse with black trim and a fun, animal print lining.

Don't forget the prints! This fun octopus print by Tula Pink would look lovely with denim in both ivory and dark blue.

Do you have a love for all things Elizabethan or Baroque? Look at this amazing embossed leather. If I wasn't sitting on four yards of soft rose faux leather, this one would call my name. I'm not even sure what I'd pair with it. I'm simply in awe of it's mere existence. I think I'd use the same fabric for the pockets and trim to best show off the beautiful print. And then perhaps this pretty pink and gray damask for the lining.

So many decisions! There is no end to the different combinations you can come up with. Just remember when selecting your fabrics that you want something sturdy that will hold up to a decent amount of wear. You don't want much stretch in these fabrics if at all but if you do fall in love with something a wee bit delicate, soft, or stretchy, remember that there are a ton of interfacing and interlining options to help beef up your choice. A muslin backing, a heavy weight interfacing, all of those things can turn a less than stable fabric into something that will hold up for ages.

So what about you? Do you have your fabrics yet? Have some ideas bouncing around? If I didn't mention it already, make sure you check out the home decor section of your favorite brick and mortar or fabric site. If they fabric can hold up to your butt rubbing on it for the next five years, it will stay strong while you drop it in the grass, fling it into the backseat, or shove things you totally meant to throw away in there until you can find a garbage can.

Next time we meet, we'll discuss interfacing. 

Thank you again for sticking with me through all of the delays. You guys are the best.