Sewing Retro: Evening Bags

Who wouldn't like a fun little bag like this?
Vogue Accessories 7354
Vogue Patterns

I bought this pattern off e-bay for about $4.00 with shipping. It's on the Vogue Pattern website for $7.77 plus shipping. I'm interested in it because I think these bags would be perfect when wearing all black. That Little Black Dress Paired with a cute little round vintage looking red crushed velvet bag. I was also thinking a an emerald green Asian print would be awesome with just about any solid color dress or outfit.

When I first looked at the pattern I really didn't think I wanted to fool with making accessories. I'm one of these people that carries one purse until it falls apart or the strap breaks. Then I buy another purse. The idea of accessorizing left me with the 80s.

Not one of these purses needs more than 5/8 of a yard. Most of them are 1/2 yard. How many times have I come across a beautiful scap of material at a yard sale, flea market or even at a fabric store?

Now when I find that mod '60s fabric in a pile at an estate sale, I will definitely reconsider the investment! It's in the bag.

Sewing Retro: B4790 #8 It's almost done

This post is going to be more pictures than words. The last I have to do is the fake buttons in the front. I've decided to use snaps and hooks under the buttons to be sure they don't accidentally come undone. I suppose I could have just used bigger snaps. I've got plans to make a few more of these, so I imagine with time I will learn what works best.

Buttons and snaps are all that's left!

I ended up with about eight hours total investment.

The underarm area has no gap! Yeah!

A nice view of wher the underskirt meets under the overskirt.

I did discover that I pulled the shoulders up a little more than I would have cared to. If you remember from a previous post about the fabric for this dress, I didn't have enough, so I bought what I had and decided to make it work. I had to make the bodice only an inch shorter than the original alteration, but it proved to be just a little too much. I will remember next time I need all the yardage called for.

Close up of the bodice.

The bodice seems to creep up because it's too short, but I think it will be OK once it's on. This was a great dress to work with. I'm happy with my fabric choices and alteration choices. I'll post the finish product on my own chubby body next week.

This is the fabric for the next one.

I found less expensive fabric by $10 total. $4.99 instead of $6.99 at FABRIC.COM free shipping with orders over $35. It's easy to get $35 of great fabric at this website. They also sell swatches of just about everything.