A little something for me!

So, I took a little time last week to sew up something for myself. I know how daring lol. When I first started this blog, my intention was to use it as a shop of sorts. A place to showcase and sell handmade gift items. But as I got more into sewing I changed directions and decided to use the blog to showcase all my handmade items and any crafts I did with the kids and recipes that I tried. I closed down my "shop" and decided to focus more on sewing clothes for my kids and maybe even for myself, along with sewing gifts for others instead of selling the things that I made.
Well, the reason for this whole tangent is I decided to revamp one of the items that I made, the gadget case into more of a gadget purse. The original gadget case had even evolved from the one I blogged about back in 2011 but I was still unhappy with the design. I had originally put a small pocket on the inside of the case to hold money, ids, credit cards, etc. but it was a bit difficult to get to those items with a cell phone in the main pocket. It was also a bit of a pain to sew up. Not that is was really difficult to sew, it just was for lack of a better word - annoying.  So I decided to change the look which made sewing the case together easier and actually quicker and more enjoyable!
I got the idea to change the look from this Coach wristlet that I have had forever:

 

I love this wristlet. It fits my phone, id, money, credit cards, chapstick. The only thing I don't love, is that everything is just shoved in there. There are no pockets to store ids or money. And when ever I go to take my phone out, I am always afraid I might pull out all the other things that are in there and lose them. So I decided to take the look of this wristlet and combine it with the pocket idea on my gadget case to create the gadget purse!

 

Large pocket for phone (I even have a chapstick in there!) and two pockets for id and money

 

 

I am really pleased with how this came out! I pretty much just turned the original pattern I had made on its side, created a pocket for the front so that things would be easier to access and changed the flap closure. Here is a picture of the original gadget case that I created:

 

Not the best picture but you can see the pocket on the inside



While the original case is cute, it just was not as functional. I now have two pockets on the front of the gadget purse - one for id and credit cards, the other for money - much easier to access and no fear of dropping those items when I go to get my phone. I kept the flap a Velcro closure but I am thinking of making another one that is slightly larger with a magnetic closure. (I am due for an upgrade on my phone and I am going to get the iPhone 5 which is a little larger than my Droid is so the fit is going to be tight with this case) I also kept the snap hook on the side for attaching to my key ring. This is the perfect little purse to grab when running errands and other quick little trips or anytime I don't feel like lugging my big handbag around (by the way I do love handbags and I recently made myself a handbag which I love and will post about soon - yay selfish sewing!)

I love this little purse so much I even made one for my mom!

 

She likes having something small to carry around her things in and was using an old cell phone case for her id and such - it was not working for her - she needed something cute!

 

 

The fabric I used for my case is from Lindsay Wilkes Blogger's Choice Fat Quarter Bundle from The Fat Quarter Shop. I purchased this bundle several months ago and unfortunately it is no longer available but I can tell you that the outer/main fabric is from the Amy Butler Lark collection and is called Heirloom/Jade and the inside/lining is from Art Gallery's Pure Elements line - color emerald. And for my mom's purse, I used Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane in Church Flowers pink for the outer/main fabric and Hop Dot cherry for the lining. I purchased the Nicey Jane at Fabric.com.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Meghan

 

 

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