A bag project that isn't made like a typical handbag!
Remember making handbags for people out of patchwork fabric, and you would step back to admire your work to find the bag just to fall flat? Well, Mum sure does, and when she started creating her handbag designs back in the 2000s, there weren't a lot of interfacing products on the market. So one afternoon in 2005, she had the idea to make a cute bow bucket-style bag and quickly headed to her dress-making stash to see what she could use to hold the bag up. And there she found it... a product used for many years in dressmaking...
Cue The Rigilene Boning Rigilene Boning - 100% polyester sew-in, lightweight boning is is made for projects that need extra support and shape like eveningwear, theatrical costumes, strapless Bridal gowns, etc . At the time, mum was making a lot of wedding and formal gowns, so she was in excessive supply.
When we were filming the tutorial, I asked her, "How did you even think to use the boning to give your bag the shape?" Mum told me at the time, she was making many bridal and formal dresses and always seemed to find something in her stash to use in her handbag designs.
"I didn't really think too much about it; I saw it and was like yep that will do, I sewed it into a side seam, and it turned out amazing. Then I just kept going, I sewed more into the next seam and then around the top, and it just worked perfectly."
Back in the 2000s, Mum was doing many craft shows around Australia and the Bow Bag was one of her best-selling bag patterns. We decided it was time it made a comeback to our YouTube channel and created a fun tutorial showing you how to make it. (link below)
The PDF pattern includes two sizes so you can make a larger or small one depending on the nature of your use. Another great thing about this design is that there is no zipper!
Click the image to view the tutorial.
If you would like to make this bag, the PDF pattern is available for purchase below. The Pattern includes both sizes as well as step-by-step photo colour instructions to make the sewing experience as fun and easy as possible!
Purchase pattern here.
We hope you have fun making this gorgeous little design, I had many of these bags made for me when I was a little girl, and now I plan on taking our new cream one out and about. Our latest design is made using a cotton brocade fabric that we sourced from a deadstock fabric store. You can really have a lot of fun thrifting fabrics or buying deadstock these days. We also purchased an array of satin deadstock fabrics to make more bags in, so please watch this space!
If you make this bag, please comment on how you went below, or leave your thoughts on what we should make next.
lots of love xx Alaura
Many years ago when my granddaughters were small I made them each a bow bag one Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed the process. I have made several other handbags from your designs over the years. They are a joy to make and they are always very well received.