In the summer heat, Christmas might feel far away, but it’s never too early to start scheming what handmade gifts you want to make for friends and loved ones.

Last Christmas, I made this bag for Heather, a dear friend.  She likes big bags to carry all her treasures, and has a variety of bags for different purposes. Though I’m not sure what she uses this one for; I thought of her when I saw this pattern.

One of the things I like is that this bag has many pockets, but is not your traditional bag. It has personality! It seemed like the perfect fit. For the fabric, I chose two colors from the same color palette. One has big bright flowers and the other stripes in the same colors. I love the outside pocket on each side and pockets on the inside. The magnetic closure is the perfect touch. It was so fun to make! One of the fun parts is overcoming a challenge, and the handle gave me a bit of trouble. I took it apart  a couple of times to get it to lay just right. The satisfaction of getting it just so is tremendous!

The final result is just delightful! This would make a great beach bag or farmers market bag. The pattern I used (Butterick B5658) has several different styles. Make one for you and a friend or one of each for all of your bag needs.

Happy sewing,

JoLene