Bella Bag–Fig Tree Pattern

Yes, I made another bag!  Not a surprise of late, right?  I have had this one almost complete for a couple of weeks now but needed to get purse handles.

It is a Fig Tree Pattern

and I have always liked the look of this one.  The purchased handles, interchangeable tie and shape.

My bag doesn’t have the firmness I like in a purse/tote so the bottom sags some.  I will change this up the next time I make it and add some peltex to the front, back and bottom.  On the sides, I will leave them as the pattern states, they need to have softness to pleat on the sides.

The pattern does not have pattern pieces, just measurements to cute the basic shapes then there are small drawings in the pattern instructions to trace.  You take the tracings and shape the sides of the pieces.  Not my favorite thing at all but it states in the instructions, saving some costs on the pattern.  I would have rather paid a few extra dollars for the pattern pieces.
It also states purse handles available on the site, which is true but currently only in red polka dots.  These are very cute, but wouldn’t work with my colorway.
I found my handles at Joann’s and decided they would work perfectly.  Instead of attaching another tab, I just used the tie tabs and fastened the handles to these


All in all, I LOVE my purse, seldom to I keep a bag I make but this one I knew was mine from the start.  I had some linen in my stash for the main body of the purse, adding a bit of quilting cotton that was pretty basic to the sides.  Now I can make several ties and really change up the bag as I want.






You and see the saggy bottom!
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Here is another Alice Book Bag, made a sample for the quilt shop