Funky boy-bag

My 9-year-old son has a groovy little over the shoulder bag he carries his treasures in when we go out.
I bought it for him in a sale last year and when we go out he always finds something in there to while away quiet moments.
He's decorated the bag with badges we've collected on trips away and he's really proud of it.

I guess the secret to the success of a bag like this is not to have it too big, otherwise it could get too heavy and a child would end up ditching it.

Yesterday I suggested the bag idea to my 6-year-old son and he picked out the fabrics he liked.
What do you think of his selection? Cute or what?

I let him choose from fabric leftovers including what looks like 100% cotton barkcloth from the 60s with a beautiful tall ships print.
The fabric is so luscious to touch - it takes me back to my childhood. Sort of a coarse weave in lovely smooth cotton.
I love the barkcloth and I'd like to stretch it out to use in future projects as much as possible so I just used it for the flap.
The gorgeous orange and brown brushed cotton paisley was used to fully line the bag, including an insert.
The same paisley fabric was used for the outer bag and under the flap.
A strip of denim was used for the outer insert and shoulder strap.

I used the original bag as a pattern.

I just measured it up and added 1.5cm seam allowances.
The original bag has a velcro fastening but the flap on the handmade bag is heavy enough to sit well without it as it's lined.
A button would be too fussy for my little darling boy anyway.

He's been carrying it around for two days now and has filled it with the little treasures he needs to keep an eye on such as pad, sharpener and pencil, tamagochi, bionicle, spyro, pez and water bombs. Critical stuff!!
Orders are coming in thick and fast from my other two kids!

Groovy little bolero

About a week ago I was at the Salvo's and they let me fill a bag with fabrics for $3.
I found some real beauties, including a navy and white cotton full circle skirt that was way too small for me.
It didn't take long to realise it would make a perfect bolero jacket from Style pattern 4654 I'd bought for 20cents a few days earlier.
I'd never actually made anything out of a circle skirt before - lining up the straight of grain and getting the pattern lined up properly was pretty interesting but not too tricky.
The bolero has cute puffed sleeves and a deep pointed cuff.
I was sewing away thinking how clever I was to wizz something up in a couple of hours when I realised the jacket need to be lined.
I ended up using white damask left over from making sofa slipcovers a couple of years ago.
Now the jacket is reversible - white with the navy and white

cuff.

I probably won't wear it that way tho' - looks too much like a waiter's jacket.
I wore it to work the day after I finished it and got lots of positive comments - it felt great!
The pattern is ideal for refashioning a full skirt as it doesn't take much fabric and there's only four pattern pieces - no collar or yoke pieces.
I remembered a piece of advice from years ago a little late though - hang the garment and lining overnight before hemming.
The lining is a tiny bit too full so I'll have to remember that next time.