It's all about the journey...right?

You might remember when - way back in May - I blogged about shopping with my friend Shea. I admired her bag as we checked out the offerings at The Crazy 9 Patch in Ramona, CA.   Apparently, this is no ordinary bag...it is a favorite, go-to, never-leave-home-without-it sort of bag.  It is the Mail Sack bag and the pattern is available from Pink Chalk Fabrics.  I picked up a couple of yards of Art Gallery fabrics which were just luscious...

Aren't they luscious?  Too bad you can't feel them!

When I got back home to KC, I ordered the pattern and promptly decided that the fabrics I had bought were a poor choice to hold up to the wear and tear that a bag would get.  I needed to go shopping again.  Really.  I did.  And I made my husband come with me to bon bon atelier where I picked up some Nature Walk (Grove in Straw and Leaves in Crimson) along with a crimson-y sort of Kaffe Shot Cotton.  Aren't they pretty? (Thanks for the link Hawthorne Threads)  BTW, these are also very luscious, super-soft and dreamy fabrics.

By this time, my summer bag project had morphed into a Niece's 20th Birthday Present project.  Once again, I decided that perhaps the fabric I had purchased was not suitable.  Off I went to Sarah's where I picked up this lovely grouping...

Echino bikes, Oval Elements Eggplant and It's a Hoot super-thin pinstripe.

Fast forward 10 weeks or so...  I finally cut the bag out on Friday night and started sewing Saturday morning.  My niece was back in town for a week before heading off to study abroad. I had her come by Saturday afternoon to fit the strap and then I got down to business, finishing this bag off on Sunday afternoon.

Love the trim detail...an edge-stitching foot is a MUST HAVE!

Perfect purple pockets...with a zipper closure too!

Even though it was quite a long journey to get to the end of this project, it was great fun.  Expensive, but fun!  Am I the only one who buys fabric three times to finish one project?  At least I have plenty of ideas to put the extras to good use.

KC MQG meeting on Thursday night...can't wait!  You all have a great week!