I had a pretty craft-tastic weekend.  3 projects were completed and I even learned a new technique!  Now, for those of you who are experienced sewers, this may not seem all that impressive, but, I made a bag with pleats AND piping! 

Don’t you just LOVE this fabric?  It is Echino by Etsuko Furuya and is a cotton/linen blend.  The fabric is sturdy enough for a bag without having to use any interfacing.  The pattern is my own.  I have seen bags like this in stores and on etsy.com and I just love the shape/style.  It is big enough to hold the important stuff, but not overwhelmingly huge.  For the lining, I used Kona Cotton in eggplant. 

Just a couple of months ago I could not sew a straight line to save my life and now, check it out…pleats AND piping detail!  I have come a LONG way.

The back of the bag features two antelope grazing.  I just love this fabric.   

Shown in this photo is the interior of the bag.  I included a small pocket that features a friendly giraffe. 

From start to finish, the project took about 3 hours.  I plan on making more with different fabrics and embellishments and hope to put them up for sale in my Etsy store.  I would love to hear what you look for in a bag.  Do you like a big or compact bag?  Pockets?  If yes, how many?  What kind?  Long strap or shoulder strap?  What do you look for when purchasing a new bag?  Please tell me what you think!