Through Every Season

Through Every Season was created by Linda and is located in Phoenix, AZ.
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Bid on this bag by leaving your name and a bid in the comments section. Bidding starts at $25 and increases by whole $s please. Highest bidder at 8pm on Monday, July 13th gets the BAG! Postage extra.

Through Every Season is an appropriate name for this versatile bag that can be utilized in every season. Yes, it's a new pattern! Exciting! I saw this style while browsing through the pattern books at JoAnn's store and loved the construction and all the pockets. It is called a "birder's bag" because someone who loves watching birds needed a bag for her binoculars, bird guide, notepad, water bottle and snack. [Editor's note: However, we don't recommend keeping birds in this bag.] But I realize there are many organized women who may not watch birds who would also appreciate the useful design.

I dug out a donated roll of this fabulous tan, beige, brown and Robin's Egg blue designer fabric. It is so rich and textured... nice for running your fingers along. The other fabrics used are denim, light blue cotton/poly blend with tiny shiny dots and a soft tan cotton "canvas". Beautiful!

Under the flap is one large pocket that would easily handle a day timer or calendar.

The back of the bag is loaded with pockets at different levels for easy access without lifting the flap. The bottom is one wide pocket for receipts/sunglasses/keys/map/museum brochure, etc. There are two light blue pockets that extend to the bottom of the bag, one perfect for a book and the other for pens or pencils.

Inside the bag are two half-pockets of denim trimmed in tan canvas. They are ideal for your cell phone, iPod, lipstick or compact. The entire inside is made of the light blue fabric.

The strap is knotless and very strong. It measures 44".

The bag measures 12" tall, 10" across and 2 3/4" wide. A binder does fit in it quite nicely.

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Silver Stuff

Boca in Bend - you're the highest bidder on Anne of Avonlea.

Please email BagsforZaza@gmail.com within 1 week to arrange payment and postage/pickup. Thanks so much for your support. All proceeds from this fundraiser go towards Zaza's adoption.

And now if you'll humour me, here's a conversation I recently had with my 12 year old soon-to-be-adopted son...

William: Mom, when did you put that silver stuff in your hair?

Mom: What silver stuff?

William: You know, when did you dye all those hairs silver?

Mom: Right. Well, you see, I couldn't decide between the latest crazes in hair styles, so I thought I'd do something original and dye a few (hundred) individual strands of hair silver. And while I was on a role, I had them crimped, too -- you know, just so they'd be all wiry and fashionable looking.

... at least he called them "silver" and not "gray".

Anne of Avonlea

Anne of Avonlea was created by Linda and is located in Phoenix, AZ.
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Bid on this bag by leaving your name and a bid in the comments section. Bidding starts at $30 and increases by whole $s please. Highest bidder at 8pm on Monday, July 6th gets the BAG! Postage extra.

Anne of Avonlea is a collection of bits and pieces for that shabby chic look and feel. If it was pink, yellow, green or blue and in my scrap bag, it's on this purse! I love denim mixed with the light colors for that vintage appearance.

The flap is fashioned in a quilt pattern and I'll explain them left to right, top to bottom. A scrap of a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt stitched by my grandmother or her mother, lime green chenille fabric from Becca, hand sewn embroidered pink flowers and raised "ribbon" from a tea towel, denim, machine embroidered flowers and cut work from a second hand table cloth, denim, cream canvas looking cotton with hot pink roses, buttery yellow and cream striped denim, and again, more machine embroidered yellow flowers form the table cloth, lighter denim and (the grand finale) and hand embroidered pink dogwood flowers from a table cloth that my mother made almost 50 years ago. (Way to go, Mom!)

The front flap is decorated with pale yellow chenille rick-rack, white lace with pearls, green and white striped satin ribbon and hot pink and white gingham ribbon. There are also vintage buttons in baby blue and light green, as well as a newer heart shaped pink button. The front flap is lined with denim.

Under the flap is an edge from mom's table cloth with more of the dainty yellow lace edging. Cute blue and green button mark the line in the center of the two pockets.

The sides and bottom of the bag are two shades of denim. The cell pocket is trimmed with the corner from mother's tablecloth with handmade dainty yellow lace.

The faded denim on the bag is from a pair of Jill's old Calvin Klein jeans. It is quite soft from years of styling. Thanks, Jilly.

The back matches the quilt pattern on the front and the only addition to the fabrics are two squares from a chenille bedspread (my fave). The quilted part makes up two pockets, with one quite narrow one for pens or reading glasses. The divide is accented by the pink rose button.

Inside Anne of Avonlea is mostly denim, but the pocket front is a vase full of mom's hand stitched pink dogwood flowers. The pocket is trimmed with pink and white gingham ribbon and a light pink and tiny yellow antique buttons.

The strap is knotless and measures 52", the perfect length to sling across one shoulder for hands-free garage sailing. It is made of denim, the yellow striped denim, the chenille bedspread, Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt and the canvas "looking" cotton with hot pink flowers.

All the denim fabric makes this a sturdy little bag! It measures 12" long, 9" tall and 3" deep. I love the look of this bag and some day I will decorate an entire room like this. Enjoy!

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Most Marvelous Miriam

Tonight's Bag Biddie is Miriam! Thanks so much Miriam ... again. We know where to find you.

All proceeds from this fundraiser go towards Zaza's adoption.

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P.S. I was looking at a baby name website and for the first time thought to look up Zaza. It means movement. Neato, eh? It's not even her real name, but it speaks to the journey that's ahead for this little girl.

P.P.S. Why was I looking at a baby name website? Because our own adoption is actually moving along and although we're not changing our children's names, we're adding an extra middle name.

G'night.

I Might Be a Trekkie

JayP, Elvis Takes a Back Seat is all yours. Thank you so much!

I didn't post last night because I was at the new Star Trek movie. It was so great. I ran straight home and watched Season 1, Episode 1 of the original series. I totally forgot about blogs and bags. I've always enjoyed Star Trek, but was never able to watch any of the series too regularly. I'm kinda tempted to backtrack and watch them ALL now. I just checked. That's only 716 episodes all together. So, at 1 per night - that will only take me 2 years. Ha Ha. OK, perhaps that's a bit unrealistic. Dang. Maybe I can sew and watch TV at the same time.

I'm hoping to have a bag finished tonight. Stay tuned...

Man in White

Man in White was created by Grace and is located in Phoenix, AZ.

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Bid on this bag by leaving your name and a bid in the comments section. Bidding starts at $25 and increases by whole $s please. Highest bidder at 8pm (pacific) on Monday, May 4th gets the BAG! Postage extra.

I found nine different black and white fabrics in my stash which all fit together to make this bold, Man in White bag. The main fabric is an embroidered linen-like material that has a nice body and texture. I used it on the flap, the under flap, the strap, the cell and back pockets. The flap has curved corners edged in black cording with sample pieces across the bottom featuring an embroidered flower and trimmed with black and white braid.

The front of the bag is striped and has a large double pocket. I used a vintage hand embroidered and crocheted pillow case piece for a wonderful “change of pace” decorating the pocket.

The stripes are horizontal on the back with a nice size pocket trimmed with braid.






Inside I used black and white polka dot, animal print, striped and floral materials. The pocket is divided in three with a polka dot ribbon trim.

The black material used throughout the bag is a medium weight fabric with a wavy design. I used fusible lining on most pieces to make a sturdy bag.

The strap, top stitched in white, is one piece measuring 41 inches and the bag is approximately 10 ½ x 12 ¾.

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With Endless Sight

With Endless Sight was created by Linda and is located in Phoenix, AZ.

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Bid on this bag by leaving your name and a bid in the comments section. Bidding starts at $25 and increases by whole $s please. Highest bidder at 8pm (pacific) on Monday, April 27th gets the BAG! Postage extra.

With Endless Sight is a combination of Springtime colors that attract your eye with the first glance. This is a colorful bag of pinks, yellows, greens, oranges and off white. It is the standard messenger bag size with adjustable straps.

The front flap has a delicious collections of textiles to meet the fancy of the most persnickety lady: chenille checked green fabric, hot pink satin ribbon, a thick textured cotton with embroidered lines of stitches and a flashy silk daisy with a prominent lime green button.

The cell pocket is adorned with big, fat pink ric-rac and my razor phone fits in it perfectly.









There are four large pockets on the outside of the bag, two on the back and two under the flap. The pink material on the back has little off-white dots and a satiny sheen. The pockets are trimmed with an orange satin ribbon with white flowers dancing along it, as well as a felt and button flower accent. The pockets under the flap have a small hot pink and white gingham ribbon and a bright yellow button topping off the trim.

On the entire inside, you will have an Endless Sight of yellow and off-white striped denim. This is sturdy fabric that holds it shape quite nicely. There are also two pockets on the inside for the essentials, girls (chocolate, lipstick and mints).

The straps, sides and bottom of the bag are made of a brocade orange fabric that is rich in nubby texture. It is thickly structured and has a slight variation in its color.

I'm sorry it wasn't ready for Easter.... but it will do for Summer as well as Spring. Happy bidding!

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Mom ... and loving it!

Mom ... and loving it! was created by LaVonna and is located in Phoenix, AZ.

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Bid on this bag by leaving your name and a bid in the comments section. Bidding starts at $25 and increases by whole $s please. Highest bidder at 8pm (pacific) on Monday, April 27th gets the BAG! Postage extra.

Mom ... and loving it! is the perfect name for this gorgeous bag because it was made by a frequent BFZ visitor, LaVonna, who IS a Mom... and loves it.

I love the design of this bag! The front and back of the bag are identical, button and all. The black squares are a fuzzy corduroy and the patterned turquoise fabric is a rayon or polyester. (I'm guessing.) The sides, bottom and strap are made of faux leather, or pleather, giving the bag some shape and firmness. The insides are made of a mystery material that feels like faux suede. The front and back buttons are gold with inlaid black enamel in a swirl design that matches the swirls on the turquoise fabric. So cute!

There are two pockets inside of the cute turquoise fabric. Also inside at the top is a bright turquoise glittery button and a little elastic loop to hold the bag shut. The top of the front and back are cinched in with wide elastic giving the bag a slight ruffle along the top edge.

The bag measures 14" across, 12" tall and 3" wide. The strap is 22" long and stays on your shoulder very nicely because it is so wide.

Thank you, LaVonna, for your talent and time and turquoise bag. It is darling and Zaza's Mama thanks you, my friend.

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Alice the Fairy

Pay attention people. We're changing things up. This bag is available for bidding for 3 DAYS ONLY! All proceeds go towards Zaza's adoption. And we're starting the bidding at $30.

Bid on this bag by leaving your name and a bid in the comments section. Bidding starts at $30 and increases by whole $s please. Highest bidder at 9am (PDT/MST) on Saturday morning, March 14th gets the BAG! Postage extra.

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Alice the Fairy was created by Jennie C. and is located in Abbotsford, BC.

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*** New photos added Wed evening ... and Thurs evening. ***

This bag is fresh out of the oven. I madly sewed it from start to finish last night after work.

I'll get more pictures up as soon as I have the chance [I had the chance]. I'm sneaking this post up while sitting in a workshop for my job. Shhh.

I'm just a tad in love with my recycled recycle bags. It's a great message. It's funky and cheeky (just like Alice the Fairy, a darling little book that is somewhere in my house and is currently refusing to be found [I found it!]).

It has two back pockets, one small side pocket, and two inside pockets. It's a bit smaller than the other bags - about 11" x 10" x 3.5". Still a very roomy purse.

The lengthy 51" strap can be shortened by tying the knot differently.

Sturdy Brown Denim - Mystery Pete donation.

Light Purple (mauve?) Corduroy (flap) - upholstery sample donated by Melanie G.

Wool Scraps (arrows) - an abandoned high-school project, my Great Aunty Del's closet, Kera B's donation.

Light Purple (mauve?) Plaid (lining) - Kera B's donation.

I thought we needed a better picture of the back of the bag, as well as proof that I really do have this book. So, my daughter fixed my hair up and took the picture of me reading on the front step.

The updated photos above were taken by my talented li'l sis, the Informal Matriarch. They're still kinda driving me nuts. The purple on the flap and inside the bag isn't coming out right. I would describe it as a lilac or mauve, definitely less blue than the pics show (on my PC).

Grace for the Moment #2

Grace for the Moment #2 was created by Grace and is located in Phoenix, AZ.

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Bid on this bag by leaving your name and a bid in the comments section. Bidding starts at $25 and increases by whole $s please. Highest bidder at 9pm (PST) / 10pm (MST) on Saturday, March 7th gets the BAG! Postage extra.

Grace for the Moment #2 is made from one of the fabulous fabrics (over $100 per yd) donated by Cheryl – Thanks! It is from Belgium and is called Symphony - Blue Agate. It is 70% viscose and 30% cotton and has a raised pile in a zigzag design.

The flap features a braid bow in coordinating colors, on brown velvet with the top in blue and brown fabric. The front is the main fabric with a pocket trimmed with braid and is made of a contrasting striped fabric.

The back of the bag is brown, heavy cotton and has a triple pocket of the main fabric, topped in brown velvet with a daisy patterned fabric for added interest. The sides, bottom and under strap are brown cotton. I top stitched in blue for a fun contrast.

I used pieces of all the fabrics on the strap to tie it all together. The strap measures 48 ½”, a little longer than usual, and is all one piece – no knot.

I had fun sewing the lining using the striped fabric on the diagonal on the under flap and pieces of brown, daisy patterned cotton blend with a striped piece in between. The four pockets in the lining are fuller than the usual pockets for easier access. The pockets are a sturdy striped cotton topped with daisies.

The bag measures 13" x 11" x 2½", a little smaller than our regular bag.

Editor's Note: The attention to detail in this bag is amazing. Exquisite work Grace!

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