The Organised Handbag

eryn_kathleen

I'm thinking about sewing myself a handbag organiser like these here.

Unfortunately the pics aren't very big, but I figure I can work out a pattern pretty easily (and make it fit my MP3 player, purse, and phone perfectly!). I'm not a particularly experienced sewer and only recently got a sewing machine, so I'm looking for a fabric that is 1) sturdy 2) cheap, in case I mess up and 3) won't break my LIDL sewing machine.

I was thinking of a canvas-weight material. I would have used denim, but I'm saving all my old jeans to make a very warm quilt. Any suggestions?

jcr16

what about calico. i not sure how durable it is. but i know it can be dyed really well. calico only usally comes in natural colour and it vey cheap. i think last time i saw it in a local shop it was only a couple of pounds per meter.

lil_me

Why not have a look through the charity shop and see if there are any old garments/sheets etc that are suitable.

Queenie

You're not looking at a large amount of material here. Seeing as you are going to be making your own pattern for it, I'd recommend you use an old pillowcase or shirt/blouse or skirt or even old trousers (the leg) to make up your prototype. That way, you haven't wasted any bought material and you can get any mistakes and all your tweaking done on the prototype.

As for fabric, from the website, it looks more like a cotton has been used rather than a canvas type fabric. A furnishing weight cotton perhaps? But you could use a lightweigh cotton and interface it with some vilene to strengthen it - that way you wouldn't need to invest in canvas needles for your machine, it would be lighter weight and give you the flexibility to curve it around the inside of your handbag without putting undue strain on either the organiser, or the bag you're putting it into.

Keep an eye out for fabric remnants in your local fabric shop, or as lil_me says, check out Charity Shops/Boots fairs for garments or home furnishing that you could utilise the fabric from.

ShirleyPark_2

jcr16 wrote: »

what about calico. i not sure how durable it is. but i know it can be dyed really well. calico only usally comes in natural colour and it vey cheap. i think last time i saw it in a local shop it was only a couple of pounds per meter.

I have some spare calico that's been sorted out to freecycle but I've not done it yet.

eryn_kathleen if you want I can pop it in the post to you if you PM me your address.

eryn_kathleen

Wow, you lot are amazingly helpful! I posted just before bed last night and when I woke up this morning I had loads of useful replies.

I think I was so into the idea of making a new project that I completely forgot about using old material. Obviously OS isn't ingrained into me yet! Glad I have you lot around to put me back on track. :T

allIcouldwishfor

What a great idea! I might have a go at making one myself. Thanks for the inspiration.

belfastgirl23

Good luck with it. I just got a lidl sewing machine too - it took me about 2 hours to figure out how to thread it but I'm going great guns now. Though haven't made anything proper yet - still trying to figure out how to sew a straight line

Mrs_Flittersnoop

That's a coincidence, I was thinking of doing something similar myself and if they work out, make some for Christmas presents etc. I was going to use just ordinary (probably quilting) cotton, which is firmly woven, calico will do just fine too but is not coloured or patterned. I will interface mine with iron on Vilene to stiffen it (you can usually buy small quantities of this from a fabric shop if you have such a thing near you), which means that you could use any cotton you liked.

Hope this helps.
Mrs F

PS Belfastgirl, to help you get things 'straight' try using an old needle, no thread in the machine and just sewing along the lines on some lined paper. After a page or two you'll be an expert :rotfl:

spendaholic

Thanks to the OP for this post. I've always gone out of my way to find handbags that are already pre-organised, but I do still have a load of bags that aren't. I also have a bag of old clothes waiting to go to the charity shop, so I might find materials in there.

By the way, I LOVE the idea of a warm quilt made from left over denim.

I can feel my sewing machine getting dusted off along with the bread machine, the mixer, the blender, the juicer ...

Seakay

Here's a pattern which suggests using iron on interliner to stiffen the fabric (think vilene or bondaweb here) in case you don't find a suitably robust material.

http://www.thegivingflower.de/?p=920