The handbag continues,

Over the weekend I got a lot of time to work on my handbag. Richard had left on Friday to go to a conference and doesn't get home until tonight so I've been on my own and doing whatever I feel like when I feel like. And what I felt like doing is making my handbag.

I decided to make this handbag from the Yoko Saito book called Strolling along paths of green.

I mentioned in my last post how I had appliquéd the front panel. Then I decided to keep to the pattern design and add the little leaves around the outer border, Even though the fabrics I was using are quite different than those pictured in the book.

I auditioned two different sizes and decided on the smaller size to fit well within the outer edge, because I wanted to be sure that I wouldn't lose the ends of them into the seam allowances.

There was no way I was going to hand appliqué such tiny pieces so I used fusible web to attach them.

I used machine blanket stitch to go around all the edges.

I did spend some time and embroidering the little stem and white berries.

I decided to do hand quilting all around the cat faces.

I wasn't sure what to quilt in the background, so I ended up just doing some almost vertical lines.

For the back panel I really liked the combination of the brown and white lattice fabric and the cat fabric so I just reversed the placement of the fabrics from that used on the front.  

Lots of echo quilting around the panel, and I used the lines on the brown fabric as a guide for the pumpkinseed design.

The interior lining is pretty bright fabric, this is a photo showing the gusset being attached.

It wasn't too hard to sew these pieces together. 

Then I went around each side panel and attached binding to cover the raw edges of the seams.

A couple of handles later and turned inside out, and voilà a new handbag.

You know how you always critique something after you're finished making it?

I am now resisting the urge to tell you the different things I would do next time, and will just enjoy having it finished.