A new purse

I finally sewed a thing!

I used this Portmanteau Fashions pattern for an 1831 pointed reticule.

I had received two really pretty cloth napkins as part of a subscription box. I didn't really have need for cloth napkins, but the fabric was so pretty, that I thought they'd be good for a purse. I decided to mix the colors up harlequin-style for fun.  I'm sure this makes it not historical but I didn't really care. I just wanted to try the pattern out.   I probably should have chosen a darker lining, but I wanted something strong enough that I wouldn't worry about. And I didn't have any black cotton on hand, but I probably should have used silk to be prettier. It is what it is.

Here's the result.

I ended up putting piping only on one of the two body pieces because putting piping on both ended up with too much piping and too much thickness. I did pipe the top of the other piece that I didn't pipe the whole way around.  I threaded the ribbon differently for easier gathering. And also I recommend sewing the triangles on the flat body pieces before sewing the front/back together - without doing that I wasn't sure what to do with the piping at the ends of the triangles. Catching them in the seams hides the edges. It makes the side seams a little bulky, but it was the only way to hide those edges. 

Overall, it's a cute purse and big enough to hold a wallet and cell phone, which is great! I have a lot of cute reticules that won't hold everything I need them to!