Brilliant idea!

At long last, the dark days of winter are over. I worked so much with my hands for the holidays that I had to take a break for a while, but I am now back and have tons of ideas and supplies. Even though I was not crafting, I was still shopping and creating in my head. Here is the first of what I hope are a flurry of new items.

In my continuing effort to perfect my own purse/totebag/accessory patterns, I have been working on some sweatshirt purse patterns. Being larger than a 2X, I always struggle with wanting the t-shirts and sweatshirts that market our life interests and accomplishments but know that they are never available in my size. I long to support breast cancer, my favorite music group, my latest tourist stop or festival event but the shirts never are large enough. But I buy them none the less in smaller quantities than if I could wear them. I hope some day to be able to wear them or use them in some way. And I finally came up with a way!

I've developed a sweatshirt purse. I have not displayed those prototypes here due to their need of tweaks, but this one I could not pass up sharing. A very dear couple were expecting a baby and she works at the same institution as myself as the Athletic Director's Administrative Assistant. So what better way to use the sweatshirts that I crave AND make her a serviceable gift than to make a sweatshirt diaper bag! After a week of deliberation, sketching and thinking then 2 weeks of careful cutting and construction, I finally completed it. And it is absolutely wonderful!

The sweatshirt came from the local Walgreen's, making it reasonably priced (should the project end up on the sewing room floor) and the lining fabric from Hancock's. But the rest is all me.

Notice the extra design elements:

• the sleeve embroidered logo displayed on the base of the strap
• the use of the chest embroidered logo on the front flap
• the use of a sleeve cuff on the bottle pocket
• the use of the hood (embroidered with the team name) and accompanying drawstring as the front pocket
• the use of the kangaroo pocket on the back

This was incredibly fun and I hope to develop this idea more and some day market my patterns.

P.S. I love, love, love Picnik and the ability to edit and collage photos on the web.

What do you think? All comments are welcome.