Okay, so winter was creeping in, and I suddenly realized my go-to bag was looking seriously sad. You know, the kind of worn out where you’re almost embarrassed to carry it. Plus, it just didn’t feel right for the colder weather, too flimsy.
I did the usual thing, poked around in a few shops, scrolled endlessly online. But honestly, everything I saw was either crazy expensive for what it was, or just… meh. Nothing really jumped out at me. It felt like all the bags were trying to be super trendy but ended up looking all the same, or they were just not practical for what I needed. I wanted something that felt a bit more substantial, you know, for winter.
After a while, I just thought, “You know what? I can probably make something better myself.” I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted: sturdy, a good size, and with a certain cozy feel. The stuff in the stores just wasn’t hitting the mark.
It’s kinda funny, I actually got into making things a few years back. I’d been wanting to try sewing for ages, but never really got around to it. Then, there was this one winter, I was cooped up at home for a bit, feeling a bit under the weather and incredibly bored. My aunt had given me her old sewing machine a while before, one of those sturdy old things. She said, “Might come in handy someday!” So, with nothing much else to do, I decided to finally figure it out. Watched a ton of online tutorials, made a lot of mistakes on scrap fabric. My first few projects were laughably bad, truly. But I stuck with it, slowly got the hang of the basics. Started with simple stuff, like pillowcases and basic tote bags. It was actually pretty therapeutic, just focusing on the fabric and the stitches.
So, armed with that bit of experience, I decided to tackle this winter purse project. It felt like a good challenge.
First up, I had to find the right materials. This is always a fun part for me. I wanted something that looked and felt like winter. I spent an afternoon at my local fabric store and found this amazing heavyweight wool blend. It was a lovely dark grey, almost a charcoal color, and felt really durable. Perfect. For the lining, I picked out a contrasting cotton fabric, something a bit lighter in color to make it easier to see inside the bag.
Next, I sketched out a basic design. I’m not an artist, so it was just a rough drawing, but it helped me visualize the size and shape. I decided on a fairly simple, open-top tote style, but with a reinforced base so it wouldn’t sag too much. I also planned for an internal pocket to keep small things like keys or my phone from getting lost in the main compartment.
Then came the cutting process. I spread the wool fabric out on my dining table – it takes up so much space! I carefully measured and marked out all the pieces: two main body panels, one piece for the base, two long strips for the straps, and a smaller piece for the inside pocket. I did the same for the lining fabric. Measure twice, cut once, that’s my motto, especially with pricier fabric!
With all my pieces cut, it was time to start sewing. I began with the outer shell of the bag. I sewed the side seams of the main panels, then attached the base. That wool fabric was pretty thick, so I used a heavy-duty needle on my machine and took it slow. Once the main body was assembled, I moved on to making the lining, which was basically the same process but with the lighter cotton fabric. I also sewed the pocket piece onto one of the lining panels before sewing the lining itself into a bag shape.
The next step was making the straps. I folded the long wool strips in half lengthwise, sewed down the edge to create two tubes, and then, the slightly tricky part, turned them right side out. I topstitched along both edges of the straps to make them look neater and add a bit more strength.
Then, I had to put it all together. I placed the lining bag inside the outer wool bag, with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. I carefully pinned the top edges together, making sure to sandwich the ends of the straps in between the outer bag and the lining at the points where I wanted them. I sewed all around the top edge, leaving a gap of a few inches in the lining for turning.
Turning the whole thing right side out through that little gap is always a bit like magic. Suddenly, it starts to look like an actual bag! After it was turned, I pushed the lining down inside the outer bag and gave the top edge a good press with the iron. Then, I hand-stitched the gap in the lining closed.
And that was pretty much it! I gave the whole bag a final once-over, trimmed any stray threads, and admired my handiwork. It took a couple of evenings, but it was totally worth it.
Honestly, I’m so pleased with how it turned out. It’s exactly what I wanted – sturdy, a good size, and it just feels right for winter. It’s got character, you know? Way better than anything I could have bought. And every time I use it, I get a little kick out of thinking, “I made this!” Plus, it brings back that memory of learning to sew, all thanks to being stuck indoors that one time. Funny how things work out.
