Super Groovy Birthday Gift

I only finished one project this week, but it was a doozy.  Remember the "Super Groovy Tote" bag I showed two weeks ago?  Well it's matched purse is now complete.  My friend's birthday is today and my plan had always been to make her a matched tote bag and purse.

 I made a few changes to the original "10 Strip Wonder Bag" pattern as I went along.

1. The original directions didn't call for quilting the lining fabric to the fusible fleece, but I thought (rightly) it would look better quilted.  So I took about 90 minutes to mark, quilt, and erase my markings on the lining halves.  Then I got to work on other things whilst the fabric dried.

2. The number of pockets the designer planned for just didn't seem like enough.  I added more and even made one with a gusset and a Velcro flap.  It's the one with three green buttons on it.

3. The original lacked a zipper.  I can see a tote bag not having a zipper, but a purse doesn't seem right without either a zipper or a full-sized flap to hold all one's "stuff" inside.  Happily I had a zipper that was the correct color green in my box o' zippers.  Now my friend can choose whether or not it gets zipped shut or just utilizes the button flap.

I did have two snooper-visors whilst I worked.  I warned them that if they "helped" then they had to pose for pictures.  Pollux had the grace to stay sleeping upstairs whilst I worked, the old sweetheart. 

See you all next week!