Denim skirt to shoulder bag

Does anyone else have problems finding the perfect hand/shoulder bag or is it just me?  They are either too big, too small, the straps are too thin and dig into the shoulders and on it goes.  I've been wanting to have a go at making my own shoulder bag for some time now but not at all confident about coming up with a pattern that would suit.  So what to do.  This skirt has been sitting in my wardrobe for some time not being worn.

Light black denim skirt.

With some snipping and........

 sewing I now have this.  Ta dah!!!

Front

 

 

Back

 

Button loop made from a scrap of left over fabric.

Nice wide shoulder straps.

I was going to photograph the process of converting this skirt to a bag but there were so many steps I decided it would be quite tedious reading and viewing.  This is what I did.  After cutting off the bottom of the skirt I took in the waistband on either side to make a smaller opening.  I added pleats to the bottom of the bag as it was too hard to gather the material to make the bottom of the bag smaller.  I triple sewed the bottom for strength and zigzagged all raw edges.

I made the straps from the part of the skirt I cut off the bottom.  They are hemmed, doubled over and I used a very small zigzag stitch to reinforce the edges of the straps.  After pinning them in place, I triple sewed them in place adding an X shape for extra reinforcement.  The pockets were sewn shut at the top as they were to shallow to be used on the outside of the bag.  I created one pocket inside by cutting a slit on the front of the pocket piece inside the skirt and hemming around it.

So there you have it, a new and hopefully just about perfect bag for me that cost me nothing more than my time, yesterday afternoon and evening.  I had the thread and the button already in my stash.  I'm just wondering now if I should embellish my bag.  Anyone with ideas or suggestions?

Have a lovely day,

Anne  xx