A new bag for a trip to Paris!

From the title of this post you might be fooled into thinking that I had made luggage, I haven't!  However, I do have a new satchel which I am very pleased with, perfect for carting all my junk around on a weekend in Paris.

I used the Kennedy satchel pattern which is a free pattern from Sew Sweetness.  It was made entirely from materials I had in my stash. The exterior is made from a polyester pleather (is this a thing?  It's what it said on the label) that I bought at the coupons de St Pierre in Montmartre a while ago.  The interior is a furnishing fabric which came from my granny's house, I think it was a leftover from some curtains, (upcycling win!). The trim is some genuine leather scraps that I had in my stash.  The real leather is so lovely and buttery feeling that I kinda want to make myself a leather blanket to wrap myself in but I don't have enough of it, boo! God, I'm such a bad vegetarian!  Unusually even the the notions were from my stash. I don't really stockpile notion in the same way I do fabric, they're just not as exciting to me. 

I have made this satchel before, documented here. But this one was for me! The construction was really simple and the instructions are great. The only part I have difficulty following is the dividing pocket which I didn't want in this version anyway. Instead I wanted a large section for carting my knitting around maximum storage.

 With a daffodil in my garden, just to prove that it is Spring!

I did create myself a little Oyster card pocket, for speedy access (much needed on London transport). I used the last of the fabric for this pocket and used the selvedge as the top edge, I love that I can still see the name of the fabric creator, it's like a little signature inside my bag. This fabric was made by Sanderson who a quick google search reveal to be fabric makers/designers since 1919.  I have no idea when my fabric dates from but safe to say it isn't that old.  However, another little google of Sanderson fabrics makes me glad I didn't know the prices of this stuff before I chopped it up to make into a bag!  
  

I deviated from the construction details in some other areas too because of the materials I was using. The pattern asks you to sew double layers of the accents together so that the raw edges are enclosed, since my accents were made of leather which didn't fray so I didn't bother sewing multiple layers together, I simply top stitched them to my main fabric. I had to stitch the strap to the lobster clasp by hand as the the layers of fabric were too thick. 

My new satchel holds lots of stuff, an essential in my book.  Perfect for a site seeing trip on the first weekend when it really felt like spring might be in the air!  I used to live in Paris so it's been a while since I did the tourist tour but it was really fun to see them in new company and to wander the Paris streets. As ever I'm terrible at remembering to take photos but here are a few for your enjoyment.

Sacre Coeur in the first properly sunny and vaguely warm day of the year.
  

 Pont Alexandre.  Remember this from that final scene in 'Sex and the city'?

 Musee d'Orsay

Notre Dame

 Cheesy photo with the Eiffel tower and a sunset in the background.  Selfie win!

So pretty but in my book London still wins!  I really must do a similar tour of London and take some pictures to let you guys compare for yourselves, however I should warn you I've found myself in the minority with this opinion so many times that I'm used to staunchly defending it!  Now I'm off to have a much less fun weekend of working on assignments.  Hope your weekends are more fun filled.