Bamboo and orchid handbag

I started this bag in 2000 or thereabouts. I used up absolutely every smidge of this fabric that I had to make it. I don't remember how much it cost but it's a reproduction bark cloth and I love it. I lined it with the natural linen from that amazing rummage sale. I don't know if I will ever use up all the fabric I got there.

New Summer bag

I've been working my way through "Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures" by Amanda Blake Soule. This bag is one of her patterns. It was pretty quick and easy (my favorite). I changed the ribbon tie to a magnetic snap, because really, who has time for tying the ribbons. My sewing machine wasn't quite up to the really thick areas so there are some spots where the stitching could use a bit of reinforcing. The fabric came from a Goodwill grab-bag and the lining was some of the natural linen that I scored at that amazing church rummage sale.