So, I have now finished the Buttercup Bag. As I mentioned in the first post, Rae from Made by Rae is super for giving us this pattern and I definitely plan on making it again. There were a couple bumps. It also took a while since I was taking pictures the whole time so that part will at least be easier next time.
The only real bump I had was that I used the wrong seam allowance for most of it. But it should speak to the robustness of this pattern that it came out nicely anyways. I didn’t notice until I was through the outside of the bag that I had been using 3/8″ instead of the 1/4″ seams the bag called for. As a result, I had to adjust some things like the size of the tabby. That’s my bad. And next time I will do it properly.
Things I love about the bag:
- Great size for going out. With some fancy fabric, this could totally be a great evening out bag.
- Little inside pocket. This is a great size for little unmentionables or a lipstick (see above). I think I might add another larger one to the other side. But only if I used stiffer fabric since it might make the bag a little more unstable.
- Magnetic snaps. These were so much more fun and easy to use than I expected. That alone made me glad to have done the bag.
Things I would do differently:
- Interface the shoulder strap. I like my straps a bit thicker. This one, while fast, felt a bit weak. Next time I would make it my “standard” way of making the strap 4x the width I want, interfacing, folding in and then in half and sewing that way.
- Stiffer bag. The bag is a bit floppy. I think I would use a stiffer fabric (like home dec fabric) or put some interfacing in there. Not sure how it will affect the pleats.
To see the making of this bag, check out:
Thank you so much for taking the time to post this tutorial. You made it so clear and easy to understand! I was surprised that the pattern doesn’t call for interfacing; i like my bags stiffer, so when I finally make this I am definitely going to use it. The pattern is great but the instructions weren’t as clear as yours. Thanks again for your post!
Awesome! I’m happy to hear that!
I just finished a version in home dec fabric and corduroy that is much more to my liking stiffness-wise. So using that kind of fabric is definitely another option if you like your bags stiffer.
I just finished this bag, and like you, thought that it could use interfacing. But I was skeptical because it wasn’t in the pattern. I wound up using fusible interfacing on the liner and in the strap and it made it much stronger and sturdier. Because it’s only on the liner, it doesn’t affect the pleats at all. Your bag is beautiful. Nice work!
Thanks for the tutorial! I actually found this pattern on Rae’s website but when I was putting the inside lining and the outside together I made a mistake in how I put the two together and had to take out a bunch of stitches. I read and re-read the instructions that I printed out and couldn’t figure out how to do it correctly. From reading the comments on her blog I found you! Thank you so much! I agree that the bag is a big floppy and would also do interfacing next time to make it a bit sturdier!! 🙂
Yay! I’m so glad you found it helpful. I use my buttercup bag all the time. It’s my “emergency purse” when I don’t want to carry around my normal huge purse. 🙂