Special Makeup Bags

It seems I am constantly making makeup bags, but I do love making them so it’s never a problem. I have two to show you today, one which has been half done for a couple of months, just waiting for me to finish it up, and the other was a DrEAMi (Drop Everything And Make it!)

You may recognize the fabrics in the one on the left; they are the same ones I used to make my big tote bag for Project Quilting 15.3 this past week. 

As you may recall, that bag didn’t last more than an hour, if that, once I posted it on Instagram with the link to it in my Etsy shop. One of my yoga friends with whom I practise Ashtanga twice a week on Zoom and who has been coming to my Yin classes for the past year texted me that she wanted to buy it. Well, she had bought the winter-themed one from my Etsy shop a little while ago and so when she bought this one, I had the idea to make her a matching makeup bag as a gift. The idea came to me to use the pretty plaid fabric that started it all as one side of the bag—

I quilted this side with an Exquisite blue polyester and a soft gold Aurifil thread 2134. 

and to make the usual patchwork on the other. 

This side is quilted with a light pink Aurifil thread.

This carries the asymmetrical big tote bag theme through to the makeup bag! I like themes and cohesiveness☺️ so of course the lining is the same as the tote bag lining.

I almost always makes now with the open wide zipper insertion method. 

The bright yellow zipper is the second one I’ve used out of ten I bought from Zipper Valley. They are heavier and they are metal, so applying the fabric tab stop is a little tricky, and I hand crank my sewing wheel so I don’t hit the metal teeth. I really like these zippers because they come with the pull. 

Zipped up

I was happy that the random rectangle I cut to make that fabric tab had a yellow flower in the perfect spot!

I had started the second bag a few months ago but then Christmas and other obligations took over. I decided to get it done while I was making this DrEAMi  one. Making two at once actually does cut down time.

Side 1

This has the same zipper applied but in a linen colour with antique brass teeth and pull as opposed to the golden brass in the yellow one. I went for a soft vintage look for this one. I have no idea as to colour preferences for the recipient but this felt right.

Side 2 just a couple of different squares but not apparent whatsoever

For the lining I used a beautiful batik that is a leftover perfect-size chunk from the seashell runner I made several years ago. It’s all gone now except for four 2.5” squares!

Le Prince Grenouille, made of iron, who used to sit on my desk when I was teaching, helped to prop the bags on their sides in the light from the window.

This is for one of my sweet yoga students who has had some severe health issues in her immediate family and of her own. She’s been coming to my classes for almost as long as I’ve been teaching at Movati, which is nearly 11 years. She has told me many times how much good Yin has done for her with her health issues and that her doctor was amazed at the improvement in her after just a few weeks of Yin. I hope this gives her a little boost, and that she can make good use of this with all the travel she’s needing to make for doctor and health care appointments.

Bottoms up!

A small item I keep forgetting to note here on the blog is that I was asked to design a bit of a twist on the Attic Windows block for Benartex Designer Fabrics’ Fat Quarterly Newsletter. It was in the winter 2023/2024 issue. You can subscribe here. (No affiliation) I did a window in a window. See the explanation below.

‘Cosmo Cats’ is a fun line!