Anya

Back in November 2015 Zoe from Sozowhatdoyouknow put a call out for pattern testers for her (then) newly drafted Anya bag pattern.  This is was my comment at the time -

i Zoe, I'd love to make a bag and promise to get my a*** into gear and blog about it (I've been a lax blogger recently). If fortunate enough to be chosen, I think I'd make it in a faded denim, incorporating a detail or two from recycled jeans. And if I'm not fortunate, well I'll buy the pattern and do it anyway!

28 November 2015 at 07:29

Well, I wasn't picked out of the draw to be a tester (shrewd move on Zoe's part, as it turned out!) but she did send me the pattern anyway as we'd met up at the V&A shortly before, and just because she's lovely.

I am extremely ashamed and embarrassed to tell you that I have JUST made my first Anya bag - over two years after I first received the pattern!  I've seen so many lovely versions of this bag on the internet  - it even has it's own pinterest page HERE - so I just knew I had to make my own. Then, at the end of last year, a friend gave me some beautiful closely woven tweed fabric which I thought would be perfect for a bag - and it went really well with the remnant of faded denim fabric left over from another project, which I had originally intended to use for the whole bag. So... tadadadada dah...

It was an absolute breeze to sew - the pattern is so straightforward, with clear instructions and loads of photos to show you exactly what to do.  

I used the tweed for the two main outer sections, and used the denim for the yoke, the straps and the lining, which has given it a nice structure.  I even managed to self cover a button in a little scrap of the tweed.  

I really enjoyed making it and I will definitely be making more more.  It's surprisingly capacious - I'm thinking of maybe using recycled embroidered table linen and using it as a travelling project bag for my sock knitting and embroidery.  I took it to my textile group on Tuesday and got lots of compliments - so not bad for what is essentially a 'freebie' bag!

If you want to make your own Anya bag , you can get the pattern HERE  Go on, you know you want to - and whatever happens - I doubt it will take you as long as it took me to get around to it!

ANYA- Deep Purple

PS - I don't know what's happen with the font and the spacing - I've done my best to tidy up this post but its just not having it.