And I just know that I share this love with so many of you...So I thought I'd also share what I made last Summer from a pattern by Mum's Moment...
So I asked the lady where she had purchased the pattern, and fortune had it that she had bought it from the very stallholder where we were both stood! So what happened next?
Like the majority of crafters I speak to, I am usually attracted to patterns by the cover photo. Whether it be the colours, or fabrics, or the trims... I usually wind up creating something close to the original because it is those choices that I have already fallen in love with.
But it is amazing how many different looks you can get from one design... and that is something I've been working with this past year or so - adapting the patterns I already have and creating something quite different from the cover photo. Please don't get me wrong, I don't for one minute presume to think that my adaptations or fabric choices are any nicer than the original! I just wanted to highlight that I have to remind myself to think outside the box - as it opens the doors for creativity and inspiration. And that's what I wanted to share with you! :-)
I decided not to piece or quilt my bag and instead opted for an "outdoors" fabric that I found in my local craft store. I would hazard a guess that it was intended for covering deckchairs and other outdoor soft furnishings. It was a thick material so I used a Jeans needle in my sewing machine.
I beaded certain areas around flowers on the fabric, and covered a button with the same material (also beaded). I lengthened the handles, and made a brooch by fussy-cutting two matching flowers from the fabric, and sticking them together with vilisofix.
The great thing about this fabric is that it didn't fray, but the downside was that the seams were a bit bulky. I certainly need to hone my skills with inserting zips as I had to fix up the zip area with a patch of fabric.
Fantastic free Buttercup bag pattern
As if that isn't enough inspiration - check out Rae's flickr gallery here to see dozens of Buttercup bags made by other talented ladies.