Pattern Review: McCall's M6045

Today I'm showing off 3 purses, all from the same pattern, that I sewed earlier this year.  The pictures above show me modeling one of the purses.  Several months ago JoAnn's had a sale: $.99 for all McCall's patterns.  A great deal, right?  I couldn't pass it up.  This is McCall's M6045, and the price on the package is $18.95.  Woo-hoo, what a bargain!  Keep on reading and I'll tell you all about it.

For this purse I used some blue corduroy for the gusset and straps.  The peacock print is a regular light weight cotton, as is the butterfly print I used for the interior.  The orange hibiscus print came from a sarong I had lying around.  The fabric covered belt buckle was a first for me.  I found the DIY buckle kit at a thrift store and just followed the instructions.  It was very easy.  You might be able to see from the interior shots of these purses that the seams where the sides attach to the gusset are finished with bias tape.  This gives the bag a lot of its structure, allowing it to hold its lovely shape.  


This was actually the first purse I sewed with this pattern, a combination of 4 different prints.  The pattern asks you to use the same pleated pattern piece for the interior and exterior side panels.  I wasn't happy with all the pleats on the inside.  It made it difficult to customize interior pockets, and frankly was a waste of fabric.  For subsequent purses, I drafted a flat pattern piece to used for the lining.    I often use soda cans when taking photos for clients.  The size of a soda can is universal so it's easy to get a feel for the comparable size of something.  This purse easily holds 5 cans with lots of extra space between.  The antique buttons on the strap are a translucent smokey color.

I called this purse the Wasp.  The black of the gusset has a snake skin texture.  The side panels are a home decor canvas.  The rest is a lovely cotton blend print that I picked up at a garage sale.  I really love it and was happy to show it off in this purse.  Two more antique buttons finish off the straps.  In the bottom right photo you can see how straps connect to the base of the purse.  This is the trickiest part of the whole bag.  The strap is basically a tube in which you insert the top corner of the bag.  Then you sew through several layers (9, I think) of fabric to connect the them.  I had to do a lot of hand turning, and even some hand stitching to connect this.

Here's the picture from the front of the pattern envelope.
McCall's M6045

The pattern was designed by Kay Whitt of  Serendipity Studio.
I found the pattern on Serendipity's site where it's called  The Silvia Sling.

You can find Kay Whitt's blog here.  FYI, no one asked to write this review, so of course I'm not being compensated in any way.  I just found something cool and wanted to share it with you.  Kay Whitt has an aesthetic that I feel is similar to Amy Butler's point of view, however the patterns are considerably cheaper:  $11 versus $16.  

Ms. Whitt has a new book out that I am dying to purchase.
I'm thinking this will be an early Christmas to myself!
You can order the book here. 

And this is Ms. Whitt's Madeline Maxi Dress.
(She's modeling it herself!)
Her version of the popular maxi dress features a
 structured design that would look so much better on me
than the typical maxis out there.  I mean, I could
wear a bra with it--a total must for me!
You can order this pattern here.

I'm following Kay Whitt's blog now, so I can keep apprised of her new designs and books.  I highly recommend the Silvia Sling pattern if you're ever looking for a cute but spacious shoulder bag.  
Since you're here, I have to remind you that we are in the midst of our Solids-Only Tote Challenge.  If you think you can finish a tote by the end of the month, I encourage you to join us!  You can find all the info you need to enter, plus profiles of all the participants, on the challenge homepage.  
Happy Crafting and big hugs form Montana,