Bitty Bag = big frustration (the Echino predecessor)

I found this pattern at the quilt shop where I used to work.  I love the idea of the bag, and their sample was very cute.  If I'd seen the pattern by itself I probably would have just kept walking, but the sample sold it for me!

I used some older Amy Butler for this bag, I think these are both Daisy Chain prints.
I also made up a Lazy Girl Wonder Wallet to match.

In the end, I changed a lot about this bag.  I also wasted a zipper and some fabric-which led to me having to substitute a bit.  I was working from scraps, but if I hadn't changed anything with the pattern I would have had enough of my original prints.

I have no idea if the fabric requirements are accurate for this, because I just grabbed some stuff from my stash.

My biggest gripe with this pattern was that it had you sewing through LOTS of layers.  I have a pretty nice machine, so when I can't easily assemble something I assume that plenty of others will have the same problem.  I also have an industrial machine for quilting, which I do pull out for sewing things like leather.  But for this little bag, I didn't want to deal with hauling it out.

The biggest change that I made was to omit the batting from the outside zipped pocket.  If I were to repeat this pattern I would also omit the batting from the front outside pocket, and maybe just forgo batting altogether.  I don't used polyester batting, so maybe that would have been easier to work with than cotton. But I think that a lightweight interfacing alone would be the best.  With all of the pockets on this tiny bag, the batting isn't really necessary for structure.  I also chose not to box out the bottom corners, mainly because I didn't want to deal with all of the bulk.

 

The finished dimensions of this bag are 8" tall by 5.5" wide.  I *thought* that I wanted a bag that small, but it ended up too small for me.  I liked the shape, though, which I why I sewed up the Echino bag!

The benefit of this bag is that it includes several credit card slots-both inside the main zipper and inside the outside front pocket.  So it would be easy to ditch the wallet to minimize bulk.  I just don't like the idea of not carrying a wallet. :)