The Perfect Size Purse

...AKA the bag I've been thinking of sewing for a couple of months now! The idea for this has been rolling around in my head as I've searched for the perfect purse for me. I wanted a bag larger than the fanny-pack style bag I've carried and smaller than a tote bag; one that would hang comfortably from my shoulder and be exactly the right size for the notebook and calendar I carry; and one with a pocket on the outside for my reading glasses and a pen and a pocket on the inside for the things I want to grab quickly, like my cell phone and keys. I purchased the canvas fabric way back when I was buying quilt fabrics from my favorite place...readers of this blog say in unison...Mary Jo's! The lining is fabric I bought in India last summer. What do you think?

Detail of the side pocket and quilting.  Yes, I did that quilting myself and I love it.  It reminds me of my favorite vest that I bought last year from the Fabindia shop in the Hyderabad airport.  The color reminds me of India, too!

See!  Just the right size for my notebook.  I actually used the notebook to determine the size to make the pattern.

And a nice wide, comfortable strap (pardon my dirty work-out shirt!)

I am thinking of one other little detail to finish it off...a bit of feather stitching along the edge of the contrast fabric on the flap.  Just because....

May I say, though, that with the stitching or not, I already LOVE this bag. 

Stay tuned because there just might be one of these bags (in different fabrics) as a giveaway for one of you!