Bags With Style

Rating:
Summary: The book comes with full size tissue patterns!
Review: This is a book devoted to making handbags - and it comes with a pocket of full size tissue patterns for every bag in the book - there are 7 different bag shapes and 29 total designs. It's a good value for the patterns alone - no tracing from the book required.

Handbags are trendy acessories and they change quite a bit from season to season. A big benefit of this book is that the copyright is 2004 - the styles and shapes are current. Several of the bags are also finished with those currently popular bamboo and plastic handles and there is a source list in the back of the book.

Overall, the designs are on the funky side - but sophistication is pretty easy to accomplish with the clear instructions. My favorite design is the feathered bag on the cover - very Holly Golightly!

Another good aspect of this book is that the author spends a good deal of time talking about hardware and interior construction - very important in making a bag that looks truly refined and not homemade. She gives you lots of good advice on interfacing, padding, and basic structure. She also has instructions for adding a zippered compartment inside a bag - a very nice touch.