March 11, 2012

Pinterest Challenge in Reverse: Sling Bag

Posted by Ethne~

Well, Lori and I have searched high and low for projects for the Winter Pinterest Challenge, put on by two of our fave blogs, Bower Power and Young House Love.  You can check out their blogs and the other Pinterest projects there by clicking on their names above.

My project is the Reverse Pinterest Challenge.  I’ve made this project before – an Amy Butler pattern – and then I found a free very similar version of the pattern online which, of course, I pinned to Wom-Mom’s Pinterest bulletin boards.

Lor and I are big fans of Amy Butler’s patterns and fabric.  My favorite tote bag is called the birdie sling.  Remember when I burned and fixed mine last year?  Travesty averted.  Lor’s diaper bag is an Amy Butler pattern called the nappy bag [see it on our future parent shopping list here]; made for her by Crafty Grandma (her mom).  It’s adorable.

I’ve made a ton of birdie slings for friends and family members.  Everyone loves them, of course, and a new one was needed – I whipped it up last weekend.  It’s a gift, so I can’t share all of the details just yet, but I’ve got loads of other birdie sling pics, so I’ll show you some of them.



And these aren't even all of them!

BUT, the genius thing, and why this fits into the Pinterest Challenge, is that I found a FREE & NEARLY IDENTICAL sling tote pattern on a sweet website called allfreesewing.  It’s great – and check it – it’s so close to the birdie sling that you can make one without having to buy the Amy Butler pattern (which wasn’t super cheap, but I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth of use out of it).

Mine - Amy Butler bag
Just like the Amy Butler Birdie Sling
Free pattern bag - thimble
I thoroughly read through the directions of this free pattern – the pleated tote (beach) bag – from the blog called thimble; it’s very close to the Amy Butler bag and with her pictures and directions, I think you’ll easily be able to make this, even if you’re a relatively new sewer.  [And feel free to comment on this post if you have any assembly questions.]  A few differences are that the birdie sling has inner and outer fabric + interfacing on all pieces (including iron-on pelon fleece interfacing for the main bag) for extra strength, and more pockets.  If you want to add that to the pattern on the thimble blog, buy iron-on interfacing and iron-on fleece at JoAnn fabrics (use your 40% off coupon because the iron-on fleece is a little spendy).  Cut out pieces that are the exact same pattern size as the pieces of fabric and iron them on per product instructions.








fleece interfacing
Pelon fusible interfacing

So, Friends, I made a birdie sling last weekend (legit project for the Pinterest Challenge) and then I found a free pattern for you all to follow.  So it’s Pinterest in reverse.  And here at Wom-Mom, we’re all about finding you crafts that are FREE.

psst…the reason that I can’t share the Amy Butler pattern with you is it’s copyright protected.  That’s why this free twin sling bag pattern is so awesome.

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