Poochie Bag

I came across the Poochie Bag pattern from the Happy Zombie and decided to whip one up for a gift bag of sorts for my friend's ten-year-old daughter.  It turned out to be less gift bag-ish and more purse-ish (due to length of straps, I suppose), but here it is:

 It was really simple and quick (less than an hour) to make.  I used a bunch of purple fabric from my stash.  I almost put the lining to the outside, but thought that would be too much...it's even too much for the lining.

 Also, the pattern did not suggest it, but I top stitched around the bag opening.  I find that always works best for things like this.

And the second part of her present is Little Women!  I loved that book when I was her age.   I loved it so much, that when I was asked in the Great Books club which author I wanted to write to, I said, "Louisa May Alcott!"  Well, little did I know that she was dead.  So I wrote to Jim Davis, instead, and got an autographed bit of Garfield stationery.

I came across this edition at Patina, a local store, and absolutely loved it.  I thought my friend's kid would like it, because I sent her an embroidery kit a few years back and she had enjoyed doing that.  

 The best part is the inside cover:

The dirty underside of embroidery!  So much fun.  My copy of Little Women is pretty stinkerish with a busted cover, so I may go get a copy for me and my little girl.  I think it's a Penguin Threads edition and they make a bunch of different books...I want them all (maybe not Black Beauty or Wind in the Willows)!  If I had a sewing store, I would definitely have these in stock.