Straw-buh-buh-buh-buh-berry Purse!

My 2yo has really been into “Straw-buh-buh-buh-buh-berry Shortcake” (as she calls her) lately. The kids got Walmart gift cards for Christmas and she picked out a little Strawberry Shortcake car and doll set that was on clearance. I knew something that little would get lost quick around here, and I like to hear her say “Straw-bub-buh-buh-buh-berry Shortcake” so I made her a little purse with some quilting fabric I didn’t really like anymore because it doesn’t quite match any other fabrics I have. It didn’t turn out too bad for just making it up as I went along, and I took pictures along the way so I could show all of you how I did it!

I cut a dark reddish-pink outside and a weird lime green lining 13 by 20 inches each. I also cut two rectangles from the pink for a pocket measuring 4 by 6.

I wanted to make a quilted purse just to try it once. However, in the spirit of using stuff I have laying around, I used 2 sheets of felt instead of fusible fleece. I just pinned them down real good.
I quilted wherever I felt like going with the needle all over it- it is not quite freehand, though, because I have a really old, cheap machine with minimal features that I am too sentimental to replace and I can’t lower or cover the feed dogs on it. So the swirls and loops and turns are all kinda big.
Still, it was fun to just go with it!
Next came the pocket. I interfaced one piece to make it sturdier
and then sewed the two pieces right sides together, leaving an opening in the center of one side to turn it right-side out.
Then I topstitched two lines along the edge with the opening to close it up and make a more finished looking top to the pocket.
I grabbed my green lining and put the pocket in the middle. I sewed it down along the sides and bottom.
Then I started to put my purse together. I folded the pink purse fabric in half, right sides together, and sewed down the side and across the bottom, using about a 1” seam allowance because the felt didn’t go to the edges. And I did the same for the lining, but I forgot to take a picture of this step.
Then, to get the strawberry shape, I marked the bottom middle and 4 inches up on each side, then drew a diagonal line and curved it out some. I sewed along the line and trimmed the excess and I took a picture!
BUT, when I tried fitting my lining inside the outside to try it out, I realized that the bulk of the felt made it smaller inside and I had to take it in a bit. So, I sewed about 1/8” from bottom seam and ¼” up the side. Trial and error are a big part of making stuff up as you go along!
Next came the petals for the top. I measured the top of my purse to be 18” and thought, “Hmmm… 18”/3 = 6” so I can do three 6” petals. I drew up a pattern and traced it on some green poly-cotton blend I had that I wanted to use up. I cut 6 of them out and left a ¼” seam allowance all around. I also cut 3 pieces of interfacing out on the same lines as I traced from the pattern and interfaced 3 of the petals.
Then I sewed the curved sides together, turned them right side out, and pressed them really well. I also cut two long pieces for the handle 2 ¾” by 20” and interfaced one of those like I did the petals.
I sewed the handle sides together, flipped them right side out, pressed. Then I pinned everything onto the bag and basted it.
Almost done! I put the lining inside the purse (I had to trim some of the top off the lining, too) and pinned them together. By now, I was stealing moments as I could all day and it was getting dark, so you get pictures by the window with Tigger in the background!
After I sewed all the way around, I seam ripped an opening in the side of the lining so I could turn everything right side out.
Last step! I topstitched the top edge all around UNDER the petals to hold the lining in place better.

TA DA!!!

It fits her little car and her hat can go in the pocket. Unfortunately, her skirt is missing already.
Straw-bub-buh-buh-buh-berry looks like she likes it!
Now, since this was completely made up on a whim as I went along, here are some things I would do differently if I were to make this again:
1. More petals! The bag doesn’t have symmetry when you look at it from the front and it drives me CRAZY!!!
2. A drawstring top would be really cute and more strawberry-looking! I originally was gonna do this, but then I wanted to quilt it and I decided a drawstring might be too hard for my 2yo.
3. The handle isn’t think enough. It needs more interfacing or something.
4. The pocket is on the side and I think it would be better on the back.
5. I would make it just a little bit shorter- maybe 1-2” or so.
So, if you decide to make one of these, feel free to try some of these ideas out!