Discover two downsized, cute and practical shoulder bags!

Good evening!

I'm sharing my two cutest practical and small shoulder bags today! They're both sewn from the same pattern, but one is an inch smaller all-around.

After using a larger fold-over tote bag to carry the essentials needed for everyday use (you can see several of them in my Etsy shop HERE), I found it was too much to carry "everything" in that bag that I thought I might need on a daily basis.

When I go to church or to my school job as pianist for the elementary choir classes, I always carry an additional tote bag for my music folder, or Bible, candy tin, water bottle, coffee thermos, etc. -in addition to my shoulder bag that contains my coin purse, makeup bag, comb, checkbook, etc. etc. You know what I mean!

After carrying two large totes for a few years, it got to be too much. So I found a pattern for a very small (and cute) shoulder bag that is large enough JUST to hold my phone, a tiny fabric coin purse for credit cards and important ID cards, plus it still has room for writing implements, a pocket mirror, lip gloss, lipstick. And yes, a thin pad of paper in case I need to write a note!

Just the bare essentials! Perfect for doing a quick errand to the grocery store or some such errand. I also found that I didn't need to carry my cosmetic case with me. Ha! Oh, vanity of vanities!

The pattern called for a multitude of fabrics - if you like that idea - which I did - and I just love how it all came together - picking favorites from my overflowing fabric stash! And today while I was shopping at Home Goods, the cashier loved my bag! And the coin purse I made to hold my credit cards and IDs. I henceforth provided her with one of my business cards!

The pattern is called The Half Moon Bag from sewingillustration.com . I still carry my tote bag with the above mentioned necessities, but as this shoulder bag is small, I can stash it in the tote bag for easy toting!

Here's the one I made for myself - with favorite fabrics from my stash.

Half Moon Shoulder Bag front view

Back view of shoulder bag

Green toile fabric around the sides and bottom section

The lining fabric is another favorite - pink roses and trimmed in red toile

And then for last year's Christmas gift - because my littlest granddaughter wanted another bag from her Gramma Linda - because her two older sisters were getting shoulder bags - I made a smaller version for Charlotte. She loves it!

Charlotte's bag is the smaller version of the Half Moon Bag

Half Moon Bag small size trimmed in black/white polka dot fabric

Isn't is just darling? I love the fabrics. And it has a black leather strap. Since she lives very far away from me, my daughter took photos of her so you could see the bag and the owner of the bag! She had to be bribed to model her shoulder bag! HA!

I also added a black tassel I made from embroidery floss.

Charlotte posing with her Half Moon Shoulder Bag

At some point I will be making at least one of these (if not more) to sell in my shop (HERE). (In the meantime, please feel free to browse my shop and find something else!) The pattern pieces are all cut up and bagged - ready to go when I'm ready to sew! The fabrics are a mix of blue patterns. I just have too many sewing projects on my list, including clothing for myself!

I do have a few more photos of Charlotte's bag that are shown with the shoulder bags I made for her two older sisters. And I'll be posting about those bags in the near future, so stay tuned!