Purse Palooza :: Pattern Review : Anna Maria Horner Right Turn Bag

I am so excited to be one of the guest posters for the 2013 Purse Palooza! Today, I will be reviewing the Right Turn Bag by Anna Maria Horner in collaboration with Janome. If you are a fan of AMH, you know her fabrics are simply stunning. Earthy, vibrant and unique are words that come to mind when I read her blog or look at her work. And not only does she design fabrics, she also needlepoints, sews and quilts!

The Right Turn Bag has two available sizes: 17″x17″ and 22″x22″ (excluding straps) I chose the smaller of the two. I also used fat quarters from her Hand Drawn Garden line. When you print out the PDF file, you will notice how organized the materials list is and how it’s clearly stated for both pattern sizes. The only item I needed to stop and think about was the interfacing. She suggests a medium weight fusible. I wanted her slouchy look, so I stuck with SF101. If you want a sturdier bag that can handle some extra weight, a fusible fleece would be a good choice.

What may throw the visual learners off as you turn the page is that instead of clear pictures documenting steps, there are hand drawn sketches in addition to written directions. Not to worry though, the sketches are nicely done and the take you through the pattern as well as regular pictures do!

This bag is a great project for beginners to experts. The basic layout of the bag is a large square. The exterior front of the bag does involve some fabric piecework, so if you have been wanting to try piecing this is a safe and easy place to start. All it involves are fabric strips of various widths! The directions will walk you through the rest. The exterior back and interior are all solid pattern fabric. I would have liked to see the strip piecing done on the back as well, but it’s easily something you can add yourself. Just allow extra fabric to be used.

My favorite part of this bag was the addition of fibers and decorative stitching to the outside pieced strips. I used a few funky stitches on my Janome, but I also added ribbon and a few fibers from my scrapbooking stash! Some I added over the seams, others I added where you could see it easier. There are no set directions for this step, so you can do as little or as much as you like.

This pattern does not include instructions or materials needed for an interior pocket. She suggests using some of your scraps (you will have a good amount) to make one and tells you when you need to add it. I added one simple pocket to hold my cell phone, but you can easily add a few more.

Here are a few shots of the finished bag. The simple boxed tote is a classic one, yet there are a ton of ways to mix it up and put your personal stamp to it. AMH did that with the Right Turn Bag!