Hermes...

Brynwood Needleworks - Hermes, The Beloved Cat

Meet Hermes. He's the pampered cat who lives with Arwen. When she asked me to make Arwen's bag, she also asked for a smaller version for Hermes. His Mom is a dear friend, and I was happy to oblige.

Having completed Arwen's bag on Wednesday, creating Hermes' bag yesterday was easy. I had fun fussy cutting the fabric patterns to highlight Laurel Burch's colorful cats front-and-center on his bag.

Brynwood Needleworks - BW Hermes Sling Bag

This is the result of my day of sewing. I had coffee and conversation with Handsome, and then I headed to the studio. I cut all the fabric, grabbed the hardware, and then started sewing. I stopped for lunch, and again for dinner, and completed the bag about twenty minutes later. I love the result and hope Samantha does, too.

Brynwood Needleworks - BW Arwen and Hermes Sling Bags

I'm including one more photo to show you the difference in the size of the two bags. Arwen's bag measures 16.25" tall x 11.25" wide x 3" deep. Hermes' bag is 10" x 7" x 2", just the right size for his essentials.

They're both on their way to their new home today, and I'm going to spend part of my day baking bread. I do have to vacuum the studio and tidy up a bit, but otherwise I'm going to be in the kitchen.

What do you have planned for today and the weekend? We're supposed to have warmer weather, so Handsome and I are going to finish up our yard work.

Arwen...

Brynwood Needleworks - Arwen G.

This sweet face is my girlfriend, Samantha's pup, Arwen. Not too long ago, Sam contacted me to create two custom pieces for her. Bags with her pet's names on them for when they're traveling or for daycare.

She asked for a larger size for her dog, Arwen, and a smaller size for her cat, Hermes. I gave her a few style choices and she picked the one she liked. She requested replaceable name tags for the bags, so that the bags could be repurposed in the future.

I gave her fabric choices, and set about creating the bags for her. This is a style I haven't made before, so I prepped the fabrics, read and reread the pattern, created the patch with Arwen's name on it, and then set about the bag construction yesterday.

Brynwood Needleworks - BW Sling Bag

 

The result was this crossbody backpack/sling style bag. I used black cordura (like a treated, breathable canvas), and a colorful Laurel Burch dog print quilting cotton. It has two large compartments and two zipper pockets (one on the back and one on the interior of the large, front compartment), and adjustable strap. There are two d-rings so that the strap can be attached either side, depending on the preference of the carrier. The name patch is attached with patch velcro, so it can be changed out later.  

 

I'm quite happy with the way it turned out. The second bag (for Hermes) will be 15% smaller than this one. He'll have his own name patch on the front, too, and will also use another Laurel Burch (cat print) fabric from my inventory. I'm going to make that one today. In fact, I'd better head to the studio. If you're looking for me, that's where I'll be.