Messenger Bags for Nieces

Three of my nieces have birthdays in June. This year, my niece who lives locally got a jar of homemade strawberry jam and my nieces in MN got mini messenger bags. The jam is made from the strawberries that grow in my yard. Etta has come over a few times to pick her fill of berries and I thought she might enjoy having her own jar of jam as a treat when strawberry season ends. For Gracelyn and Eliza, I found some brightly colored fabric and a free pattern online and made up two messenger bags in one day. They were fun to put together and I hope the girls find them at least somewhat interesting.
The fabrics had been donated and it was a treat to find them in my stash. The ladybugs and both bag linings came from a lady here in Wilmette and the bright floral came from a co-worker's mother who was paring down her stash. The pattern called for iron-on interfacing, but I used some upholstery/curtain fabric instead and I'm pleased with the structure it provided for the bag.

Fabric for two bags

I made the bag pockets the same size, but varied the flap and strap lengths.

Top-stitching the covers

Both of these were sewn on my Bernina 1120 and I switched back and forth between two colors of thread to do the topstitching. The upholstery fabric I used for interfacing in both bags is the floral in the picture below.

Pinning the interfacing, fabric, and lining

These bags have no closures to hold the flap down, but I thought my nieces would appreciate easy access to whatever 'valuables' they chose to carry in their bags.

Strap is a bit shorter on the ladybug bag

Pink lining

I had Eliza in mind for this one

Floral bag has shorter flap and longer straps

Yellow lining

The bags were mailed out and arrived during their birthday week. I think those smiles mean these bags were a hit with the girls.

Gracelyn with her bag

Eliza and Gracelyn with their bags packed and ready to go