The perfect accessory for a night out…
Some of you may remember that at the very beginning of the year I took a cruise to Antartica. Well, when I was preparing for the trip I decided that a new clutch bag for the evenings would be a good idea. And to be honest I was really just waiting for a reason to make Swoon’s Heidi Wristlet! The cruise was just the perfect excuse. I just can’t believe it’s taken me this long to introduce you all to my Heidi Wristlet!
What can I tell you about the Heidi Wristlet… Well to start off with it is another fabulous bag pattern by Swoon. They are definitely one of my favourite pattern designers! I suppose one of the reasons for this is because they specialise in bag patterns. This means that all of their time goes into designing and creating bags that are unique, stylish and functional. If you currently sew bags or maybe thinking about expanding into this area go and check out their website. It’s full of inspiration when it comes to fabric combinations. I also follow their facebook page which has a huge audience. People not only post the many bags they make but also tips and tricks. So it’s a great place to get your sewing questions answered.
The Heidi Wristlet is one of Swoon’s free patterns. They have a few free patterns available on their website. It’s a great way to get to know a designer’s patterns. I’ve already made some of their bags in the past – the Sydney Crossbody and the Denver Backpack. So I already have a good familiarity with their patterns. The Heidi comes in two sizes, a wristlet and clutch size. I made the wristlet which is great for the essentials – wallet, phone and keys. The pattern has very clear instructions and a few pictures to help. There are also options for adding a strap if you want. I would say that the Heidi is probably aimed towards the advanced beginner. Installing the zips could be a bit challenging if you don’t have a lot of experience, particularly the curved zipper.
The fabrics I chose for this project came out of my stash at home. Originally I purchased both the exterior and lining fabrics from the quilting section at Spotlight but it was some time ago. I decided to omit the vinyl trim along the bottom of my wristlet, mainly because I didn’t have any at home. And I was also in a bit of a hurry to get the Heidi finished for my trip. For the strap I decided to make a leather one – I just think it adds a bit of style, plus I can use it with other clutch bags.
What can I say? I just love my Heidi Wristlet! It’s such an adorable bag. And with all the added options and sizes it’s hard to believe that Swoon offer it to their members for free. I love the zipper pocket on the back as it makes it easier to get to items you use the most. I definitely know that I’ll be making more Heidi’s in the future. Next time I really want to try the larger Heidi clutch with the vinyl accents. For now though my Heidi wristlet is suiting me just fine!
