UFO Sighting

 I started this purse in summer of 2019, got to the point of being ready to sew all the sub-assemblies together, then put it into a bag and didn't touch it again until yesterday. Sewing a purse that I do like in the meantime did not encourage me to return to this project with any speed, either.

However, I have been doing a tiny bit of stash organizing (and admitting that a lot of the fabric I'd picked out to donate, then decided to keep and sew through...nah, I really should donate, especially after a burn test showed that one--a nice shirt weight--was a polyester blend, which I would never use.) I decided to finish this purse so I could eliminate the bag it had been stored in, and here we are

It's not great, and it was as infuriating to finish as I expected it to be, and I have no need for another purse, but I still kinda like it?

The fabric started as a slightly disassembled vintage skirt made from factory quilted fabric, part of the relative's destash brought by a friend (thanks again!)

The metal tooth zippers were also in that vintage destash, and they were also part of the reason I put this project on hold two years ago, because I didn't understand that vintage metal zippers like these don't work well when they're...floppy.

However, once they're sewn into things that offer some support, they stop feeling like they're grabbing every other tooth and move much more smoothly.

Two zippers on the front, one on the top, and one inside, along with a slip pocket and an appliqué made from an old Halloween t-shirt graphic.

One more zipper on the back

A few matching buckles in navy plastic, from a generous amount of notions someone from YouTube sent a few years ago--thanks, Susan!--and the strap is fully adjustable

There's a modicum of pattern matching throughout, and extra infuriation at 2019 Me for thinking ¼" seam allowances were big enough for layers of quilted fabric and heavy stabilizer interfacing  all coming together around the strap attachment points on the sides.  A quarter inch was not enough, and I probably really should go through and hand-stitch a lot of those areas, especially those where the outermost layer of fabric is only barely touching the stitching. (Small, but annoying to know exists.)

I will probably never use this, but I like it more than I expected,and, most importantly: it's finished.