[.ca] Bags with Style (ISBN 0873497406)

Lots of ideas and good value!:
Bags with Style is a great new book for those interested in making purses. There are many different styles and options available in the text, and the book includes full-size patterns as well. The instructions are clear and well-detailed, with a lot of helpful diagrams. I especially liked the author's sense of design and colour combinations. This book is a great addition to the serious sewer's library. Things you will have to look in your other books for: instructions on inside pockets and varieties of zipper installation (only 1 bag out of over 2 dozen has a zipper); also, the source list in the back has quite a few "dead" internet links. Overall, a really great book and a good deal.

The book comes with full size tissue patterns!:
This is a book devoted to making handbags - and it comes with a pocket of full size tissue patterns for every bag in the book - there are 7 different bag shapes and 29 total designs. It's a good value for the patterns alone - no tracing from the book required. Handbags are trendy acessories and they change quite a bit from season to season. A big benefit of this book is that the copyright is 2004 - the styles and shapes are current. Several of the bags are also finished with those currently popular bamboo and plastic handles and there is a source list in the back of the book. Overall, the designs are on the funky side - but sophistication is pretty easy to accomplish with the clear instructions. My favorite design is the feathered bag on the cover - very Holly Golightly! Another good aspect of this book is that the author spends a good deal of time talking about hardware and interior construction - very important in making a bag that looks truly refined and not homemade. She gives you lots of good advice on interfacing, padding, and basic structure. She also has instructions for adding a zippered compartment inside a bag - a very nice touch.