Aurifil Artisan November Challenge

This month's Artisan challenge was "bag making" and we got to choose a pattern from Sallie Tomato. I chose the Charade Bag because I loved the shape and it featured two sizes.

I had grabbed some metallic flecked cork from Somewhere Sewing a few months back, then saw the stunning collection called Wildwood by Rifle Paper Co. and I knew I had to use both for this bag. It was actually my first time using cork for a larger bag and not just a small zipper pouch.

The Charade Bag is easy to assemble and I especially liked the addition of the curved cork corners, so I decided to take some cork and apply strips of it to the sides of my pouch as hardware tabs instead of sewing them into the side seam of the bag (shown below). I made the small size, but it also comes in a larger "tote" size.

Note: My PDF download from Sallie Tomato did not come with a cover page or a page that included fabric requirements and other bag making supplies that are needed (zipper size, interfacings, cork amount, etc). So I had no idea what I needed for this, which led me back to the website. I scrolled through the photos for the Charade bag and finally found what I was looking for. So if you click the links in my blog post and order the PDF and have the same issue - just go back to the listing page and look through the photos.

Whats great about the rivets I used are that they are screw-in, so once I've punched the whole in my bag and cork I can screw it in and go.... no rivet press needed. Plus, if for some odd reason my cork would get damaged, I can just unscrew the rivets and replace it with a new piece of cork or faux leather.

Oh.. and I also used this beautiful antique bronze "handmade" metal bag tag that I picked up earlier this year at Somewhere Sewing at the same time I bought the cork. I want 100 of them.. I want them on every bag, LOL. I just think its so simple and beautiful.

I used Aurifil 40 wt. in the shade 2860 for all topstitching.

Anywho, that's my finished bag for the November Aurifil Artisan challenge, what do you think?

Have you tried Sallie Tomato bags before? What about the Charade Bag specifically? Id love to know your opinions!