I don't know about you but I love free patterns. Furthermore, I really love free patterns when I want to purchase a PDF pattern from a new company. Which is how I ended up making Blue Calla's Lilac Mini Messenger Bag this weekend. I love Blue Calla's new Speedwall Sling Bag Pattern but I wasn't sure if I wanted to purchase it. I didn't want to get my hopes up only to be disappointed by the pattern company's instruction style or find out that the illustrations were not detailed enough. Blue Calla, luckily, had several free patterns for smaller purses and wallets on the site.

I am glad I gave Blue Calla a shot because the mini messenger purse is absolutely beautiful and it will be given to my aunt as a late mother's day gift (don't judge me, I promised her a handmade item for mother's day and I am just now working my way around to it). It only took me about four and a half hours to cut and sew this purse up. Now that I have done it once, I am sure it will be able to make it in a shorter time frame the next go around. I plan on making another mini messenger purse soon, because this pattern is a great scrap buster pattern to me. The pattern review is below.

Pattern Description:

Small messenger bag with piping detail. Bag has one large inside pocket and a zipper pocket on the outside of the purse.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done with it?

Yes, everything looks exactly the same except for the closure.

Bag Size:

10” wide at bottom x 8” tall x 2” deep

Where the instructions easy to follow?

Yes, very easy to follow.

Fabric and notions used:

Faux leather (purchased at Walmart), waxed cotton african print (purchased at Mood Fabrics), duck canvas, lightweight fusible interfacing, zipper, strap slide, and rectangle rings.

I suggest you purchase a teflon foot if you are sewing with faux leather. I tried sewing on faux leather without one and believe me when I tell you, it is a pain in the butt. I ordered mine off amazon last summer for a very reasonable price and it is used often.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern:

This pattern was great and I love the illustrations. However, I think the purse dart illustration and instructions could be better.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I did not use the o-rings on the strap connector, I used 1" rectangle rings instead.

I used magnetic snaps instead of a twist lock closure and I didn't do my measurements correctly for the magnetic snap. I had to remove the snap in the flap and reposition it so it would snap properly.

Since I used faux leather for the strap, I cut my strap 56" x 2" and folded the strap in half WST and top stitched.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Yes and Yes.