Creating Romantic Purses: Patterns & Instructions for Unique Handbags

This book is so fantastic! Just looking at it over and over is enjoyable. I went to the Ruby Tag website and found info that the the purse hardware in the book has the wrong sizes. Boy, would I have been frustrated if I hadn't found that out. There should be a sticker on the front or a bookmark or something to alert to that in case someone didn't accidently find the information at the web site. Have not been able to start on a purse since I just had surgery before the book arrived but have spent many pleasant hours thinking about the works of art that I am going to be able to create. Great Job Ladies you are so talented in your designs. Thanks...

This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever enjoyed. The purse art is beautiful to look at and stirs your creative juices. The patterns are easy to read and understand. The ladies that created the purses in the book are very talented artists. I have already started one of the crazy quilt bags due to being inspired by this book.

fantastic book. Has beautiful samples, lots of color pictures. I have made a couple of the patterns and even ordered the fabric from the sister website for this company. Truly recommend it if you are a purse lover. The only drawback would be that you have to enlarge the patterns but since they included so many instead of just a few full size, it's worth it.

I was amazed when I opened this book at how luscious these bags are! Rich brocades and deeply died ombre ribbons dominate the pattern style, much different than the lacy romantic bag on the cover. All the bags are very easy to make (the fabrics and 'main ribbon embellishment' tell a lovely visual story without needing another thing.) The basic bags look so rich when you're done that you can't believe they're hand made. The authors tell where to get the supplies, (always a relief.) The materials from the cited suppliers are VERY expensive and so if you are more the 'do my own thing' artist, you can look around and replace most of the fabrics and ribbons with any materials you love. And if you horde vintage lace, buttons, and tapestries, you will end up with a masterpiece by dressing it up even more with your own bits and pieces. You can also follow your own preference for bead v. crochet v. sew v. embroider to dress up the basic pattern - and there are a few variation ideas in the book. I have a LOT of bag books. This is not the 'one' to buy if you don't have basic bag books already, but it's an inspiring choice for those who are seeking 'something different' - these are a feast for the eyes and imagination. (By the way - about enlarging patterns: if you access to a copy machine with an enlargement feature, it's a piece of cake!)

This book was on my "must have" list as soon as I knew that it was going to be released and it did not disappoint! "Creating Romantic Purses" begins with how to pick your fabrics and embellishments and gives some great suggestions such as watch faces, vintage brooches, and unique buttons. There are 40 patterns here to choose from - each more beautiful than the last. Instructions are very complete and easy to understand and there are design tips all along the way. The only thing that bothers me about this book is that the patterns have to be enlarged and, if you are "math challenged", I would greatly recommend taking the book to someone with this skill set to enlarge the pattern pieces for you. If you are a big fan of Ruby Tag Bags like I am, you will have an absolute fit over this book - I highly recommend it!