Making Handbags: Retro, Chic, Luxurious

Excellent guide to making all kinds of handbags. Excellent instructions so that even a beginner can be successful. Good resource list. It even includes the e-mail addresses of the student work featured. Tear-out patterns can be increased to full size on a copier. This would be an excellent addition to the library of any aspiring handbag artist.

This book focuses on creating four styles of bags: the tote, clutch, drawstring, and beach bag - plus variations on these four styles.The book comes complete with step-by-step illustrated instructions for each type of handbag, which so far, have been pretty clear and easy to follow. Also included are all the necessary patterns, but will have to be enlarged with a copy machine to be of any use.At the back of the book there is a full-color "gallery" of various students' handbag designs. I found this to be useful as well as interesting.However, after making some of the bags I was a little disappointed with the results. I'm finding I have to make modifications to the designs to produce something I actually like. But overall, the book is worth purchasing if you are interested in making your own handbags. It will inspire you, at the very least!

This book is great. It has easy to follow patterns, great pictures and descriptions. They have funky bags and elegant bags but they are all very chic. As a handbag designer i think this is a great bag for professionals, student and even those who have never made a handbag before.

I bought this book and handmade handbags and handmade handbags cant compare to this. they give you actual patterns,modern and eccentric design ideas and the instructions are much clearer to understand. I love this book!

I love this book, it's loaded with gorgeous pictures of bags that are VERY stylish. It gives you patterns, covers basics of sewing, and is even great for expert Clothing Designers and Seamstresses like me. The book is by teachers at NYC's Fashion Institute and there's a section of very creative and fashionable creations by chosen accessory design students. The patterns are all there and somewhat easy to figure out. Most of all I love the pictures. I'm talking these are REAL designer bags like something you'd find at Betsy Johnson. These aren't your grannies sewing projects! There isn't a single quilting fabric found in this book. They even tell you how to make leather bags. And in the back, you can contact each student that made the designer's gallery bags (to tell them how much you love them, ofcourse! Hope you have as much fun with this one as I did.