The Decorated Bag: Embellishing Handbags, Purses, and Totes

This book is filled with tons of ideas and detailed instruction on making and decorating bags.

I bought this book particularly for the cover purse and was very pleased to find concise, simple instructions as well as a full size pattern. I made the cover bag and an very happy with the results.

After hesitating to purchase this book due to the negative reviewer, I finally got a copy and disagree with her. Yes, some of the designs are very 'young', but a lot of things seem very youth-oriented lately (obviously more a reflection of my advancing years than anything else!). And with the eclectic mix in this book cetainly not all of them fall into that category. Plus, while I have quite a few handbag design & embellishment books myself, there are imaginative ideas in here I haven't seen anywhere else, and ones I'm actually eager to try. Stephanie Kimura's work is obviously more sophisticated, but these are a lot of fun and in my view very much worth a try.

The Decorated Bag: Embellishing Handbags, Purses, And Totes by Genevieve A. Sternbenz is an eclectic collection and guide to the fun and inspiring art of embellishing hand-carried bags, beautifying their various designs in creative and interesting ways. Ably guiding readers through an easy-to-follow, step-by-step process for do-it-yourself projects ranging from the "Buttoned-Up Hobo Handbag" to the "Pave Polda-dot Purse", The Decorated Bag is enhanced with 175 photographs, patterns, art, and features more than fifty exclusive designs. The Decorated Bag is very highly recommended for handicraft enthusiasts and weekend hobbyists.