Naughty Librarian mag bag

Here's a project I finished back in January but only just gave to recipient. My bestie and I went to the Stitches & Craft Show last year and started some charming Sublime Stitching pieces at one of the Craft Bars. My piece lay around for most of the year (as the permanent wrinkles attest) until I resolved to finally finish it off and show it off. Where better to display it that on a magazine bag for my librarian bestie?



Book bag in all her Glorie!
(I don't know, maybe Glorie is the librarian's name.)
Sized to fit great works of literature.
Black is velveteen; grey suiting is the same I used for this summer's dress, before I discovered it stretched.



Lined with alphabet fabric, carefully cut to include recipient's initials.
Just remembered I never got around to hand-stitching the lining closed.
Haven't done that on the bag I made myself circa New Year 2009/10 either.



And a close-up of the lovely librarian, creases and folds now permanently set with interfacing.

I made the pattern myself and followed the construction method from a Nicole Mallalieu pattern. Nikki M's pattern was a great reference as I had no idea what a zipper gusset was until I followed her instructions for making one.

Hopefully the recipient will now be inspired to send me the photos of the other 'literature'-related present I made her, which she's had since December! We are the slackest present exchangers.