Ghastlie Birdie Sling: A Halloween Purse

Well, it only took a year of watching my Alexander Henry Ghastlie fabric waste away in my drawer to finally decide how to put it to spooky good use.

A purse!

I originally wanted to make myself a fantastic circle skirt to wear every Halloween with a black taffeta petticoat, striped stockings and black witch boots. But circle skirts require lots of fabric. I think over 3 yards. And then there’s the investment in all the accessories.

But a purse, well, I had the materials for that! (Mostly–the interfacing requirements are enough to drive any good sewist batty.)

Since my sister loved the birdie sling that I made her I decided to use that same Amy Butler pattern for myself, too.

Don’t you just love the fabric? It reminds me of the Addams Family. Kooky relatives having a ghastlie meal together. Very October. Very Fall.

After interviewing my sister about her bag, I decided to do a few modifications. I turned the super-huge interior pocket into two (I had done that with her bag, too, and she had liked it), added a snap closure and a hanging interior key fob.

And my friend Kate had the great idea to add a rosette to the bag. I found a tutorial for a rose (and enlarged 100%), which is what the ladies on the bag are sporting, and got to work with some wool felt that I had. I love wool felt!

My original fantastic plan to was to finish it by the end of September so that I could use it throughout all of October. I started this at the end of August. I finished it two days before Halloween. I finished the rose and added that (making the bag officially complete) some time later. So much for making a deadline!

Is this bag handy! Seriously. I LOVE the key fob! I have it on other purses but am still always fumbling to find the fobs in those because they match the liner. This time the string to my fob is off-white, which contrasts nicely with my lining and I can find it easily every time.

The birdie sling is also very roomy and the pockets are just the right size. I’m never fishing around for my cell phone! I really should make another one. I mean–it only took two months to make this one! I should have a summer one finished in no time! ha.

I used Alexander Henry’s Ghaslies fabric for the exterior and interior panels. The polkadot band and handles are Michael Miller’s dots in ebony.