Sarah's Lantern Bag

I took my daughter Sarah along with me to International Quilt Festival in Chicago last spring. The only purchase she asked for was a little package of Japanese fabrics from a booth in the end aisle (I can't remember the name of the company). The package included 6 pieces of fabric, as well as a length of wrapped cord.

I saw this Lantern Bag pattern by Four Corners Designs at my local quilt shop, and decided that it would be perfect for Sarah's Japanese fabrics. Hey! A Christmas gift idea!

These are the 2 fabrics I added to the mix. The blue batik on the left would be the main fabric, and the brown ikat on the right (a gift from a friend who lived in Japan for awhile) would be the inner pockets.

I had bought the wooden button many years ago, and it was perfect for the purse. The pattern doesn't call for a button but I like to be able to close a bag. I hand-stitched the wrapped cord around the upper seam to give it a nice finish.

You can see the inner folded fabrics peeking out.

The back of the Lantern Bag.

I still have to make a change in the design. Sarah prefers longer handles to sling over her shoulder, so I'll redo the handles to be longer. Otherwise she loved it!