Machine Embroidery Projects: Carry Me Home Italian Bag

Machine Embroidery Projects can very easily be left on the ‘make one day’ list for embroidery stitchers. That’s exactly where the ‘Carry Me Home Italian Bag’ had been living on Lorraine Bennett’s list.

“I decided the time was right; I felt this pattern allowed me to use every sewing skill I have learned over the years. The enormity of the task ahead that I thought I was facing was definitely holding me back. Selection of materials, cutting out the pattern, applique, embroidery, and construction… time to step up”.

(You may be able to understand where Lorraine is coming from, and have a project on your own ‘make one day’ list.)

Lorraine Bennet share’s her experience, process, and planning to help you when sewing out your projects.

Lorraine Takes Us Through the Carry Me Home Italian Bag Design

The ‘Carry Me Home Italian Bag’ is a unique machine embroidery design with its free-standing balcony and Vespa girl. It’s the little details that give this handbag that little bit extra and the striped shutters and buttons for the Vespa wheels give it a nice finishing touch.

The first step is to become familiar with the pattern instructions, read through them and look through the pictures. Lorraine added a further challenge here by switching the major colors to purple and green, “I remember scooters did come in green, I like the vintage feel’.

Top Tip: If you are going to switch colors, change the cotton colors before starting to embroider.

Lorraine decided to go with some nice linen material.

Next, she cut out all the material and ironed the base fabric and applique fabric. It may be useful for you to use starch or ironing spray for added crispness.“I cut all the material out first and knew where they were meant to go. Another first for me”

Lorraine then marked out the middle with a fabric marker, to line up the designs. It is a great help having the cross-hatching guides embedded within the pattern. This little gem helped avert disaster, especially with the carriage lights. It is essential for these to line-up.

As you can see below, it took a little work to get them exactly right.

Now your design is almost off the ‘make one-day’ list - It’s time to start sewing your Carry Me Home Italian Bag.

Centre the material for the windows in your hoop, and press start on your machine. Lorraine reminds us not to get so lost in the process that you end up forgetting something. “With all this prep I was so focused on the process, I forgot the material for the window shutters!” She only realized this after she had un-hooped.

As a reward for the lessons learned and extra time for the project, Lorraine decided to embroider the 3D balcony. “This looks amazing, I love the look it gives in relief. I believe the balcony gives the bag the ‘wow’ factor.”

Lorraine took her time with this project to make sure she got it just right. “I worked over three days, doing a little each day, I wanted the bag to be perfect.”

“People stop me in the street to ask where I got the bag. If you are like me and are a little scared of starting this project, I would encourage you to do it as I did, in stages. Thank you 'Enchanting Designs' for your great patterns.”

Find the Carry Me Home Italian bag and a wide selection of beautiful handbags, purses, and tote bags machine embroidery designs online for you to choose from.

We think Lorraine’s Carry Me Home Italian Bag looks amazing, if you have a machine embroidery project on your ‘make one-day’ list, we hope this inspires you when creating embroidery designs.

About Lorraine

Lorraine enjoys creating beautiful machine embroidery projects with Enchanting Designs. Lorraine will be 3 years retired in June, after years of running her own successful recruiting company. When she isn’t at her embroidery machine, she is very active in the political scene in Tasmania, as the secretary of a very new party, she will be standing for politics this May. She lives in a peaceful town by the river, around 20km outside the capital, Hobart, where she spends time with her two Grandchildren..

Share Your Designs and Stories With Us

We loved Lorraine’s Carry Me Home Italian Bag, and the story that came with it, we hope you did too, and find some inspiration.

We appreciate Lorraine sending in her pictures and sharing her tips with you. We want to hear more from our amazing customers.

If you have completed any of our machine embroidery designs, we would love to see them, send us your pictures and any tips you want to share with the community to angela@enchantingdesigns.net.

We look forward to hearing from you and would love to share your story with our readers!