Guess I'm way behind on stylish bags/purses as I did not know what a "Vera Bradley" bag or purse was till now. Like i just looked them up on-line and found they were no different than those I have seen you guys make and show here on the board. The only difference is that yours are unique in design, 100% hand made bags and purses while hers are most likely mass produced in a sweat shop. So, who needs "Vera" when we have each other to cheer us on while we make our own!

I love VB bags! If mine didn't so look homemade, I would be more inclined to make them, but unfortunately I just dont have the knack. Now, oldest DD makes great bags. She has made me 2 and I wore them out. I enrolled her in Sew Sweets Bag of the month the first of the year, but due to a hectic, stressful job, she hasnt had time to make any of them.

I was recently told by my therapist to use a crossbody bag. VB's were the only ones I could find light enough make a difference. I purchased one, found it doesn't go with my summer clothes so I have ordered another. Both came from ebay at great prices and have quite a few pockets. No zippers on the interior ones, though. I don't have time to make purses so these are a viable alternative or were until I learned they have been outsourced to China. Hopefully, these two are old enough to be USA made. I do have some quilted fabric and a pattern. Someday!!

My DDIL (and she definitely is) loved the bag I made her so much, she wore it out and asked me to please make another exactly like it-I did, with a few improvements. She works in a large international company and has received several compliments on her "designer bag". She hugs it and says, "I commissioned it so it is one of a kind". The response usually includes some comment about how that must have been very expensive. She gives them a little smile and says "yes, but I know the artist personally and just had to have one of her pieces, because she only makes a small number and no 2 are ever even similar- I know she only charged a fraction of what it is worth because of our friendship". Ha! She is such a doll!

I may be mistaken,but they are just another import from China with a very hefty price tag. They are not appealing to me but I do make my own original bags. for those people who don't sew they must seem marvelous.

To each their own.
peace

***
*** I have seen them but do not care for them.
*** I looked closely at one and it had raw seams everywhere.
*** Look like cheap imports.
*** Do not think they are Nice at all.
***

It would be such a joy to make a bag for someone like this! :thumbup:

Whilst I love all the totes, bags and purses made by all the QB members, I still go for black leather (currently a small backpack/convertible handbag). When one old faithful gets too shabby...I replace it with another, after much umming and ahhing. I do have a couple of spares/backups and "good, going-out" bags, but anything that doesn't fit in the leather bag, gets shoved in an environmental shopping bag (usually good old calico). Shoes....now that's a different story:)

You must have looked at a knock off. Purses are probably the most notorious for such things. My VBs have no raw seams and I've never seen one with any. I don't even think my lookalike from Dollar General has any raw edges.

I have to VB I bought several years ago. Haven't used either. Everybody in my sewing group raved about their VB but it doesn't make any difference to me if it's a Wal-Mart, Dollar Store or whoever. My favorite is Brighton...