Lickety Split Mini-Bag with Grey Owls

I am highly distractable. I am not the sort of person who plugs away at a project until I finish it before starting something new (unless someone is breathing down my neck) because while I'm working on one thing, I'll look over at a piece of fabric that is just begging to be turned into another project and I'm onto something else. So while I DID putter a bit on the Bonsai Bag Pattern this week, I also spent an afternoon making a mini-Lickety Split Bag (Update: The Lickety Split pattern is no longer available).

The fabric is Alexander Henry's Spotted Owl in grey.  I have the pale blue colorway too but the grey seemed perfect for fall.  I also have a seester who had a birthday who I suspected might like this. But I might need to make a few more of these bags so she can pick her favorite, you know, like a multiple-choice-birthday gift.  Making gifts for fambly is tricky because I have a tendency to make things based on my taste and not necessarily theirs. So options are always good.

Just so you can see the difference between the actual Lickety Split Bag and this version, here they are side by side. Even though you can't tell in this picture, the straps are actually the exact same length (I think the knots are a little different) but the body of the mini version is shorter and narrower.

can you believe I made these from the same pattern?

A quick how-to:

• I used my Lickety Split pattern (Update: The Lickety Split pattern is no longer available) and with the following changes to the main pattern piece: chopped off the bottom 2.5" of the pattern piece and the middle 2" and tossed those two pieces.
• The remaining pattern piece was cut along the line for the horizontal pocket placement as shown, creating the two pieces labeled C and D below (click photo to enlarge).

• The center piece labeled "C" was cut on the fold where indicated, with an additional 1/2" seam allowance added on the taller side of the pattern piece (right side in photo).
• The strap piece labeled "D" was cut on the fold with an additional 1/2" seam allowance on the shorter side of the piece (left side in photo).
• The pockets were cut as wide as each section and 16" tall.  Each pocket was sewn together by folding in half lengthwise with right sides facing and then sewing across the bottoms (leaving the sides open). Then turned the pockets right-side out, and placed them 3" from the bottom of each panel and sewed across the bottoms to fasten securely to each panel. Then basted the pockets to the panels along the sides and then sewed all the panels together.
• I topstitched each seam with a double row of stitches.
• I added a button loop (a 2" strip folded into a 1/2" strip and sewn along both edges), and two buttons, one inside and one outside so it can be fastened when reversed.
• The lining pieces are cut just the same as the outside and then the bag is assembled exactly the same as the instructions indicate.