Side Tie Bag with some extra features

I made a different Side Tie Bag last week (but haven't posted about it yet because it has yet to be given to the recipient!) and liked it, but though it needed a couple of things.  I love interior zipper pockets and it would be nice if the purse also zipped close (or used a magnetic snap) at the top.  Erin wanted me to make her a purse using the pleather I had sewn the Hobo Bag with, so I decided this was going to be the project.  She also loves interior pockets in a purse and she preferred that the purse zip closed at the top.

Check out the cute pleather gusset and the side ties!  I used parachute cord instead of sewing fabric ties, because they look way cooler.

In order to put in an interior pocket, I couldn't use the technique I normally used because it would fight with the seam in the multi-panel lining.  So, I decided to stick the zipper between two of the panels in the lining, adding some material at the ends of the zipper to fill in the gap.  I totally winged it and probably couldn't recreate the exact method if I tried, but I think it worked out surprisingly well.  Probably would have looked cuter with a white zipper, but I was out of them and impatience won over aesthetics.  The lining fabric matches Sonia's May Day Skirt!

But the coolest part is the gusset zipper I winged for the top.  I couldn't put it all the way down the width of the bag because it would have interfered with the side ties, but I think the purse still opens up enough with the shorter zipper.

The only problem with this bag is that now I want it.  Darn it!