Pieced Bag

So I’ve found that the thing about doing more crafting is that I must do less posting.  I’m not averse to this, just this whole time sink up there at my sewing machine is getting crazy.  Here’s a finished project, also been working on 2 blankets, a cactus, practicing my Illustrator and … what else?  Oh, I have 2 more sewing  projects in the works, a little embroidery to do, a couple of jewelry holders nearly done, a large wood project, a painting project …  Oh dear, do you think I’ve gone and overdone it?

Well, one project’s done, anyway.  This is a bag of my own design, with mirrored front and back piecing, three interior pockets and a self-covered button closure.  Sorry about the picture quality:  it was night and all.

The fabric:  the 2 blue cotton fabrics are remnants my mom gave me.  You can tell the patterned one is from the seventies because it features mushrooms.  The navy one is actually chambray, which has a nice subtle pattern.  I like these dark fabrics with the bright green, it’s a good contrast.  The green is a cotton velvet, a recent remnant I bought.  Soft, kind of a pain to sew with, needs reinforced edges.  Also, doesn’t sew like regular velvet, frays easily, has a tendency to create friction while sewing, which means that if you haven’t pinned things properly, your pieces will quickly derail.

I’ve been wearing this one, see what I think about the design there.  The flap was my main issue, ended up crooked after I measured it and everything.  Pissed me off what with all the work I put into this. I have to remember - this is a prototype, and I am not perfect, and things happen.  A mantra I often disregard.  Here’s what an interfaced, lined bag looks like inside out before it’s sewn together.  Aren’t those huge pins?  They’re my quilting pins, and are about twice the size of normal pins!  Fun!

Details … I had fun with the self-covered button, and with the pockets.  Bags without interior pockets, for me, are as good as useless, unless it’s a very small bag.  I carry lots of junk.  I can’t ever find anything without pockets to help.  Thus, I made three pleated interior pockets.  I think that they are (1) too big and (2) too floppy, but it was a nice first try for what I’m aiming for.  Although … these are the first pockets ever to fit all my pens and pencils, and my sunglasses.

This is the wall above my sewing machine.  The important bit is that picture that’s right in front of my face, which is a picture from Lisa Lam’s U-Handblog website, from her glasses case tutorial.  See, Lisa’s freaking brilliant at bag-making.  And I’m completely mentally challenged when it comes to remembering which piece of what to put inside where inside out when sewing together lined bags.  This shows me.  With this picture in front of me, I do not have to (1) swear, (2) rip seams, (3) search for the tutorial 20 times to make sure I’m doing it right or (4) give up on a bag because I’m so frustrated.

This here is a sneak peek of another project.  This is for you, Paula.