This is Enigma #5. I do like this pattern! I like the way it looks and how functional it is.
You don’t get to see the all the steps, because I have so much to write about and so much to sew that I am just posting the completed bag now.
Paris Enigma Bag – bottom
Lil Sissy was admiring my Peony Enigma bag when she visited us in Portland. She didn’t ask for one, but I decided to make her one any way. Her birthday was July 26, so I had about a week to make it when I returned. I had a week or so in between everything else – niece’s wedding, YM visiting, etc.
I had to quilt the bottom and I am never happy about quilting, but I am pleased with how this quilting came out.
I made two of these at the same time. You will see the other one later. Making the same bag multiple times makes them go together faster, but also means I can pay attention to the details. I was able to select which side panel would work for the top and which would be better for the front without a lot of drama. Since I knew what to expect, I could think about the finer details.
Paris Enigma Bag – zipper end
I also found a good place for my label and was able to add it in the course of making the inside pocket.
The zipper end was a pain, but ending up coming out well.
I had to go to the office twice last week. That sound so weird to say after years of going 4-5 days per week. Anyway, I always sit near a friend so we can chat if either of us can get a break.
Enigma #4 in the Wild
She had her Enigma with her and was using if for all the computer bits and bobs we have to haul around.
I finished the Enigma #4 and also gave it to my friend. She was so touched; it made me want to cry. I don’t think of giving bags to people as anything special. In my small quiltmaking/bagmaking world, everyone gives bags like they are napkins or something equally as mundane. I am always brought up short when I give a bag to someone outside of that world and see how amazed they are.
Pink Enigma #4: open
This one came out really well. I am still impressed by the matching stripe I was able to find. I cannot remember when I bought it or where, but it has been hanging around for awhile. It just goes so perfectly with the pink and green outer fabric. I used up all of the fabrics I used. All had chunks taken out of them when I started and were really just scraps when I finished.
Engima #4 – top view
Of course, I am still swooning over the diagonal zipper. Of course, I didn’t take a photo of the side where you can see in this version. You can see the diagonal zipper and how it works in the picture of Mom’s Enigma.
I am really pleased, also, with how well the handbag zipper color goes with the exterior fabric of the bag.
I am Miss Self Admiration Society today, aren’t I?
Pink Enigma – open flat
This one also lays flat. I still really like the way this design opens flat for accessing everything inside.
This piece really came together well in terms of fabric. I am already thinking about the next one I want to make.
I briefly talked about Mom’s Enigma bag in the post I did about all the gifts I have made for her. It was so brief that you probably didn’t notice.
This is the third Enigma Bag I have made and I am especially pleased with how good the zipper looks with this fabric. You can see the other Enigmas I have made by looking at the Minikins page.
As you know, the Enigma is part of Minikins Season 4 from Sara Lawson at Sew Sweetness*. It came out in November or December – I can’t remember – late last year in any case. I am pleased that I have made 6 projects from this group. Yes, four of them are the same pattern, but still a good showing.
Paint Tube Enigma for Mom
This is the bag that is great for handwork, especially in the car or on a plane, because of the open flat, completely enclosed design. There is a small pocket in the middle. It is a floating pocket, so your items fit underneath it. I want to try making it in vinyl.
Paint Tube Enigma for Mom
As I mentioned, I am happy with the zipper. I used zipper tape either from Sew Sweetness or Sew Hungry Hippie. The rainbow look is a favorite, but I also like how the zipper tape blends with the fabric color.
Paint Tube Enigma for Mom – end
I am not that fond of these giant zipper pulls. They are easy to grip, so Mom won’t have a problem opening and closing the bag, but they do clunk together in an unattractive way. I have some other options coming.
You can also see that the construction of this bag using a similar accordion construction technique to the Sew Together Bag. If you have made an STB, then you can make this bag, no problem.
Mom’s Enigma – side view
One of the reasons I have made 4 of these is because of the diagonal zipper. I really like that look.
Mom seemed to like, though she is making noises about having too many bags. I still have a lot of fabric for gifts for her, so I’ll have to think about that.
I worked hard on the Enigma Bag over the weekend, but, frankly, projects get easier the more often I make them. This project went very smoothly until the end, when I didn’t quite catch the lining bottom with the sides and had to do a lot of ripping. I think this goes back to the quilting when the fabric shrunk up and left some foam showing.
I wrote myself a note to quilt then cut the piece the correct size. Sara gives specific instructions about that, but my quilting isn’t up to par, so this is my new strategy as I expect I will make another one.
I went over to Cyndi’s house the other day to sew. We had decided a few months ago to make the Enigma pouch together. We both prepped our pieces at home, then worked on sewing them all together.
With bags the prep is the hardest and most tedious part. It doesn’t matter how many times I have made a bag. The prep is a drag.
Enigma #3 inner zipper pocket top
One of the things I had to do was make the inner zipper pocket. This is such a tiny little pocket. I have found it useful on my Peony Enigma. Still, I marvel at the small size of this pocket.
I ripped out the main zipper and sewed it in a second time. The second time I actually used my zipper foot and the zipper installation went perfectly. Now I have a big note on the pattern to install the *&^% zipper foot!
I am going to sew with a friend tomorrow and we are working on Enigma Bags. Mine will be a Christmas gift, so you’ll see the finished product in a few months. I am happy that I got everything ready to go.
I am using some zipper tape that I bought, but didn’t try until last weekend. The zipper heads I bought to go with it didn’t fit, but I have plenty of zipper heads. I found one for a new Hackney I am making and will use the same kind of head on this one.
I plan to use it for small EPP projects when I am on the go. In this case, I have the pentagons that will be made into a ball in the bottom.
I was able to stock the bag with scissors, needles etc by using some other gifts I have received that haven’t had a home yet and I am really pleased about that.
I forgot to post about the finished second Enigma. I wrote about last a week ago.
I am so pleased with the fabrics, which I talked about last time. They look so well with the zipper, too.
Peony Enigma open
As per usual with second tries, this one went together a lot easier and much faster. I didn’t use the prequilted fabric I had Colleen make for me. I only have one fabric, the Philip Jacobs fabric I used last time and I wanted something different. The bottom piece needs to be quilted, which meant I had to quilt the bottom. It was fine. I used one fabric for the lining and I like that look a lot better, even if the various lining fabrics aren’t very noticeable on the first Enigma.
Peony Enigma: accordion pocket
The accordion construction of the center pocket is magical in a way. It is just so amazing how easily it goes together. I am really pleased with how it came out.
Also, the fabrics look so pretty in this configuration. I think the Kabloom fabric is just a good fabric design, because I didn’t have much fabric left to fussy cut. The end with the half peony flower is a happy accident.
Peony Enigma: diagonal zipper
I am still kind of enamored of the diagonal zipper design. I really need to know how Sara comes up with her designs. I saw another bag like this, but can’t believe that she would steal a design.
The only part that didn’t come out exactly as planned was the handle. I think I spaced the stitching too far apart. The empty space is large enough for me to carry it, but the Chrysanthemum version had more space. C’est la vie!
Peony Enigma: handle
I am so pleased with how this bag came out.
I plan to use it to travel with EPP projects. I haven’t filled it, or the Chrysanthemum version, up yet, but will. I have a few trips coming up later this year and will need it for them. Cross your fingers I can find a good project.
I might put this bag on my list to make as gifts. I am not done with the Hackneys yets, so stay tuned.
I decided that I will make this Enigma and then get back to the Hackneys I planned and cut out. I am making amazing progress.
Kabloom Enigma body
I have all of the pieces prepped, the bottom quilted, which you saw in the other post, and assembly is underway. The second time is almost always easier than the first.
I remembered to put on my label this time, though this one will probably be for me and I don’t really need a label. I am trying to make it part of the process so each bag I make gets a label. I have a few more hours to make it a habit.
Kabloom Enigma bottom before binding
As mentioned before, this bag design requires binding and Sara shows how to do it on the machine. I sewed the binding on by hand last time, but decided that I would do it by machine this time. I am pleased to tell you that it went well and it looks good.
The bag looks like the photo above and on the right when it is ready to be bound. I had to keep the sides out of the way when I got to the binding part.
Janome foot F
I changed feet and used the Janome foot F with the little red triangle and kept the left hand tip of the triangle right on the fold of the binding. My seam line looks pretty good. I didn’t really check the bottom because it doesn’t show when the bag is in use anyway.
Kabloom Enigma binding
After sewing, the inside of the bag looks like the photo on the right.
The hardest part to sew past is where the zipper stops. You have to zip the zipper a little to keep it out of the way of the machine foot while keeping the bottom of the bag flat. It was a lot easier the second time, though still not 100% easy.
A few more things to do, then I’ll be finished with this bag.
I can’t decide if this is a bag or a pouch. Sara said that Minikins Season 4 had only one true pouch and this one wasn’t it. Despite that I still tend to call this a pouch.
New Enigma – cut out
Despite the 5 million other projects on my list, I started another Enigma. I have to admit, in case you haven’t noticed, that I like to make bags more than once.
I know Sara used the Kabloom fabric for her model. I am truly not copying her; I just love those giant flowers. I have to admit that it was tough to get two pieces large enough out of the Kabloom fabric I have left. From making the pentagon pieces for La Pass Month 18, my yardage of Kabloom looks like Swiss cheese. I would have fussy cut more peonies if I had had a large enough piece.
One reason I started this one is I kept looking at that pink snowflake fabric and just had to use it. I have to say that the lining takes most of a half yard of fabric. After cutting out the pieces and cutting up the scraps into usable pieces, I don’t have any of it left beyond what is in my scrap bin.
Hooray! I finished and I had plenty of time to post it on the blog post to win a prize. I may not win, but hope springs eternal.
I like this pouch. It’s interesting, yet normal, so surprising. It packs a punch and isn’t difficult to sew. There are some tricky bits, but it would be a boring sew, if the whole thing was easy.
We’ll have to see. I have some scissors and a pincushion I was gifted that I could put inside as a start.
The bag opens flat, which makes for a nice tray that keeps items confined in the car. You can see the bottom piece in the picture I took after I cut all the pieces. This will give you and idea of why it is flat.
Finished: Enigma Bag – end view
The zipper, though, zips at a diagonal, which I think is part of the interesting bit of this bag. It also allows the bag to zip up small, be completely contained and then open out flat. Clever, isn’t it?
I was concerned that there would be a hole where the zipper meets the bottom of the bag, but there isn’t. WHEW!
I always wonder how Sara thinks up some of these bags. I am always curious about the designs, but then I wonder how she figures out the construction. I know enough to modify some bags, but I am not sure how I would figure out how to make a bag like this.
Finished: Enigma Bag – accordion pocket
As mentioned, there is one accordion pocket. It is fully contained like the Sew Together Bag and the Ultimate Carry All Bag. This type of pocket allows the user to put something under the pocket like a ruler or quilt block (hand piecing?).
This pocket went together really well and even though the zipper contrasts with the pocket, I think it looks nice. Yes, I added one of the charms I bought when we went shopping for the Retreat. I bought a tool afterwards that makes it really easy to open the jump rings and connect the charms to the lobster clips. The tool is called Split Ring Tweezers**. Total game changer!
Finished: Enigma Bag: zipper end
I love the directions for the zipper tabs in this pattern. I really think my zipper tabs came out better than they ever have. In turn, this made my zipper look really good.
As mentioned, this bag is part of Minikins Season 4. Minikins patterns are only sold in bundles. This bundle has 12. There are at least two other projects I plan to make really soon.
Now I am worried that I won’t want to finish the Hackney pouches from Minikins Season 3 I have cut out. 😉
You can see the other finished Enigma Bags on the blog post.
**Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
Well, I couldn’t just make one. I cut out a second Enigma on Saturday. It’s a second one with fabrics I like even though I don’t know what I will do with either.
Part of the reason is that I kept looking at that pink snowflake/spiderweb fabric all week and knew it would be a perfect lining.
I also chose the Tula Pink Kabloom fabric, because I love those flowers. I forgot that Sara also used that fabric for one of her Enigma bags. I feel a bit like a copycat, but I didn’t choose it consciously because she did.
This time I am going to remember to put in a label. I hope to find the perfect spot.
So, I know this Enigma process must seem interminable. It seems like it is taking me forever to finish it and I have to keep reminding myself that working all week prevents me from sewing much during the week. Today I have time off and I will use it for sewing.
As an aside, I enjoyed my trip, but I am frothing with excitement thinking about actual sewing. AND, then, being able to actually sew.
Enigma inside binding – detail
The photo above shows the inside of the pouch. The intersection of the bottom and the side panels has a binding. This is a challenging method of finishing a bag. Sara doesn’t use it very often. When she does, I know there was no other way. The video shows Sara easily sewing the binding by machine. I took the coward’s way out and sewed it by hand. The part by the zipper was really hard. Zipper tape is no joke to sew through.
Enigma inside pocket – detail
I have only a step or two left to do and I hope to finish today so I can still post it on the sew-a-long and possibly win a prize.
Next, I will sew the inside pocket.
I used the video more for this bag than other bags. I didn’t try to understand directions that were confusing. I just went straight to the video. I kind of feel like I cheated, but I also don’t care that much.
I was only able to sew a little during the week, but I made some progress. A few minutes here and there do add up. The Enigma bag is almost done. I have a few more steps before I can use it.
It might be good for some of my bagmaking tools like the KamSnap. We’ll see.
At the moment it is still inside out and I have not yet installed the pocket in the center. I am eager to finish it and start another! I know I have a million projects on the go and another million on my to do list, but I’d like to get this right.
