I was over at Tim’s house sewing the other day and he commented that I do like my complicated bags. It’s true!
Inside Outside Pouch Exterior
I saw an Inside Outside Pouch in the La Pass group made with the dripping rose fabric and I really liked it. I have been wanting to make one for ages, but haven’t had (or maybe made) the time. The Inside Outside Pouch is a stand-alone Aneela Hoey pattern. You might remember that I made one before. It has a lot of zippers.
The issue isn’t really the sewing. It is the cutting out. No matter how hard I try I do not want to spend time at home cutting out fabric. It’s really stupid, I know; I just can’t seem to get over not wanting to spend any of a long stretch of sewing time cutting.
I went over to Tim’s the other day and took stuff to cut out there. That’s where I cut out the fabrics for two Inside Outside Pouches. It seems to go so fast when I am with him. I guess we chat and laugh and the time seems to fly by.
I came home and sewed and made a good start. I am partway through the exterior. It is much easier the second time around.
I started this project some months ago when Sara Lawson had the Percheron Pouch as a project of the month. I cut it out, did some interfacing and then put it away. After making the bowl cozies over the weekend, and moving the pieces of the project around my workroom 834 times, I decided to work on it.
The Percheron Pouch is part of Minikins Season 3. As mentioned previously, the Minikins are series of small pouches and bags that Sara releases periodically. Each series has 12 or 13 patterns and they are mostly great shapes.
Samsonite train case
Samsonite train case open
The Percheron doesn’t seem like a pouch to me. It reminds me of a ‘train case’. My mother had one. They were intended for cosmetics and small items and the bag was often included as an option with suitcase sets. The one I am thinking of was Samsonite.
I also took the opportunity to use Decovil. I never used this interfacing before and am not 100% clear on 525 vs.526, but so far I like how stiff it makes the top and bottom of the bag. Stay tuned for how it actually works in the finished bag.
While this is the first Large Retreat Bag I have made, it is the third Retreat bag I have constructed (total). This is a free pattern from Emmaline Bags that requires a frame. The frame is not free, but also not very expensive. The frame allows it to open all the way (widemouth), providing easy access to all of the contents.
I like this bag, but the Large size is LARGE. I am not sure what I would use this size for so I don’t know that I will make a large one again, though I have another frame, so I might.
Sugar Skull Interior
The pattern doesn’t call for it, but I put in an interior zipper pocket. Tim thought up the idea of an interior pocket to use to turn the bag. This means I (we) can turn the bag without leaving the bottom seam open. Yes, the bottom of the interior zipper pocket is left open, but it is much more hidden than the bottom.
It has been awhile since I made an interior zipper pocket (also called a flush pocket), so I screwed up a few times on the first one. I definitely didn’t remember how to do it at all and had to get Tim to remind me which resources he used. I did find a couple of tutorials, but they were lacking.
The most helpful tutorial was Sara Lawson’s video (of Sew Sweetness), which is the one Tim uses. I started out using the directions in the book, the Bag Making Bible** by Lisa Lam. The part after the zipper installation are a little skimpy, so the video filled in the gap.
I made two of these bags over the weekend and the second zipper went much more smoothly. Now I have a couple of gifts ready for the holidays. As a result, check back to see the whole bags.
**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item 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.
A month or so ago, as I waited to start my new contract job, I finished these Falabella Pouches. I didn’t write about them sooner, because they are gifts for my younger (middle) sister and her birthday is today.
She is an artist and has no qualms about asking for what she wants. She wanted something to hold her pens, etc.
The Falabella Pouch is part of Sara Lawson/Sew Sweetness’ Minikins 3 set of patterns. I want to make more of the various Minikins patterns since I bought all three ‘seasons’. Her request helps me with that goal.
Falabella – back of medium pouch (down
Falabella – back of medium pouch (up)
This is a pouch that gets taller if you pull up on the zipper or smaller if you pull down on the zipper tabs (shown vaguely in photos above).
Falabella – medium pouch open
Falabella – large pouch open
I used ripstop nylon for the inside. If Lil Sissy’s pens open, I wanted some kind of fabric that was marginally cleanable. This was a difficult fabric with which to work. It frayed a lot. Some people said to burn the edges, but I was too chicken to do that.
Large Falabella Pouch
This was the first time I used Zipper-by-the-Yard for a project. I bought it specifically for this project, because I found some zipper pulls with the Eiffel Tower on them. Lil Sissy loves Paris, so these are perfect. I used Sara Lawson/Sew Sweetness’ video on adding a zipper head to zipper tape.
I have tried this activity before and never been successful. The video has one trick in particular that makes the activity work. I couldn’t believe how successful I was! I also did not use a fork, which is what Sara demonstrates. I used the self adhesive towel holders** I bought from Amazon. I can see how a fork would work just as well.
I bought the zippers from the Sew Sweetness site and can’t wait to try them again. I want to make another Piebald with a double zipper and now I know I will use this zipper head technique to do it. I know I must sound like an idiot, but I can’t tell you how gleeful I feel about this zipper!
Anyway, I sent these off last week, after admiring them for a few weeks. I hope Lil Sissy likes them.
**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item 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.
I used some of the Anna Maria Horner fabrics I received in the Quilty Box to finish some of the more recent I Spy Pouches. Once I finished the two large ones, I got all the pouches out and rearranged my templates.
I know it seems kind of ridiculous to make pouches for templates. On one hand, I like having them organized. I also like the fabric and enjoy using the coneflower print for something I am going to keep. Finally, the I Spy pouches are quick to make, so rather satisfying.
New Large I Spy Pouches
The two newest pouches are quite wild. I used a couple of the Bright Eyes prints. I didn’t really realize how exuberant the pouches would be using those fabrics. The fabrics clash a little with the coneflowers, unfortunately. Still, I like them and the coneflowers will show up when I put some templates inside.
I have a number of template sets that are too big for these pouches. I can use the same directions to make larger pouches. I just haven’t been up for that lately.
I made some I Spy pouches for my various templates. The I Spy pouches are from Sara Lawson/ Sew Sweetness’s Minikins Season 1. These are not difficult and there are a number of designers, including the Road Trip bag from Crafty Gemini, with similar patterns. I like this pattern, because mostly you don’t sew on the vinyl.
Small I Spy Pouch
My idea is to put my acrylic project templates in these pouches. Many people have told me that it is silly to make these for my templates, but for now I am making them anyway. I like the idea of seeing my fabric in use. It makes me happy. I may stop at some point, but for now I am making them.
I thought the small pouch would fit my Falabella pouch templates, from Minikins Season 3, but it is a little small. There are several pieces of the acrylic templates and they are a little too thick for the small pouch. I think the medium might fit the Falabella pouch templates better. I’ll make either the medium or the large for these templates. In the meantime, they won’t fall out.
Large I Spy Pouch
I am also thinking about making some of these for my upcoming La Passacaglia project. I may need some larger ones for the EPP sections of the La Passacaglia project. I’ll have to see.
This large pouch is 10.5×8 inch and I think I might need an even larger size for EPP. I’ll have to see when the first installment of the La Pass instructions come out. It fits the Piebald Pouch acrylic templates very well.
Medium I Spy Pouch
The medium pouch fits the Hackney pouch, also from Minikins Season 3, templates pretty well.
These are a pretty quick sew and very satisfying. If I had a bag in which to clip them, I could easily add a leash with a lobster clip to keep them in the bag. That is something to think about for another day.
Friday, I spent some time looking through all the patterns I have collected to see if there was a quick project that would inspire me. I moved some to other places my computer and deleted some in which I was no longer interested. It is always good to do a bit of Spring Cleaning.
Zippers from Kelly O
This Spring Cleaning reminded me of the Triple Zip pattern from A Quilter’s Table. I have had this Triple Zip pouch pattern waiting around for 7 years. I thought it might be a good quick go-to gift pattern I could make over and over. I haven’t found such a thing and hope springs eternal.
Kelly Orr and I talked about this pouch years ago and she gave me the zippers to use before she moved away. I have had them segregated out from my other zippers all this time.
I know I didn’t tell you that I started this project. I started cutting on Saturday and nearly finished it by Saturday evening. I had one more seam to finish sewing on Sunday, then turning it and done!
The pattern doesn’t have a lot of pieces, but they do need to be labelled. I didn’t do that and was somewhat confused. The pattern requires careful attention, especially to the renaming of the zippers part way through the project. Labeling the pieces can reduce this confusion.
If I made this again, I would omit the fusible fleece on the top of the project (where the yellow dot fabric is in my pouch). It made turning the project a little difficult and the top too thick for my taste.
I was also confused about the finishing. I think I did ok, but the top of the inside still has some raw edges. They are less than an inch and don’t show, but I am concerned that there will be unraveling. I am unclear whether I finished the inside correctly. I also wonder if there is a different way to finish the inside. I plan to send the extra pattern I printed to Lynette to see what she thinks.
I also added a leash, which I always like to do for pouches.
A Quilter’s Table had a sew-along for this pouch and the post showed over 70 pouches! She also has a tag in which you can see many other Triple Zips as well as links to others doing classes and other sew-a-longs with the pattern. It is very popular!
I finished these organizers at the end of April, but I couldn’t show you until today. They are gifts for my mom for Mother’s Day. As I mentioned yesterday, she opened her gifts early when I saw her on Friday. Good thing I got them done early!!!
Purse Organizers were a special request. As I said, I was showing her the new Minikins Season 3 patterns and she immediately saw these and loved them. I had already made her a gift, but I have put that item aside for her birthday.
Large Mustang front and top
There are two sizes. She can choose the one that works best for her handbag or tote bag. She already has an idea of how she will use these. Someone said that using these for a tote bag would be a good idea. It never occurred to me, but I have to agree. How often do you scrabble around in your tote bag for whatever it is you need. I’ll need to think about whether one would work in the bag I take to quilt shows.
Small Mustang front
For these pouches, I used Laurel Burch fabric that I purchased to make items for Mom. I know it doesn’t go with the Artist Paint tube fabric, but these won’t be with the items I make for her to take to Sew Day. I made an effort to fussy cut well so the cats faces would show. The fabric has two sizes of cats, so I used the small cats on the small pouch and large cats on the large pouch. I am pretty happy with the fussy cutting.
Small Mustang -mesh pocket
One thing I didn’t think about was the outside pockets. I realized that the outside pockets would cover up the cats, so I omitted them. It means fewer pockets. I made a note on my pattern and will use the main fabric for those pockets next time.
Large Mustang -mesh pocket
One side of both pouches already has mesh, which obscures the cats, but doesn’t cover them up completely. In my large version, the cats look like they are peeking over the edge of the mesh. Total luck, but cute, don’t you think?
A lot of people don’t like mesh pockets, because items get caught. I don’t mind them. One has to pick carefully what to put in them.
Large Mustang – interior
Even without the outer slip pocket, these bags have a lot of pockets. In addition to the mesh pockets, there are two slip pockets, a zipper pocket and two pleated pockets.
I am a little concerned about how much can be put inside as the Organizers look so slim, but I hope Mom can put enough in to make them useful.
I am also ridiculously pleased with the grab handles. Aren’t they cute?
There is no top to this pouch, so everything will fall out if it is tipped over. I hope Mom likes these pouches and they work for her.
I am making two of these purse organizers because I am not sure of the sizes. I made good progress over the weekend, after I was finished with the Rings top.
Zipper Pocket- Mustang
I am enamored of the way this bag goes together. The photo above shows the center of the pouch. Unlike the Sew Together Bags and the All Rolled Up Tote, this zipper pocket is fully enclosed. The edge of the zipper pocket, however, is not enclosed in the seam allowance so there is less of an issue with layers being too thick to go through the machine.
I haven’t put the whole thing together, but that is the next step.
Many of the Minikins patterns come with multiple sizes. This one comes with two sizes and I am making both at once.
The Mustang Purse Organizer is another project from Minikins Season 3. I decided to try out the pattern to give as a gift. I am making both sizes so the recipient can choose which works best in her handbag.
I started cutting them out at Craft Night earlier this week. I had other things to do, so didn’t get to spend the whole time on this pattern. I was able to cut out and interface the main exterior panels. I also cut out grab handles for both sizes.
There are so many great patterns in Season 3 (no affiliation!). There are really interesting shapes. It is also interesting to see how the different sizes of each pattern sew up.
I have undoubtedly become a Sew Sweetness groupie. I want to spend time making all of the projects I have in my library.
The Piebald Pouch is my first finished project from Minikins Season 3. I have to say that it went better than many of my other pouch and small bag projects. For whatever reason, all of the pieces and parts went together smoothly and I had very little trouble.
Except for the front panel. You can see that I didn’t line up the flowers properly, so the ones on the front panel are sideways. I still like it.
The pouch is a little bit of an odd shape. This one is for me and I am not sure how I will use it.
Piebald Pouch – open
This was a fairly easy sew. I started it last week and would have finished it sooner, but have been so swamped that I just didn’t have a moment. It was fun and a charge to finish it on Sunday.
I started my first project from Minikins 3, the Piebald Pouch. I like the shape. I know you can’t tell the same from these weird pieces. Upper right hand corner holds the top.
Despite the plethora of zippers I have, I didn’t have one for this pouch. I will soon, however. In the meantime, I am making as much progress as I can.
My idea is to update SIL’s yarn minder with this pouch. This version is not it. I want to make it for myself first, then hack it. The yarn minder version will include a shoulder strap and a double head zipper.
Check out the finished project on Sara Lawson’s Minikins page.
I might be having a fit of reorganization. At least you might be thinking that after seeing yesterday’s post and reading today’s. I am sort of.
I have a number of acrylic templates for various projects. Many are for pouches and bags that I will make over and over. They come in thin plastic bags. Ideally I would like a set of map drawers in which to store them. Until I can take over the entire house, that isn’t happening. I have been looking at various bag patterns for ideas on how to store them.
I-Spy Pouch Finished with templates
This is my first attempt. The I-Spy pouch from Sew Sweetness’ Minikins Season 1 fits my templates for a Minikins Season 2 project called the Day Trip Wallet. Not all of my templates will fit in the various sizes of the I-Spy pouch, but some will and that is a start.
The pattern comes with 3 sizes (this is the medium size). It is a very quick sew, so I can look through my other templates to see which will fit in the various sizes. I am thinking I can easily adjust the sizes to fit other templates. Finding the right-sized zipper will be the challenge if I change the size. I have a bunch of different sizes, so I should be able to manage.
Yoko Saito’s Natural Patchwork bag
I am still looking for a bag pattern with slots in different sizes that I can just slide the templates into and not worry about resizing. I have been looking at Yoko Saito’s bags, especially this rectangular bag from Natural Patchwork. It might be too small, but I like the shape. I’d have to make different blocks for the front.
I made another Retreat Pouch the other day. I cut up the fabric when I went to visit Tim, then decided to sew the pouch on Saturday.
I am ridiculously pleased at how this Retreat Pouch came together. I think it looks great!
It is also a great project. Once the pieces are cut the bag goes together in a couple of hours. I think I talked about this before.
Retreat Pouch Fussy Cutting
First, I love the fabric. This fabric is one of Anna Maria’s Hindsight prints. I received it in one of the Modern Handmade subscription boxes I received last year. Can you believe how lucky I got on the cutting? It looks like I intended to match the flower on either side of the zipper.
I really wanted to make the larger size, but one fat quarter is not enough to make one pouch, so I resorted to this size again. I bought two frames in each size, so I can choose some different fabrics that I have in larger quantities to make the larger version.
Retreat Pouch Beautiful Zipper
Second, the sewing went very well and the pouch looks professionally sewn. I am pleased with how the zipper ended up looking based on the instructions. I went an extra step by pinning the zipper down rather than holding it while I sewed and I think that helped. I knew where to pin it because I measured. I think this is another version of ‘veering’ the zipper that I have talked about with the Cotton Candy Pouches and the UCAB 45 degree angle technique.
Retreat Pouch Interior Pocket
Third, turning the pouch using the interior zipper pocket was a smooth process. Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness has a tutorial. I don’t know why I don’t add these pockets for turning all the time.
This is not part of the pattern, but it is easy to add to any pouch or bag. I had to think carefully about the size because of the boxed corner. Despite my care, I still think the bottom of the pocket goes below the curve on the bottom of the pouch. I don’t think it really matters. For the moment I don’t know what I will put in that interior pocket.
I say this is an easy pocket to put in, but I always need to refer to general directions. I also have Sara Lawson’s Acrylic Zipper Pocket Template (no affiliation) and that makes the marking super speedy. I also saw one by Piera (no affiliation), which includes purse feet measurements as well.
I did watch the video before I sewed the first Retreat Pouch. I vowed to watch it again before making this one, but I didn’t. I don’t know why because it is a good resource.
I put my new Snap Setter and all of my Snap Setter Supplies in this pouch.
I showed this pouch briefly after I made it at New Year’s. The other day, I sent it off to Gerre to celebrate International Women’s Day (same day as her birthday, but she doesn’t celebrate her birthday anymore).
I want to make sure she knows she is remembered and valued so I try to whip something up at each holiday. This was the second of the Purse Organizers that I made, but the other one is for a gift in May. Look for the post then.
I struggled more with the construction of this pouch than I did on the first one, partially because I made some changes. One was to sew the two zipper slip pockets at the same time rather than with some other steps in between as the pattern says. That may have been a mistake as I had to do some ripping.
Gerre’s Purse Organizer (#2) – inside
I am not a huge fan of her method of constructing the inside [regular] slip pockets. They seem too thick to me and I may try and construct them using a different method next time.
The pattern also neglects to remind the maker to clip the corners. OR I didn’t see that instruction. Not clipping the seam allowances made poking out the bottom corners on the first Purse Organizer difficult and the corners didn’t look that great. For this pouch, I rounded the corners using a 2 inch circle template** and they came out a little better. I am not sure if that change impacts the usefulness of the pouch. For example, Svetlana’s picture shows the inside can hold a tablet. Since I don’t have a tablet this size, I don’t know if the rounded corners will change the size so the tablet will no longer fit.
I also added the leash so that it could be clipped to another bag. The leash is a useful feature if you are storing things in this pouch. Taking things in and out of a larger bag is better if you have them organized in pouch like thisand are concerned it will fall out.
Gerre’s Purse Organizer (#2) – back
The good part of this pattern is that makers can adjust the sizes so the Organizers fits the stuff you need to carry around.
I didn’t choose to put the snap on the back pocket, but since I received a snap installation kit for Christmas, I plan to try that out. I thought that back pocket might be good for my journal**. It was a passing thought and I haven’t measured them yet.
I look forward to hearing how it works for her.
**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item 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.
