I spent the Sunday after the workshop finishing the Cargo Duffle.
I really, sincerely disliked all the prep work, but was thrilled to see how this bag turned out. it has substance. I was going to give it away, but I am keeping it. I really like the fabrics I chose, even though I chose the green because I thought I would give it away. I love that text fabric.
Cargo Duffle – Finished (interior zipper pocket)
I am also thinking of making another one. I know. I know. I am crazy, but I keep thinking about how I would make a second one differently. I want to see if I can do it again better. ALSO, I do have to make a bag for one of the guild officers.
For example, after cutting out the straps, I would just sew them. After cutting out the pockets, I would sew them to the lining. I think it would be less confusing. Yes, I would still have to quilt a bunch of pieces and panels,, but I think it would be easier. It might not have worked when I didn’t know how to make the bag, but now that I have an idea, I think it would work better for me.
I am behind in posting, but I also don’t want to bore you by posting on one project or topic day after day.
You know that I have been prepping for the Cargo Duffle. It seemed interminable, but paid off. On the first Saturday in August I went to the BAMQG workshop and worked on assembling the Cargo Duffle. I arrived in good time after only getting a little lost*. 😉
Gerre arrived right after I did and we quickly decided to sit together in the back of the room. That way we could have a whole table to ourselves. There was a bit of table shortage because their day camp program was using the long rectangular tables we like. We ended up with two tables, mostly because I decided we needed a separate table on which to layout all the pieces we had prepped. It is always great to work with Gerre. On the day of the workshop, I was on edge (not sure why – a lot going on, maybe) and she kept talking me down off the ledge. I reciprocated the favor by keeping her calm when parts of the bags weren’t going as planned.
It was also good to see that some people had done less of their homework than I did, not to be mean to them; it just reduced my stress a bit.
We started out with the slip pockets and my first problem was with what pieces needed to be used. Jaime helped and once I got that problem sorted, the “which piece was which” problem sorted itself out. Even though I had all the pieces labeled, with this bit of help, I had a frame of reference.
Seeing what other people were doing and having access to a teacher also made me calm down quite a bit.
Cargo Duffle lining with interior slip pockets
My first huge accomplishment was finishing the lining. Yes, I finished the interior slip pocket and the interior zipper pocket, which help to make up the lining, but seeing a real 3D item made from all that prep work me very happy.
I made mistakes and had to rip, which I am sure others were doing as well, even though I didn’t see them. I also had to change the way the main zipper worked, which Gerre talked me through. I may post the steps for you later. Not sure, but stay tuned.
Sewing Cargo Duffle Exterior Together
Still, it was a super long day and I didn’t finish completely, but made really good progress. By the end of the day I only had to sew the rest of the exterior together and then insert the lining. I really don’t have a lot to complete and feel like I accomplished quite a bit by the time the day was over. Do I wish I had finished? Yes, of course, but I have to be happy with what I was able to do.
Gerre’s Finished Cargo Duffle
Gerre’s Finished Cargo Duffle
Gerre’s Finished Cargo Duffle
Gerre’s Finished Cargo Duffle
Gerre finished her bag and it looks great! Cheryl, Amanda and Karen all finished their bags as well.
Diana is so close to finishing hers. I love her fabrics.
*I don’t normally get lost a lot, but I seem to always get lost on the mid-Peninsula and in the South Bay. I go there quite a lot and still don’t have a visual map in my mind. Someday, maybe.
As you know I have been working on the homework for the Noodlehead Cargo Duffle*. This is one of the most difficult bags I have ever made, including the Liesl Backpack, though I think the directions are the problem and not the actual bag. Also, there is a lot of prep and, as you know, I like to get straight to the sewing. As I have said, the directions are too brief for me.
In this case, I couldn’t understand the directions for making the handles. I looked at them several times until I decided just to try what they said and see if that worked. I did what the directions said, though they didn’t make sense, and the directions actually worked! Me or the directions? You decide.
Since I think the pattern instructions just need a bit of explanation for those of us who need to know more why in their patterns, I wrote up a tutorial.
Cut strips according to the directions or according to your needs. I made mine a little longer as I wanted to have more carrying options.
Sew strips together
Sew strips together
2. Sew strips together. They are not the same width so they will not line up, width-wise, exactly.
Handles – press seams open
3. Press seams open. This is not critical and if you don’t want to, press how you like. I press seams open on handles, because I want to reduce bulk. You get a lot of bulk in handles, especially if you add some kind of filler like cotton webbing, which I used in these straps, or Soft & Stable or any other kind of interfacing. Pressing the seams reduces bulk.
Optional: At this point you can add some ShapeFlex to the handles to add strength. If you add ShapeFlex, cut a piece that covers both strips and covers the seam. It will add strength to the seam.
Handles tutorial – Fold raw edge towards the center
4. Fold the long side of the raw edges towards the center seam. I folded the Pearl Bracelets green piece first, but where you start doesn’t really matter, I don’t think.
5. Press fabric so there is a crease in the fold.
Handles – fold towards center
6. Next, fold the second long side, raw edge towards the center seam (yes, it is slightly off center, which is part of what confused me). This is the fabric (text fabric) with the smaller width.
7. Make sure to line both raw edges up with seam you just pressed open. Each different fabric will be a different folded width.
7. Press just folded fabric so there is a crease in the fold.
Handles tutorial – fold narrower fabric up
8. Fold the fabric with the smaller width (mine is the alphabet fabric) up towards the wider fabric (green Pearl Bracelets). There will be some green showing, which is what you want.
9. Press so you have crisp folds. Some of the wider fabric (green Pearl Bracelets, in my case) will show. This detail makes an accent.
10. Now unfold and add your cotton webbing or other stiffener. I used 1/5″ cotton webbing. I had never used this and was pleased at how well my machine sewed through it.
11. Refold so the cotton webbing does not show.
Handles tutorial – densely sew long way
12. Quilt lines lengthwise, approximately 3/8″ apart, starting with the open seam. This will make the handle is very dense with quilting and add to the strength.
Ta da! You have very nice handles that will be sturdy enough to carry a heavy bag.
Ruth, being the super intelligent woman she is provided a link after I had figured out how to make these handles. I did search, but didn’t come up with the tutorial. I hope you like my instructions for the Cargo Duffle handles, which will, with any luck, come up in search results for others who try to make the Cargo Duffle.
*I really don’t know if the project includes the spelling ‘duffel’ or ‘duffle’. I am going with ‘duffle’ as that is what the dictionary says. You may want to search both, if you do any Google searching in order to get all the results.
As you know from a previous post, I have been working almost exclusively on the prep for the BAMQG Cargo Duffle class. I haven’t had tons of time to sew. What I have had I have spent on prep.
I like making bags, because I have something useful at the end of the process. Also, people seem to like them when I give them as gifts. I do not, however, like the prep required, regardless of whether I am just sewing a bag on my own or preparing for a class. In fact, I always swear a lot and then swear I will never make another bag again when I am in the bag prep process.
Part of this feeling has to do with my, well documented for you, difficulty in reading pattern directions and understanding what the designer is trying to say. I’ll take some, but won’t take full responsibility because I believe that the directions for this bag were briefer than necessary. I understand why, especially after working with Alison, because patterns need to be printed and printing 60 pages of directions including photos is daunting.
Cargo Duffle pieces and parts
One of the things I had to do, which was different for this pattern was to quilt a lot of the parts. I understand why, and you will as well after seeing the finished piece, but it made for a lot of extra work.
Friday night I stayed in my workroom until 10pm sewing on this project. Finally, DH called me down to watch the parade of nations for #Rio2016. I decided that I would have to work on whatever I didn’t finish in class. I estimate working on the prep for about 20 hours. I didn’t keep strict track, but I think that is in the neighborhood.
What I really needed was a chart showing the pieces and giving their sizes with arrows pointing to the piece on the finished bag. I really needed that visual. I think it would have made my life a lot easier. I didn’t really understand what a gusset* was, especially in this context, and that added to the confusion of all of the parts and pieces.
I am not criticizing the teacher who was extremely patient on her first outing as a teacher. She responded quickly and non-snarkily each time she got a question on the guild forum from one of the 20+ students.
I would have liked to have seen more meshing of the pattern and the hacks/supplement (by our teacher), including references back and forth to when to go and do a step from the pattern and when to stop. This addition would have required a lot more time on her part and we weren’t paying her so I think that would have been too much to ask. It might have been nice to get together with other students beforehand to work on the prep.
I constantly learn from creating new bags and, though, this isn’t the kind of bag I would tend to use, I am learning quite a bit from making it, not the least of which has to do with gussets. 😉
The definition of gusset didn’t match what I was seeing in the Cargo Duffel pattern so that created some confusion. Wikipedia’s definition is similar to the American Heritage and Merriam Webster. I didn’t didn’t find any of them to be super helpful in the context of this pattern: “In sewing, a gusset is a triangular or rhomboidal piece of fabric inserted into a seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing.[1] Gussets were used at the shoulders, underarms, and hems of traditional shirts and chemises made of rectangular lengths of linen to shape the garments to the body.[2][3]
Gussets are used in manufacturing of modern tights and pantyhose to add breadth at the crotch seam. As with other synthetic underwear,[4] these gussets are often made of moisture-wicking breathable fabrics such as cotton, to keep the genital area dry and ventilated.[5][6][7]
The phrase “don’t bust a gusset” (a variation of “don’t blow a gasket”) is an admonition to calm down; becoming so enraged and inflated that one busted a gusset would imply extreme rage and expansion beyond one’s clothing capacity.
Gussets are also used when making three-piece bags, for example in a pattern[8] for a bag as a long, wide piece which connects the front piece and back piece. By becoming the sides and bottom of the bag, the gusset opens the bag up beyond what simply attaching the front to the back would do. With reference to the dimension of the gusset, the measurements of a flat bottom bag may be quoted as LxWxG.[9]
Pillows too, are often gusseted, generally an inch or two. The side panels thicken the pillow, allowing more stuffing without bulging.
Gussets are also used in other areas of manufacturing, e.g. bicycle frames employ gussets to add strength and rigidity.[clarification needed]” (Wikipedia)
I am taking a workshop to make the Noodlehead Cargo Duffel in a few weeks. The class isn’t just making the duffel, but we are making it with some hacks that Jaime figured out.
I spent a few hours the day after the BAMQG meeting familiarizing myself with the pattern and beginning to cut the pieces. There are A LOT of pieces in this pattern. Last Saturday and Sunday, I spent time cutting the rest of the pieces.
I now have to do the rest of the prep. This involves buying a couple of zipper and sewing bits and pieces together. There is homework because this is a serious bag and it can’t all be done in one day.
I am happy to do the prep even thought I was confused at the beginning. I think it makes for a better start for me once I am in the class.
I actually contemplated cutting out another whole bag so I could make two at once. I am trying to restrain myself. 😉
I have Sew Together bags on the mind. I don’t know why, but I want to make more. They are somewhat frustrating, the directions are vague, they take a bunch of zippers and all sorts of special gymnastics to make.
Purple Chair Sew Together Bag – zipper tabs
Still, they are pretty. I see mine, which is one of the most useful bags I have made, and I want to make more. I use mine all the time. It has exactly what I need for EPP as well as basic hand sewing, so I can grab it and go. I might want one for every outfit. 😉 I keep looking around and at people critically and wondering if I should make that person a Sew Together Bag.
One thing I like about the one I made for myself is the fabrics. I really chose well. I might choose something different for the outside of mine, but I think it is great and I absolutely LOVE the fabrics on the inside. I am so glad I chose fabrics that I thought more of than “this will be fine”
TFQ Sew Together Bag – open
I know that not everyone is as smitten with these bags as I seem to be. I think it is more about the making of them than anything else. They are very satisfying to make (as long as you use the Quilt Barn sew-a-long tutorial in conjunction with the directions), and, as I said, useful. I love making quilts, but there is only so much usefulness you can get when you have too many wall hangings and not enough walls.
Right before we had to leave for the NDGW Grand Parlor, I decided the front of the Heart Bag needed something more. I didn’t have a suitable button which I have put on other versions of this bag. Finally, I decided (perhaps SIL suggested?) to applique’ a heart on to the front. I cut out one of the hearts from the scrap of fabric I had left. I used raw edge applique to sew it on and an Aurifil thread that matched pretty well.
Heart Bag with Applique’ detail
I don’t think the placement will be in the way too much and I sewed it very close to the edge to minimize fraying, though there will be some.
I am pleased with how it turned out. I think it breaks up the expanse of red just a bit.
The recipient really liked the bag, which was gratifying.
I finished the Heart Bag over Memorial Day weekend, but since I am friends with people who know the recipient, I decided not to post about it until it had been given. Also, I found out that DH reads my posts. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I was. He read the last post on this Heart Bag and questioned me (not in a bad way) about my whining. I had to explain that I was tired and things went much better after I recovered more from the NSGW Grand Parlor. There is a fine line between wanting desperately to sew and being too tired to sew.
Heart Bag: Finished
So, the bag is finished and I am pleased with the way it came out. The ShapeFlex interfacing gives the bag some structure, which I like, though it can still be folded for easier storage. I love that stuff!
I think I felt especially bad about that twisted strap, because I made an effort to ensure it wasn’t twisted when I first sewed it on. I felt like a gremlin had snuck into my workroom and twisted it while I was looking away just to be mean and frustrate me.
Heart Bag decorative stitch
I thought about leaving it, but didn’t feel right so I ripped it out (good time to focus on podcasts!) and now it is not twisted.
The pattern calls for the edging to be topstitched, so I used a heart decorative stitch. I like the heart stitch on my Janome 9000, but you know that story. The stitch on the DC5100 is much more substantial. The machine goes over the stitches a few times each. Not all of them came out perfectly, especially around the straps, but matters of the heart are never perfect.
I really like that heart batik. It has a good hand, doesn’t fray and the heart motif is not kitschy. I have a bit more left and am said to use it up, but it has been hanging around for awhile so it is good to use it.
Heart Bag inside
I have to do something better about the pockets on this bag. I always do them wrong, though wrong is relative since they still work. I just don’t do them according to the pattern and I think I need to add more of them. There is always next time.
It has been over a month since I took the Midi Bag class, – WOW! time sure flies – but I finally finished the bag.
After the class, I only had to topstitch then close up the opening in the lining. I really just didn’t have a spare moment to sew those last few steps. It isn’t as though I have been sitting around, but the Midi Bag just did not come to the top of the list.
After finishing the Heart Bag, I decided to take a few minutes to finish the Midi Bag. I am really thrilled that it is done. The Memorial Day weekend unexpectedly turned into a few days of finishing. Although I had to go with DH for a little bit of #Politicalwifery, I was able to sew a lot and finish a few projects. It was so relaxing and I am so thrilled I got to all of the projects I was able to finish.
Midi Bag – detail
I really like the way the bag turned out from a fabric point of view. The colors are very appealing and it has a bit of a tropical/Hawaiian art feel. I used Horizon by Kate Spain mini-charm packs for the body, a random solid for the inside and more Kate Spain yardage for the handles. The color combination is really great. I especially love the fabric I used for the handles. There is something about that blue that is very appealing.
It is a very strangely shaped bag, however, and I am not sure of the purpose for which I would use it. Also, I feel like it needs some kind of closure. SIL and I talked about grommets and buttonholes. I am not a fan of grommets after the Scrap Lab Backpack, so buttonholes are more likely. We’ll see.
Pocket with pen
Pocket
The pocket came out well. I put a little decorative stitch on the edge and I am glad I did.
I still have a few of the same charm packs left and I might see about making this bag again in the Mondo size. Perhaps the proportions for the larger bag will be better and that one won’t look as strange. I am not sure I would be able to carry a Mondo sized bag full of stuff. I don’t that pattern and would like to use the second sheet of interfacing from the Midi Bag pattern before I buy another pattern. Nota bene: Each pattern comes with 2 sheets of interfacing.
A week ago, I took a class at Scruffy Quilts to make the Midi Bag from QuiltSmart. I have had the pattern and the charm squares for awhile. Despite the short notice, it turned out that I was free so I signed up right away when Katrina sent out the class notice. I also wrangled Julie into taking the class with me.
One reason I wanted to take the class was to learn how to use the QuiltSmart fusible interfacing. I could not understand the directions on the pattern, thus the project had been languishing. It is very helpful for me to have someone walk me through the pattern the first time and this class was no exception.
Tips such as fabric placement is something you get in a class that you don’t get from a pattern.
Midi bag – detail
I am pleased with the colors of the charm pack as I thought I would be. I used mostly the blues and the greens. I didn’t use as many of the lighter lavender squares, so those will show up in some donation quilts.
I am totally in love with the handle fabric and think I need to get more of it. The blue is not quite a navy, but is dark. I love it!
The bag is a little bit of a weird shape and I am not sure how I will use it, though I think it would be an excellent knitting bag. I have another sheet of the fusible interfacing (two come with the pattern, which is nice!) and I may add some kind of closure to the second one. I think having a closure would make it more useful. I think I would like to make the Mondo bag. It seems that size would better for a bag without a closure. I think it would be like having a shopping bag along rather than a purse.
I still have a few steps to do, but I got pretty far in the class. I laid out all of my charm squares and fused them. I was glad that I had charm squares and didn’t have to cut fabric. I made the lining and the handles and sewed the whole bag together. I could have made the handles at home, but was confused about how they wanted the handles made. I didn’t want to make them wrong and have to make them over. It turns out that there was nothing special about making them. I still have to poke out the corners, topstitch the top edge and sew the lining shut.
Learning how to use this interfacing makes me want the interfacing for the FOTY quilts. I am not sure how that would work since the sizes are different each year. Perhaps, if there was a general grid, I could overlap some of the seam lines when the patches didn’t quite match up with the lines? Oh well, if wishes were horses….
This is a pattern where you could use VinylFuse for the bottom squares. I didn’t, but may in the future. If you take this class, do with your 2.5″ squares already cut and your handles already made.
As I said last week, I was well on my way to finishing the Chubby Charmer (pattern name) made from Half Moon Modern fabrics. I finished it last Sunday. It took me about 6 hours total, including pressing the Vinylfuse to the squares I was using for the bottom.
Half Moon Modern Chubby Charmer Finished
I did a couple of things differently this time.
I like bags with something on the bottom that can be cleaned without washing the whole bag. Some tote patterns use a “self-bottoming” technique to make the bottom of the bag, which is actually a really nice technique. You don’t have to insert anything. That technique does not lend itself to putting vinyl on the bottom of a bag since the bottom is made up from parts of the sides. If you don’t have a seam to create the bottom the VinylFuse will look bad and eventually peel.
The Chubby Charmer pattern uses this “self-bottoming” technique, but you can add VinylFuse to each square that will go on the bottom before sewing the charm squares together, thus enclosing the vinyl with seams.
You still have to be careful with the vinyl. You can’t rip out much as the holes stay in it. It is also messy and sticky. I used the paper backing as a pressing cloth. It worked ok most of the time, but I put the wrong side on one piece at one point and now have paper fused a bit to one of my squares. Fortunately, it is on the bottom. I could have ripped it out, but I decided to live with it.
Half Moon Modern Chubby Charmer Finished
I also made the handles twice the length of the handles in the pattern and on my other Chubby Charmers. This was an accident. You are supposed to cut and make one handle then cut it in half. I missed the one part and made two, thus this Chubby Charmer is more of shoulder bag, which is fine.
I also put Soft & Stable in the handles to make them really soft and comfortable to use. I also want to keep the handles from getting squished together permanently when I hold them.
The pattern calls for using Pellon Fusible Fleece. As I said with my first Chubby Charmer, the Fusible Fleece worked really well. This time, however, I wanted to make sure the bag stood up. I used Fusible Fleece on one side and Soft & Stable on the other size. Mission accomplished! The bag stands up. No floop!
I was a little disappointed with the Fusible Fleece, because it didn’t fuse very well. I know the fusibles can age, but it wasn’t old. I bought the product and then used it the same day. At least it wasn’t old from sitting around my house.
The other thing I did was use the walking foot to topstitch the top edge. I like more than a single line of topstitching and that area was so thick that I thought I would try the walking foot. It worked really well.
This is a great bag and it was a great use of the fabric. I already used it to go to the Midi Bag class (look for a post soon) and look forward to showing it off at the guilds soon.
My Chubby Charmers (I have two) are full, thus I decided to make another one. That makes sense, right?
Half Moon Modern Chubby Charmer layout
I started it last week and worked on it a bit this week. I hope to finish it today.
I used a Half Moon Modern charm pack I have had for awhile. I decided that this would be a good use of fabric I have been trying to find a way to use for awhile. This was a good use of the fabric, because it made me delve into my group of Half Moon Modern fabrics. I didn’t have as much as I thought and I had a lot of the same prints.
Half Moon Modern Chubby Charmer parts
The charm pack had most, if not all of the prints and they were fun to work with. I used the yardage liberally and I am pleased with how it is working out so far.
Finally! I made a Sew Together Bag for myself. I haven’t filled it up with my English Paper Piecing materials as of this writing, but I will have done by the time you read this.
I am not sure why I chose the paint can fabric for the outside. It was waiting to be ironed and it kept beckoning me. I couldn’t resist and it was perfect. It feels like a good outside for a working bag. I also think I won’t wonder why I chose it.
I didn’t mean to match the top, but I did a pretty good unintentional job, don’t you think?
Jaye’s Sew Together Bag -some fabric choices
I chose the inside fabrics very carefully. I wanted fabrics that I loved. A lot of these are new or new-ish fabrics, but have the feel of old favorites. All the choices has to be light for the inside so I can see the tools that fall to the very bottom. I did choose one dark violet/magenta Karen Lewis fabric. It isn’t light, but I think it will be fine.
As I mentioned the other day, I made this one at the same time I made TFQ’s. After I cut all the pieces I sewed the steps for one and then the next until the end when I had to get TFQ’s done because she was coming to visit and I needed to gift it. I finished mine in a few quiet half hours over the weekend after the fun and games with TFQ.
My Sew Together Bag – open
I added a couple of pinks for the inside of the pockets, but they are hard to see unless you have the bag with you.
Jaye’s Sew Together Bag – closed, side view
I tried one thing on mine to try and cover up the stitching of the side panels to the lining. (If you look at the photo above, the area I am talking about is a vertical line of binding on the ends just in from the curvy handle). At the end of the process, when I was putting on the binding strips, I sewed the binding to the bottom first then wrapped it around to the top. I still had to deal with the thickness, but I was able to see where I had stitched and could make an attempt to cover it.
Sew Together Bag with zipper pull
I received a zipper pull for Christmas and decided to put it on the bag. Why not? I had it. It would make the long zipper easier to pull and it would look cool. Also, I wouldn’t have a random zipper pull floating around the house.
It fits perfectly and looks cool (at least to me!). One problem is that the zipper pull is one sided. When I open the long zipper to access my EPP materials, the zipper pull ends up on the other side of the bag upside down. I know this is silly. It would be better to get a two-sided zipper pull. Since I already had this, I am going to continue to use it but I would advise you to get a two sided zipper pull if you are out buying one.
I have an idea of making one using beads for the next STB, but we will see.
Upside down zipper pull
I filled the bag on Friday. I took my regular handwork bag and put some items from that bag into my new Sew Together Bag. I took all of the stuff I might need for English Paper Piecing. I may have mentioned that I intended all along to use this for my English paper piecing project. Two problems I had in the filling: would I get a second pair of Gingher snips to put in my regular handwork bag? I also forgot thread. I meant to go upstairs and get another spool and I just forgot, or got distracted. That forced me to go to quilt shops over the weekend. 😉
Sew Together Bag in my lap
In using the bag in the car, I found the best part to be the ‘tray’ that the bag formed in my lap. With my old handwork bag, it didn’t open as far as this one so my lap was my tray. Also, everything was sorted into pockets. As I got used to where my tools and supplies were located, I found I could work relatively quickly. I finished on two EPP stars in the car, placing the bag with the pincushion towards me. I found it to be very useful and convenient.
Some Observations
I think the strips for the long zipper would lay better if they were on the bias.
The bag needs some feature to which Wonder Clips can be clipped.
I tried a few different things and cannot get the top stitching to look good where there are many, many layers.
WonderClips are a godsend for making this project. I used about 12. They are not listed on the supply list, but I think they are essential for this bag.
Make the pincushion (mine is a little too large on this one) and the exterior at the beginning of the bag making process. It is such a hassle to stop and do the fiddly bits when you are so close to finishing.
Use a two sided zipper pull
I have an idea for one more that I want to make, but it isn’t a requirement and I think I will let the feeling lie for awhile.
After making this bag 4 times, I am tempted to try the Bionic Bag just to see the differences. I am trying to restrain myself. I need another bag pattern like I need a hole in my head.
I know you have to be wondering if the gift madness ever ends. One thing is that I know LOTS of fantastic people with birthdays in January. I don’t give all of them gifts, but the ones for whom I do make gifts mean the ‘holiday’ season seems to stretch well into January. It is easier just to continue the numbering of the gift posts as the making often starts in December or before.
For this particular bag, the making started last week. The planning, hunting and gathering started well before, but the actual making had to wait until I had finished some other projects.
TFQ Sew Together Bag – closed
I wanted to make 2 more Sew Together Bags, including one for me, so I decided I would make both at one time. After the cutting, which still seems to take me forever, but was easier doing two at a time, I got started. I was surprised to find that I plowed through the same amount of work on two STBs in the same amount of time as I had on the second STB. Don’t get me wrong! I referred frequently to the Quilt Barn Sew-a-Long posts as the process is complicated and not firmly ensconced in my head. Seriously! Those posts are life savers.
I wanted this Sew Together Bag to match the Multi-tasker Tote I made. One birthday – a set of gifts. As I mentioned, I didn’t have any more of the black batik. I decided to use the Multi-tasker Tote lining fabric as the outside. I used the dark for the Multi-tasker Tote, because it doesn’t show the dirt as much, but with the Sew Together Bag, it probably would just stay at home with handwork materials in it and not be on the floor of the bus, etc.
Pocket Panel Showing Fabrics
In addition to the lining fabric, I chose the fabrics carefully. I wanted them to be really pretty and interesting. I also wanted each section to be different, so that the differences would provide visual cues when searching for supplies or tools. I am particularly pleased with the fabrics I chose for this STB.
The violet fabric on the left has a bit of an Asian feel, which is not normally my style. I was particularly attracted to that fabric when thinking of TFQ. I was pleased that she like it as well.
I still had trouble with the thickness of some of the steps. I tried not sewing all the way to end of the side panels so I could flatten them out. The idea was good, but the flattening didn’t work out. I also thought of trimming the batting away from the edge of the exterior. By the time I got to that point, it was impossible to trim the batting. Foiled on both attempts! TFQ suggested using ShapeFlex instead of batting next time (will their be a next time???). I thought it might not provide a sturdy/thick enough exterior, but I might try it.
TFQ Sew Together Bag – open
I am pleased with this version, especially with the colors of the pocket panel. I hope it is useful.
I put this Multi-tasker Tote on my list in 2013 or even 2012, maybe. It feels like it has been on that list forever. Fortunately, it doesn’t matter, because the pattern worked the same in 2015 as it did when I made it last time.**
I couldn’t carry my machine and prepping projects seemed like a good idea. I decided to cut out the bag when I went to Reno. Cutting out bags is very time consuming for me. I found it hard. I felt sad and depressed after I finished the cutting, though having Julie, Kathleen and Mrs. K there made it better.
The following weekend, Thanksgiving weekend, for #BFSI, I started sewing this bag together. The Multi-tasker Tote pattern is such a great pattern and it is a joy to make (the sewing part, not the prep part). I felt so much better after I started it. You should click on my link, buy it AND make it!
I worked on it late at night and within a short amount of time, the bag started to look like something. It was such a thrill.
Large inside pocket
I did a couple of things differently. First I made a the inside pocket really large. I wanted the pocket to accommodate a journal to keep it safe and away from a water bottle or other wet things.
I wanted contrast so I made the pocket out of the outside black batik. I really like the black batik, though I might have thought differently if I had made the matching Sew Together Bag first (see post about that soon). I didn’t have enough of the black to make the outside of the Sew Together bag, which was a disappointment. I have a thing about making sets of matching items.
AMH MTT key ring loop
I also made the key ring flatter. I wasn’t sure why beyond not wanting to sew through so many layers of fabric and interfacing. It turns out that TFQ can clip some of her zipper bags (she is making them now and selling them at select craft fairs and by order), using a carabiner or a key ring clip or something to this bag. I have a sprongy chain so I can clip my keys to my handbag and I may try and make something like that with a piece of elastic in a later bag. We’ll see.
I used quite a bit of Shapeflex to give the bag some structure. You know I don’t like floopy bags. It looked stiff, though, which wasn’t ideal.
I gave TFQ the bag for her birthday on Monday and she liked it, or I thought she liked it. I’ll look forward to seeing how it works for her when it softens up a bit with use.
**Nota bene: I don’t actually know if the link to the bag is the last time I made a AMH MTT. It seems like a long time ago and I thought I had made one more recently.
