I am making good progress on the Superblooms, but not enough. I really want these to be finished today, so I can take my aunt’s to the post office and mail it. I also want to show at least one of them at the meeting on Saturday. I don’t know if either will happen.
As you can see, I have made good progress. The exteriors are finished and the handles on my aunt’s are sewn on.
For my aunt’s Superbloom, I used cotton webbing for the handles that Cyndi made me take from the free table one time. It is wider than called for, but I think looks good with the exterior fabric.
SMAP Superbloom
The SMAP version is less far along. I had to rip the handles out twice. Hopefully, third time is a charm.
I’ll be working on the lining next and that is always the last step. I have a couple of interior zipper pockets for each bag to make and then lining assembly.
I am preparing to start a new contract and the company is really a pain. It has been taking me many hours I could be sewing to set everything up. Finally on Friday, I had a nice chunk of time, so I got to work on the two Superblooms I have been wanting to make.
I was able to get all the pieces interfaced and the side pockets made. I had some trouble with some fusible foam. It turned out to be fusible on both sides. Since it was a scrap and, I hadn’t marked it, I didn’t realize it was fusible on both sides. I don’t normally buy fusible interfacing. I especially don’t buy double sided fusible. The piece was just big enough for me to cut the foam for the bag sides. Perfect, right? Yes, until I figured out that both sides were fusible. On one hand it was good, because I could just press it on the fabric. On the other hand, I had to use a press cloth and I am not sure if my press cloth is gluey. Iron-off** is a wonderful thing for cleaning the iron.
I have a couple more pieces to cut from the new fabric I bought at Needles, but otherwise I think the rest will go quickly.
As I have mentioned the prep is the hard part.
**N. B. : 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.
Today is International Women’s Day and I am celebrating by sending the bag to Gerre for her celebrations.
Sugar Skull Retreat Pouch-small – top view
This is the smaller version than I made for Gerre before. They are a matched set now, which I always like.
Sugar Skull Retreat Pouch-small – zipper end
I like the way all parts of this came out. The zipper ends came out especially well. I left a little space between the end of the zipper and the end of the fabric, which made it easier to sew.
I am still thinking about how to incorporate the technique used for veering the zipper in other patterns like the Cotton Candy pouch.
Sugar Skull Retreat pouch – interior
I chose a text print for the interior. I haven’t been using this particular print for Old Town, because the text is in pink. I love it as a fabric, though, and am really glad I can use it for this pouch.
This one came out really well and I am pleased, but this is a great project. I still want to try enlarging it and using a border print, as discussed a few months ago. I haven’t had the chance as I am caught up in making gifts.
I finished the Paint Tube Day Trip! Yay! This one went together a lot more quickly than the Hindsight Day Trip, but that’s the way it works, right?
I was thinking, as my Mom has started using the bag, that a slip pocket might be a good addition to the front. It would add to the layers, but would also be really useful.
I mentioned that I was making it so she could carry her cell phone with her and didn’t have to hold it in her hand as she moved around. That is working really well. She has also started using it as a wallet. When we go out, she takes it instead of her purse.
Paint Tube Day Trip
I was pleased, once again, that the cell phone pocket fits her new phone very well. I am also glad I reinforced the magnetic closure. I think it might have ripped already if not for the extra (Decovil Heavy**) reinforcement.
I also made the straps/tabs for the D-rings slightly longer. I did that because one pulled away from the edge stitching on the Hindsight Day Trip. I didn’t want that to happen again, but I noticed that the D-rings spin around now. The triangle hardware pieces would not have worked for this application, sadly. My mom doesn’t care, but I care. Another learning moment, I guess.
Paint Tube day Trip interior
The inside went together well and I love that I can turn this bag through the openings in the interior zipper pocket.
I used leftover zipper tape for the interior zippers. They are the handbag size, but it doesn’t matter.
I put different colored zipper pulls onto the the interior pockets to give a visual cue of the contents. The pulls are nice and large so easy to grasp.
I don’t really want to make a bunch of these, but I have the templates and some ideas, so I might make another one or two. One would definitely be a good Pink Project addition.
Check out all of the Minikins patterns I have made as well as some of the other Sew Sweetness patterns.
**N. B. : 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.
Mom came along, but I didn’t have to do as much for her. She is moving slowly, but moving around a lot more. It is great to see her progress.
Superbloom 3 & 4 pieces
The first thing I did was cut out pieces for my next Superbloom totes. I was able to, mostly, cut out the larger pieces. That is super helpful, because of my small cutting table.
I thought I had everything in a project bag, but I didn’t check before I left. It turned out that I forgot ShapeFlex, Soft & Stable and lining for one of the bags. Oh well! I cut out as much as I could, so that is some progress. Definitely better than nothing.
I also worked on Old Town a bit. I had to line up and mark the pieces for a million Flying Geese, so I did that.
March Sew Day scraps cut
Finally, I worked on my scrap bin some more. Did I make as much progress as I wanted? No, but I never do. I had about 2 zipper bags of scraps. Now I have 1.5, so some progress.
First, I cut all the shapes I need for various projects. Not tons, but quite a few.
Scrap strips
Next, I cut strips, which will be used for quilts like the white color strip top I discussed the other day.
For some reason, I have a lot of orange. I also have a lot of grey, which will add to the grey improv top sitting on my design wall. I know they are strips and I should make some color strip blocks with them, but I want to get that grey improv top to the community quilt people. It has been hanging around for an eternity.
I also found some triangles, which I will make into HSTs for that mythical HST quilt I have on my mind.
Not bad for a Sew Day. I would have liked to have gotten more done, but what can I do?
Mary C’s baby quilt
Mary put a baby quilt together. It is Playmat – newborn size and made from two charm packs.
Mom worked on the binding of her first (!!!) quilt while chatting with Friend Julie’s mom who joined us also. The quilt has been finished except for the binding for years. I am glad she is working on it. I am also glad she has something on which to work.
I sent off two quilts to a great niece and nephew. I made two lined drawstring bags as gift bags and quilt storage bags. Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of one of them, but I hope my nephew will be able to do it for me.
The other bag I made for his sister was made from some of the V&Co Confetti dot ombre. That one came out really well as I had big pieces to use and didn’t have to do any piecing. That bag will house the Hugs and a Kiss quilt.
I started another Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet almost immediately.
This one, as you can clearly see, is for my mom. I want her to be able to carry her cell phone while leaving her one free hand. Now that she is moving around more and using her cane more, she might need a free hand to hold a banister. I tried something new with the strap, which I’ll talk about later and am in the process of working through the first steps.
The one thing I am trying on this one is to cut the foam a little smaller in order to reduce the bulk in the seams.
I am so excited about finishing this bag! I am not sure that is the right way to say it, but it has been a long time in coming. As mentioned, I bought Minikins Season 2 for the express reason of making this bag. Then, I was intimidated and didn’t feel up to making it.
A few years have gone by, and I have made several bags. This bag seemed right for a gift. I guess I was ready.
The bag was a challenge, but only because of the many layers, not because of the directions. The process is actually very easy. With the pattern and the video, it wasn’t hard.
Finished: Day Trip Wallet – interior
This bag is, basically, a small wallet that fits your cell phone. You could put this into a larger bag, but then take it out when you don’t need the whole bag.
This would be great for doing that since the strap is detachable. You could store the strap elsewhere or in one of the inside zipper pockets and take it out as needed.
Finished: Day Trip Wallet – exterior pocket
This is the first one that I have made, but I hope to make more. I wonder about the size of the flap for the cell phone pocket. I wonder why it is so small. It might interfere with stitching the zipper. I have asked in the Sew Sweetness group to see what others say.
I was a little worried that the pattern was designed when cell phones were smaller and a modern phone wouldn’t fit. I tried my large-ish Samsung phone in the pocket and it fits just fine. Whew! This is good as the bag is not that large and I wouldn’t want it to be enlarged so much that it wouldn’t fit in the larger bag mentioned above.
Finished: Day Trip Wallet – interior detail
The inside has two sides, both with a zipper pocket and several card slots. Behind the top card slot could be a spot for cash.
I added the optional D-ring on the spine so there would be a place to clip keys.
I also used two different colors of zippers in order to give the recipient a visual cue as to where she stashed something.
Hindsight Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet
I think I could probably have put another cell phone pocket on the other side of the bag exterior. I am not sure how useful that would be, though more pockets are always better.
I am pleased with how this came out and am cutting out a second one. This one will be for my mom who needs something for her phone so her hands are free to maneuver her walker.
I am pleased to say that the Day Trip is progressing much better than I expected.
As mentioned, I was anxious about the difficulty of this project. I am carefully following all the directions and watching the video accompaniment when I have even a sliver of doubt. I am not having any problems! I am so excited.
In some ways, this is a meditative process for me. There are a reasonable number of pieces and I was able to cut them out relatively quickly. I decided that I wasn’t going to skip steps to get to the sewing faster. That attitude made the sewing, once I finished all the prep, go much faster.
Day Trip: Magnetic snaps
It has been awhile since I installed magnet closure. I added some Decovil Heavy scraps behind both pieces to reinforce the snaps. I hope they will hold.
Sara has a really good tip in this pattern about using the round template/reinforcement thingy that comes with the magnet closure for placement. It is so obvious yet I never thought of it.
Day Trip zipper installation
The cell phone pocket (above) is complete. I am working on installing the zipper that closes the whole bag. I had to cut the zipper to the right size. I really need to make some of those Center Street Quilts heart pouches in order to use up some of my leftover zipper pieces. This is a difficult part as the zipper really doesn’t like going around corners, but I went slowly and persevered. It’s the same challenge all the time. Am I getting better? Maybe. I should be after all those Hackney pouches.
I am really jealous of that skinny quarter inch foot Sara uses. I think it would make going around those corners easier.
At Bag Club on Saturday we talked about installing an interior zipper pocket. I did sort of a theoretical tutorial using the Sotak Handmade Purse Organizer as an example. Since it was already made, there was a lot of imagination required.
Day Trip: one interior zipper pocket
Funnily enough, I had to make two of these types of pockets on Sunday! They are a little fiddly, but really easy. I use Sara’s zipper pocket ruler for the measuring and drawing the box. She is not restocking her acrylic templates, so get them while they are still available. I checked other places and can’t find one like Sara’s. I found one from Arc Expressions (no affiliation) that I think would work, though you would have to use another ruler to measure pockets on larger bags.
Anyway, talking through the pocket installation on Saturday was really helpful on Sunday when I went to make the pockets. I had an idea in my mind about what I was doing. I made one (or more??) on the most recent Superbloom, so I was in good shape. I like having the process firmly in my mind.
One of the best things about these pockets is you can pull the bag right side out through this pocket. I love it when designers use that technique. You can add these pockets to almost any bag with a lining.
I am well on my way. Get this pattern and make one!
I bought Minikins Season 2 specifically for this pattern in March of 2020. At that time, I was a little scared of this pattern. Recently, I realized I wanted to make one as a gift. Since I had the recipient in mind, I dove in to make it. This will match the Superbloom tote I finished a few weeks ago.
Day Trip for Diana start
I was still anxious that I wasn’t up to the task, so I carefully worked my way through the cutting and interfacing. I only forgot one piece! I am about to start working on the pockets, straps and tabs.
I am pretty excited that I am getting going on this project after almost 5 years!
Project bags are great for keeping all the pieces, parts and supplies for projects together. I have another jumbo project bag on the list of things I want to make for myself.
In the course of thinking about this bag I realized I have made a lot of project bags. I was initially thinking of the ByAnnie project bags**. I have made quite a few of them despite the need to quilt them. I noticed, as I looked through my photos, how many different types of project bags I have made. I decided to put them all in one post so I could see them in one place. It also gives you an idea of the different types of project bags there are. Keep in mind that this is a small number of the various patterns out there.
Tim’s Project Bag
Hildegarde in the Project Bag
My Jumbo Project Bag
Gerre’s Project Bag #2
Gerre’s project bag #1
Purple Dot Project Bag
Gerre’s Project Bag
Mom’s Project Bag
Julie’s Project Bag
Two project bags for Mom
Ultimate Project Bag in use
The photos above are mostly the ByAnnie project bags**. I added in the Ultimate Project Bag from Crafty Gemini, because it is more like the ByAnnie project bag than not. Also, I have a project in it, so it is a different kind of project bag.
Ka-Bloom Amethyst Project Bag
I have also made the Amethyst project bag from Sew Sweetness and the Sunset Project Bag from Crafty Gemini. These are quite different from the ByAnnie bags.
The Amethyst Bag is not flat. It is a box, essentially and is large enough to store blocks. I gave this away soon after I made it so I haven’t used it, but I can see it being a good bag for a large project. The ByAnnie bags are flat, so have limited space.
I like the project bags that have some vinyl so I can see what I have in the bags.
Sunset Project Bag: front panel
The Sunset Project Bag is more for small yarn projects, like crochet or knitting, in my opinion.
Project bags, regardless of design are useful and I will probably make more.
Drawstring Bag – Project size
The Lined Drawstring Bag pattern also has a project size. A lot of people use this for knitting projects. I like to give these as gifts and use them as gift bags. They are useful for knitting, but I have one that I use when I have a knitting project and probably won’t make others. The bags made from this pattern also hold collections of things. I made one as a carry-all for a juggling balls set.
I also adjust the sizes and use this pattern to make bags for quilts. The design is useful for quilt storage bags that double as gift wrap.
Of course, I use my fair share of zipper bags and other ‘free’ type of bags. I find they tend to slide off shelves, if I stack too many of them. Using a bag with fabric provides some grip when stacking.
Still, making more and more project bags is not my goal. I want to be able to reuse them not just provide a place to store pieces from UFOs.
Do you use project bags? What is your favorite pattern? What patterns have you tried?
**N. B. : 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.
After years of whining about the Hindsight Superbloom, it is finally done. Apparently, thinking up someone to whom I could give this bag was the key.
I carefully fussy cut the panels, so those pink flowers were featured. I wasn’t sure how it would look, but it looks good to me.
Hindsight Superbloom – back
I also remembered to machine sew on my label! Yay!
I like the way the handles look. That print is fun. The handles aren’t that comfortable, though. They seem to be made from some kind of polyester. I was trying to avoid sewing strips together to make the handles and that worked. I don’t think the recipient will be able to carry a lot of heavy items in the bag comfortably.
Hindsight Superbloom – interior
Hindsight Superbloom – interior zip pocket
Hindsight Superbloom – top
I used some dot fabric as the lining and it looks really fun. It also achieves my goal of being light colored, so easy to see the items in the bag.
The last photo (above, right) shows the bag closed. It has a recessed zipper. In that photo, the bag has all the small gifts I got for the family who are caring for my stepdad.
I think I might add a slip pocket or two to the next one I make.
Hindsight Superbloom – side pocket
One thing I love about this bag are the sides pockets. They are super cute. I don’t know if they are useful, but I think they would be.
I am really pleased with the way this came out. It went together really well.
I finally started the Hindsight Superbloom. This is a project that has been on my list for a long time. I was excited to make this version at the time I made the first Superbloom. Somehow I lost momentum, but recently I was inspired to pull out the fabric and the pattern and get busy.
Yes, I remembered to put my label on the bag before I started to assemble it! I am happy about that.
Hindsight Superbloom in process with handles
I had a little trouble with the handles as I was using webbing instead of making them from fabric. I eventually got them on the bag. UGH! I know why the process had to go the way it did, but I found it difficult.
I am always surprised at the size of this bag. It is quite roomy, but I always think it is bigger than it actually is.
So far, I am l loving the process. Those side pockets are awesome.
Well, I did. Mom said she wouldn’t be using the walker long enough to warrant me making a bag for it. I waited about 2 weeks before making it, but finally made one the other night. She loves it and finds it very useful. I have to keep reminding her not to fill it up too much. She is limited to carrying 5lbs per hand.
I remember thinking the directions were confusing at the time. I made the same mistake this time that I made before: I sewed the Velcro inside the pocket. DUH! I hope the photos I added will help with that.
This time, I took the time to make some edits and add in some photos for next time. I hope I won’t have to use those directions again, but I am planning for the worst and hoping for the best.
I know it seems like Christmas is lasting forever on the blog. I made quite a few gifts, but it is also taking some time to post about them all.
Tim admired all the project bags I made last year, so I decided to make him one from Christmas.
I don’t have a lot of dark greens and thought these bright greens would be too much, but he loved the bag and said that he loves all greens.
I am super happy with the way this came out and will make one for myself next. Well, maybe not the next project, but the next time I make a project bag. 😉
