Tag: Sewfisticated

The Pandora Charisma is Finished

Pandora Charisma - front, finished
Pandora Charisma – front, finished

I am into sneak peeks lately! You got one the other day about this finished Pandora Charisma.

Yep!

Finished! Done! Complete!

I powered through a lot of the finishing steps, which were the hardest, on Friday so the bag could be done for the Month 1: UFO challenge reveal.

When I brought it to Sew Day, as mentioned, I wanted to add some additional rivets, but for all intents and purposes, it was done before I did that. I am pretty pleased with it, though I know there are things I could do better and want to do better. 

Pandora Charisma - back, finished
Pandora Charisma – back, finished

I am really pleased with the back. I think it looks awesome and I can’t really believe that I made it using all the weird substrates.

The zippers look good, but I wasn’t happy with the way the teeth were so high up from the zipper tape (the teeth were not flush or flush-ish with the tape). Also, there was something strange about the zipper tape. I am going to use a different brand when I make this bag again, maybe Wawak or ByAnnie continuous zippers next time. Using the continuous zipper was good for small zipper areas like the back zipper shown on the photo, right. The teeth were too high, but I had to secure the zipper with fabric, so the stitches looked ok. In general, though the high teeth kept me from making nice straight stitches. It was good that I had enough continuous zipper yardage to have the same zipper tape on all of the many zippers required for this bag.

There are a lot of pockets and places to hold stuff in this bag. The front pocket is like a regular purse area. the main area has a mesh pocket, which will keep things safe but handy and a slip pocket. The leash is very useful for keys, but also for attaching anything you don’t want to lose. That leash could be made of ribbon, tiny webbing or leather.

Pandora Charisma - tablet pocket, open
Pandora Charisma – tablet pocket, open

The back pocket has a small tablet sleeve, which is padded to keep your Kindle, iPad or other type of tablet safe. The pocket opens a lot more narrowly, so you have to use that side for items that can be slipped in and out.

The most challenging part of this bag can be seen in the photo, left, and that is the binding. The final step, which, seriously, almost made me give up, is putting the bag together then binding the edges. It is really hard to shove so many layers under the needle and get it to look ok. I did one side of some of the bindings by hand, which was a big effort, but looked a lot better than my first binding by machine. My binding effort is not stellar, but I was able to finish. 

I do want to make another. I plan to borrow my mom’s 1960s Emdeko machine, which is one of those all metal machines that can sew through anything. I also plan to go through the pattern while I have the bag at hand and decide which pockets I can sew in vinyl, which need more interfacing, etc, so I am more prepared next time. I also want to count up all the hardware I used so I have matching hardware when I make the next one.

I am really pleased that I finished it and plan to take some time to relax with some easy projects.

Pandora Charisma is 3D!

Pandora Charisma the process of assembly
Pandora Charisma the process of assembly

I worked really hard on Wednesday to get this project to this state. The process went a lot better than I expected. I have to finish it today to make the UFO Challenge deadline. Fingers crossed, but I am patting myself on the back for getting this far.

The photo shows two sections and two zipper gussets sewn together. There is still quite a bit of assembly required, but I was excited when I saw how the bag looked. 

Pandora Charisma top into small section
Pandora Charisma top into small section

It is always hard for me to imagine the size, shape and elements of a bag when I only see it on paper. Seeing it put together is awesome. 

There is one small (thin) section (photo, right). This is good for a tablet plus pens and other things. The pocket on the right is a really good idea. There is an internal zipper pocket with the divided slip pocket on top. 

As I saw the finished parts, I started to mark pockets that could be made from vinyl in future versions. Vinyl would make the bag thicker, but would also conserve focus fabric, if necessary.

Pandora Charisma side view
Pandora Charisma side view

I will add another section that folds down diagonally on the left. That section is larger (fatter) than the one described above, so the user can put things that are more 3D (wallet, water bottle, etc) inside. It’s not huge, but large enough to use as a handbag.

I really had to watch the video in order to get to this point. Making sure the sections/pieces are oriented in the correct direction is super important and the pattern alone wasn’t doing the job. It really makes me appreciate the way Sara and Danny of Sew Sweetness mark their videos to coincide with the steps in the pattern.

Pandora Charisma side view - large section
Pandora Charisma side view – large section

The same section can be viewed from the top so you can see how big it is.

That pocket with the lamps and the poodles could definitely be vinyl. It would have to bind the top with doublefold elastic and then I could see the fabric behind it as well as what was in the pocket. Alternatively, I would use a solid or tone-on-tone for the back panel piece and a focus fabric for the pocket. There is a lot going on in that section, which could be toned down a bit. 😉

 

More Pandora Charisma

I made good progress over the weekend on my ongoing project. I finished all the ‘panels’. After all the work, they are combined into the 3 panels: front, middle  and back, which are 2-sided.

Pandora Charisma: rivets
Pandora Charisma: rivets

With the panels done, I can now start assembling the bag. The first thing was to make the zipper gussets. I started over the weekend, but then, almost immediately, had to rivet the D-rings. I haven’t done much with rivets in the past, but I think that this bag will get harder usage and my machine is struggling, so off I went to MaryC’s again for more rivets. 

Pandora Charisma: zipper gusset
Pandora Charisma: zipper gusset

The zipper gusset is one of the largest I have made. Fortunately I had enough of zipper by the yard (from my various purchases at Sewlarium) to use for all of the small and long zippers. 

I am excited I am nearing the end.

Good Charisma Progress

Pandora Charisma back panel
Pandora Charisma back panel

Something changed. I am not sure what. Understanding? Small success? I don’t know, but something clicked into place and I am back on track to make progress on the Pandora Charisma.

First, I have been reading the pattern and watching the video to help move me along. This should be the magic combination, but the video’s sound wasn’t working so I had to read the closed captioning. First world problem, I know, but something was missing. It could be the way I learn. 

Pandora Charisma back panel with connector
Pandora Charisma back panel with connector

The other day, the video’s sound magically started working! This was so helpful. 

I have been using the Diamond quilted vinyl from Sewfisticated and I am pleased with the overall look of the back panel. I was concerned with the white and the black combo when I put on the bottom D-rings, but the connector at the top made the whole thing look good.

Next, I was confused about the interfacing. Decovil was one of the options. The designer provides several different options, which is awesome, but also confusing. The presenter on the video talked a little about the stick-on Sewfisticated interfacing. I have some and decided to try it. Magical! I don’t have to iron it or sew it on, which is important for the exterior I am using, which cannot be ironed. 

Also, I bought a Teflon foot for my machine, which really works well. 

Finally, seeing what the presenter did with the D-rings (mine are triangles on white strips in the above photo) and using the Teflon foot made the sewing so much easier. 

So, I think I am back on track. Fingers crossed! I have 8 days to go before the UFO challenge deadline. Will I make it?

Creeping Charisma Progress

The deadline is looming and I am slowly making progress. I have come to terms with not finishing this bag before the deadline. However, I think the main thing is that I started it.

Pandora Charisma front panel pocket
Pandora Charisma front panel pocket

The other day I finished the front panel pocket. There were some confusing bits, but I found a video that showed me what I needed to know. I don’t think it is an official Sewfisticated video, but it did the job.

Now I am working on the back panel.

Pandora Charisma in Progress

I do not have a UFO category on this blog. That is intentional. I really do not want to let projects languish as I tend to not like them, or remember what I was thinking, if I stop working on them. This doesn’t happen so much with quilts since I cleared off the 26 Projects list. The first post was a list of all of my UFOs at the time. The second was a post on my thoughts on UFOs. I also included some resources. Many are probably dead links, but there might be a few you can use. My category is ‘Works in Progress’.

The guild UFO challenge is making me work on bags that have been on my list for awhile, or started and never finished. This seems to happen more with bags than quilts these days.

Pandora Charisma front pocket
Pandora Charisma front pocket

I had made a very small start on the Pandora Charisma before the challenge. The other day I really got started on the sewing. 

OMG, the Sewfisticated Quilted Diamond Vinyl in White Quartz was awesome to cut. I was talking with my mom, step-dad and DH about the bag and trying to explain this substrate. I described it as pleather. I didn’t remember that it was vinyl. It doesn’t feel like vinyl. It doesn’t feel like the glitter vinyl I love or the star vinyl I used on the Cosquilla pouch. The quilted Diamond vinyl is very soft and buttery. It feels like a very expensive leather. 

I am struggling a tiny bit because I have to get used to a new pattern designer/writer, but in general the project is moving along well. I didn’t want to stop working on it last night and am excited to have another go tomorrow. This is due on February 7, if I want to get credit in the challenge. Fingers crossed I can do it!

Guild UFO Challenge

One of our guild members offered to host a UFO Challenge. She had participated in one at another guild. I am all for members participating so I told her to go for it. She roped Friend Julie in to help, which I thought was a great idea.

This is a Sew Day to Sew Day group project rather than a meeting project. I think it is good to space activities out. Also, some people only attend Sew Days, so it gives them an opportunity to participate in a group project. I don’t want to be in charge of everything or tell people how to do everything, which means letting the UFO team run with the project. 

As president of the guild, however, I feel I have to try and participate in most activities. As a result, I dutifully made my list of UFOs. All of mine are bag related since I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish an unquilted quilt in a month. I could certainly finish the top, but not the quilting.

        • Serendipity Lady
        • Paris Cell Phone Wallet
        • EPPic
        • Rose Petrillo Bag
        • Megan’s Bone Enigma
        • Sheffield
        • Sun hat
        • Chickadee
        • Extra large project bag
        • Joni Tote bag
        • Catalan Storage Cube
        • Pandora Charisma

Most of these projects have been on one of my lists or another. You can see links to the ones that I have started on the 26 Projects list, like Serendipity Lady, the EPPic Bag and the Rose Petrillo Bag. The Paris Cell Phone Wallet should be on the list, because it is cut out. I don’t know why it isn’t, but I will add it.

I have cut out a few pieces for the Sheffield. I also made a Sun Hat and didn’t like it so have started another one using the Bardot pattern from Sew Hungry Hippie, but otherwise all of the projects are on my “I want to make this sometime list.” I put the Joni Tote Bag also from Sew Hungry Hippie on my list in order to try some fabric (one of the weird substrates) I bought from Sewfisticated.

I only had 10 things on the list, which was ok, but I decided to add the Catalan Storage Cube to round out the list.  I accidentally bought a frame for the pattern with a recent order and I might as well put it to use instead of having the frame sit around the workroom. The Catalan Storage Cube is part of Minikins Season 4, another one of the Sew Sweetness 12 bag bundles.

Pandora Charisma
Pandora Charisma

Finally, I decided it was time to make the Pandora Charisma, so I added that as number 12 as well. This is one the bags I got from the Bag of the Month Club for which I signed up last year. I know I have the skills to make it, but it is a little scary for a couple of reasons. First, I haven’t made a pattern by this designer before. Second, the pattern is 52 pages. Third, there are a lot of weird shapes making up the pattern. The bag is cool so it is time to make it. It is different than any other designs I have seen or made. I can’t imagine that I can’t do it.I need to make it, though. The bag does me no good sitting around on my computer looking pretty.

Weird Substrates

Sewing the Cosquilla
Sewing the Cosquilla

I have bought several different fabric substrates lately. You saw that I replenished my supply of vinyl. Cutting and sewing that is no problem. The only thing I think about is whether I need a dedicated vinyl rotary cutter.

As I was sewing the vinyl this time, I used Tim’s Teflon foot. Honestly, the foot felt like plastic to me, but it was a GREAT. It really did work. I didn’t have to use any tissue paper. Don’t get me wrong, tissue paper works great and you don’t have to buy a new foot.

I made a lunch bag as a gift and decided to use ripstop nylon for the interior. I wanted it to be somewhat water resistant, though I knew it wouldn’t be very water resistant. 

What a pain.

I followed Lynette’s directions for  pressing the ripstop and it got all bubbly and didn’t look as flat and perfect as hers did. Mine might have been thinner. Or lesser quality. I don’t know. Not sure I’ll make another project with ripstop. This and the Falabella might be my limit, though I have more of the fabric. We’ll see. 

Sewfisticated substrates
Sewfisticated substrates

During the Sewfisticated sale, I also bought some different substrates to try make more robust bags that wouldn’t get as dirty and would hold up under pressure of daily use. I want to make the Pandora Charisma for a gift and I want it to be sturdy. One of the substrates was VibrantVue Canvas (not shown). Something easy and/or small to see how my machine handles it? The other was Diamond Quilted Vinyl. I don’t know what I will sew with the former, but I will use the Diamond Quilted Vinyl for the Pandora Charisma.

Not exactly substrates, but I also bought of their Sewfisive Foam Stabilizer. I don’t know that I would buy it again as it looks and feels the same as Soft & Stable. I am reserving judgement until I sew with it. 

It is good to try new things. I am looking forward to trying out these different substrates, assuming my machine behaves.