...Crafty Tote

When Nicole announce the Bag Project of the Month, and specifically her project, I loved it. And waited quite impatiently for the June issue (Volume 13.6) to be published so I could make it. Then I waited pretty impatiently again for the Mama Said Sew fabric to arrive in stores because by that time I knew I wanted to use it for the lining.

Finally, a couple of weekends ago I got around to making it. I use some fabric from a Melbourne screen printing company, Yardage Design, in a sale earlier. This fabric was labelled as an imperfect second but it looks pretty great to me!

For the feature panels on the top I used some basecloth I bought from the same supplier and screen printed some panels of my own with some word art. I used Wordle to create the art and then played around with the size on screen and paper to make them fit roughly inside the pattern piece.

A change from the published pattern - I used two different fabrics for the lining. the red script from Mama Said Sew and the black Newsprint from the same collection by Sweetwater. 

As I have come to expect from Nicole's patterns the instructions included a lot of pictures and information on  techniques to assist in construction and I am sure that is no small part of the quality I was able to achieve with the finished product.

I did find some parts of the pattern difficult to follow and there appeared be a number of errors in the cutting directions and the construction (based on the pictures). For example, extra interfacing needed to be cut for several of the pieces. I am assuming Nicole has noted these as well as she had re-released the pattern under her own brand.

I also made a couple of changes, I dramatically shortened the handle and would shorten it more if I made it again. And the extra fabrics for the pockets. I think they make them easier to see. I used rectangular links for the handle instead of the round ones and use them again but alter the handle size next time to fit it more snugly.

I'm really really happy with it. It fits a huge amount of stuff in it while still having them easy to find. I learned a few new tricks and the virtues of stiffer interfacing. And if you make I can't recommend a walking foot highly enough!

Edited to add: These are the changes I made due to pattern omissions or confusions. 
It isn't to say that the pattern won't work without these changes, careful reading and some prior knowledge should serve you well but knowing what to watch out for can be helpful. The fabric/interfacing/fusible batting requirements as listed in the magazine will be enough for the additional pieces. 

I've emailed Nikki to let her know what I noted and confirm the changes I made were what was intended - I'll update these again based on her responses if needs be. 

1. This one was included on the Homespun website - a template had an incorrect label (there were two Lid Side Panels and one should have read Lid Center Panel) but was the correct size and shape. I actually didn't find this errata until later and it is pretty obvious to pick.
2. You will need 2 x lid and base wall interfacing (the directions only ask you to cut 1)
3. You will need to cut lid and base wall batting (As shown fused in the Step 39 picture on page 48)
4. I also cut a piece of batting for the back-wall hinge (it doesn't ask you to cut any)
5. I also cut an additional batting in the base/lid shape so there was batting in the lid and base.
6. While not technically and error I had huge trouble finding the dimensions of the wall pocket, lid & base wall and the back wall hinge (there are no pattern pieces for these, just dimensions given as they are rectangular). You can find them in Step 15 on page 46.

And my tip - use a walking foot for all steps of the construction!

...bag making

I first made this bag, the large slouch from Nicole Mallalieu Designs, about a year ago in the first round of the Goodie Bag Swap.

At the time I bought a little extra fabric to ensure I could cut both outer panels in such a way that the bird prints could run horizontal with the birds facing upwards. I thought that I had enough lest from the larger cut to make one for myself as well. So, with the fabric set aside for the lining I put the pattern, fabric and zips away and forgot about it.

This morning I had the sudden urge to make it. But try as I might I could not work out how I thought I was to cut the outer panels and orient the birds the same way. In the end I opted for the vertical arrangement that I think I have come to like better anyway.

On the inside I chose to go with both the zip pocket and open pocket options and I added a small slim pocket fussy cut from the leftover Echino fabric.

I changed little from the pattern. I finished the pleats at the bottom of the pocket to allow this to be the full depth of the bag and I didn't segment it.

I did add some tacking stitches in a couple of places just at the top hem to keep the bag from gaping the whole time.

The third time I make the pattern up (and I am sure there will be such a time) I will get both zips a little longer than the directs indicate - both end up a little short and mean that there is a small gap to the seam.

All in all I'm pretty happy with it - but like the last one - this is going to a new home. It is destined to fulfil duty as a baby bag, big enough for the essentials but not so big it weights everyone down.

Fabric Shopping - Bali style

When I was in Bali recently I had a pretty minimal shopping list. Some Bali coffee and some batik tools.

I first learnt to batik in craft class at school and then developed them further when I was on exchange in an Indonesian school when I was fifteen. In the last year or so I have really been wanting to give it another try.

I already had a couple of  tjanting tools but I also wanted some with different sized tips and some stamps. I failed on the stamps but I did get the tools.

Also for good measure and because I am never likely to have the skill to make some of these designs I got some completed batik. These first three are from the markets in Ubud and are actually sarongs but are 100% cotton in a weight that approximates quilting weight and equal about two yards worth each.

 I also went to a standard local fabric store in the capital Denpasar.The journey there was interesting - we knew we were heading into the 'non-touristy' areas when all the billboards ceased to be printed in English and I was please to realise that I could still translate the majority of them. All those years in Indonesian class seem not to have been in vein!

I was able to stock up on 2-3 yards of each of the batik stamped fabrics below for about $3 per yard as well as 5 yards of linen with a great drape for the same price per yard.

All in all I would call that a successful fabric trip.

Although I am not at all sure what it will all become...

Not a one holiday wonder!

Looking for the Flood Relief Auction? It's here.

When I took the Green Bag Challenge I fully intended to wrap all my gifts from that point forward in reusable cloth bags... and I fully expected to do the Christmas presents and Mum's birthday present and from there i would inevitably revert to the speed and convenience of wrapping paper, while feeling guilty every time I did.


But with some friends due tomorrow and a Christmas present (a late one to be sure but on time for our schedule, I promise) I made a little zippered bag to package the said gift.

This friend like blue so I literally tipped by blue scrap jar out on the sewing table next to the machine and made the front panel by improv piecing a quilt as you go rectangle, lined it with some blue dots and used a scrap of linen for the back. The zip was in the box of random zips.

I'm so proud of me....how long can I keep it up I wonder?

Tis the season...

I started this post a long time ago. And needed only pictures to finish it but as it the way with this time of year visitors, cooking and other activities meant that did not happen. So I have edited it a little, added  the pictures and now it is good to go!

.... for trying to finish up all my grandiose plans.

I like making gifts for people but around Christmas time the sheer volume of them if I chose to make them for everyone would put me in the seriously crazy group. So I bought giftsb but, inspired by this post from Sew Mama Sew and some of the great links they provided  in this post and this post I am making wrapping in the form of reuseable bags. I started by sending one off to my friend in our freindship group's (Not so Secret) Santa made from a pattern from the Lunch Bags! book.

I made the quilted drawstring bag, the last project in the book. I used a Kokka Linen and cotton blend for the outside and a simple solid for the drawstring closure. The batting was normal quilt wadding but you could also use insulbrite to help things stay cool I suppose. I am really happy with how it turned out, less happy with how long it took because I kept making simple mistakes, although sometimes I think the directions could have been a little clearer to prevent that. These unpicking issues also meant it took about and hour longer than it should have to complete and I only just made it in the mail before then end of the day. Hopefully it makes it before Christmas. 

Boyed by the experience I sat down this morning before work and wrote a list of the style of bag that I thought would actually be used by each recipient and would fit the gift. It didn't seem a green option to gift a white elephant. The thing that worked the best in all this planning was that I can make most of these entireley from materials already on hand! 

And here they are, all done.

1. Picnic Bag for Lydia - inside, 2. Picnic Bag for Lydia, 3. Simple Lunch Bag for Dad, 4. Lunch sack forJustin, 5. Bike bag for Mum, 6. For Iva, 7. Grocery bag for Ana, 8. Grocery bag Amy, 9. Lunch bag for Adrianne, 10. Mum's birthday, 11. A book bag, 12. Too cute!

I think this is a tradition to stay.