Weekender in a Weekend

I made a bag! I feel like I’m playing tic-tac-toe on my 2018 Make 9 grid.

I thought a bag would be a real challenge. Working with hardware and whatnot seemed exotic. Sewing this bag turned out to be refreshingly straightforward, hardware and all. My only hiccup was that I didn’t understand what was meant by “heavy machine needle.” Two broken needles and a serendipitous trip to the sewing machine store later, I stood looking at the myriad of sewing machine needles trying to find the ballpoints I was shopping for when I spotted the jeans needles and thought, “I wonder if that’s my problem?” It was. Everything was easy peasy after that and I learned a little something about needle gauge and using the right tool for the job.

Kit: Weekender Duffle Bundle from Purl Soho

I bought this kit a while back. I like a good kit. Everything you need all in one place! Except not so much in this case – hardware is sold separately. I missed that salient bullet point in the product description. I admit I’m not a close reader. I also admit that I can be spendthrift when it comes to my hobbies. However, the additional cost of the hardware pushed this project to a price point I would have balked at if I’d realized. Oh well.

At least I got a nice duffle bag out of the deal. I didn’t order the hardware until much later when I ordered more Brooklyn Tweed Loft to work on (I wish I could say finish) Leaves of Grass.

A picture of the inside to prove I really can work with bias tape as long as it’s not quarter-inch.

Attaching those D-rings was where I broke my needles. Your regular needle can’t sew through 10 layers of canvas. Go figure!

Expense aside, this was a satisfying make. It’s even already seen some use. It holds things just fine! Success.

Totes for Tots

It started with my kids arguing over use of the free Puzzle Puzz tote bag. Maybe I should make them each a tote bag, I thought, as if more of a thing ever forestalled sibling rivalry and children everywhere demonstrated gratitude for mom-made garments and accessories with enthusiastic and frequent use. I googled, I found tutorial I liked, and without stopping to think too deeply about it I went looking for fabric. Then the most rare and lucky break: the most brilliant fabric that I just love, love love leapt at me. All of these were such easy decisions requiring so little deliberation that they seemed to materialize out of nowhere, a happy effortless accident.

Pattern: 3-Fabric 10-Step Tote by the Inspired Wren
Fabric: Diving Board collection by Alison Glass for Andover, purchased from fabricworm.com

I purchased a half yard of each fabric, 2.5 yards total. I could have done without one of the contrasting colors in terms of material requirements – I have lots of the green left over having only used it for handles on the blue. I had to piece each piece together to maintain pattern direction.

Almost correct placement!

Not so much.

Perhaps I should have given greater consideration to the placement of the Lilliput scene when cutting my fabric. OK, I definitely should have given greater consideration to the placement of the Lilliput scene, especially on the pink one where the clouds are rolling by right smack in the middle of the tote. But I didn’t and I can’t tell you why, but I’m not letting it bother me. These totes just make me too damn happy.