Dear sewing friends!
I am so fricking pleased with completing this project already - just begun a couple of days ago! It is a measure of my concentration and my abilities in sewing improving.... I wrote a post about the first phase of making this bag, here.
Now that my sewing space is all tidied up, as I shared in a recent video.... I started the second phase of the bag. Once I'd formed the main body of it, I began structuring the bottom: I used a heavy card from an old sketchbook cover, cut to the shape of the bottom of the bag:
This was a really satisfying and straightforward exercise, measuring the base size, then cutting the cardboard just a little smaller (to not cause any tension in the fabric being stretched by the cardboard)...
The board slid into the space that I formed by adding a fluffy layer to the bottom on the inside - and then I just sewed up the final seam by hand.
Then I attached the handle: a long strip which was the first part I made for the bag:
First I finished the ends by adding bias binding to the raw edge to neaten it up.
Then I sewed the two handles into the sideds of the bag, pulling the fabric in behind the straps and making sure they are all solid and able to carry a good weight.
Next was the zip: the haberdashery in town had a limited choice, but this nice grey-pink one with big plastic teeth was perfect - just it was way too long, so I had to cut it shorter and protect the end.
I created this fluffy tab, which is also more comfortable to pull the zip open when using the bag.
Putting a big zip like this into a bag was quite challenging for me - and it was a tiny bit out in terms of alignment, but the overall look of it is good and the quirky aspects make it unique of course!
Then I decided that the bag needed a nice big pocket inside it, so went about folding, seaming and edging a left-over piece of fabric from the original blankie that I was upcycling:
A nice comfy late-night sewing session in bed!
When I get deeper into a project, I tend to get very focussed on details and perfection...
So it took me some hours to hand sew this edge and the complete pocket!
This was this morning: sewing in the pocket; the pocket has the beautiful fabric inside and outside the pocket, so no threads will be catching via the backside of the lovely patchwork.
This is the bag inside-out, as I'm doing the fiddley work of hand-sewing in the pocket.
Soooo satisfying for me to see this pocket in place, and then to hang the bag up, waiting for Stefania to come and visit and get it.
Blessings on your projects dear friends - keep sewing! Merit-gained is being transmitted to you!
Your bag is beautiful! I love it.
Thanks so much, dear @jurich60 ! I'm enjoying sewing more and more, the more skilled I get!
Doing your bit by recycling♻🙏👍
Yes!!! All power to use in always re-using and re-purposing all that we can... until we're not wasting anything, ever! Blessings, all at @ewaste !
I love your work @clareartista the play of colors in the fabric is wonderful, definitely ideal for shopping.
The final result is just so amazing, the bag is beautiful and I'm very sure your friend would love it.
Thank you dear friend 🤩🥰 It's really wonderful to be supported in this community, helping to keep me accountable 🙏💙💜
You're welcome friend, indeed the community has made so many accountable for what they are good at and you my friend, you are doing an excellent job, keep it up.
Congratulations 💕 When we focus on finishing a project and if it's for someone else, I think things can be done in record time. I love the combination of this project, I had never thought of that fabric for a bag but it turned out very well.
Yes! It seemed like it'd be really difficult, before I began - but it unfolded fairly easily 🥰🌈🤩 Can't wait to hand it over!