Monday, July 11, 2011

It's All In The Bag

Back in January I was looking for a fun project to do at our Crafting Weekend up in Vegas at my cousin's house.  I came across this pattern while perusing the online shelves of YouCanMakeThis.com.  You can find the pattern HERE.
Apparently I was a little more than optimistic when I thought I would walk you through the pattern today.  The after-vacation-chaos has been a little much so I will have to settle for showing you the finished bags instead.

I bought the pattern for $8, downloading it instantly and printing it out on my home printer.  However, I didn't end up touching it again until my recent trip.  The above shown bag was actually the bag that started it all.  I made in the middle of one very hot night when I gave up on sleeping.  Once my mother-in-law saw how darling it came out, she insisted I make more.  I was very easily persuaded.  Even though I finished 8 bags on the trip, I really can't wait to make more :0)

Each bag takes about 1 yard of fabric for the outside, and only 12" for the inside and yolk together.  You do need 12" of fusible fleece and interfacing as well.  I bought handles at Joanns and like them MUCH better than fabric straps.  Don't get me wrong, the straps are great, but the store-bought handles give the bags a finished designer look I didn't expect.  Joann's handles are between $5 and $15 a set full price so save those coupons ladies!!!

Here is the deal, I think to make a bag from totally new stuff from the store will run you between $25-$30 each.  If you hit your secret stash, coupons and sales, you can reasonably expect around $10 a bag.  Best of luck to ya!

As for the pattern, if you read and actually follow (I usually don't follow instructions until I mess up and am forced to :0) the bags come together easily and can be done in 2 hours by the average sewer.  I actually made 4 of these pink and brown bags at once.  It took me about 1.5 hrs for the prep work and about 1.5 hrs to finish them all together.  You will have to be the judge of how long the bag will take you, based on your own sewing skills, and the real kicker, attention span.  I would say you could easily finish a bag in a peaceful afternoon.

The pattern includes a pattern piece for an inside pocket!  How darling!  At first I thought, "Are you kidding me!?!  I don't do extra steps!"  But after a little pep talk from myself, I did the extra work-which ended up being almost no work at all-and now all the bags have a coordinating inside pocket!  How trendy :0)

I should mention that the pattern includes instructions and pattern pieces for 3 sizes!  I have only made the small size so far.  Madison and I both NEED a large bag so we plan to break the supplies out again soon to give the larger pattern a try.  

Here is a closer look at some of the other bags I made.  
I actually made this cupcake bag for my little niece, but Madison stole it away before I could even snip the threads.

Then I figured this bag would go to poor little niec-ie, but I fell in love and simply couldn't part with it myself :0)

There was one other cute little bag with the most darling blue fabric from Hobby Lobby.  I made these last bags while visiting my grandma in a Rehab Hospital in St. George.  Madison and I set up our own little sweat shop in her room and stitched away while laughing and visiting with Grandma to our hearts content.  I sure miss Grandma :0(  I was so very sad to leave her there.  I guess that was part of why I let her have my second favorite bag.  That, and it was like rent paid for the room we overtook with our craftiness :0)  
Thanks again Grandma!!!  

So, again, you can find that pattern at YouCanMakeThis.com.  If you click on "Handbags" you will need to scroll through page after page of patterns to find this one.  You just might want to do that anyway, could be fun, but otherwise, click HERE to go straight to the pattern.

Earlier today I cut my vacation photos down from over 1000 to 650 so you can expect to see some of those soon.  Also coming up faster than I can handle, Super Saturday!!!  For those of you that have never heard of it, it is the most crazy crafting day ever.  I will have my ideas popping up over the next two weeks!  Stay tuned and wish me luck :0)

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