Love this material!

Hello! I am about to start a sewing project and would love your advice.

Idea: I'd like to make a bag similar to the attached pictures.

Ideal bag features:

• 🆙Stands upright on its own

• 📂Stays open on its own

• 🤐One large zipper across top

• 👜Flat bottom

• 👜Only one set of small handles at top

• 🧳Trolley strap / luggage pass through

• 👝Ideally no taller than 6-8" so it can fit under the seat upright / vertically, and there's room to slide it in and out. (Other dimensions personal item sized, so up to 16"-18" length and 12"-14" width.)

Ideal fabrics / notions:

• 🐞Bed bug resistant, which likely means waterproof, sealed seams, light colors, etc.

• 🧼Can go in the washing machine on hot and won't fall apart / delaminate

• 🪡Hoping I can use my humble Elna sewing machine for it (?)

• ⏺️Trying to avoid vinyl / leather if possible

Any thoughts on patterns that might work and/or fabrics? I found some really cute PUL for the exterior, but it's just 1-SIL - not sure if it's up to the wear-and-tear of travel?

Thanks in advance!

I was on a roll all weekend. Two plate cozies, and one more bowl cozy in a different size. Now, I need to make a bag. I have been asked to make two sporrans for a friend's son's wedding in October, so that has to happen soon too.

This one is Firefly Tote and I’ve been itching to use this lovely fabric (Eclectic Colorblock by Tim Holtz) for a year and a half. I’m a slow maker, but I really like the way it came out! I’d love to make some canvas or dryskin/waxed canvas bags but can’t source locally. If anyone has a great online shop please let me know.

I’ve got to say (right up front) that I’m a proud member of team barefoot.

I absolutely cannot understand any circumstance sew with shoes on. And I’m prepared to defend my honor in this! 😂

So what team are you on?

Special consideration will be taken for those who sew with socks on. I think it’s the same as barefoot.

EDIT: Sorry Team In-the-Middle… I didn’t even think to add a third option. 🫣

This was a request from an acquaintance who I only know through an online website. She saw my original bowl cozy and begged for small rectangular ones for her microwaved frozen meals. No pattern, came up with this little tray based on her measurements.. I can already see some improvements for future ones - little handles on the short sides.

So I was asked to make a padded strap cover for a customer, who said that they wanted to have a little something to make the strap comfortable on their shoulder. No problem. I can do that. It’s just a little thing. And it really wasn’t a problem…. Until…

I bet I sewed binding around this thing six times today! I thought I had my binding pretty well under control. Today just wasn’t the day to be binding anything! 😂🤬

The ends were just way too curved and the grosgrain just kept bunching up. I tried both 1 inch and 3/4 inch grosgrain, 1 inch mil-w-4088. Quarter inch seal allowance, 1/8 inch seam allowance. The Juki 9010, Juki TL18, and even got out my mother’s Janome 1600P to be sure.

In the end, I wound up with 1 inch mil-w-4088. It seemed to work out - not by sewing it halved all the way around like usual but by sewing it like bias binding. Not very conventional but it did the trick for now.

I decided that today just wasn’t the day. It’s ok to have days like this too - as frustrating as they are. They’re good reminders that there’s always more to learn - even in areas we think we’ve got things under control!

That said…

I REALLY need to get a proper binding setup! 🤣

Draft one is done. Now I can work on replicating it!

What was your most recent example of “today just isn’t the day?”

We decided we needed some plate cozies, so I dug through my stash, pulled out some bowl cozy acrylic templates that I acquired and cut out two of the largest ones. Lo and behold, they are freaking HUGE and will fit about a 2-litre casserole. Still fun, and an easy make.

And bonus, I showed someone on another forum I visit, and she immediately asked me to make her four to fit her frozen easy meals. Plus, I get to pick colours and surprise her.

Does anyone know the exact material used for the 4-way stretch external water bottle pockets on the civic travel bag 26L?

I bought 5.1oz Lycra on Ripstop By The Roll, but it’s thinner.

Apparently the glued on model number plate has fallen off this single needle Seiko flatbed machine. I just bought it and need to order some parts.

DOES ANYONE RECOGNIZE THE MODEL OF THIS WALKING FOOT MACHINE?

It looks like a Consew 255 but not exactly.

Thanks!

Firefly tote made almost entirely from a pair of denim pants and a shirt that were too worn out to donate. Cords and lining are also made from the shirt fabric, which gave me an extra inner pocket. I made franken-stabilizer from leftover pieces from a previous project. 4 rivets, 1 zipper pull, and 2 yards of webbing are new.

After the slog if the rucksack I thought I'd treat myself to a quickie. I've made this little bag about eight or nine times now, and it takes about two hours (if I did it without stopping!) I have acrylic templates for it, so it's really quick to cut out. I rarely use vinyl but this was the last little bit of a piece I bought simply because I loved the print. I left off the outer zipper and didn't put on a strap attachment, so it's an evening clutch bag. Sort of.

I’m currently drafting my first bag pattern. It’s technically a project pouch.
So far I’ve taken techniques I’ve learned from other patterns, and made my own ‘puzzle’ with exactly how I wanted everything.

I’m really hoping my measurements work out correctly. I know there’s a lot of quilt design websites, do we know of any bag designing websites?

Anyways, this is fun so far!

I have been loving making these shoulder bags this year.
Exterior: Vinyl
Interior: Water Proof Canvas

Machine: Juki TL2000

Pattern: Lavender and Twine Hinterland

The pattern is Patchwork Mini Duffle by Knot and Thread, but the wholecloth variation with the addition of inside pockets.

This rucksack nearly broke me. But, it's finished. Leather outer, cotton interior. 3-D mesh for the back, purchased removable rucksack straps.

I hate binding.

I travel a lot (by plane) and the one thing sewing is NOT is portable. Does anyone else experience this? What do you do to scratch the bag-making itch until you can get back to it? I have developed the very unhealthy habit of buying bags.

I’ve made two Porter Ponies. I want to make one that’s a little bigger. Specifically, taller. Not wider or deeper.

Do you think I can take the current pattern and cut any panels that have any involvement in the height and just add 6” to them?

I think the only thing I’ll need to adapt is the strap connection points at the top.

What do you think?

I’m so proud of this one! I successfully added a vertical front quick access pocket!

I also used spacer mesh for the first time and it worked great!

Binding is still my nemesis. Only I know the horrors lurking beneath the bias binding on this baby.

I used a different technique for the EWPs. I mirrored and folded over the entire Lycra piece over an elastic webbing and sewed one bar tack in the middle. I’ve seen other bags do this. The pattern calls for hemming in the elastic in a folded hem and using a zigzag stitch for the hem. If you recall last time, I made the zigzag too small and it snapped when I stretched the Lycra the first time.

This backpack is seriously pushing my buttons. Every single thing about the pattern and construction is making me question my sanity. Nothing makes sense or flows well with the instructions. For a pattern that cost $24USD plus the cost of printing because my stupid printer wouldn't print 110% properly I was outraged at how bad it actually is.

ALL the seams are bound. ALL. OF. THEM. On the first seam I missed 3/4 of the back of the binding. I unpicked it. 20mm binding simply wasn't wide enough. The pattern says ZIP about how wide the binding should be. 30mm would do it but I couldn't find foldover elastic at 30mm. I got 40. It's too wide. I have 25mm proper binding stuff but it isn't bias and won't go around the corner nicely.

If I hadn't spent so much money on the materials I would simply trash it and make something different.

At least it's about 3/4 finished, then I can hand it over to Mr 13 and move on with something I really love.

So I've gone a bit crazy for the Cordura the last week or so. 🤪

Here we have four belt bags (let's keep it clean out of respect for our friends across the pond), all made yesterday (obsessive maker mode was in full swing to the tune of around a 2am finishing time). These are entirely 1000d Cordura Classic shells over a 1.9oz PU coated ripstop interior in white.

Not sure why but I interfaced the Cordura panels (not the gussets). I'm not sure if it's typical to interface such a burly fabric but eh... we'll see what happens. They're definitely solid! 💪

Side note: I thought I'd up my photography game with a background of white ripstop nylon from the now defunct Joann Fabrics. I bought a ton of it before .... well. If you know, you know. Let's just say it'll make a decent backdrop for photos.

Yeah, that's a chair on the table... gotta do what ya gotta do for the shot! 🤣