And I’m certainly not one to waste recycled denim! So let’s make another bag. This one is not quite big enough to hold my iPad, not like the last one I made. This one seemed to go together quicker too! Perhaps it wasn’t as “fancy” or perhaps I’m actually getting used to throwing them together?!?
Again, I started by sewing my strips together, pressing them, ironing on the fusible interfacing, and trimming the two outer bag walls to the right size.
I prepared my inner pocket by sewing single fold bias tape around the edge for a nice finish and then sewed the pocket on my bag lining wall.
I learned something new about Amber, my Singer 421G! For the longest time I could not get my bobbin winder to work. I couldn’t even get the bobbin all the way on and the motor wouldn’t engage properly and wind. It appeared that my bobbin tire was hardly moving too.
While making this bag, I tried again, and when I put the bobbin on it worked perfectly! Ok what was the difference this time? Sheesh, there’s a small hole on my bobbin and it has to sit exactly on a small post on my bobbin winder. I must have missed that in the manual! After that it was easy, disengage the hand wheel, put the bobbin on the winder, press the small lever (by my thumb) and step on it! (the foot pedal)
You’ve seen zipper pocket construction before, so I’ll run through this fast…
Bag lining complete (with a gap left in the bottom for turning).
I drew and measured and measured and drew a few bag bases before deciding on this one. I’m going to save it, it will be quite useful for future bags. Again my strips were sewn together, pressed, interfaced and trimmed to the size I wanted.
More topstitching! 😍 I don’t have a photo but I also sewed the two outer walls together at the side seams and the zipper on the top opening.
Outer bag base sewn on.
Strap sewn on. As I do these bags I learn which features/designs I like more – I love the trim on this strap!
Now the magic moment – right sides together, outer bag inside the bag lining and I sew around the mouth of the bags, making sure the strap and zipper are not caught up in my sewing.
Then I put my hand inside the gap in the bag lining and gently pull my outer bag out.
I hand sewed the gap in the bottom of my bag lining and shove my lining inside my outer bag. Don’t forget to topstitching around the mouth of the bag to hold both layers together and out of the zipper’s teeth!
Another fun project done! 😁 I’m really loving the bit of black/white stripe fabric for the zipper pocket lining. It’s funny how dark it can be when you’re rooting around in your bag and how much a lighter pocket lining fabric can help guide you to your car keys!
I’m hoping to squeeze a smaller “wallet with a strap” out of my leftover denim strips. Hard to believe how many items you can make out of two pairs of jeans! But I think I have had enough of a break now and I should go back to fighting with my dress fabric – I love the fabric, but the pattern is killing me! I’ll let you know how it turns out next time.
Do you have something on your sewing table that you are struggling with right now? Do tell!
Happy Sewing!
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