My new bag

After all the purses and bags I've made this past month, I finally decided to make one for myself.  I've been using my birdie sling for the past year, and it has done its job well.  Sometimes I find it even a little too capacious, so I wanted something a little smaller.  Also I wanted a cross-body strap, as I found the birdie sling tended to slide off my shoulder quite a bit, especially when hauling around a 35-pound boy.

Well, I'm pretty pleased with the result.  This is the Kokka fabric I was talking about in my last post.  I bought it at Cool Cottons.  There's a very good selection of Kokka there, so I plan on going back to get some "boy" type prints for a mail sack for #1's music books (more on this later).  The lining is Moda's Essential Basics dots.  I should have taken a picture of the D-ring I used on the strap, it's pretty cool too (found at Fabric Depot). 

Even after all the trouble I had with this pattern (see my last post), it did not get easier with this bag.  First, I decided to start over and add the 1/4-inch seam allowance.  I had the pieces all cut and thought to use the pattern pieces from the prior Mocca bag for the interfacing.  When I went to do this, I finally figured out that even with adding the 1/4-inch seam allowance, the pieces were off-size because I forgot to turn the "scale" function off on the printer.  UGH!!!

It turned out well, nonetheless.  I changed a couple of things (again).  First, I inverted the pleats as called for in the directions.  I like how this looks better than on the Mocca bag.  Second, I added two buttons, just for decoration.  Finally, I made the inset pocket again, but didn't take a picture of it as it's the same as on the Mocca purse.

I made a matching wallet with a cute little domed button. 

I love this button.

Finally, a close-up of the little red riding hood print.  It's probably a little to young for me, but I've gotten to a point where I no longer care.

Happy New Year!

I'm determined to start this new year out productively.  So...I spent New Year's Eve finishing this:

The pattern is called the Retro bag by ithinksew.  I had a little left over fabric from the kyoto dress project, so I used it to test the pattern before cutting into the precious Kokka that I had bought for this project.  The pattern calls for one yard for both the outside and lining, so I used one half yard for each.

I'm glad I did a trial run, because I really had some problems.  I should say first that it was not at all a problem with the pattern, just with me, as the pattern itself is really easy.  My first thought to test the pattern was because it called for adding a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  I was too lazy to do that, so I thought I would just make it a half inch smaller all around.  Unfortunately, I didn't account for some things, which are too ticky tacky to go into here.  It just made me  have to recalculate just about everything, when the simplest thing to do would have been to add the 1/4 seam allowance in the first place.  Oh well, lesson learned.

I changed a couple of things.  As you can see in the picture above, I added a bias trim to the front.  The pattern called for the pleats in front to be inverted, which I thought might look weird so I turned them the other way.  I thought too that it would create a nice pooching effect when the bag is full.  Who knows.

I also inserted a zipper pocket.  The pattern only provided for a patch pocket.  I decided after my last birdie sling that for bigger bag projects, I would take the time to do an inset zipper pocket as they are more secure.  The lining fabric is from the Moda Basics line.

Finally, I added some items to illustrate scale.  The bag measures 13.5 inches at the widest point on the bottom and is about 10.5 inches tall to the top middle.  With the strap, the purse has about a 28 to 30-inch drop when worn on one shoulder.  I like wearing it cross-body better.

ModKid Kyoko dress

This dress was a Christmas present for a special little two-year-old. It's from a modkid pattern by Patty Young and was super easy to make.  I think it will be fairly wearable, in that there are no zippers or buttons, you just slip it on over your head.  In the winter, I can see it over a turtleneck and leggings.  The pattern also has a short-sleeve option, as well as a tunic option.  I made a size 2, but the pattern runs all the way up to a 7.

The main fabric is called cocca from the Alexander Henry collection.  I don't know if it's still in print as it's been in my stash for a long time, but I see a lot of items in this print.  I saw two bolts of this at my local Joann's in Clackamas.  The neck, sleeves, and hem were finished with red polka dot bias trim, which I cut from Robert Kaufman's pimatex line.  Here is a detail of the neck:

I bought one yard of the red polka dot fabric and have used it for multiple projects.  Unfortunately, I needed exactly 1/4 yard running the WOF for the obi (sash) but didn't have quite enough after cutting the trim on the bias.  So I improvised and used the polka dot on one side and faced it on the other side (shown) using a remnant of Michael Miller's ta-dot.

I do love how the dress turned out.  The pattern was also well-drafted and the instructions clearly written.

Pink Pocket Clutch

The exterior fabric for this pocket clutch is called "yui kokeshi" from the Alexander Henry collection. The interior red polka dot is from Robert Kaufman's primatex basics collection.

I debated for quite some time as to the front flap, whether to cut it as a separate piece so that the kokeshi dolls are right side up when the clutch is closed. The hubby said it looked better for all the dolls to be right side up (on the back view) when the clutch is opened. I'm still conflicted.

Christmas Prezzies

I think I might have gotten carried away.  But, these pocket clutches were SO fun to make, I couldn't stop at just one.  Now everyone is getting a pocket clutch for Christmas.

 These are pretty small -- I should have put a prop in to illustrate scale.  They measure about seven inches wide and four inches tall.  There is an extra front pocket in addition to the main pocket (see photo below).  An i-phone will fit in the main pocket quite comfortably with some extra room for lip gloss, etc.

This particular one is made with a Japanese cotton canvas by Kokka; the interior is by Monaluna for Robert Kaufman.  I will post about the other ones at a later date.  I added a cute little wooden button to this one to finish the look.

It took me a couple of times to get the placement of that little tab on the bottom correctly.  In fact, I finished one that is completely backwards; it was so backwards, it could not be saved.  This one I had to rip out once and place the tab right side out.  It is actually not that difficult, I just didn't look at the picture in the instructions very carefully.

Kokka Fold-Over Clutch

Here is another fold-over clutch.  The fabric is a Japanese cotton canvas from Kokka that I bought at Cool Cottons, here in Portland.  The interior fabric is a funky quilting weight cotton by Monaluna for Robert Kaufman.

Curvy wristlet clutch and more wallets

I guess I should issue a spoiler alert. These purses are all intended to be Christmas presents, but I know that if I don't blog about them as I go along, I'll miss my opportunity. Also, it's unlikely the intended recipients will actually read this blog.

Anyhoo, this is the curvy clutch. The pattern is, as with the previous Keyka Lou patterns, very well drafted and easy to construct. I should note that I have been using a walking foot and a 100/18 needle, which probably makes sewing through the several layers of fabric that accumulate much easier to do.

This wristlet is about the same size as the fold-over clutch, measuring approximately 11 inches at its widest point, five inches tall, and 2.5 inches deep. It features a very secure wrist strap.

Fussy cut motif on both the front and back:

The fabric is from Amy Butler's Lotus line.

The matching wallet (basic wallet by Keyka Lou):

Again, I fussy cut the fabric to center and include as much of the repeating motif as possible:

The only difference between this wallet and the one I made to match the previous fold-over clutch is that I interfaced the front pocket instead of using a batting in order to eliminate some of the bulk. I think the double interfacing provided enough structure, so I will continue doing this in the future.

Here they are side by side:

Last but not least, the basic wallet for the hubby's i-phone. It might be hard to tell from the picture, but I used this absolutely lovely, crisp brown linen that I had bought a while back for a summer jacket. I figured I could spare the fat eighth it took to make this wallet. (The quality of these last two pictures is a little bit off -- I think my camera was metering the darkness of the brown linen, and I didn't know how to fix the automatic setting.)

The lining is a gingham by Michael Miller:


As a final thought (and in case anyone is interested), the background fabric I have been using for these pictures is from Summer Soiree collection by Paula Prass for Michael Miller.