The 3 bag project - my first foray to the dark side :)

[LeilaMay]

First of all I'd like to give a big thank you to Iminie - you have been supportive, kind and generous with your time as well as with a super piece of equipment - I hope my work in this project repays your faith and encouragement   

So, I'm going to do my best to make 3 small handbags for friends as gifts at midwinter. All the same shape, but 3 colourways, using some fabrics I already had and some bought today at Midsummer Quilting with Imi's help.

Best irony - my husband saw a fabric he really liked, and bought a piece even though neither of us have any idea what to do with it! Reckon I'll be alright in future when I want to shop LOL

Here's a couple of shots of the bag-full I chose today, and then the sets as I hope to use them. maybe my beginners steps will help or encourage others, so I'll be posting here as I go. First search will be zips to fit the sizes and colours as I need them to insert as I go, can't wait until the end. I'm looking at 'Empress Mills' so far, they seem to have a good range of colours in shorter sizes.

[LeilaMay]

The cutting ruler was a gift from Iminie - thank you so much 

[Vegegrow]

Looks like you had a great time .. love that top fabric in the first picture ...do you know what it is ?

[LeilaMay]

Looks like you had a great time .. love that top fabric in the first picture ...do you know what it is ?

Did you mean the first close-up? It's a japanese fabric with a fish on it - bought from the japanese fabric people (at Malvern show) but I think they had similar at the shop today.
Sorry I don't know the names of anything  yet

[Ploshkin]

What sort of bag are you making?

[LeilaMay]

It's a small vaguely rectangular bag with fabric strap and zip clousure, from "Fabulous Fat Quarter Bags"
It's made by stitching each fabric strip down on top of the edge of the one before - I know there's a name for that

But the fish fabric might be pieced differently.

~It all seemed so easy when we were in the shop ~ LOL

[Iminei]

It is easy Leila,
you are simply making fabric to make a bag with ... simple bimple

I cant help at all with construction of said bag, but making the fabric is easy...




The fabric for this was 'pieced' and then cut and appliqued onto other fabric ...

[LeilaMay]

Continuing on the "how to make a P&Q bag 

The photos so far show the bag picture from the book - vital info that I forgot, sorry. And my trusty vintage Huaqvarna - recently refurbished by moi!

Then there's the bag panel beginning, and the finished panels. Because I'm using a different set of pattern types than suggested in the book, there is a bit more playing around with the colour placements. I guess this is the major part of creating a visually successful project and I'll have to get used to it.

[LeilaMay]

Next in line:

 - the handle (made) and the gusset backing panel
 - the bias binding for the edges - which it gets you to make at this point
 - the pieces laid out ready to attach to the gusset - starting in the centre
 - last but not least - the zips arrived today from Empress Mills - I bought 4 because I wasn't quite sure of theri blue & grey colours, and because I could always make a fourth bag!

Now it's time for a cup of tea   

[Ploshkin]

It's looking good and I'm following with interest as I was thinking of making a bag each for 2 girls, 12 & 13.

[Iminei]

I'm loooooving this ....



You clever Girl, already going off piste!!

If there was anything to critique, I would say in the piece for your scrappy bag handle



(I'm assuming its for the handle) that the pieced scraps have gone a bit on the wonk ...(do you have a 1/4" foot or 1/4" line marked on your sewing machines bed ???)

..... and you counter that by replying "its a design feature" ... and Why on earth not!!!

Fabulous stuff Leila .... More pics please!

[LeilaMay]

Nope, they are the pieces for the bag gusset - but not stitched yet, just laid out roughly so I know what order to put them in
The bag handle is all one piece, and so I've left it as all one piece and used the main red fabric for it - it's the red+black piece on the mat alongside the gusset paper pattern.

Thank you all or the support

[Iminei]

My Mistake ... apologies ... all is perfect!

Carry  on ....and post pics   

[LeilaMay]

I'm on the last leg now - or is it on my last legs?
Anyway 

Photos show the gusset/handle section being completed, and the zip being put in between the two side layers.

* Note that I moved to my trusty 201 hand crank for fitting the zipper - and also for stitching on the bias which comes later. The 'oomph' of the machine, plus the ability to control every stitch singley made me feel more confident (I don't like zips much, not good at 'em!)

Despite the drawbacks of a black lining - making your bag hard to navigate inside of in the dark - I felt it would stylish with a black interior to match the bias, and the last shot on this post shows the first part of pinning the gusset/handle to the side panels.

From this point on it got VERY fiddly

[Iminei]

Looking wonderful LM, keep calm and carry on!