KCW Spring 2013 - Day 3 - boardwalk skirt in progress

I was pretty slow moving today and didn't get much actual sewing done. I had actually had the fabric cut out already, but spent a good while trying to decide on which lace to use for the detail. The pattern calls for crochet lace (which I love and think would look adorable) but I didn't have any on hand and really wanted to just use materials I had in my stash. My aunt recently gave me all the lace she had been hoarding over the last 30+ years so I found a piece that I think might work. Hoping to finish this up tonight.. 

a laptop bag for L

A friend of mine commissioned me to make her a laptop bag for a 13" Macbook. I've never actually made a 'real' bag with inset pockets and cross-body straps etc, but I love a good crafty challenge so I happily agreed.

After searching patterns, I decided on this laptop bag pattern by Leah of Sew Spoiled. This pattern can be made as a simple laptop sleeve (for a laptop up to 17") but also comes with a few add-on options  like a front pocket for the power cord and/or mouse, a cross-body/shoulder strap and a short handles.

For this bag I added the front pocket and the cross-body strap (this strap actually is meant to be adjustable, but my local fabric and supply shop is rather lacking in hardware and so a tri-slide piece was not available to make this strap adjustable). For fabric, I used the same vintage textured cotton as these zippered pouches and the ever so awesome Dumb Dot in teal by Michael Miller for the lining and front pocket.

As with any new sewing project (especially when it's for someone else), I was pretty nervous working my way through this bag. Because of the thickness of the bag (it has a nice squishy layer of fusible fleece inside), I definitely didn't want to have to whip out the seam ripper to fix mistakes (stitches just seem to sink in and disappear in the thickness). Luckily, the instructions were clear and detailed with lots of pictures. The only time I got a bit confused was when it was time to install the front outer pocket. I've never done this before and was feeling a bit anxious. Leah from Sew Spoiled was super sweet in answering my questions and even directed me to a couple other tutorials on how to do this step. For those of you interested in adding a zippered or slip pocket to a bag/pouch, check out this and this. I found these tutorials to be really helpful.

Overall, I'm really happy with the pattern and how the bag turned out and now my brain is buzzing with all the other bags I could make with my zippy pocket/shoulder strap skills! 

Here you go L! I hope you (and your laptop) love it :)

xo mel

zipper pouches

I've been busy making little zipper pouches for an upcoming outdoor market. I love having a classic (dare I even say 'classy'?) exterior with the vintage black and white rose fabric, and a punch of fun colour on the inside. The zipper is just a little hint of what you'll find inside :)