The Maker’s Tote. Revel in its glory and the first big bag that I completed before the end of 2015. You’re going to appreciate this. I promise. I do.
There is something about sewing that is completely cathartic and frustrating for me all at the same darn time. I LOVE it. I love being immersed in it. Picking out the fabrics and seeing my vision for a pattern come together. Then there’s the frustrating part of it. Not sewing for months on end because you were building your home, only to find out you’ve totally forgotten how to do simple things and have to befriend the seam ripper again. Joy.
The Maker’s Tote probably wasn’t the best pattern to start sewing after such a long hiatus, but the look of it was calling me, and seeing all of the bags on Instagram just sent me over the edge. I purchased the pattern on Cyber Monday and got to sewing it the first week of December. I loved the process, and I think that I may put the smaller sizes in my Etsy shop which I’m working on getting open by the end of January. I know that the next (smaller) one that I make will be a little bit more refined, and perfected, but for now, I love this bag of mine.
That’s how I was the entire week, last week, and I can write and say for the most part, I’m victorious. My bobbin thread gave me a run for my money though. It’s all good in the neighborhood. I fixed it. For the most part. I also sewed up the outer pocket into the inner zipper seam, but I fixed that too, because I’m a fixer, and because it bothered me to see that it wasn’t right in the first place.
One of the first sewing patterns that I tried was the gathered clutch by Noodlehead. It was absolutely awful, but it was my very first zippered project and I was happy. I didn’t know a thing about seam allowance, or sewing in a straight line for that matter, but I was determined, and therefore, I finished. Now, I’m secure for the most part in what I do, and I’m sewing up bags like I breathe. Well, almost. I’ve done Anna’s divided basket, her cargo tote (which I have to blog about) and now, her Maker’s Tote.
Anyhoo, a bit about this bag. I decided to use pink and red, because it looked good to me at the time. I do kind of wish that I would have used the ticking fabric going the vertical way, but I’m okay with the way that it is now. It takes a few days for some things to grow on me properly, and then I can see the greatness. This bag sat with the main and lining fabrics properly interfaced, and I just looked at them. Questioned whether I would like them together, and as soon as I sewed the pocket to the front of the main fabric, I was sold. The pattern is $9 and includes several pages of instructions, and I would say that it’s perfect for an intermediate sewer. I’m comfortable with zippers, so I didn’t find the installation of two of them daunting, but if you have a problem with them, she walks you through properly. Try it!
Funny story, I thought that I was finished with the bag and I was super proud until I realized that I sewed the outside zipper pocket into the zipper of the main compartment. I sat on it for a day or two until I realized it would drive me crazy to not be able to store anything in the back pocket. So I unpicked, and fixed everything.
I’ve carried my yarn and knitting needles in this, and I’ve also swapped it out to carry my Chromebook and planners in it. It’s HUGE. And if you don’t believe me, my husband’s 15 inch laptop can fit in this properly, and I can still zip it up.
I can’t wait to sew up some more of these, you know, in my copious amounts of spare time, so stay tuned.
After reading this I want to learn how to sew.
It is gorgeous! You did very lovely work on it.
And I’d have to go back and fix that zipper =)
But your work is lovely and good luck to you as you get your etsy shop off the ground and running!