Cosmically Out Of This World Bag

What a surreal time we are living in. I hope you all are staying safe with minimal stress during these trying times. For many of us creatives, sewing has served as a welcome stress relief as we stay at home to flatten the curve. I have been at home recuperating from knee surgery and sewing less than normal. I have occasionally been making masks for friends and family and recently took a break for some selfish sewing.

Nature's Fabric (brand ambassador) has a new line of custom printed fabric with a fun galaxy theme. Cosmic Space is a bold design with depth variation and deep color saturation. It is available in several substrates including Waterproof Oxford, Bullet Knit, PUL, Bamboo/Spandex Jersey, and Organic Cotton Spandex Jersey. With so many options, you are sure to find a way to add this to your wardrobe. 

I had not sewn with Waterproof Oxford before and I was excited to try it out. It is a polyester fabric with a durable water resistant coating and a white polyurethane backing. It is a low maintenance fabric that requires wiping to clean, does not stretch or shrink and does not require pre-washing. It perforates with pins, so fabric clips  and careful sewing are necessary so you don't have to go back and  rip a seam.

When the fabric arrived we were all pleased with the vibrancy of the colors. Both kids immediately requested school bags with the fabric. With distance learning on the cards for the remainder of the school year, I have set aside their fabric for later and got to making a bag for myself.

I hit my stash for a simple pattern to showcase the fabric. I went with Bruda 6400, (affiliate link) a zipper topped hobo bag.  I liked the simple construction, the slouchy shape and the capacity of the bag. I love pockets, so I added some to the front by using the bag pattern as a guide.

To make the pocket visible, I added a line of metallic silver piping to the top and sewed it in place with my zipper foot.

I basted it in place and continued with the construction. 

I added silvertone rivets to the divided pocket for some more visual interest.

The pattern does not include a lining, rather the seams are bound with bias tape. I prefer a lining so I made one by cutting the pattern from cotton from my stash and attached it at the zipper construction part of the instruction. I kept an opening in the side of the lining for turning after the strap and bag base were completed.

For a bit of added security on the top of the strap, I added the silvertone rivets there as well.

I kept the back as the pattern directed. When I make it again, I may add pockets to the back as well.

You know I love bold prints and I love a good bag. I am really happy with this one. I can't wait for it to be safe for us to frolic in the outside again. When it is, I will have the perfect bag to do it.

Happy sewing and stay safe,
Bianca

On Newsstands Now!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! 

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you may have seen this and know how excited I am. My print publication debut can be seen in the Aug/Sept 2018 issue of Sew News magazine! In it, I give instructions on how to paint fabric with flour resist. I demonstrate the technique and used the fabric to make an Urbanista Hobo Bag (blue stripe with silver pleather bag) and a self-drafted bag with leather straps (grey and tan strap). 

I did not know what to expect with this publication process when it began. After the contract details were worked out, I was required to write the article and submit the finished pieces to the magazine. I was unaware of the the creative decisions that would be made or how the project would be presented. I am so delighted with the end result.  When you pick up your copy, let me know what you think. 

This will be one of many articles I will write for the magazine. If you don't have a subscription, be sure sign-up so you don't miss any of the great writing and featured patterns. 

Happy Sewing,

Bianca

Coffee Bean Sacks Repurposed into Handbags.

Every year I like to participate in one or two craft fairs. My inventory varies based on what I feel like making what materials I have on hand. It is usually whatever suits my fancy. I recently acquired some coffee bean sacks and have a source for more. They are a combination of burlap, jute, straw, plastic fiber combinations. Some have really bold graphic designs others more subtle imagery. I decided to recycle these sacks into handbags.

  

Have you worked with burlap? It is tricky. You have to deal with the twisting grain, the fraying fibers, and at times the transparency of the loose weave of the material. I hesitate to give away all my secrets, however, I will tell you this, stabilize stabilize, stabilize! You must choose the stabilizer to suit your needs and purpose of your end product. I used heavier weight stabilizer for the totes,

and a lightweight for my hobo bags with softer shapes.

The adhesive on the interfacing takes a great deal of heat and pressure to bound to the sack. A press cloth is a must. It is important to press (up and down motion) rather than iron (back and forth) the material.

For the handles, I repurposed leather belts. I have a sewing machine that cuts through leather like a hot knife through butter! This combination of textures and fabrics work well together.

The bags have an interior magnetic snap and slide pockets.

After showing them to friends, they insisted I add these bags to my Etsy store for sale prior to my craft fairs. You can have a look at them and purchase there are if you like. I am also happy take custom orders if there's something you'd like that you don't see available. Use code thanks10 at checkout for 10%off.

Each bag is different. The orientation of the images varies based on what is usable and free of imperfections. The handles are chosen based on what I have sourced in my shopping outings. The fabric for the lining is chosen based on the treasures of my stash. I begin each piece with a vague idea of what I want to do, but I don't now until the end.  I am working with different patterns and tweaking design options so I'm excited to see what I come up with next :-).

Happy Sewing,

Bianca