Saturday, September 6, 2014

If at first you don't succeed

I decided to dig out my sewing machine today, I've been working all out as usual and decided I needed a little creative play time.  I'm still learning how to sew, but in my own way.  I look at pictures of items I'd like to make and then I do.  I don't use plans or patterns.  I don't measure, just eye ball it. I'm a firm believer in, "if there's thread on the bobbin and spool, use it until it runs out."  So often the thread I sew with doesn't match what I'm sewing.  It's not hard to change a bobbin or thread a needle, so I don't know why I resist. All this often leads to less than stellar results, and sometimes products that are nothing like what I planned to do.  Today was one of those days.

I planned to make a tote bag like I've done before, only this time I thought I'd put a flap on it so things wouldn't fall out if it tipped over.  Because I really wanted a full peacock front and center on the bag from the patterned fabric I had, I cut the sides bigger than I normally would.  I thought it would be fine, I was wrong.  The bag was so big that it was too big to be a purse or tote bag, so I turned it into a messenger bag.  I tried again and this time got the purse sized bag I was going for.

I put a Velcro closure on the outside flap, and a keychain loop.  Inside I have a zippered pocket on one side and a Velcro pocket on the other side.  









This is the messenger bag.  There's just a zippered pocket inside.



2 comments:

Larena said...

really cute ! I can't sew by pattern very well I used to chuck them and go on my own....Dusti, now she can sew, shes seldom used patterns. I need the pattern to get the pieces right then I can put it together usually on my own! lol!

VV said...

I think I'm understanding the spatial aspects of sewing better by not using patterns, making mistakes, and figuring it out on my own.

CK, here’s the tattoo

  From sketch to transfer to tattoo