You Can Do It! Sew a Super Stylin' Bag that is... (con-tain-it)

Just Do It! Remember a few weeks back when I posted about joining this bag swap?

Sew, Mama, Sew! was celebrating the release of Amy Butler’s newest book, Amy Butler’s Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags! To kick-start the celebration, Sew, Mama, Sew hosted a Super Style Bag Swap! AND...The great news was that you DID NOT have to be a super-experienced seamstress to participate...boy was this swap for me or what ;) So I challenged myself to stretch my sewing skills and to get my head around it and you know what to...JUST DO IT!

Well, for me, I do better when I have a plan...a detailed, organized plan...a.k.a...a PATTERN...

Anyone who knows me...knows that I'm not about re-inventing the wheel! Especially when this bag was going to someone else and I wanted to make sure that it had straight lines...lol So as I've stated before: What Works-for-Me...when I'm sewing for others...a pattern, in this case McCall's 4551 ;)

Patterns can be a tricky thing thought if you have never taken home-economicsin school...do they even offer that anymore? WELL THEY SHOULD...because we have alot of kids graduating from High School in the United States who lack the basics when it comes to domestication. Maybe the school thinks the parents should be teaching these skills to our kids...not sure but I know a lot of young adults out there who do know the basics like, hemming pants, sewing on buttons, cooking meals (other than frozen meals that you pop into the microwave ;) managing a checking account...I could go on...but I won't!

My original point was that unless you have some knowledge of patterns and laying them out...you just might have some issues...especially if you are using a fabric with a pattern. Which was my case and this pattern was designed for PLAIN FABRICS...okay! Which meant that I could not follow the fabric layout instructions for this pattern if I wanted my pattern to go in the RIGHT DIRECTION!

So...after figuring out how to lay out and cut my fabric so that the pattern would all go in the same direction once I had finished...assembling...sewing, ironing seams and sewing some more...

My MEGA TOTE was finished! Another thing about following patterns...the finished measurements!

The pattern states:

TOTES: Package includes patterns and instructions for two 13¹/2" × 15" totes; tote A has inside detachable organizer and contrast bias tape detail; tote A, B have contrast lining with inside pockets.

For some odd reason...13 1/2" x 15" just didn't sound like it looked...lol Visually I pictured a bag a little wider than a ruler and a bit taller...right? Well I cut a piece of cardboard and covered it with the contrasting fabric to fit into the bottom of the tote to give it more support and I cut the cardboard 11"x12" to fit snugly in the bottom.

Tell you what...patterns need to give you finished dimensions, like they do FURNITURE: 11-in Deep by 12-in Wide by 15-in Tall ;)

But when all said and done...I am really happy with how my bag came out...especially since the entire bag is lined, outside pockets and all. The fabric is all facing in the right directions and the straps are not all twisted!

AND with all these wonderful pockets on the outside of the tote...it leaves lots of room for you to but what ever else you need on the inside. Because I have a lot of those famous designer totes with all the pockets on the insides and I do love my VB Bags...however, I've noticed that once you fill the inside pockets the purse is pretty much FULL and you have all you can do to fit your wallet and keys inside ;)

These side pockets are great for holding your reading/sun-glasses... folding umbrellas...

agendas...snacks...you name it! There are four side pockets and two large front/back pockets to hold your magazines...calendars...shopping lists...journals and/or novels...plenty of room that's for sure!

When I was given my swap partner's information, I immediately contacted her to let her know that I was a novice and that I hoped that I could sew up to her standards...Faith is an excellent seamstress and she sells her beautiful bags on-line at her shop: Moms Creative Touch. Faith assured me that she would be okay with whatever I completed and that made me feel a little better and when I found this beautiful vintage looking fabric with the roses I could just imagine Faith be-boppin all around town, running her errands with her Super Stylin' Bag!

Still, I was nervous when I saw the finished product and I sent out some emails to some trusted friends and family (whom I knew would be brutally honest with me ;) asking them how they felt about my tote bag. All of them assured me that it would be just fine and that they would like one for themselves...lol

So off in the mail it went to Faith on Tuesday morning and I'm waiting on pins and needles {pun intended ;} to see how she like it.

Even after all the issues with the finished size and laying out the fabric (which this was a self-imposed issue because remember the pattern called for PLAIN fabrics ;) I still would never have attempted to sew a lined tote without a pattern.

How about you...What Works-For-You when it comes to starting a new project?