A Fun Endeavour

About a month ago, I got a really fun opportunity to help out Betz White on one of her newest patterns: The Hex Messenger Bag.

You might remember these pictures from earlier posts:

I was really making this!

Betz was really great to work with and let me tinker around with the pattern and offer up suggestions and improvements regarding the flow of the instructions and the ease of understanding them.  It was also a real treat to sew up something brand new that not many others had seen yet ^_^

This bag is really fun to make if you have lots of strips of fabric you need to use up.  I used a jellyroll in Moda's Domestic Bliss line.  The overall look of my first bag is different from Betz's in that I didn't flip my triangles around, but the look is still fun and funky.  I also added two fabric covered buttons to mine.

This bag is very open to many different hexagon layouts and I wouldn't be surprised if she came out with some more hexie-inspired bags soon.  If you aren't sure about sewing lots of seams for hexes just yet she has a second version call the "The Prism" bag which is also included when you purchase the The Hex Messenger Bag. Yay!  So you can make two looks with one pattern!

A big thanks to Betz for taking my suggestions and my humor and for offering up the Prism design alongside the Hex Messenger Bag!

Bags

The weather has been undeniably gorgeous this week.

So before I detain you any longer from enjoying the warmth and sun here are the finished bags for Craft for Hope's Project #16

I love all the fabrics I used for these bags, but most especially the Hedgehog & Leaf combo and the Firey Pink and Orange Flower combo.

Chris asked me after I finished taking these photos if I had made one for myself.

Of course I hadn't, but I'll probably add one to my To-Make List now.

Enjoy the weekend!!

p.s. Remember you can find the pattern for this bag in Betz White's Craftsy shop: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/Accessory/Sidekick-Sling-Bag/3181

Pattern Review: Sidekick Sling Bag by Betz White (part 2)

Part 2

*A bit late due to my dates being mixed up on the post-ahead schedule, apologies.*
You can catch up on Part 1 here.

As you may recall I had just finished sewing the exterior portion of the bag together.

There may be an easier way to "square off" your corners but the way Betz describes how to do it is easy enough.  If you're nervous about cutting into your bag I always encourage practicing on a a bit of scrap fabric to see if you've go it down.

(The seams should line up, but don't kick yourself if they don't match perfectly it takes practice!)

This method is also used on the interior portion of the bag so all bag parts have a nice flat bottom.

It also gives a professional finished look to the bag doing it this way ^_^

You're almost in the homestretch at this point.

(stuffing it all together)

It may seem counter-intuitive to do it this way but keep with it.

Pattern Review: Sidekick Sling Bag by Betz White (part 1)

I purchased this pattern to make bags to donate to Craft for Hope's Project #16: Bags & Beanies for kids receiving cancer treatment in MN.

Here's how I thought her pattern measured up on my very first try.

 The pattern comes with clear instructions on materials needed, fabric suggestions, a basic stitch guide, and other intuitive info that are helpful when sewing this bag.

It has just two pieces that need added to a template you can make yourself like I did.
I used some scrap printer paper and added the curved pieces to the top making sure to mark one side FRONT/exterior and the backside BACK/interior.  You can use freezer paper or even parchment paper.

She warns against flipping the pattern and at first I wasn't sure why.  It later becomes apparent that you are creating identical pieces that will mirror each other.

Trust me, don't flip your pattern till she says too :)

If you're working with a print, like I was, make sure you can line up evenly the pattern you want visible on the bag.  No half-severed fishes here!

You can either pin your pattern or...

hold it down and trace around it with a fabric pen.

I found tracing around the pattern to be faster and easier to cut out than leaving the pattern pinned into the fabric.

Betz's pattern calls for 3/4 yards of both Main and Interior fabric.  This is MORE than enough fabric to account for a boo-boo or two so don't fret if you have a bad cut.  Sometimes patterns call for just enough fabric while others leave room for error.  Use good judgement, measure twice and cut carefully!