The monster comes to life! The journey of a pot-bellied shoulder bag
Full and happy shoulder bag
It’s rather mean to call this a monster (it isn’t, really) but it took me a long, long while to finally figure out how to complete this bag. This pattern came from a Japanese craft book, and usually, the step-by-step pictorial instructions are so thorough that you don’t need to know how to read Japanese to understand the steps. I had made a couple of bags from the same book, so it was really quite puzzling why I couldn’t make out this one part of the instructions for this particular bag.
If you’re wondering why my embroidery and lining fabric don’t match, it’s actually because I meant for this to be just a trial attempt. The embroidered flowers was supposed to be for another project but I ditched it after I saw how wonky the embroidery was. You can’t really tell from the photos, but trust me, it’s wonky! The lining fabric is whatever was left over from another project, so it wouldn’t have been too painful if things didn’t work out.
So anyway, try as I might, I just couldn’t get my pieces of fabric to look like the pieces in the picture. I looked at the instructions for many, many days, twisting and turning the fabric into all shapes. It couldn’t be that hard, I thought to myself. I’m sure I was missing something somewhere. But I couldn’t figure it out. Defeated, I placed the pieces of fabric into my “works in progress” box, and moved on to other projects.
A couple of days ago, I brought the pieces out and suddenly, as if by stroke of luck, the next step just clicked in my mind. I put the pieces together, trying to visualise the next few steps, and figured I should just try sewing the thing and see how it’ll turn out. Made a quick reference to the instructions in the book again, and I started to realise that there was something not quite right about that one particular picture where I was stuck.
To cut a long story short, there was this one bit that was misrepresented in the picture (it must have been a mistake, because Japanese craft book instructions are very detailed). I couldn’t get my fabric pieces to look like the picture because it just wasn’t possible.
So, it’s done! Completed! Happy me! And happy bag!
The little pot-bellied bag
Design verdict: I really like the way this bag looks. It’s got a cute little pot belly in the middle, which means it’s expandable and stuffable! I’ll definitely be making another one.
Sometimes, things just do whatever they want
Fortune cookie "oops" bag
This is actually the second bag I ever made — which was quite some time ago! It was a pattern I got off the Martha Stewart website. I excitedly got out my fabrics and tailor’s chalk and all the rest of it … and cut the cloth wrongly. I had somehow managed to reverse one side of the bag, so the grey lining ended up on the outside on one side. Duh!!!
But I didn’t want to waste the fabric (and I didn’t want to cut new pieces out, not being sure if this pattern was one I would like), so I went ahead and completed the bag anyway. When it was finished, I placed it into the cabinet and sort of forgot all about it. Poor thing! I finally pulled it out of oblivion and was like, hey I had forgotten all about you! Taking a look at it, it doesn’t look too bad really. Not what I expected, but it’s a sweet little thing still. It’s just a little bit … well … reversed.
Back view
Side view
So, anyway, pros and cons of the design of the bag itself? Pros — it’s cute, compact, and because the handles interlock, you can be sure your things won’t fall out. Cons — you need both hands to operate this bag (one to hold the shorter handle, the other to pull the longer handle out). Although I guess this goes for every “hand-held” handbag, as opposed to shoulder bags. I don’t use too many of those for practical reasons. I always find my hands full and can’t be mincing around with a little bag that needs more attention than usual. 
How to save this bag? It might serve better as complementary item to a larger bag maybe. Because it’s essentially a one-handle bag, it could be hooked on to a bigger bag and things won’t fall out and such. Bags within bags can be tricky and fussy, though. Hmm. I’ve got to think a bit more on this one.
One can never be too pink
Pink top with brown piping
I love completed projects! And I’m quite delighted with the way this one turned out. The pattern for this top is from a Japanese sewing book on hand-sewn clothing projects. I think it would have taken me weeks if I were to hand-sew everything, so thank goodness for sewing machines! On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the most difficult), I would say this was around a 3.
I did have to make some minor alterations to the pattern, because although this was supposed to be a small, it turned out with arm holes that were too large. Because the pattern doesn’t use a zipper, I think they made the body slightly larger as well. I slimmed it down slightly — fully knowing that I will now have to squeeze into the top carefully else I’ll probably rip the seams. This is where zippers would come in handy, I suppose!
The book teaches you to make bias tape out of the same fabric you’re using to make the top, but I thought that was simply too tedious. I didn’t have a bias-tape-making contraption anyway — and the only reason I know such a thing exists is because there’s a picture of the thing in the book! So I used some bias tape that I already had lurking around in my sewing box. If I may say so, I think the brown piping sets off the pink fabric very well. But maybe that’s just me being biased (hehe!). See, buying things when you don’t need them (yet) comes in handy after all!
So I’m pleased with this top because it’s breezy, comfy and dries in a jiffy!
Shoulder bag. I like!
Okay, so it turned out to be harder to write down my notes in a way that someone else would understand. My drawing is not the best! Maybe I should take photos next time instead. In any case, worry not, I shall keep trying. When it’s presentable, I’ll post it up, promise!
In between huffing and puffing with my sewing notes, I decided to rustle up a little bag for a friend’s birthday present. She wanted a bag just like this one (click here to see), and I was going to make one just like that, until I actually used it for my daily carting-around of things. Not the best shape for a soft bag, because if you placed it in your lap while sitting in a restaurant, or while waiting for a train, your things might fall out. I think it was meant more as an shopping bag than a carting-around bag.
Good carting-around shoulder bag
So anyway, I made this instead. I actually copied this off a bag I bought many years ago (hee hee). It’s a tried-and-true shape that I really like — it’s spacious and secure. Harder for pick-pockets to get at your stuff, as it fits nicely under the arm. (Things like that needs to be taken into consideration here in this city, unfortunately). I’m still struggling with sewing curves, as you can probably tell from the photo. Hmm.
I especially like the fabric because it’ll give a pop of colour to any outfit on days when you don’t feel so hot, and you know how on days like that, you just somehow pick the dullest things to wear.
Yay for cute shoulder bags!
I made that?! Woohoo!
My first handmade top!
Omigosh! I can’t believe I actually made something I can wear! This was my first ever attempt at making clothes. Trust me when I say I totally winged it when I decided to make this top. I didn’t use any patterns and I didn’t make any measurements because I wouldn’t know how to use them anyway!
I took a shortcut instead: I just used another top that I had to give myself an idea of how much cloth to cut. Easy! Of course, I had to make some improvisations along the way, and I actually ended up with a smaller top than I intended, but it must have been my lucky day because I can still get into it! Hooray!
Those with an eye for detail will notice the rather wonky hems…. :/ It’s hard to sew hems using a vintage (manual) sewing machine because I have to manually fold in the seams, hold them fast, let go of one hand (to start the machine) and hope my folds stay folded. Sometimes they unfurl themselves anyway and make a mess of things. Grr! But I figure this is my first try, so I won’t be too hard on myself.
It’s actually something really simple to make (if I can do it, you can too). You only have to cut 5 pieces of fabric to do it! So, I wrote some notes down when making the top for future reference, and I will share it on this blog when I’ve put the steps down in proper order! Shouldn’t take me too long, I reckon; I enjoy recording these things. It’s got something to do with my passion of putting pen to paper. I love stationery and it’s always nice to use them and say it’s “for work” (for otherwise my many, many pens would just be frivolous purchases). Tee hee.
