Bag Attempts

I found out that there is a new crafting wiki, Craftacular. I'm very excited that it has been started. A wiki is an online database (in the Wikipedia mold) which allows for creating and editing web page content by any site user on any web browser. Essentially, it's built and grown by site users. There are patterns for knitting, sewing, crocheting, etc. and tutorials for craft projects. So far its content is very minimal but it will be growing as it gains a following.


I've been interested in sewing bags and containers lately. Over the summer, I sewed a portfolio for one of my daughter's friend's birthday. It turned out rather well and was my first bag attempt. I've since sewn a few bags. I also found a tiny quilt top that I made a few years ago for a summer wall hanging that I think I'll turn into a tote. There are so many cool fabrics out there that I think I'll have to take-up bag making. Maybe I can make my own purses. I don't have anything resembling a purse obsession (since I carry them until they begin to disintegrate) but I know many people do.

Most recently, I made a zippered bag out of the leftover tartan fabric from Lolly's kilt. That kilt was the hardest thing I've ever had to make but it really is fairly straight-forward. Mostly, you want divine intervention because of the cost of the fabric. I managed to find a wool blend tartan-ish fabric on clearance for $10 a yard. I only needed about 3 yards because it was wide enough to be split down the middle. So, for me, the cost of the fabric was not bad at all. However, knowing that, if I messed up and wanted to buy a kilt, the price tag was in the $400-500 range, added some stress to the proceedings.

The other day I sewed my first wallet. It was not a great success but it did result in something functional. The bobbin stitches were loose and irregular but that was a technical difficulty that I think I've got that handled. Jason needs a new wallet and has always loved the hard to find fabric wallets he's had in the past. So far, no luck in finding a new one. He has a new one that he hates as it is a tri-fold and has a huge strip of velcro closing it, making the opening of it an event because of the noise and effort. His old beloved fabric wallet was made of hemp and developed a hole but I'm going to use that as a template on a subsequent attempt.