Running Behind

Been Meaning to Update this but just been running behind on this stuff... I went home two weeks ago and got to bring home a ton of fabric, that I cannot wait to get to use.. there our pictures that will be posted below. This whole making bags.. has really got me back in touch with my creative side and has made me come up with so many different ideas! Which I can ONLY hope to actually get to make a reality and show you. Also At the moment.. I made myself a candle, working on my moms birthday gift... which is still a surprise and I am slowly but surely working on the next bag. So the pics coming up below are the progress I have made so far.. which isn't much but still...

The Process and Progress

So this is a Crazy Animal Print Large Tote/Beach Bag I am making for a friend...
The Process begins with me cutting the Print and lining out. The Difference between making a larger tote as opposed to a regular tote is I have to cute out 2 other pieces. I have to cute out 2 smaller sides for the bag to attach to the 2 larger Front and Back Pieces and 1 slightly bigger piece to use as the bottom.





These are the 2 pockets I added to the lining on the piece that I will just call the Back Piece.



Prepping a side (we will call it Side A) to be sewn to the back piece...



Back and Side A Sewn Together



Prepping Side A to be Sewn together to the front side

New Fabrics



Betty Boop Collage



Dinosaurs



Hot Pink and White Polka Dots



Chinese Red and Gold Print

I have more fabrics that I have yet to take picture of... but if you like ANY of these Fabrics for a Bag please tell me so I can make one for you = )


Random



The Candle that I had made!

Alrighty, off to sew that bag and work on my mom's birthday gift!

A Process

So after my last blog a got a few requests to make some bags; which makes me quite excited. Although I will be busy busy busy! Before, I began on the ones people asked me to make for them, I wanted to get started and finish a Small Tote for an 8 year old girl I babysat for. So, yesterday and all of last night I worked on this tote. Depending on how much time I have in the day and if i am doing are more a less complicated bag. It usually takes me anywhere from a day to a week to finish a bag. Mind you I am also hand sewing all these bags. At least until, we fix the sewing machine.

I have been having trouble with the fabric unraveling and then having frayed edges on the inside of the bag. The bag is still useful, however not as pretty on the inside. So, yesterday I ended up solving this problem by folding in the frayed edges and sewing so they will never be seen again. I know this seems like a simple solution and a no brainer, but again; I am self taught... so I am really learning as I go. Also, a new thing I am trying is a double stitch. Just so It is sturdy enough for heavier items.



My work space for the day... As you can see I have the finished sewing the two sides of the bag.



Here I have finished sewing the sides and the bottom and now am working on the top.



I have made the bag handles and have started sewing them on to the bag.



The Finished Product!

This is probably(as far as construction goes) my favorite bag. Now, I am back to working on my Mom's birthday gift! Which is NOT a bag but something new, that I have never done before and requires a lot of time.. I would show you... but my mom reads this. Anyways, I am stoked to finish making it and I hope it turns out really well. Remember if you'd like a bag, feel free to contact me = )

Starting Out

So.... I have a creative side. Whether or not I am talented.. that is your opinion, but I have fun making things. Right now, my main focus is bags and blankets. I started making bags in High school and had a lot of fun doing it and got TONS of compliments but stopped after my sewing machine broke. Two years later I moved to Los Angeles and walked into a JoAnn's down here to finish making a blanket for my Fiance. I ended up spending over an hour looking at all the fabrics. I LOVE looking at fabrics, I instantly become a kid in a candy store. I'm the same with book stores too. All I want to do is buy EVERYTHING!

As far as making bags go, they are pretty basic ideas, but every time I make a bag I come up with new ways to make things better or different and I come up with new designs (at least for me to try.) I hoping to start selling my bags to people at a low price and to be able to almost customize it to what the costumer wants as well as making every bag one of a kind.



This is the most recent bag I have made. It was my first time making a LARGE tote bag. I ended up making this for my Cousin Taylor's Birthday.



This is the Interior of the bag, This was also my first time adding pockets into a Bag...

Later on I will find some of my older bags I have made and post pictures of them.


What I Am Up To Now...


I have a few ideas in mind and cannot WAIT to get them started! Here are the samples of what I will be doing and the fabrics I will be using...


Left: Interior Lining
Top: Gold Chain Handle
Right: Exterior Bag Pattern.
I am Excited, I love this pattern! I am making this for a friend. It will be a large tote/beach bag with 2 interior pockets. This is my first time using chain handles and grommets, So it is a new challenge that I cannot wait to begin!

Other fabrics I have at the moment....



Honestly, this photo does NOT do justice to how pretty this fabric is... The silver lines you see are actual very shiny and sparkly. I haven't decided what exactly to do with this fabric. It is so Pretty that I want to make a bag for it, but sadly I think it would be better suited for the interior lining of the bag.



Well this fabric is cute and when I saw it, it instantly reminded me of a girl I babysat for. So, I have decided to make a tote bag for her out of this pattern.



If you see any fabrics that you like and would like a bag made out of it or if you just would like a bag made for you. Please contact me. I work with my clients on a one on one basis. Searching for fabric they will like as well as customizing the bag to their preference.