Tag: bags and accessories

The Miranda Tote

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 6 Comments

The Miranda Tote is a quick, satisfying sew. The instructions are well written, and as a bonus, Sallie Tomato has a sewing tutorial on You Tube. So if you are fairly new to bag making, this might be a good option for you.

The finished dimensions are 11.5″ wide x 12″ high x 5″ deep. That’s a good size tote! Here I have it loaded up with some orders from my shop. Time to head to the post office!

The bag features a recessed zipper top closure to keep your contents secure. I used a Sallie Tomato zipper by the yard in white with rose gold zipper teeth.

I added a rose gold sewing machine zipper pull for a cute touch.

And a copper zipper end gives a polished finish to the zipper as well as stability when pulling the zipper closed.

After inserting the lining and turning the bag right side out, I added a plexiglass insert into the bottom of the bag between the lining and the outer bag. This gives lots of stability when the bag is full. No saggy bottom!!!

I simply purchase a small piece of plexiglass at my local Home Depot and my husband uses his table saw to cut it to the size I need. He then rounds the corners with his sander so they don’t poke through the fabric in my bag. I insert it through the opening that I left in the lining, then I hand stitch the lining closed.

There are four rose gold, bucket style bag feet on the bottom of my bag. I used a small piece of foam stabilizer on the wrong side of the cork. Once I inserted the prongs of the bag feet through the cork and foam, I added some Gutermann Creativ glue to the prongs and foam for extra security.

I sewed up the bag just as the instructions indicated with a single pocket on one side of the lining and a double pocket on the opposite side of the lining. One thing I would change in my next bag, is that I would add SF101 (or similar) interfacing to the inner pockets. The pattern does not call for interfacing on these pattern pieces (piece M and piece N), but I would highly recommend interfacing them. Without interfacing, the pockets are somewhat ‘floopy’.

The outside front of the bag has two large slip pockets. Those pockets don’t seem to need interfacing. They keep their shape just fine. I used Soft and Stable from byAnnie to give structure to the body of the bag. I used rose gold rivets to give added security to the stitched on handles. The handles are only 1/2″ wide. I find that size handle to be just a bit narrow for this size bag. My next one will have about 3/4″ to 7/8″ wide handles.

I used turquoise cork for my main fabric; quilting cotton from Minki Kim’s Hidden Cottage line for the outer pockets; and quilting cotton from Minki Kim’s Someday line for the lining. My Baby Lock Destiny II does not like to sew through cork, foam, and cotton, so I used my old Viking Mega Quilter to stitch my bag together.

All in all, this is a terrific tote. I highly recommend this pattern for confident beginner sewers to experienced sewers.

Thank you for spending some of your day with me today, sewing friends. Please leave me a hello in the comment section.

A Natural Pair – Ultra Blue Star Petunia/Tahiti

~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment
Happy Saturday, Sewists!
I love petunias because they bloom their little hearts out
in the heat of summer or the cool of spring and fall.
I can always count on my petunias to greet me with glorious color.

This one is the blue star petunia.
I’ve paired it with the By Annie Handbag zipper in Tahiti.
This picture is not re-touched.
I took it midday in the bright sunshine.

From the Wasatch Shadows Nursery here in Utah:

Ultra Blue Star Petunia will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Ultra Blue Star Petunia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a ‘filler’ in the ‘spiller-thriller-filler’ container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
The By Annie handbag zipper in Tahiti is a popular color in my shop and you can see why.  It is a vibrant, beautiful purple color.
Thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a terrific weekend.

Running With Scissors, Patterns by Annie

~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment

I used one of Annie Unrein’s (Patterns by Annie) newest patterns:
Running With Scissors to sew this useful case.
The name of the pattern itself is clever,
but the assembly instructions for this one
are some of the most clever from any of the Patterns by Annie.

I started by quilting my main fabric, Soft and Stable,
and lining fabric together using my Block Rockit quilting machine.
BTW, I have my 14″ Block Rockit on a 5 foot frame.
In my opinion, that is the perfect set up for a bag maker such as myself.
The cotton quilting fabric that I use is 44/45 inches wide,
which fits perfect on the 5 foot frame.
Also, I don’t ordinarily quilt large quilts, just lap size,
so my set up stays this way all the time.
I prefer to quilt my fabrics and soft and stable all in one large piece
because cutting of all the components of the bag goes very quickly
after the fabric is all quilted.
Patterns by Annie usually follow a general set of steps.
In case you missed it, click here for my blog post on those steps.
There is an updated method of sewing the handle and “spine” support for this pattern.
It is different from other By Annie patterns that I have sewn in the past.
I really, really like the new method.
It helps keeps the top of the bag from bowing when it is filled with your supplies.
Speaking of supplies, you can fit a plethora of sewing supplies
(or whatever type of supplies you plan to carry) in this handy case.
The interior of the spine features fold-over elastic bands to hold items such as spools of thread.
And there are numerous slots and zippered pockets (vinyl, mesh, and quilted fabric).

Another plus about this pattern, is that the construction is done flat.  

← Interior

Exterior→
The zipper does not go in until the interior and exterior have been completed.
After the zipper and zipper tab are done,
the binding is added and that is the last step.
Here is what I have to say about the zipper and tab:
1.  After inserting the zipper, cut it the length instructed in the pattern,
then, if it is too long for your taste, cut a little off at a time until it is the length you wish
(for my personal taste, this zipper tail is too long, so I plan to cut it down by about half).
2.  Add a metal zipper end for a more professional touch:
Gather your zipper end supplies and mark the length of your zipper

Cut the zipper along your marked line (DO NOT use your good fabric scissors)

Roll the sides of the zipper toward the center on the wrong side of the zipper

Use a dab of glue for added security
(my favorite is Guterman HT2, available on Amazon)

Push the zipper down into the zipper end as far as it will go
and allow the glue to set for about 30 minutes

Add the teeny, tiny little screw that comes with the zipper cord end,
and tighten it down with a teeny, tiny screwdriver

Here’s what it looks like on the top side

In case you haven’t had enough of my ramblings,
here’s a video to give you a closer look at my tool case:

Thank you so much for reading my blog.
Have a terrific time sewing your own tool case.