More Bags!

I've been on a bag making kick lately, but I'm having so much fun with them!  As a knitter, I can always use a bag (and let's be honest, I haven't met a woman yet who couldn't use a bag or two to corral her stuff, even non-knitters), and they sew up so quickly, why not make a bunch? So I did!

These three little drawstring/project bags are the one's from the Craftsy class (it's a free class).  Instead of piecing the exteriors, I cut both the exterior and interior fabrics to the same dimensions.  I think it worked out just fine because of the prints I used.  Max helped me thread the ribbons through, so that part of the bag making process took four times longer than it needed to, but I appreciated the help.  I would have also appreciated him napping through the whole thing, but I'm flexible and crafting with a cat is always interesting.

Then I made three little wristlet zipper pouches to hold notions/accessories/whatever to match!  This is the wristlet pattern I've used before, that seems to be out of print, but the same designer wrote this wristlet pattern which appears to be a replacement for the original pattern.  The zipper finishing directions are worth the price of the pattern alone!  (Or if you're looking for free, Craftsy has another bag class that has a zipper pouch.  I haven't made that one yet, but it's cute!)

Both bags are pretty easy to make, with the drawstring being the easiest.  The wristlet pattern is very well written with loads of pictures to explain everything, so even though it's a little more complex, it's not hard to make.  (I'd put the sling bag I showed the other day at about the same difficulty level as the wristlet, although it has curves while the wristlet has a zipper.)  I mention this in case anyone is learning to sew or is re-starting sewing after a break.  If you wanted to, you could make all three bags matching and have a set!  It would take 1-1/2 yards each of exterior and lining fabrics to do a set of sling bag, drawstring, and wristlet.  You'd also need some fusible interfacing, ribbons, and a zipper (and possibly more notions that I can't remember off the top of my head).

I'm not planning on selling bags, there are more than enough well established bag people on Etsy if you're looking to buy a bag, but those of you on my gift list might have bags in your future.  I'm seriously considering doing bags instead of wrapping paper for Christmas this year - I'm not very good at wrapping and I have serious issues with tape.  It's not pretty, me and tape.  If I did bags, then everyone would have something useful (in addition to the gifts, hopefully) instead of a big pile of garbage.  The Christmas prints are already coming out...