Good Evening Ladies and Gents,
With the sewing machine fully threaded and my test stitches
a success, I wanted to have a go on my first project. My bundle of fabric had
arrived from Fabric Rehab (they are totally gorgeous) and I had decided to make
a tote bag. I choose a tote bag for the simple reason that my husbandy and my rollers do not get on very well, especially when
he stands on one at 3am with bare feet, so I thought a cute little tote bag to
keep them all together would be a great idea! I trawled through 'You Tube'
looking for a tutorial that was clear and concise and was not too simple, yet
not too hard. I found this one called
'How to Sew an Easy/Simple Shoulder Tote Bag (Tutorial) - It's a Cinch!' by
tlcinspirations - link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a9Yt1gmutQ&feature=youtu.be
I got my pins, scissors, tape measures, chalk, ruler and
fabric ready and measured my fabric. I marked my fabric to the following
dimensions:
- Outer fabric - 10inch x 18inch
- Lining - 9.5inch x 18inch
- Ties - 2inch x 18inch
I marked it clearly and cut along the fabric. Tip: I would recommend not to cut the
fabric on the floor. I found my lines were not as straight as they could have
been but I have definitely selected the right pair of scissors as they glided
through the fabric. With my slightly skew-whiff fabric I had all my pieces ready so I set the sewing machine
roaring! I was in my element watching the needle glide seamlessly through the fabric leaving a trail of neat stitches behind - oh the satisfaction!
Now I'm not going to give you a full blown account on the steps
as you can watch the tutorial for yourself. To personalise the bag I did alter a few things, e.g. I
made the bag quite a lot smaller, had straight ties instead of angular ends and
no runners up the side plus had lots of fun as I went along as I think the lady giving the tutorial (although very clear and concise) doesn't sound like she is enjoying it! I had quite a few bobbin issues, tensions issues, unpicking issues and the pressure foot falling
off twice (tip: always have the
manual handy) but I persevered and it took me approx. three hours in total to make my bag. I was impressed considering I hadn't sewn since 1996 and had no one to assist when
things kept going wrong. In some ways I actually enjoyed the fluff ups as I think I understand the machine better and know I have more patience than I thought.
The excitement this one project has given me is inspiring.
It is making me think about myself in a whole new way and no doubt I will learn
a great deal more about me - and maybe even sewing! I think the key thing is that
even though I ran in to difficulties I persevered and managed to solve the
problem calmly and logically. This may seem normal to some of you reading this,
but when things go wrong - and normally with an electrical appliance - my logic
goes out the window and a hammer is the usual course of action. Maybe because I really
want this project to work I want to understand the basics and learn how to do
it right rather than rush through it and think 'that'll do'. Who knows, but what I do know is this - there will be plenty more sewing projects and I think I all ready know what....
Hints and tips
- Again be patient - I had to unpick the same work twice but I knew I had to have it right and also it made very good practice
- Also have the manual and a good sewing book to hand
- Bobbins - Firstly the check you have enough thread in the bobbin - I ran out and was not impressed and secondly make sure you wind the bobbin up correctly - ensure you snap the thread into the bobbin threader as this will guarantee you get the right tension on the thread in
- Always have an unpicker at hand - it saved the day and also a lot of time
- Cut the fabric on a table or on a firm surface - this will help when cutting and keep the lines straight
- Next on the shopping list is a wooden metre rule and a fabric cutter - this will also help keep the lines straight!
Great work! I was only just thinking I need to make a little bag for my rollers. I found one in the hallway the other day. Love the fabric choices!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on embarking on a sewing adventure!! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with! -Laurie
ReplyDeleteWell done! I will be hosting a giveaway for an Eliza M pattern next week x
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the great comments ladies!
ReplyDelete