When I was last in Los Angeles, I took my mom and grandmother to a cute little shop called Sew L.A. to pick fabric for little bags. I showed them patterns that I had on my iPad (which they were super amused by) to choose from, and came back home with plans to start sewing right away.
We won’t talk about how long I’ve been back home from Los Angeles.
Anyway! Yesterday I finished my mom’s bag, and it’s super cute! It’s adorable enough that I think she won’t mind the wait.
The fabrics that she chose are from Joel Dewberry’s Notting Hill line, and a coordinating color solid for the pockets and part of the lining. The bag is Noodlehead’s 241 Tote pattern. Here’s a close up of the fabrics:
I really love these prints! I’m tempted to order some for myself in a different colorway, but I’m so not allowed to buy anymore fabric for a while… I don’t have the space to let my fabric stash become anywhere near as large as my yarn stash haha.
The inside of the bag has a magnetic snap, a katili*made tag (of course!), and a large patch pocket. The pocket is the same solid blue, with a top border of the hourglass fabric so it can be seen against the solid lining.
And, I couldn’t resist putting the cute little square {k*} tag on the outside back.. I did mention that these things would go on everything I make from now on, right?
The only change I made to the pattern was to make the strap adjustable. In retrospect, I wish I had interfaced the strap to give it a bit more stability.. it’s awfully flimsy for my liking. I like a strap to feel a little sturdier. On a non-adjustable strap I don’t think it would bother me so much (the pattern doesn’t call for interfacing it) so it’s more a matter of personal preference there.
On this adjustable strap though, it does make a functional difference. The slider doesn’t “stick” as well on this thinner strap as it does on my Two-Zip Hipster (which is an interfaced strap), so if she puts anything heavy in the bag, the length might adjust itself. I don’t think she carries much heavy stuff around though, so it should be fine!
The pattern itself was pretty well written. My only complaint is that it didn’t come with a suggested cutting guide, and I wasted quite a bit of fabric with my very inefficient cutting (in fact, I had to order more of the solid for the strap!). With as close as the pattern pieces cut it to the amount of fabric the pattern called for (I found a cutting guide someone else posted well after I had cut mine), I really feel like it should have been included, or that the pattern should have quoted more fabric.
I took the bag on a “quality assurance test-run” today (which is code for I love this bag and wanted to carry it around for a few minutes) and got a couple compliments on it, which always makes me smile.
This beauty is going in the mail tomorrow, and while I’m sad to see it go, I’m sure my momma will love it! And if not… she can send it back ;)
3 COMMENTS
Hanna
12 years agoThat is super cute! Love the colours and especially the pockets.
Vickie
12 years agoI am just getting ready to make this bag and was looking for a suggested cutting guide. You mention that you were able to find one posted. Would you be willing to share that information? I am not having much luck on my own search. Thanks!
katili
12 years ago AUTHORAw man, I just checked my bookmarks and the such again, and it looks like I forgot to save it :( I do remember that I had found it on Flickr while I was looking at bags people had posted to the Noodlehead group though.
What I do remember off the top of my head is that it required turning some pieces upside down or a little sideways to fit in gaps left from the previous cuts, so it is only efficient on non-directional prints.