Heartland Backpack and Pearce Crossbody Bag

I'm not sure when, but suddenly it seems crossbody mini bags have become trendy. Suddenly, I see them everywhere, and then just as suddenly, I'm seized with the urge to sew one for myself. Or, in this case, two.

The first bag I made is the Heartland Backpack from Sew Sweetness's League of Extraordinary Bagmakers Vol 1. This bag was a bit of a choose-your-own adventure and it had multiple options, and I ended up taking up every single option. If I'm going to put in the effort, I might as well go all out!

As a result, this bag has quite a few pockets, as well as a back pocket that's great for cash or things I want to keep against my body.

The second bag I made is the Pearce Crossbody Bag from the League of Extraordinary Bagmakers Vol 2. I had some leftovers of this gorgeous fabric from my Sky Harbor Tote that I was dying to use up, and it was perfect for this little beauty.

Due to its small size and the many tight curves, this bag was definitely a bit of a challenge, more than Heartland, but I'm so happy with it when it's done!

I really enjoyed making both of these. As usual, some bits toward the end were quite challenging, but when I look at the end result, I'm filled with so much pride and joy, and my next thought is ... more!

Cosquilla and Dogwood Pouch

It's official ... I'm slowly but surely replacing every store bought bag or pouch in my house with something handmade. There is simply no comparison to the joy and pride I feel seeing something I made myself, in the fabric of my choice, every time I use it. While making bags is frequently no picnic, and there are usually a few hairy bits in the process, it's all worth it when it's finished, and I can use it for a long time.

The Cosquilla Pouch is a combination fabric / vinyl pouch that has 2 compartments, and I plan to use it for my travel toiletries bag. I love the fabric I picked out for it so much, and the quilting on the bottom and side panel gives it some great texture.

The second pouch I finished is the Dogwood Pouch. I have many pouch patterns, but what drew me to the Dogwood Pouch is the pattern hack: an optional tool wrap. I had been using the Enigma Pouch to store my makeup, and while it works great, I realized I wanted a smaller makeup bag for just the bare essentials, and the tool wrap is perfect for makeup brushes and such.

As always, the patterns and video workships are by Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness. Sara is basically my Yoda on my bagmaking journey.

And of course, the final stitches are barely completed for a day before I start dreaming about my next bag project ...

Allium & Renegade #2 (Bag)

Last year I made a lot of bag projects just because I wanted to, with no consideration of usage (though they almost *all* ended up being used!) but this year, most of the bags I made had a specific purpose, and I intended to use them. These two bags are my last two of the year, and yes, I've used them both enough so they have been field tested! Once again, all patterns by Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness.

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The first bag I made is the Allium Bag. I intended to make the Allium Bag my theme park bag. I used to carry a bigger bag to parks, but I realized just how annoying it was, on rides that required me to put my bag away, to stuff a bigger bag into a tiny locker. Now, with Allium, it fits into the lockers great, and it carries all my theme park essentials.

I absolutely love this fabric, which I picked up on a trip to Missouri Star, and had been saving it for a long, long time. I was a little nervous to use it with an untested bag pattern, but I'm really glad I did!

And then there's the Renegade Bag. This is actually my second Renegade Bag, as I made my first one a few years ago, and my mom has it now. One thing I wanted to remedy on my second Renegade Bag is actually using rivets on the straps.

Due to my inexperience, I actually messed up the rivets positioning the first time, so I had to recut and resew the outer panels, luckily I had enough fabric. Though it cost me a few extra hours, it was worth it, as I plan to carry this for my daily carrier for awhile, so I needed to be happy with it!

And I am, I am so happy with these projects. Usually at the end of a bag project, I'm sweating and swearing, and I say to myself, I'm gonna need a break before I do another one. But usually, mere hours later, around the time I've photographed it, I'm already wanting to start my next bag ...

It's A Bit Supernatural

Recently I bought some Spoonflower fabrics inspired by the TV show Supernatural, and I decided to make some projects with it.

When I found this panel fabric of symbols from the show, I knew that mug rugs were the perfect project for it. I loaded the whole piece on my longarm and since the background has a wood-grain design, I quilted a wood-grain for the first time ever. I think it turned out well!

I ended up with a dozen that I had to bind one-by-one (not very fun), but they will make great gifts for my friends at the conventions I attend several times a year. Oh, and I will be keeping one for myself, of course!

I also found this black fabric that's inspired by the Angel / Demon tablets on the show, and I decided to make another convention tote bag with it. I decided to use the Tudor Bag pattern from Sew Sweetness for this purpose, as it allows the focal fabric to shine beautifully, has a front zipper pocket, and has both handles and a shoulder strap for extra versatility.

The interior has a recessed zipper and built-in pockets, though I'd no doubt still use it with one of my Mustang Purse Organizers. I've sewn a lot of Sara's bags at this point, and though I've gained a lot of experience, I can still say this was one of the easier bags I've made.

Now, I'm ready for my next convention!

A Quartet of Minikins

I simply love, love, LOVE Sew Sweetness's Minikins collections. Sara's designed 4 volumes of these so far, I've sewn a lot of them over the years, and I look for excuses at every juncture to make one. In fact, I get excited when the need for some kind of mini bag or case comes up, because I then dig through the patterns to find the Minikin that's appropriate for the item I need a cover / case for.

The first item I finished is the Friesian Pouch. I used up some of my precious Avant Garde (from Art Gallery Fabrics) fabrics that I've been hoarding for years, along with some rainbow zipper tape to make this. The bag has a beautiful structure, and it was surprisingly easy to put together!

Here's a peek at the inside: the mesh pockets and 3 separate compartments makes this bag very practical.

The second project I finished recently is another Partridge Bag. I previously made a Partridge Bag and though I made it just to make it, over the last year it ended up being one of my most surprisingly useful bags. It's small but mighty, truly! Even though my first bag is still working great, I decided to make another one because I love it so much, and it's a really fun sew.

The third project is yet another Grab 'n Go case. This is my 3rd one, because I decided I needed yet another laptop case. The first one I made is still going strong, but at the time I picked a fabric I was only so-so about as I wasn't very confident I wasn't going to mess it up. But now that this is my 3rd, I feel pretty good about this project, so I decided to remake it using a fabric I actually am crazy about!

The last Minikin is the Enigma Pouch, which has an interesting shape. When I was looking for makeup pouches on Amazon, I realized that the one I was eyeing is almost the exact shape and size as the Enigma Pouch, so of course, I had to make my own!

I love how this bag can open up and lie flat, and it is a great organizer! I mostly use it to store makeup for travel.

Finally, I can't resist a beauty shot of all the items together:

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I always get excited when Sara announces a new Minikins collection, and though I don't know when she'll release the next volume, the 4 she's released so far has given me many hours of joyful sewing, and I know I will make many more in the years to come.

Sublime Bag

When I first saw the video workshop trailer for Sublime, I wanted to make it because of how fun it looked. What I didn't expect was how useful this bag would be, too!

For the focal fabric, I decided on this black / gold fabric I got from one of my fabric pilgrimages to Missouri Star. I had to do some fussy cutting but it was worth it. This color palette also gives me a chance to use up my leftover zipper tape / zipper pull from the Sky Harbor Tote I made last year.

My favorite feature of this bag is the little zipper pocket in the front. I thought it was purely aesthetical, but it's incredibly handy for holding my cell phone.

I actually made Sublime last year but I wanted to carry it for a few months before posting anout it. But there is no doubt now, that this is a super practical handbag as well, especially when I pair it with the Mustang Purse Organizer inside. I'm so proud of it and feel a rush of pride everytime I see it, which is not something I can say for my store bought bags.

A Pair of Flap Bags

For a while now, I've been looking for a pattern to make a bag that serves as my everyday bag. While I've made several tote bags this year that are great for travel, my everyday bag is actually a messenger bag, that I've been carrying for the past 7 years. But I think I finally found something that can function as my everyday bag. Or two. Both patterns are from Sew Sweetness.

The first bag I made is the Appaloosa Bag, which I made with this gorgeous black / gold fabric I found in my stash. The Appaloosa is a bit smaller than the Satellite Bag, and to be honest, is probably more suited for everyday use as well. I also like that it has a flat bottom and purse feet, so I can place it down on a surface, whereas the Satellite Bag has a curved bottom.

The main feature of the Appaloosa Bag is the accordion divider pocket in the front. I had to put a lot of interfacing into this bag, so it inherently feels more sturdy and structured than the Satellite Bag.

The second one I made is the Satellite Bag, which has been on my todo list for a very, very long time. Intiailly I intended to make it with light fabrics, but I feared with everyday use the fabric would start to look dirty. So I switched to black fabrics so that I won't be afraid to use it.

The inside of the bag is fairly simple, though the interesting feature is that the flap itself has a zipper on it, which opens to a little compartment. Now, I'm not sure how practical it actually is, but it's still a neat feature. Besides that, the bag has an open front pocket, and an inside zipper pocket, all enclosed with a flap that fastens with a magnetic snap. This bag is also very big and can hold a lot.

Now, it's time to field test these bags, because I never actually know whether I like or enjoy using something until I've used it in the wild. Sometimes the results are surprising!

Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet & Partridge Bag

I think I just found the perfect wallet and the perfect airplane mini-bag. But let me start from the beginning ...

I actually made the Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet once before, years ago, and I thought it was an absolutely terrifying experience. It was possibly the hardest thing I've ever made. I was nearly in tears by the end, and just hanging on for dear life.

But since it's been years, and I had forgotten the pain, I decided to try it again, this time with one of my favorite fabric prints in the last few years, from Zen Chic. Well ... it's pretty easy, I thought to myself. No problem. I thought to myself. I kept sewing and sewing, and I was wondering what the fuss was all about. That is, until I reached the final part, and then I remembered. It was still harrowing, it was still painful, and I think I'll need quite awhile before I forget the pain again. But when I saw how beautiful it came out, it was very much worth it!

One of my favorite things about this bag, besides the fabric, is actually the zipper. This is a leftover rainbow zipper tape and pull I had from the Superbloom bag I made earlier this year, and it honestly looks like the colors were made to go with this fabric! It was pure coincidence, but it went together perfectly.

I'm so happy with it, but there's no denying that it was very difficult, and unlike most of the projects that I found difficult, I don't know what I could do to make it better next time. But Will I make it again? Maybe in another few years. I hope my workmanship can last that long!

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The second bag I made was initially just a project to make, but not to use. I really wanted to make it, because it was cute, but I thought I'd have no use for it. It was skinny and just didn't hold that much, I thought.

All that changed the day before I was to go on an airplane, and I suddenly realized this little bag is just perfect for plane rides. I can wear it on my shoulder, separately from a bigger plane bag, and it fits my phone / Kindle / ID / cash, so I won't have to rummage in my bigger travel bags for that stuff. Yet, because it has such a thin profile, if a flight attendant complained that I was carrying two personal items, I can always stuff it in a larger travel bag.

So that's what I did, and it worked perfectly! I was shocked how much usage I got out of this bag not just during the plane ride, but the actual trip as well. As soon as I brought it home, I hung it in my travel section of my closet, where it will patiently await my next trip.

Sky Harbor Tote & Mustang Purse Organizers

Last year when I went to visit Missouri Quilt Star Company (on a quilting pilgrimage), I saw this gorgeous dark blue fabric with a gold design on it, and I just knew it was going to be something special. However, I was unsure what pattern to use. And then, one day while looking for a new bag pattern on Sew Sweetness, I saw Sky Harbor Tote, and just instantly I knew, I was going to make it with this special fabric.

Sky Harbor Tote's main feature is the decorative zippers on the side, so I was very happy to find zipper tape and zipper pulls that complemented it so well! Along with that, the bag has hidden straps, slip and zipper pockets, and a recessed top zipper. It is very full-featured.

Since I have made several tote bags now, I figured I also need a purse organizer so I can swap bags more easily. And of course Sara has a pattern for that too: the Mustang Purse Organizer. I enjoyed making the first one so much that I decided I need another, so I ended up making one in each size.

The Mustang Purse Organizer comes chock full of different styles of pockets, and it is just so handy! I'm also totally enamored with the fabric I chose. These all come from my yardage stash and I'm so glad they finally have a home.

I used to make bags only because I wanted the finished product, but I didn't enjoy the process. I can say now ... I'm enjoying the process!

Cruise Wallet & Jewelry Organizer

I'm going on a cruise with my family this summer, and it's my first cruise post-pandemic. Of course, I had to make something for it. Or, as it turns out, somethings.

I made a Turnpike Convertible Wallet a few years ago, but I've been itching to make another one since then.

It's not as practical as other wallets I've made (it doesn't hold as much), so I haven't had reason to make another one until now, but I figured for the cruise, easy and relaxed is what it's about, and this wallet is just perfect for that. Hands-free with the strap (which is removeable as well), with just enough room for my phone, and just a few cards. Plus, it's absolutely adorable!

The other item I made for this cruise is the Calliope Jewelry Organizer. I was fascinated by this pattern as soon as I saw it, as I just loved all the little bits and bobs and compartments this organizer had. Also, I was dying for an excuse to use this turquoise vinyl fabric I had in my stash. It was a bit of a pain to cut all the pieces for this project though, but once the sewing started, the real fun began. I won't pretend this wasn't a challenging project with very thick layers, but once it was done, I was so happy with it ... even if I put in one of the panels upside down, but hey, it still functions just fine!

Both the Turnpike Convertible Wallet and Calliope Jewelry Organizer are patterns by Sew Sweetness. I've become completely addicted to Sara's video workshops, and I just find myself finding excuses to make more!

Minikins Galore

Since I was on a break from sewing quilt tops for much of the year but still had the itch to sew, I ended up making a lot of smaller projects from Sew Sweetness. I decided to use this opportunity to try out a variety of shapes, sizes, and techniques, and it is a great way to use up my yardage and loose fat quarters. All of these projects are from Sara's Minikins collections, and there's a video workshop for each of these projects, literally the only way I can make them.

I intended to sew just a few, but found myself addicted. I've previously had a difficult relationship with pouches and bags projects, loving the end result but wanting to cry at the process. However, aside from the cutting (which I still hate) I think I've finally learned to enjoy the whole process. Well, 90% of the process, at least. And after each project is finished, I kept wanting to make another one, which is how I ended up with 8.

Sidewider Pouch: a really cute pouch with a great useful shape. I was rather surprised by the drop-in lining, but overall this was not a difficult project.

Zeppelin Pouch: the shape makes it extremely useful for knitting projects, and I adore the name. I had a lot of trouble with this one, so this was definitely a skill builder.

Brumby Pouch: By far the easiest project in this set, I could not believe how easy it was to make this and it looks fantastic once pressed. However, the pattern shape is a bit odd and makes it difficult to cut fabrics and interfacing efficiently.

Grab 'n Go Sleeve: This is my 2nd Grab 'n Go Sleeve, and overall this is a great and pleasant sew, and I love that the size is totally customizable.

Moto Pouch: I made this to force myself to try drop-in lining one more time, and I found this project easier than the Sidewinder Pouch due to the shape, but it's constructed very similarly.

Trifle Tumbler: the round barrel shape is adorable, and I was able to try out the technique of binding to finish the raw edges.

Jetset Cinched Bag: this was another skillbuilder for me, as it's my first time using foldover elastic and my first time using a drawstring cord. It was a bit difficult however to cinch the drawstring in, and I'm not sure how much I will use this bag for that reason.

Morsel Lunch Bag: I used InsulBright for this bag to make the lining insulated, and I hope to test it out one day with a picnic lunch or something.

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Well, I had a really, really great time sewing all these! With each one I could tell my confidence level went higher, and I felt an immense sense of satisfaction when they were done. I finally understand why so many people are addicted to making these type of projects.