Bags Done!

Well, the first, Vogue8609,  is nearly done!

First, I ran out of the red topstitching thread, right near the final stitching, of course. On the other side of the bag the topstitching is incomplete. I am not happy with the final TSing. Initially it went beautifully. Have you ever made a beautiful garment and then mucked it up with a nasty buttonhole at the end? That is sort of what is happening with the final topstitching on the top edge of the bag. So out it will come and be redone.

The lining is a basic quilter's cotton. It seemed more appropriate to me with the wool, rather than something silky. I don't even read the pattern directions any more for the pockets. For every bag I make the same two section pocket with darts to give it some space. A narrow pencil pocket and the key keeper finish up the lining. The interfacing is all Peltex on this one. It gives it sort of a suitcase feel, not sure how I feel about that.It looks like some fabric is tucked up in the bottom  but it does really sit straight with a little bother.

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Now for the bag I really like. This is a silk and faux leather bag with a cotton lining. It is Vogue  8661.  This pattern has some issues. Both of these bags are beautifully drafted and the oval bottoms fit perfectly ito the bag top, so no issues there. Here is the first of two problems. The notions requirements list 3 zippers being needed in 3 different sizes. The layout shows one side pocket, cut in one layer. So you have ONE specific size zipper required for the side pocket and the pattern piece also says "cut 1" side pocket.  Then when you see the directions on page three, number 15 and 16, it shows two side pockets with two side zipper openings. I just did one. Here is the zipper pocket on the front of the bag pulled open.

My next complaint is that if you look at the photos on the front of the pattern envelope or the technical drawings on the back of the envelope and in the directions as well, you cannot see that this is the type of closure this bag has. I have seen this closure before but here it is not particularly well executed in design. It's not that anything is particularly wrong. It's just that when it is all zipped up it hangs differently and has more of a slouchy look. So there needs to be a better description of what you are buying when you are considering this pattern. There is no mention of this cloosure design in the description either. I just think we should know what we are getting.
Once again the lining is a quilting cotton and the pocket configuration is the same as the plaid bag. I did edge the pockets with a strip of the silk houndstooth.
  To make the straps on this bag I took a simple approach. I cut the two straps on the fold so there was no center seam in the middle of the strap as directed by the pattern instructions. Why did the pattern do this?  Then I put them wrong sides together and cut the with my rotary cutter to get a sharp matching edge. I then edge stitched them twice to hold them together.

 Now, for my next act, it will be time to make the dolly clothes. Nothing too exciting with that but Santa will bringing an American Girl doll to Sophie if she is a good little girl and she will need clothes. The request is for clothes that match what I have already made for Sophie! Should be fun and I think pretty quick too. Felted wool with no edge finishing sound good??......Bunny