The Planet Earth Bag

I've started another Koos Bag, Vogue 1311     . This one is for moi. As I started putting together my fabrics and shapes I realized my colors looked like earth from space. That required I put a circle of hand dyed wool on the bag. Now it really looked like Planet Earth. I started to get more excited about the project.

 This bag, like the other, has lots of textures going on. The bias strips are hand dyed rayons and the other hand dyeds are wool. You also see here a home dec brocade and a heavy corduroy. The brown is a poly suiting. All has been interfaced with fusible fleece. You can't see it but there is also some machine quilting happening here as well. Since I did a tutorial on the unique Koos Zipper already I thought this time I would focus on the Koos Buttonholes.

Koos Buttonholes

I followed the directions exactly on these, up to a certain minor point in the construction. My choice of fabric made a nice bias shape so I stayed with the three dimensionality of it all as you will soon see. 

The first requirement of the button instructions is to sew a 3/4 inch hem folded underneath. This did not fit on the bag and still leave room for the zipper. I decided to use a one inch hem and mitered the hem on the BH appliques.

You can see the pressed folds from the first attempt here.  The BH  appliques are placed RS of app to wrong side of the bag after marking. Here is how I marked the holes. The bag straps will eventually come through the BH when done.

 I marked the actual BHs with waxed paper and a serrated wheel. Then I realized it was exactly a quarter inch wide so outcame the 1/4 inch masking tape.

I stitched around the tape. The important thing to remember here is to not start in a corner. Start and end stitching on one of the long lines of stitching instead.

The buttonhole is now cut with a BH chisel and into the corners with the applique scissors. You will have to really push down on the chisel as there are lots of layers here. This is just like a bound BH. I guess we will call it a "faced" BH.

Now the fun part! Turn and press your applique. Pin down the folds as shown on the pattern instruction sheet. Rayon on the bias has a mind of it's own so I went for curved outer edges on one side here. As long as what you do is consistent from BH to BH it will look fine. I discovered I really liked the three dimensionality of this so made a decision to not press it down. Just my personal choice. Once pinned you are ready for topstiching.

The instructions have you not stitch the pleat. I disregarded that and stitched it all down all the way around the applique. It gave a nice tight finish.Here is my version, a totally topstitched, puffy BH:

 

I have a couple more to stitch down and then it will be on to appliqueing the sides of the bag. I need to get a silver paint pen today so I can swish my initials and date somewhere on this. Have you tried Sharpie's metallic paint pens? They are fabulous!

Thank you to everyone for all your kind comments and encouragement while putting together the new dress form who will now be called Tilly from this day forward. You really inspire me to new sewing levels all the time. Thanks so much for that and I treasure all of you......Bunny

The Koos Bag Finis!

 

We were blessed with a gorgeous day here for photos and DH did as directed so they are not too bad. The bag has nothing in it so is a bit puffy. I absolutely love it. I think this will be perfect for travelling to visit our children. It is BIG and has sort of a luggage-y feel all of which I love.  Here's the 411:

PATTERN: 

Vogue 1311, a bag designed by NY designer Koos Van den Akker. He is recognized by his collaging of fabrics,  love of bright color and simple designs. His designs function as a canvas to showcase a clear passion for fabric and color.  

I don't think I ever would have tried this pattern if it weren't for the inspiration provided by Shams of Communing with Fabric.     Her bag with it's vivid colors is TDF so please check it out. 

 

  FABRICS:

100% quilting cotton that I don't like for the applique base

 Fusible fleece

Assorted home dec fabrics that were inspired by the original tapestry chosen. There are embroidered taffetas, stretch velvet, two different faux leathers one of which became the straps, a tacky red metallic stretch fabric for a bit of highlight. That came from the  "Halloween department"  at JAs. My personal opinion, based on what I was taught years ago, is to always have a dominant fabric which will cover more than half of the area. Here it is the ginko sort of looking tapestry. Loved the colors in it. If an item is covered with an equal amount of every fabric it is not quite as interesting as one with a dominant fabric and accents. (From my days of interior design).

Some matte gold sequins. 

A brass upholstery zipper.

100% poly fabric for the lining. This is that nasty stuff called "Silk Essence" at JAs. I generally detest poly silkies. They are hot, clammy, and love to pucker when stitched, horrible for a lining. But this supposed lining fabric is great for bags as it comes in tons of great colors, is inexpensive and always available. I try to use light colored linings so items don't get lost in a big black bag hole.

 CONSTRUCTION:

This is really quite simple to construct. You can use Koos's plan for your collage of fabrics or you can simply use the basic shape as I did to do you own thing. The bag consists simply of a big circle for the top and bottom and a 8 inch band in between. Here's how I veered from the pattern:

• Fusible fleece was fused to a base of cotton that was cut to the three necessary pieces, top circle, band, bottom circle  (not including straps and buttonholes). This then became my canvas on which to stitch the appliques.
• There is a great, new to me, technique Koos specifies for the zipper. Love how it came out  and you can see that here on The Koos Zipper.  I can see a lot of potential for this technique on future projects.
• The applique fabrics were basically stitched and flipped, a technique used in many quilts particularly Log Cabin quilts. 
• In the SAs each sequin was cut to its center hole and slid off the connecting threads. I wanted to keep the threads so they could get caught in the SA. 
• Once the applique work was done this went together quite quickly. On the shell I had stretching issues despite carefully stay stitching and clipping. On the lining the pattern matched up perfectly, proving a nice draft. So be careful with all the handling of your fabrics and take all the precautions to not stretch those edges.
• The straps were made of faux leather. I used a size 14 stretch HS needle for that. Sewer's Aid, a silicone sort of thing, was rubbed on the needle shaft, under the presser foot and on the Fasturn tube used to turn the straps to the right side. I don't use any special foot when I sew faux leather. 
• I blew the wonderfully unique Koos buttonholes. I found myself in the zone and unconsciously proceeded to stitch down the appliques for the BHs instead of making the neat "butterfly" version that Koos teaches. Oh, well, maybe the next one. And there will be a next one! This was too much fun. 
• I added extra stitching to the area where the straps connect to the bag as suggested by Shams. How much weight does she put in that thing? I'm glad to know I'm protected for heavy loads!
• I wrote my initials and date on one of the F leather applique with a paint pen that I wrongly attributed to Sharpie. It is made by Krylon and works really nicely. No bunny tags on this one.

 

CONCLUSION:

I will definitely make this again. It is just too simple and too much fun. One thing I would suggest that is different from my beginning post on the construction (a few posts back) is the choosing of the fabrics. I went through a whole process of imagining and then labeling each fabric with the piece I wanted to use. That was no fun. I chucked that idea and just piled up all my fabrics and picked them out piece by piece the way a painter picks his paints. That's a lot more fun!

I highly recommend this pattern if you want a bit of a challenge, some great fabric play, and a super new big bag.

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 These are fabrics I am considering for my next iteration, greys, soft brown, pale turquoise. Have more searching to do before firming up the pallette.

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No new floor yet in my space but it's coming. In the meantime I played with my lights over the machine. I really want my dominant neutral to b white. I have been drooling over some of those lace covered lamps on Pinterest. Here's my attempt. I simply sponge painted the glass shades with white acrylic paint. It looks like lace from afar and gives a prettier glow to the light.

  

I love linings!

I have a strong belief that a lining should be an integral design element to your garment. There is something really special about walking around in a navy blue suit and secretly knowing there is a wild retro silk print lining inside. Besides, it is just plain fun to have a pretty lining. And what is more bland than lining fabric?
For me, picking out a lining is stash diving at its best. I have a fair amount of lovely silk prints that never seem to be right for a garment, but oh, they make beautiful linings. So indulge me a few pics of linings. The printed one on top is silk and lines a black tapestry/patent leather bag I recently made. I just love opening up that bag. And here's a secret: a pretty lining in a bag makes you keep it neater, really! The brown lining is an upholstery damask of scotchguarded acetate. It lines a bag of embroidered silk suiting and faux leather. I wish all linings were scotchguarded! And the gold bag lining is the WRONG side of one of those cheapo poly brocades from Joanns. It ravelled like the dickens, but I was able to tame that by interfacing the entire lining with Fusiknit. So on this dreary winter day, thank you for letting me bring just a peak of my bag linings into your world.

By the way, you can click on any of these to enlarge.

Bunny