messenger BAG

As I mentioned in my first post, these first few posts are me catching up to current time. I just started this blog and I wanted to give my readers a chance to see some things I have already done up to this point in time. So here it is, the most recent bag I have made. I went to a family reunion back in PA and wanted a bag that would fit everything I hold in my purse along with my Ipad. I already had a cross-body purse, but the actually purse is very heavy and I wanted something lighter since I was traveling across the country.

Again, I did not use a pattern. I literally just starting cutting the exterior fabric and crossed my fingers that I wouldn't mess up. I bought the exterior fabric from the fashion district in Los Angeles from Michael Levine. If you live in the LA area, you must go to the fashion district. There are rows and rows of stores that sell fabric. I did not have a lot of time, so I went to go Michael Levine's store, which is a huge warehouse of fabrics and notions. Anyways, the fabric I bought was a little pricey, but worth it because the pattern is amazing. The design is printed on silk and then laminated. It was difficult to sew the fabric at some points due to the laminate, but I learned to use tissue paper in between the fabric and machine for a smoother glide. The tissue paper will easily tear away after it has been sewn together.

Overall, the bag turned out okay. I was not happy with the top zipper, the side pulls that hold the strap rings, and the strap. I decided to make this bag the weekend before I left and starting sewing it 2 days before I left. I did not have time to make modification or even get to the store to look for another strap. My sister-in-law did like the bag a lot, but I already know what I would do differently to improve the structure of the bag. So here it is...and the next time you hear from me, I hope to be creating another almost masterpiece :)