Working on this bag has reminded me why when people ask why I don't publish a pattern for it I say, "it's complicated". It is complicated. I made it up as I went along the first time, and am consequently re-inventing it from the ground up.The first challenges came in the pattern drafting stages...
Originally, on the green bag, I just made a base pattern for how the shape would be, made one copy for front, used it also for the back, then slowly cut down the original pattern as I went to make things like pockets, etc. As I am here making this bag again, I thought it would be best to draft each pattern piece. As you can see in the photo at right, it meant many layers of tracing. (Not including the logistics of figuring out how the new fabric that will make the sides and bottom will not interfere with the over all shape and hang of the bag!)
The first seam has been done twice (once with zipper inserted, now without)- and to add to the complications, the main background and lining fabric I'm using - well, I'm using the back side of it as if it were the right side. Some times 'right sides together' doesn't mean, well, right sides together. Sometimes it means 'wrong sides together'.
You can see in the two photos below how the MP3player pocket didn't quite go as originally planned, either...as it turned out there was too much extra room in the pocket, so I had to put in some pin tuck folds on the fly after the pocket was
attached to the back.
It was well worth it, though, as my Zen fits in quite comfortably now and will not 'slosh' around in the pocket. If I ever own a cell phone, I'll probably build in a similar cell phone pocket. The Zen pocket is on the outside of the back of the bag and should (all things working as they should) rest against my lower back when the bag is completed.
The main back construction is done. On to the front!
Lisa
No comments:
Post a Comment