2013 Refashion #3: Thrifted Curtain to Tote Bag

I was in need of a bag to take to the SewExpo. What I had at home were too structured (canvas bags or thickly interlined bags), or too small (grocery reusable bags). I wanted a soft bag that I can fold or roll into my handbag, sturdy and big enough to carry my sewing kit and purchases, and I want to carry it cross my body. Basically I wanted a crossbody tote bag...

Enter this lovely curtain I thrifted from Goodwill a couple of weeks ago:

It's pretty simple looking, with horizontal stripes of shades of red and orange. It felt like a southeast asian weaved cloth, you see. Like one of those bags or fisherman pants you'd get from the night markets in Thailand or Cambodia. Anyways, that was why I brought it home, and even though I wanted to save it from the scissors (initially) I didn't. After all, why have nice fabric if I don't use it?

Now obviously there were many decision making that took place before it got to the stage of sewing.  For example, deciding how big I want it to be....

I cut 4 pieces of 22 x 24" (2 pcs for the body of the bag and 2 for lining/inside) and 2 pieces of 40 x 4.5" (for the straps). Then prepared the pockets and such for the inside.

To assemble my layers and attach the zipper, I viewed Elizabeth of SEWN's process, and followed this tutorial from Bemygoth.

Unassuming basic looking crossbody tote bag

Finished dimensions: Approx 20 x 15 x 6". Straps: 38".. :) It's quite huge on me that a lady observing me sitting and arranging my purchases into the bag at the shopping booths exclaimed: "Now that's a tote bag!!!" LOL.

Just a heavy duty black and copper ish 22" zipper, purchased for a diff project but no longer need it for that

View of inside pockets:

Outside looking in

Inside out: Smaller pockets with 2 sections for pens sewn onto a bigger pocket with repurposed (from Ikea seat cushion) sew on velcro

Inside out: An oversized pocket with repurposed sew on velcro

So voila. That was it. Started on Friday morning. Finally done by midnight the same day since there's this and that to do around the apartment and with the Bean. Super useful the whole day on Saturday at the expo. Even my camera case fits in there with the rest of the things:

Wearing my Me-Mades

I wore my me-made eyelet Vogue 1247 top and carried my new slouchy but clutch-esque bag this recent Sunday when we went out for lunch and run errands... I had my husband snap my picture before everything gets crumpled, and I like em! LOL!

Okay, I was playing around with Picasa, and can't remember what editing I did, so don't mind that the coloring and so on are different for the 3 pics okay. 

What's important here is that I have some pics of me wearing me-mades! That's rare.;)

So, this bag while cute and can fit a lot of stuff (and can also fit my small laptop and/or Ipad), it is not that practical if I use it for my everyday life (that may include bus rides with the Bean, and I have to hold my bag, his bag, our shopping bag/s, his folded stroller and him!). But it's okay for when going with the hubby who'd drive us, and can hold onto the wriggly Bean.

This top I do like and can wear all the time, especially over jeans. Notice how the top is boxy? That is totally my fault, not the fault of the pattern at all. You should go check out Carolyn's to see it's true potential! 

The pattern V1247 already informed you that it is a relaxed, loose fit top. But of course since all these pattern sizing befuddles me and I do like casual tops and I do need and love room in my clothes, I always add all these inches. And on a stiffer cotton eyelet fabric like mine, you can see how I make it boxier that it would have been (obvious in my 3rd picture there). I could shape it better I know, take it in a little around the bust and let it flow/taper out towards the bottom. :) Next time! I don't want to have to unpick all that french seams and whatnot! :)

Oh, and also, I changed the neckline of course. I don't like a wide neckline so I narrow it a bit, but I retained the depth of the neckline. I did raise the back neckline though.

The skirt in the picture is not a me made. To date I've only made one skirt after being inspired, impelled by Faye's obsession ;) After many of us make some noise, she finally invited us to tag along on her skirts carnival! We are having a carnival of skirts 2012 sew-a-long that is starting today! Join in on the parade!

Now, I better go get going on my skirt...

p/s: Almost forgot to mention that I'm having a patterns stash busting giveaway! Check it out :)

Blog-anniversary Refashion!

My little blog is one this month. From my own personal history, it's quite an exciting feat to last this long and to finish any project... And I've finished quite a number of projects since starting (sewing), and have this space to document them. I think I still have 3 UFOs, but I think I can go back to those and get them done by end of the year.. :)

Anyways, I wanted to do a refashion to celebrate! The remainder of our boxes arrived the other day, and among the things I kept for this purpose is this:

Before

A black and white stripey knit blazer from Zara (Basics). I had it maybe 5 years at least, and have worn it about 5 times, max. The fit and cut are great (eventhough 5 years later wearing it buttoned up feels like I'm a stuffed sausage), but the stripes are too severe on me hence why I don't like to wear it out much. Maybe if the stripes are thinner and smaller? :) What a pity because I really do like this princess cut blazer.

So, chop chop. A special refashion for my blog-niversary is in order. I want a slouchy clutch-y bag for me out of this blazer! :)

Retained the blazer front. Cut it out the size of 2 A4 papers taped together

Manipulated the back piece a bit, some pinching darts, added some fabric on the side, and then cut out the size of 2 A4 papers taped together like the front

Play around with different look with fabric from my stash, and this is the winning look

It's a faux leather fabric, thrifted for $3 back in Iowa

Here I was applying self-fabric piping to the edges

Found this thick satin-y hot pink/fuchsia fabric from my stash (in one of the boxes) that will be perfect and loud for my lining

Sewing lining onto the inside of the zippers (thrifted). Lining pockets are sewn before that.

After!!! My slouchy clutch-y bag

View of back of bag

Sewn rescued metal snaps

View of the inside of the bag

So there :) After making clothes from scratch for a stretch, it is quite satisfying to go back and do a pretty involved refashion. I feel like I am getting in touch with my roots somehow. LOL.

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Anyways, I think I've mentioned before our huge move back in May that I want to do a giveaway of the patterns I am hoarding. I do have a lot of nice patterns (mostly thrifted) that I am sure other people will find better use for than I would. I'll have to sort through them first before putting them up (wasn't able to do it before the move), but it will be soon before the month end for sure.... (once I know how to do a giveaway of course...)

My Leopard tote bag

It's finally done! Yay!!!

Materials:
Some synthetic leopard print fabric "harvested" from a thrifted vest-and-bermuda shorts set

Leather scraps from a gifted thrifted long black leather coat
Thick interfacing


Pattern:
Based on Bag F of McCall's Fashion Accessories (Laura Ashley) M4400


Alteration/modification to the pattern:

I wanted a leopard tote bag like the one I saw on Boden's catalog, so I made some modifications on the pattern.



Firstly, I added if I'm not mistaken horizontally: 4 inches to the middle of the bag, 1 inch each to the sides, vertically: 4 inches to the middle, and 1 inch to the bottom.

I also added length to the straps. I top-stitched leather (same material as the applique at the base) onto the strap, this is also modification from the pattern. Instead of setting the straps inside the seam, I sew them onto the body of the bag, like the inspiration photo above, and sew scraps of leather onto it to cover the stitches that attached the straps to bag, and also as and added design element.

Since my last post re the bag, I've made another little change to the pattern: eliminate the facing portion (that also holds drawstring for the bag) because my upsize of the pattern rendered that portion to be too small. But no biggie. Without the facing, the tote bag now is more true to the inspiration picture, although I also added a button (it's a leather covered button, and came from the same coat that I "harvest" the leather for strap and appliques on the base).

Conclusion:
The bag is 15.5" tall, 17" wide and 6" thick. I used a thick interfacing, but it's not stiff. It's tough when sewing multiple layers, and sometimes this cause the stitches to skip :(.

I love my leopard bag! It's huge! And I'm so glad that it's finally done!






Linkup:



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Now I can move on to other projects. But first I have to finish my Sew Cute Dresses class project. I didn't last night at the class, I'm very slow like that. I'm making Dress #11, I am Tiny Tucks. I think I'm going to make adjustments to what I've already done, snip** snip**. When I'm done, will have to go back to the workshop to show my lovely teacher. So I better get going!

What I've been working on...

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I found this vest-and-"bermuda shorts" set at my favorite local thrift store a year ago. Must have been someone's previous year's Halloween costume, or something like that. I can't imagine anyone wanting to wear this otherwise, and most definitely not both at the same time :) But to each their own. I got them for a quarter each, and they had been languishing in my to be refashioned pile ever since.



I definitely see that they are made of synthetic fabric, and and on the printed side have this smooth shiny a little furry like feel to the fabric.



Saw this tote bag on the Boden catalog, and it's been the inspiration of this project:



Now, just have to finish it!!!!