A Completely Different Bag

I finished the bag from my Japanese quilting book.  I love it! It's put together very differently from other bags I've made. The directions and techniques made sense and worked very well. The product has a different feel and looks and handles beautifully.

You make the front, back and side panels in sections, completing each before sewing them together. This would make for an excellent on the go project. The patterns come in sheets in an envelope in the back. I traced it off. The patterns are well drawn and very detailed if you want your project to look exactly like hers.

The Japanese style here includes lots of hand stitching and imperfect shapes, although she really leaves that up to you. I decided to go with machine stitching all throughout. It was easy to do that. The instructions are neatly laid out on the page and included good pictures. I like enough words and pictures without too much to confuse me. It was a good balance. However, I'm not sure there is enough there for a beginner sewer. Sometimes it's good to have something just for the big girls.

I followed the directions to make a bunch of log cabin blocks and then randomly combined them to make a panel for the front and the back. I used a line of fabrics that all went together nicely without any glaring colours or patterns (Persimmon by Basic Grey). Then you quilt this back and front panel to the backing. I wanted to try a heavily quilted look and stitched almost every line. I also used lots of decorative stitches and a light gray 50 wt Aurifil thread.

Then you quilt the side panel with a grid pattern. I wondered if I should put something heavier for an interfacing, but the close quilting seemed to do the trick.

Now you stitch the back and front to the side panel, add handles and then sew a facing to each side, encasing the top edges and handles. You stitch the facing to the quilted inside panels and use a binding strip to cover the inside seams. All done!

I have loved this book for its cover for some time. I have now made the cover bag and would love to work my way through the book. I probably will! However, I can really see how including handwork would be excellent. The finished bag has the feel of something you would keep for a long time, so not something you mind spending time on. These bags are perfect for this. I am also be challenged by the monochromatic colour scheme. My first bag worked out well, but mmmm, the possibilities! From the way this bag shaped up I'm really looking forward to trying the other shapes.

the inside - note the cream facing

 The outside