fifrildi

A bit batty

Written by Elisabeth on August 13, 2008 – 18:18 -

This must be one of the most aptly named bags in the history of bag making - aka it nearly drove me batty making it. The front of this messenger bag is made from the cutest t-shirt I bought on vacation in Prague many years ago. Now a few years and a few kilos later it’s moved up in life to become a bag!

For a while I thought this bag surely would turn out to be my archnemsis (insert boyfriends dry comment “so you are a superhero now, with archnemesises and everything“). First I ran out of bias, red thread and vilene. Then when I went to the store to buy bias and vilene the store was out of vilene. I ended up with red bias and promptly forgot about the red thread.

A week later - still no vilene at the shop. Again I forgot all about the red thread. I did score thread the next day when I went to search for vilene and thread, but still no vilene. And a bag without some sort of interfacing makes for a very sorry-looking bag.

I had now spent what seemed like ages just looking at the pre-cut bag lying on my desk. It was time to search the Great Internet for vilene that would not be robbery in broad daylight when it came to postage. So I shopped, and I waited. And guess what - the same day the vilene dumped into my mailbox was the same day the shop had vilene again…

Now you would guess that after all that waiting I would simply jump to the sewing machine and sew like crazy. Instead the whole archnemesis-thing soldiered on. It was now blistering hot both outside and inside. I live in a brick wall building from the 1930s that leaves something to be desired when it comes to keeping cool and airing. So the bag just lay there. And glared.

But this past week the heat has finally let up (it’s pouring rain instead) so today I put the last stitch in my a bit battybag, andt it turned out so good that I’m seriously wondering about keeping it for myself instead of putting it up for sale in my etsy shop. But I will sell it ofcourse - as soon as the rain stops and I get some decent light to take pictures in.

Tags: a bit batty, archnemesis, cute, messenger bag, red, vampire, vilene
Posted in Bags and purses | 3 Comments »

Behold the Perfect Messenger Bag

Written by Elisabeth on August 5, 2008 – 20:39 -

After I had made a good old mess of my first attempt at recreating the Perfect Floppy Messenger Bag I wasted little time in making a second attempt. I just spent a couple of days pondering what to change before I started cutting fabric again.

The list of things to improve were rather long and included figuring out to improve the general texture of the bag without making it too sturdy (hence “floppy”), how to make sure the inside pockets ended up the size I wanted them to, measure the placement of the straps and teach myself properly how to sew a zipper (this is surprisingly difficult by the way and I ended up watching lots of frustrating youtube videos).

I don’t think I have used interfacing since the 8^th grade and I spent a long time at the shop fondling the different types before I ended up with a thin iron on for my flap and a sturdy sew in for the body of the bag. These turned out to be good choices and gave my bag the perfect floppy feel once I was done with it.

This time I didn’t ruin any needles and my shoulderstrap was not wonky anymore. My boyfriend nobly donated his Green Lantern t-shirt, and together with some old canvas curtains of mine the perfect floppy messenger bag was born.

And since it was deemed a success and I had gotten the taste of advanced bag making and redesign I decided to open my own etsy shop with my messenger bags, my totes, my frame purses and any other item that I would fancy to get a go at. After all a girl only need so many bags and purses – and I figured someone else might enjoy the ones I make!

Tags: messenger bag, sewing
Posted in Bags and purses | 4 Comments »

It all started with a bag

Written by Elisabeth on August 4, 2008 – 20:44 -

Years and years ago I bought something that turned out to be the perfect messenger bag. It was nice and floppy and hence shaped itself nicely around my bum, it was easy to overstuff, it had a perfect strap , there was a zipper on top, it was cool and that bag ended being my number one choice for every vacation and every time I needed “a bit bigger bag”.

I loved it.

I loved it so much that I loved it to tatters, and after having kept the bag artificially alive for several months I decided I need a new one. So the quest for the perfect new messenger bag started. My original bag was no longer for sale – and I had anyway decided that I as a grown woman of soon to be 32 was a tiny bit too old for a Ruby Gloom decoration with studs on my bag.

In my search I bought several lovely bags. But they were not big enough. Or floppy enough. Or simply just good enough.

Then I bought a sewing machine and the madness started! I researched the internet so hard. I measured the old bag in every thinkable way. I bought some canvas. I bought a zipper. I drew and cut and sewed pieces together with an annoying sort of frenzy. In my head I knew exactly what my new wonderful bag would look like. It would have the lovely glow of handmade accomplishment and perfection. The mental image of my new sea green messenger bag brought tears to my eyes and kept me at the sewing even when the needle broke on the zipper and the thread got stuck somewhere in the shadowy depths of my sewing machine. I was a girl with a mission.

The finished bag did bring tears to my eyes. But not from perfection. Oh no. The bag was limp not floppy. I had missed a seam somewhere along the way. I had not managed to sew the zipper on correctly and my idea of where to put the fastenings of the strap turned out to be way off mark and just enhanced that limp, sad look. I tried to cheer it up with some happy buttons with kitties on them and hung it on the rack with my other bags. 

It was not a sight for the weak-hearted. My perfect messenger bag had not turned out so good at all. Actually it had turned out quite bad. My dreams of being a Sewing Goddess had suffered a major blow. But then again. Considering that I still was in need for that Perfect Messenger Bag I dived in to my local supplier for all things fabric related and spent hard earned cash on interfacing, trim, a new zipper and fabric glue. Then I went home to for another go at bag making.

Tags: bag, craft, sewing
Posted in Bags and purses | No Comments »