Friday FOs

So glad you stopped by today!

Today’s FOs are a case and a bonus. Diva and SG use the pouches and bags I make them, but mostly Diva’s stuff is spilling out of her cases. So I made the Traveling Essentials 2 from By Annie to replace her make up pouches.

When you’ve made dozens of bags, you tend to have your own methods of making. IF I make another, it’s going to reflect my preferences.

The outer fabric is linen and the lining is cotton with Flex Foam between. I used a diamond grid for the quilting. For the pocket bindings I used a FQ and had to be careful with cutting to get what I needed. I later decided I needed more, to be explained later. For the bag binding I used a different print.

I omitted the carrying strap, Diva would never handle it that way. For the handle strap you prepare 2 pieces, the spine and the handle. Strapping is inserted in both, but I had cotton webbing on hand, but found it’s too thick. On future projects I will sub in Peltex for the spine and keep webbing in the handle. The pattern also uses strapping in the D ring and Swivel Clasp tabs, I will use Flex Foam. In the photo above you might notice what rubbed me wrong. The mesh pocket is only bound on the top zipper tape, not the bottom. Having made gazillions of the Pellon cases, that omission stands out to me. I added them to all tape edges, which meant I was short pocket bindings, and I had no more of that print. I used remnants from the black FQ I used for the bag binding, which lead to the selvedge being used, yes I was that short.

You can just see the color peeking through the vinyl, and more from the back side. I used a tip from a fellow quilter, I can’t remember who. Markers. I took a black Sharpie and colored over it. Now you see, now you don’t.

Pocket before sewing it on

By the time I got to the last pocket, I was questioning my sanity. It’s a dozy!, a dimensional pocket, with a zippered closure, placed at the bottom of the interior. I was doing well until the binding was sewn on, the zipper teeth got overlapped, but it closes, so I’m calling it done!

I love the exterior pocket*, sure wish I had more of that oyster/black print. This pocket hides the hanging strap. The mesh and vinyl pockets were the easiest and you can see the scrappy bindings I used. The dimensional pocket has a bound seam to hide your edges**.

Diva better appreciate her momma after this!
And she better not tell me there’s not enough room!

*Next time I would use a thin batting for the pocket. The Flex Foam in both layers is a bit much.

**Binding tip: When a seam has a curved edge joining a straight edge, add the binding to the straight edge first. Much easier to sew the binding on a straight edge and then sew that piece to a curved edge. You only have to sew around the curve once.

The bonus! Leftover quilted fabric turned out to be the perfect size for an extended Call Me case, also By Annie, so I made it for me. I did one a few weeks back for a class I taught and gifted it to my friend, since it matched a case I made her.