Gypsy Sling!!!

Yes, she's complete!

Let's ignore the scuff marks at the bottom of the door and the touch up I need to do to the walls, OK?  THANKS!

My Gypsy Sling!

Cell phones nestled inside already and four (4!) pockets you can't see....this bag is the perfect size for me!

I used an outdoor fabric, Solaruim Outdoor Canvas-Merona Caribbean from Joann's Fabrics, which is the same fabric I'll use to sew the Weekender bag (at some point....I'm too tired right now).  The interior is canvas duck.  No, seriously.  I have about 10 yards of white canvas duck in the house that needed a use and this was it. I have a tendency to throw any and everything into my bags and I wanted something I could toss into the washing machine and not feel bad about it.  My last 2 bags are stained with chocolate, numerous water bottles, hot and cold tea, ink pens in various colors, a lip liner pencil, ink from papers that had bled next to the water bottles, and all the other various things that get stuck in the bottoms of women's purses (I just named the stuff I could identify).  Not to mention the numerous rips and tears in the delicate lining fabrics.  The white Sak crochet bag I bought 3 months ago looks like I've owned it for three years already.

So this bag, for me, was about beauty, elegance, and durability.  It had to look good, I had to look good carrying it, it had to be big enough (ie. Can I carry my laptop in this comfortably? Yes? Then it's big enough) to carry my everyday items. This is going to be the bag I schlep back and forth to NYC with.  This will be the bag I schlep around NYC with.

Making this was a labor of love.  I'm an occasional sewer; I can make what I want, when I want, as long as the pattern has great instructions.  Otherwise.....well, the results aren't always pretty because I don't sew enough.

So, what went into making this bag?

I read the pattern for weeks after receiving it.
I finally cut out the pattern pieces two weeks ago.
I spent 2 hours last night cutting out the exterior fabric, interfacing and lining.
I reread the instructions again.

I spent ~10 hours today sewing it.  No seriously, from about 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM I was sewing this bag.  What did I learn?

1. Take breaks.  Have lunch.  Eat dinner.  Walk away from it every so often.
2. Having a walking foot can save your life!  I've never used my walking foot before today and I can't imagine living without it now.  A walking foot is almost a must on this bag.
3. I don't think her instructions on making the fabric straps are correct.  If I had followed her directions, I would have had colossal straps (like 80" long per strap).  I took the first strap out, cut it in half, and sewed the ends together to get the correct length.
4. Amy must have a tiny phone, because there is so way I could fit my phone in her cell phone pocket.  I had planned to put 2 cell phone pockets in my bag anyway (I have a work and a personal cell, so it was a must), but looking at the finished size of her pockets, she must have assumed that everyone making the bag would be lining it in some super stretchy material.

The cell phone on the left (work) is on top of the pocket sewn by her instructions (using a 1/2" seam).  The pocket under the cell (personal) on the right is the same, but used a 1/4" seam.

The final result.  Each cell phone inside it's pocket....a perfect fit.  I didn't bother with the crease/pleat at the bottom either....too much bother.

I'm so excited and proud of what Ive accomplished.  I'm on vacation tomorrow, so I'm going to transfer all my normal purse stuff to this bag and carry it around town for a while. I'm also going to studiously avoid all the fabric and thread scraps on the floor (only what missed the trash) and the mess on my bed.  I need to enjoy this moment.

I'm back in the groove

Yeah, I know.

Shocked, aren't you?

I'm actually blogging again.  I'm actually sitting down and putting my thoughts to....well, not paper, but on something.

Anyway, here's a status update:

New Crafty Interest

In the past six months, I've spent a considerable amount of time at home.  It was past due; I had not spent any appreciable time at my parent's home since I can't remember when last year.  So, I spent about 6 weeks at my parents in May and June before heading home for a while.  Then, I spent almost all of August in Georgia.

So why do I mention this?

Well, Mom doesn't knit.  She sews.  So when I run out of yarn and my fingers start itching for a project, I take a side-eye to her fabric stash.  During August, after finishing my two Ravellenic projects, I needed a project. I needed something to knit....but with only Michael's and Joann's at my disposal, sewing was looking good.  For the past few months, I'd spent a lot of time contemplating sewing again.  Mostly, this interest was sparked by necessity; I needed to recover 3 ottomans in my house.  Well, I've finished 2 ottomans; one was recovered in white duck cloth, with a blue and white navy stripe cording offsetting the ottoman and the ruffle at the bottom.  It took all of my rusty skills (thank you, internets!) to remember how to make a bias strip for the cording, how to insert a zipper, how to accurately cut the fabric (lol.....I still goofed quite a few times) and how to work my iron (no seriously.  I don't iron.).

Once I was done, I cast my eye toward a long-time, back-of-the-brain project that I've wanted to do:  An update on my knitting bag.

Project Bag from Coffee and Chocolate Swap

I received this from the Coffee and Chocolate swap 3 years ago and I've used it constantly ever since.  It has logged as many miles back and forth as I have.  However the longer I used it, the more I realized I needed to update it.

You see, when I travel I never check bags.  So when I step to security I have a 22" upright carry-on, a Swiss Guard Book bag, and my knitting bag.  After a while I realized that to make life easy, I could tuck my cell phone, keys, ID, credit cards and Plane tickets into that knitting bag and go right through security.  No digging through my book bag; no having to stuff my purse into my upright right at the ID check. After a while, TSA stopped checking the knitting bag.  But placing my ID, credit cards, keys, etc, inside the bag meant it got tangled quite often, especially if there were more than one project.  What I wanted was an outside pocket or two for those items.  So, that's what I did, I made one!

Ha!  Just what I needed.  And it matches my DPN Needle roll...

So, I've been bitten by the sewing bug yet again....Next up

:)  I can't wait.

Vacation Crafting

I spent all of last week chained to the desk in my spare room doing work, so I wouldn't have to do any work this week (that plan failed.  I've checked the email everyday this week, even if I didn't act on it).

However I do have some knitting related items to share with you.
The Cambridge Jacket is 99% finished!

I still need to modify the zipper (the instruction called for a 26in zipper, I bought a 24in zipper, and it's still too big) but do you remember what I said about the size issue?

Yeah . . .It fits me.  This will definitely swamp my dad.  I'm a little worried about this.
(momentary pause to acknowledge that it is currently 89 degrees outside and I'm standing here in a wool sweater)

I have a few things I need to finish on the jacket (weaving in ends mostly), but the jacket is largely done.  I feel pretty good about it because it is my first completed sweater, it looks pretty decent and I learned a lot.  The Rubicon has been crossed.

I've also done some sewing this week.  I finished this in two hours last night.

The back of the DPN Case

DPN Case Interior

When it comes to sewing, I don't have a case of Startitis.  I can sit and look at the pattern and the fabric all day long and won't cut the fabric.  However, I have to admit that once I get started, I'm always pleased with the results.  I still sew decently well.

I've been working on this hat all week

M'Gonigle Hat

I loved the pattern when I saw it on Ravelry and I thought it would be a breeze, since the cable pattern has the look of the Bayerische socks I knit two years ago (wow, has it been that long?).

I've had to rework this hat 4 or five times.  Every day I end up tinking something because I either forgot to do a second repeat of the cables, or I messed up the pattern or I put the pattern where it wasn't supposed to be.  Either way, I goofed something.  But now I'm almost at the end of one skein of Stroll Sport Mink Heather and ready to finish this off.

In sad news, Needles and Knobs in St. Petersburg is the newest victim of the economy.  I got her email yesterday saying she was going out of business.  I know I should run up there to see what is on clearance, but since I just spent $151 at A Good Yarn Monday, I'm holding off.  I'll probably go on Friday.