The second mostly girly bag

Oh, I want that one!!!

Trixie

Great bag! I REALLY like it! I am just now finishing a tote bag I am making to carry my needlework, sunglasses, a paperback book, casino cash, key/ID, and daily program for a fairly long cruise next spring. I found some great fabric with farm things on it -- cows, sheep, roosters, some stars, hearts, pine trees, checkerboards, and old- fashioned tractors -- which I did whole-cloth style quilting with black thread on the black lines separating all the farm goodies. Thus, it looks like patchwork, but is not. It's primarily green, with dark beige and dark rusty red, and touches of other colors. The lining is a bright yellow covered with jonquils. For edging I am using forest green bias binding, and for the handles (which go all the way around the bottom of the bag for strength and to spread out stresses) I found

1" wide belt webbing to match the bias binding. The handles are long enough loops so I can sling it over my shoulder. I am adding 3 pockets inside -- one on the front, one on the back, and a long "fat" one on the side to hold sunglasses. I am also making a zipper pouch to hang inside at the bottom and which I will attach with a cord.

Yes, I always take needlework of some sort with me when I travel! Quiet afternoons at sea are perfect times to find a cozy nook in a lounge, watch bingo or ballroom dance lessons or trivia games, chat, enjoy a cup of tea, and do a bit of stitching. I find that if you have your nose stuck in a book that people leave you alone, but if you have stitching that people stop to see what you're doing and to chat. Some have even dashed back to their cabins and brought out their needlework. On the QE2 (RIP), one lady was so excited to find someone with a needle and thread, and was so desperate to sew a button on a pair of slacks that she didn't care that the only thread I had was white and that my spare thimble was too small for her finger. I haven't yet decided what stitching to take with me -- the cruise is in March, and is just over a month. Maybe piecing. Maybe counted cross stitch. Maybe both.

I like that bag! For many years I have used a carbiner type clip on all my purses and bags, for my keys. It hooks into the strap, or ring of the strap. Keys get clipped on as soon as I set the car alarm. All bags/purses have a zipper and the clip is put where the keys are zipped into it. No more misplaced keys.

G> As promised; The second of probably many of the girly bag series of

My problem with car keys was getting them back. During our years supporting college offspring, I had to drive an ugly brown car nobody else wanted. ( I have to mention here that it was never ever dinged, pinged or bumped.) Frequently, somebody at work would want to borrow it for a quick errand and I never minded. Remembering that it had been loaned and Where Were my keys was a big problem. DD gave me an ugly nekkid rubber chicken for my key ring. Voila! Viola! that worked. There was no man or woman who accidentally forgot to give the nasty set of car keys back. That cold slimey fowl was also easy to locate in the dark depths of any purse. Ewuck. Polly

"Ginger in CA" As promised; The second of probably many of the girly bag series of

Ok, so you did say these are for your wife's fundraiser right? Can I buy them? Please?

Claudia

They are being auctioned off some time in September. There is a chance that I might be asked to do a production run of some of them and in that case I would be happy to let you have one or more of them. I only have enough fabric for the batch for auction so that would preclude getting rid of any of this batch. It always seems that when you go back for a particular fabric, they no longer cary it (sigh). To be honest, I would like to use some different fabric for some of them as the thought of doing an uncounted number of anything, reeks of the odor of work, and that is not in my lifestyle description, at this time. I will let you know, as to the status when the time comes, by e- mail. Thanks. John

I was given a baseball cap back at Christmas that has lights on it. So far, I haven't played baseball in the dark but it could happen - and - I'm betting John is clever enough to figure out how to light the bottom of the bag. What do think, John? Polly

"Roberta" The lanyard is a great idea. A couple of my more expensive retail bags

Possibly you could wear one of those cave spelunker lights that attach around your head by an elastic band. Although, from a fashion standpoint, it might be questionable. Then again trends have been started on flimsier ideas. Maybe just attaching one of those lights to the inside top of the bag facing downward would suffice. Although, I do like the vision of legions of women walking around with small lights held to their foreheads by an elastic strap. It is the devil in me I guess.

John

Beautiful, John! Are you using a pattern(s) for these bags? If so could you share which ones? They're really beautiful.

-Irene

Not really. I tend to create on the fly, so to speak. I have made about 20 different bags of varying patterns. One of the things I have found is that the style of the bag is dependent on the quilt pattern. I did some with a hexagon shaped quilted pattern, and that caused me to do a different assembly method,( I had to use a liner), than one with a square shaped quilted pattern like the 9 patch. The square shaped pattern is the easiest to sew, as the inside pockets, don't require a liner, as the same sewing that does the quilting can be used for the creation of the pockets. One of the Tricks I did use, is an oval serving platter as a template for the bottoms of those that I wanted as an oval shape. It makes for a bag that sits closer to the body than a round one. Trial and error is one of the best design methods for me. The lessons learned by mistakes, are the ones that stay with you as knowledge. Someone said to me that the sign of a good carpenter is one that you can't see his mistakes. It probably holds true with people who sew. Everybody makes boo-boo's. but if you can incorporate them so that they don't show, I am ahead of the game. Maybe I should write a how to book on sewing bags. Oh Great. Just what I need. Another project.

John

Not really. I tend to create on the fly, so to speak. I have made about 20 different bags of varying patterns. One of the things I have found is that the style of the bag is dependent on the quilt pattern. I did some with a hexagon shaped quilted pattern, and that caused me to do a different assembly method,( I had to use a liner), than one with a square shaped quilted pattern like the 9 patch. The square shaped pattern is the easiest to sew, as the inside pockets, don't require a liner, as the same sewing that does the quilting can be used for the creation of the pockets. One of the Tricks I did use, is an oval serving platter as a template for the bottoms of those that I wanted as an oval shape. It makes for a bag that sits closer to the body than a round one. Trial and error is one of the best design methods for me. The lessons learned by mistakes, are the ones that stay with you as knowledge. Someone said to me that the sign of a good carpenter is one that you can't see his mistakes. It probably holds true with people who sew. Everybody makes boo-boo's. but if you can incorporate them so that they don't show, I am ahead of the game. Maybe I should write a how to book on sewing bags. Oh Great. Just what I need. Another project.

John Wonderful bags, John!! I would buy the book! ;-)

Nana

I have a LIGHTWEIGHT flashlight attached to the key ring (same clip Ginger has to keep them attached to the purse handle.) I will NEVER EVER get stranded in a bathroom with a 'movement light' going out again. Had enuf time to get from the door into the stall and lights went OUT. I also always carry a small packet of Kleenex in my purse...and have used to flashlight to 'find it' when heading down the highway after dark.

Butterfly (wondering if an LED lite would be as bright?)

Yes, they are marvellous for their size, Butterfly. I don't think you need worry. . In message , Butterflywings writes

John that would be great! I look forward to your email when the time comes!

Claudia