On Aug 24, 3:17=A0pm, IMS wrote:
I just make all of these things up, out of whole cloth, as it were. The only thing I ever use a pattern for is clothing that I have never sewn before, and then I am apt to disregard some elements of the pattern when sewing the thing together, if I can see a better way of doing it. I have made a bunch of them for my wife in various colors. Just make a cylinder of the size you want. Most of them are about 14" tall by 12" diameter. Sew the quilt pattern and the batting and backing, just like it was a small quilt, but leave the edges you will be joining un-sewn so that you can turn it face-to-face and inside- out and sew that un-sewn seam of the sides of top together. Then just grade the batting out of the way and turn it right-side-out and fold down and sew down the lining so as to finish off the inside in a neat and presentable fashion. It helps for the first one you make, to use a square pattern like the 9 patch or Ohio star or other like design, as that makes for the ease of attaching the pockets on the outside, with no confusing seams running across the design. I run a strap from the inside bottom, where it is anchored, and sew it up the inside, and out the top and down toward the bottom and back inside the seam where the bottom is attached. Then I use a suitable plate, or oval serving platter as a template to cut out the shape I want for the bottom, that has been quilted in a diamond pattern. If you use an oval shape, you will get a bag that sits closer to your body, with the same carrying capacity. I personally like the round shape, but it is makers choice. Before I sew the bottom on I make and quilt a copy of the pattern, that will become the outside pockets. I bind the top, and sew the pockets down over the existing pattern, making sure to match the places where the patterns are. I use grommets along the top and use cotton cord with cord stops,(Joanne's has them), and brass snaps to close the outside pockets. Don't forget to bind off the top just like a quilt. After you do that you can sew the bottom on in place with the cylinder turned in-side-out, and then overcast that seam and sew it down onto the bottom. The overcasting makes the sides stand straight and the bottom flat and the whole thing looks professional. If you don't sew the overcasting down onto the bottom, the seam will be weaker and the whole bag will tend to lose shape and look like a sausage hanging off your shoulder. Which is not good, unless you are trying for that look. It might then be appropriate for a meat cutter to carry his lunch in, so don't rule it out if that is your intended recipient. I hope this is clear enough. If not you can e-mail me and I will try to be more explicit and maybe less confusing. Good Luck. John