Here's the Muslin Bag!

Here's the muslin bag, and I've started working on my red leather bag for the Patternreview contest. ConnieB gave me the cyber push to get going with it and I'd better! It's already April 16! I'm cutting out the leather and lining today and working on the embroidery flowers (well, hopefully on those flowers). I'll work on doing a review of the bag in the next week or so. I'm so busy, though, the reviews will have to wait. In fact, I was steaming mad because I did a review wadder, accidentally kicked out one of my cables in the back of my "old" computer, and the review went POOF! Vanished right into cyber air. Don't you hate when that happens!?!? Still have to work on the tutorial for the leaves but I'll do that the same time I do my review for the bag.


Here is a closeup of the ribbon flowers and leaves I made for it. Instead of using floral dept. stamens, I used (what else LOL!) my glitzy little HotFix crystals to add a little sparkle. If you ever have somewhere to go, thinking like one of your kids' sports practices if they're at the age, this is one of things that can help pass the time. Lo and behold, I can actually talk and make flowers and leaves at the same time. Again, I'll review the book on how to make things in the next week or two--that bag for the contest MUST get done.
The bag required two magnetic snaps. One of for the outside flap, one is for the inside lining. Below are pics of both. There is only one handle needed for this bag. That was one thing I really liked because it cuts down on the cost of the bag. The handle was leftover from a purse project two years ago. One of my purses was all finished. I put it on the floor near the corner of our bed so DH wouldn't step on it and he STILL stepped on it cracking the one handle. I had to replace both handles, but this one was leftover. I'm sure he'll tell me to thank him for it ;) .




Some bags require that extra "oomph" on the bottom. The directions had a great idea for that. Instead of using a Bag Bottom (or whatever they're called) or heavy cardboard, I bought plastic craft mesh at JoAnn's. It was a large piece and I cut it to the dimensions called for in the bag instructions, then pressed it into the bottom. Here's a pic of the mesh.

Last but not least, what is the size of this bag? I laid my measuring tape next to it and it's approximately 14 1/2" long from the top of the handle to bottom of the bag. The bag itself is about 9 1/2" for length and width at the widest part on both sides.
Overall, the assembly was very easy. It's always tricky trying to stitch near the handle, but it's do-able. The lining assembly was a "bagging the lining" technique similar to bagging a jacket. I left an opening in the bottom of the lining wide enough for the handle to go through, right sided everything out, then stitched the bottom of the lining very close to the folded edges. The instructions say to hand stitch, but who the heck is going to be looking at the stitching at the bottom of the inside of my bag? I'll include more details when I review it.

Right now I'm off to install my new printer to my new computer. I had to install the card reader before typing this post and tried to put off working with the printer as long as possible. Think I've done that :) .

Oh, I forgot to mention, it was a good day at the gym. Yesterday I discovered something that really bothered me and wonder if anyone else doesn't like this. I walked in, put my stuff in the locker, got on the treadmill and remembered that I left my John Mayer CD in the van. I use their CD player sometimes at the gym. It was pretty cold so I decided to just listen to the satellite feed music and not use my headphones. One lady, about 10 feet away, must have been watching something good on one of the many TV's with her headphones on. Anyway, she laughed, quite heartily. Heck I'm one for a good laugh too. But she kept going with it. Laughing loudly every minute like clockwork. Kind of like a sitcom laugh track and it drove me insane. Couldn't keep my workout focus. I'd rather listen to a cell phone conversation and some people do have those. Had to put my headphones back on and listen to something. Anything.

Oh well. If that's the least of my complaints then I must be doing just fine. Just never realized how annoying it could be. Add that one to my list of social etiquette rules at the gym--I will not laugh loudly and consistently with my headphones on thinking no one else hears me.