Weekender!

I still can't believe it's finished. I keep looking around the studio to see if there's a piece I missed or something.

But it's done!

Indoor pics since it's rainy rainy rainy.

The exterior fabric is home dec. weight Amy Butler. Months ago when I went to Whipstitch to purchase the pattern, they were having an amazing sale on this bolt and I just couldn't pass it up. I got this fabric for less than I would have spent on quilting cotton.

I lined all the exterior pockets with the same solid that I used for the piping/handles:

For the bag interior, I wanted something different but not too crazy.
I think light green with white polka dots is perfect.

Like many other people who have made the bag before me, I found the 30" non-separating zipper almost impossible to find. 

The only place I found one online wanted triple the price of the zipper in shipping. 

Ick.

So I purchased a 36" parka zipper and added fabric stops. 

I wanted to add feet to the bag but I find purse feet generally ugly. 

My solution?

Size 60 covered buttons. 

It's certainly not a perfect bag. I can see places where the piping bunched in the curves that I wish were laying flat.

Yet it wasn't nearly the bad experience that I had expected.

I will be making another. It's very likely that my mother will steal this one from me anyway.

Thinking that the next one might be the Quilt as you go method. Primarily because Laura is making one that I'm incredibly jealous of.

Things learned:
-Using fusible tape for the piping is wonderful. Less stitching of piping is always a good thing. So I'll certainly be doing that again.

-Next time I'll be using fusible tape to hold down the seam before attaching the zipper. I'm not sure if I didn't pin enough or if it was just something else I was doing but the fold kept slipping which meant I had to rip the seam and resew. I think fusible tape would just be a good safeguard.

-Buy a new pack of needles. Or two. There were three needle breaks total (on the triple layers of Peltex and the double layers of piping). When I started the bag I had two jeans needles and thought that'd be alright. Bet if I have a whole pack next time I won't break a single one.

I'm certainly glad the bag is finished and I can move onto other projects, but at the same time I'm glad it's finished because I can pack up a bag I made for Sewing Summit.

Way better than going to Target and buying luggage.