Quilted Little Book Bag

I started this project many months ago. The pattern is The Dainty Tote Bag, a free tutorial by Three Owls Handmade. It has a few sewing elements that I've been wanting to try my hand on... specifically quilting and binding raw edges on a bag. I started quilting one of the side panels using criss cross diagonal lines, hated the result and abandoned the project.

Maybe it was the new year, I don't know, but with all the Christmas gifts and other sewing projects done and out of the way, I made a resolution to finish all that I had started but never finished. I have about half a dozen of these in my TBF (to be finished) bin :)

Hence, the Dainty Tote Bag was revisited. After staring at the main body piece for a week, hoping for some inspiration, it finally came... Instead of geometric lines, why not use uneven, wavy lines in the same thread colors as the patterns on the fabric!

Bag panel quilted with uneven wavy lines

I loved it. Finally, progress!

I used the same owl pattern fabric as my first bag sewing project. I also used my own measurements in order to fully utilize the fabric scraps that were left from the previous project.

My finished bag measures 14" (width) x 9.5" (height) x 4.5" (depth), just nice for a few books and some extras.

My quilted Dainty Tote Bag

The tutorial was well written with lots of pictures. I did have some trouble when it came to sewing the side panels to the main panel. The layers were very thick, as each piece consisted of a layer of batting between two layers of canvas, and had to be sewn at a curve! I ended up hand basting before sewing the pieces together. That helped a lot.

Side view/panel of the bag

The binding was also a little intimidating. I tried machine sewing the whole thing which didn't work out too well.. couldn't get that half inch bulk to glide smoothly under the sewing machine, and the top stitching came out horribly. So I ditched the top stitching and finished the binding by hand with the ladder stitch.

Hand stitching was slow and tedious, but in the end, I was surprised by how neat and tidy it turned out. There is nothing wrong with hand stitching. Sometimes you just can't get something done under the machine needle. Other times, hand stitching gives you more control and makes a seemingly impossible task possible. It certainly is one way to finish binding seams/raw edges. I guess sometimes, a little patience goes a long way.

Hand-stitched binding produces a neat finish for the bound raw edges

The bag is secured with a top zipper closure.

Top zipper closure

And has two open pockets inside.

Bag interior

I am very happy with how the bag turned out. It's cute, durable and washable. My daughter uses it as her "Little Book Bag" (小书包) for those special school days when only a few books are required. And I am definitely glad that I saw it through. One down , a few more (in my TBF bin) to go :)

My handmade Little Book Bag

Rhythmic Gymnastics Apparatus Bag

This bag is my best work yet.. or rather, I am most proud of it :) It is the most functional bag that I've sewn so far.

I made it for my daughter to carry all her rhythmic gymnastics apparatus to her training classes. So it's our little Rhythmic Gymnastics Apparatus / Equipment Bag.

My DIY rhythmic gymnastics apparatus bag

Actually, it's big... 14" (width) x 12.5" (height) x 8" (depth). The 14" x 8" wide base ensures the bag can sit without falling to its side. It also needed to be in this size in order to hold all the apparatus.

Exterior pocket... perfect for carrying half shoes

I incorporated a recessed zipper, with a bit of gap on each end. This is for the clubs and ribbon stick to stand up, instead of being thrown and squashed around inside the bag.

Recessed zipper

I like to use a large-teeth separating zipper (also called separating jacket zipper) for this type of bag. It's washable and durable, and during construction, you could take it apart and sew both sides separately, which makes the whole sewing process more manageable and less frustrating.

Large teeth separating zipper

My favourite part of the bag has to be the bag interior. It has one main center compartment, four smaller side compartments and two open pockets.

Bag interior... multiple compartments and pockets for carrying and storing apparatus

Ta daa.... gym ball, set of clubs, ribbon and stick, rope, water bottle, shoes...all PROPERLY ORGANIZED! :)

Properly organized rhythmic gymnastics apparatus in a bag

My daughter even keeps a notebook, a set of ankle weights and knee pads in it.

Our perfect rhythmic gymnastics apparatus bag!

Clubs, Ball and Hoop Bags

To complement the bag, I also made bags for some of the individual apparatus - one for the set of clubs, one for the gym ball, and a cover for the hoop.

Gym ball bag and clubs bag

Gym ball and its bag, clubs and its bag

Rhythmic gymnastics hoop and hoop cover

The bags were sewn using home decor cotton canvas fabrics that I bought from Kamdar, our local textile shop. These fabrics do make for a hard wearing bag.

The hoop cover is a stretchy foil lycra, also from Kamdar. It has lost a bit of its shine after several months of use but it is still lovely :)


All in all, it has been a challenging and immensely rewarding experience sewing these bags. Where I live, rhythmic gymnastics isn't yet a popular sport. Good quality apparatus are almost definitely imported and cost a bomb. It is important that they are stored and transported with care, to prevent damage. Along with the apparatus themselves, suitable storage bags are mostly also imported and just as costly. For me, it just makes sense to DIY and sew them myself. I could custom make each bag for size and fit, use my favourite fabrics/prints, incorporate features that I like, all for a fraction of the cost of a branded commercially available bag.

Bags Galore

I've been busy sewing bags for Christmas.

Buttercup Bag

First, there was the Buttercup Bag, a pattern by Made By Rae. I made some modifications by adding the top zipper closure, and attached D-rings to the strap... so that I could change the strap if I didn't like it.

I love the whimsical cats print on the fabric, and thought it suits the buttercup bag perfectly!

Buttercup bag... work in progress

My finished buttercup bag!

Trail Tote

Then, there was the Trail Tote (small version), a pattern by Noodlehead. Again, I added the top zipper closure, and 1-inch square-rings to the strap because I couldn't decide between sewing the strap myself or using store-bought webbing.

My trail tote... work in progress

Eventually, I went with store-bought cotton webbing. And I forgot to take pictures of the final finished product before gifting it away!

Lucky Cat Bag

I designed this one by myself, specifically for the lucky cat (招财猫) fabric in my stash. It has 4 pockets on the outside, 2 front and 2 back. As with the other two bags, it also has the top zipper closure.

My lucky cat bag

Kawaii 招财猫 fabric bag

For me, handbags like these must be adequately secured, either with a zipper or a prominent flap. Most free bag sewing patterns out there don't include top zipper closures. But maybe that's why they are free.. because it isn't easy! It took me some time to figure out the best way to construct the bags with the top zipper, and I had to sew some parts by hand because the bulk just couldn't go under the sewing machine!

Double-zippered Wristlets

I also made about half a dozen of these double-zippered wristlets. Unfortunately, in my haste to finish and gift-wrap them in time for Christmas, I forgot to take pictures :(

These two were the first "prototypes".



The fabrics were fat quarters and fat flats that I got from the sale at Spotlight. The finished size is approximately 8" x 5". I could make 2 wristlets out of a pair of FQ/FF (1 exterior fabric and 1 interior fabric).


These bags were all sewn in quilting weight cotton fabrics. Quilting cotton has to be adequately interfaced or the resulting bag will be too floppy and without structure. I have since, begun exploring heavier fabrics, such as canvas, drills and home decor fabrics, for sewing bags. So far, in terms of handling and construction, I prefer the heavier fabrics to quilting cotton. The former also produces sturdier, more hard-wearing bags. But it is harder to find heavy fabrics in cute, interesting prints.

First Sewing Project - Tote with Welt Pocket and Recessed Zipper

I just finished my first sewing project - this Owl Tote.

Lined boxed-corner tote with recessed zipper

Not bad considering it was my first big sewing project, and that I'm new to machine sewing :)

The bag is basically a boxed-corner bag with lining. I added welt pockets and a recessed zipper just to make the work a little more interesting.

Interior welt pocket

Interior open pocket

Recessed zipper, with extended zipper on both ends for a wide opening

There are many tutorials out there on DIY bag making/sewing. These are the ones that I find particularly helpful in making this bag.


On Bag Making Process

ikatbag.com - I am so grateful for this wonderful site by LiEr, the author. She wrote a whole series on bag making! The series is great for understanding bag construction and how to approach sewing a bag by yourself. You can find it at The Bag Tutorials located at the side panel of the site and navigate from there. Or go straight to the Blog Archive of January 2013 when the first post in the series was written.


Sewing a Boxed-corner Tote with Lining and Zipper

I basically based my bag on this video tutorial by Debbie Shore. She shows the different pieces of a basic lined, boxed-corner tote and how they are sewn together. Very easy to follow.


Welt Pocket

How to add a zipper pocket to any purse pattern by So Sew Easy.
Simple instructions with helpful tips. I particularly like that it shows a few variations, all well explained.


Bag Straps 

Sew Perfect Fabric Bag Straps by Sewplicity - For simple and basic bag straps.

ikatbag.com has a full chapter on bag straps as well, with some more advanced techniques.


Recessed Zipper

How to sew a recessed zipper on a bag by So Sew Easy - Clear instructions and very easy to follow. There's a video tutorial as well. Debbie Shore's tote bag video tutorial includes sewing the recessed zipper but I find it quicker to refer to this one as it is only about creating the zipper panels and sewing them to the bag.


Zipper Tabs

My oh my... these tiny, seemingly easy pieces are the most finicky! I was finally satisfied with the ones made by following this tutorial from Sew4Home. I also took the time to hand-baste the whole thing before sewing - helped a lot!


Bag Bottom

I contemplated adding a bag bottom insert to strengthen the bottom but decided to go ahead without one (for now), because I didn't want to "waste" a piece of my very precious stiff interfacing. Bag interfacing is so expensive and so hard to come by here. But if I had, I was going to follow this tutorial by You SEW Girl which uses Peltex. Some other options would include using thin plastic crafting sheets (available at local craft stores), thin plastic cutting boards (i.e. available at Daiso), reuse/recycle bag bottoms from old bags. I figure I can always make a separate insertable/removable piece in the future, if the need arises. Anyway, we'll see how the bag holds up to wear and tear without one.

My Bag Pattern / Dimensions

Bag pattern / dimensions

My goal is to have a bag that is 15" wide, 12" tall and 4" deep, with straps that would enable the bag to be carried on the shoulder - about 22" long. Pockets and other dimensions are then worked out from these decisions.

I use 1/2" seam allowance on all pieces. The dimensions of the pieces below take this seam allowance into account.

Bag Exterior (front & back) : 
Exterior Fabric 20" x 15" (x 2 pieces)

Front Welt Pocket:
7" zipper
Lining Fabric 10" x 16"

Bag Interior (front & back):
The interior is divided into 2 sections - the main lining body and the top 1 inch that goes above the zipper panel. For aesthetic reasons, I use exterior fabric for the top 1 inch and lining fabric for the main body.

Exterior Fabric 20" x 2" (x 2 pieces)
Lining Fabric 20" x 14" (x 2 pieces)

Interior Front Open Pocket
To add aethestic interest, I use exterior fabric for the front side of the open pocket, and lining fabric for the inside portion. The exterior fabric is also cut a little longer than the lining fabric, so that it extends about 1/2" toward the inside of the pocket.

Exterior Fabric 9" x 8"
Lining Fabric 9" x 6"

Interior Back Welt Pocket
7" zipper
Lining Fabric 10" x 16"

Zipper Panel
19"/20" zipper
Exterior Fabric (top side of panel) 14" x 3" (x 2 pieces)
Lining Fabric (bottom side of panel) 14" x 3" (x 2 pieces)

Bag Straps
Exterior Fabric 4" x 22" (x 2 pieces)

Zipper Tabs
Exterior Fabric 4" x 2.5" (x 2 pieces)

For exterior fabric, I use home decor weight fabric, with thick fusible interfacing.

For lining, I use medium weight cotton fabric, with medium fusible interfacing.

After completing the outer bag and lining, trim off all seam allowances to 1/4" or less. There is quite a lot of bulk especially the part where the zipper panel is sewn to the bag lining.

Tapestry Crochet Water Bottle Carrier

Here's another water bottle carrier that I crocheted using the Tapestry Crochet method.

Tapestry Crochet Water Bottle Carrier

Close-up view

I've written about the construction of my water bottle carrier/holder in a previous post here.

Pattern Summary

Bag Bottom

For this bag, I chose a simple 3-color spiral pattern for the bag bottom.

3-color spiral pattern for bag bottom

Start with the magic circle with 9 stitches and increase 9 stitches every round for 13 rounds, for a total of 117 stitches. In the following transitional round, increase 3 stitches evenly for a total of 120 stitches.

Bag Body

The bag body is simply 5 repeats of this 24-stitch pattern. Total 120 stitches per round.

24-stitch repeat bag body pattern

The top of the bag is finished with a round of decorative shells.

Bag Strap

To save time, I bought a length of blue webbing, a pair of D-rings and a slider from Daiso :) I crocheted 2 small rectangle pieces to attach the D-rings to each side of the bag. The use of the slider makes the strap adjustable!

Crochet water bottle carrier

More information about the construction of the water bottle carrier here.

Crochet Granny Square Bag

This is a crochet granny square bag that I made some time ago.

Crochet granny square bag

Granny squares are marvelous. They are small, quick and fun to make. You can virtually mix and match any color combination. There is a myriad of granny square pattern resources on Pinterest and other craft sites. It's also easy to create your own.

Crochet granny square bag

Crochet granny square bag - other side

Bag Construction

Any number of squares can be used, depending on the size of you want to build. I used 35 pieces of granny squares for this bag. 

• 12 each for the front and back panels
• 4 for each side panel
• 3 for bottom panel

(12 x 2) + (4 x 2) + 3 = 35

I alternated between dark purple and light purple pieces, and made sure the colors lined up before sewing/joining. Laying them out also helped to determine what colors to use to make next square.

Lay out the granny squares

1. First, sew/join the pieces for the front panel. The front panel is constructed from (3 x 4) pieces of squares. Here, I joined the squares with single crochets on the wrong side, so that the seam doesn't show and appears invisible on the right side. 
2. Repeat for the back (or other) panel. 
3. Next, join the 4 squares for the side panel, continuing with the 3 bottom squares, and the 4 squares of the other side panel, so that you get a long strip of squares in (11 x 1) layout. 
4. Sew the front panel to the side+bottom piece from step (3), going from the top down to the bottom corner, across the bottom, and back up to the top on the other side. Here, I used single crochets on the right side, so as to give the right side seam a prominent and visible "corner".
5. Repeat for the other panel.
6. Finish the top with some decorative picots.
7. Attach bag straps and lining, and it's good to go!

Colorful crochet granny square bag

Tapestry Crochet - Water Bottle Carrier / Holder

This is my tapestry crochet water bottle carrier, inspired by the Wayuu Mochila.

Tapestry Crochet Water Bottle Carrier / Holder

Tapestry Crochet Water Bottle Bag

There are 3 parts of construction - the bag bottom, the bag body and the bag strap, each with its own pattern. The bag bottom and body are crocheted in one piece, in single crochet spiral (in the round without joining), starting at the bottom. The strap is crocheted separately and sewn to the finished bag.

The Bag Bottom

The bag bottom is basically a flat circle.

• A flat circle is typically made up of 6, 8 or 12 sections. For a 6-section circle, start the circle with 6 stitches and increase 6 stitches evenly every round. If you increase at the same spot every round, you effectively get a hexagon, i.e. a piece with 6 equal sections. Accordingly, if you start with 8 stitches and apply the same formula of increasing 8 stitches evenly every round, you get a octagon. That's the formula for making a flat circle.
• But you can actually start with any number of stitches as long as it works to make the piece lay flat. Tension, needle size, yarn type and stitch height play a part in this - using too few stitches can cause the piece to curve, forming a dome, while too many can cause puckering. The more yarns carried, the taller the stitches will be, and taller stitches tend to require more stitches. Test and see what works best. There are no rules.
• To make the shape more circular than angular, don't increase at the same spot every round. Instead, adjust and change/shift the point of increase in each round, so that the increases don't sit directly on top of each other.
• The diameter of the bag bottom should be slightly bigger than the diameter of its intended bottle, at least 1-2 cm. As the bottom piece curves upward and forms the body piece, the effective diameter shrinks a little. How much allowance to give it depends on how snug you want the fit to be. I tend to go for a looser fit, and have a bag that fits rather than risk one that doesn't, after all the time and effort put in.
• When you finish the bottom piece, the total number of stitches will be the product of the number of starting stitches and the number of rounds. For example, if you start with 8 stitches and work 12 rounds, you will have 96 stitches in the last round. 
• Depending on the pattern for the bag body, you may need to increase stitches after the last round, to meet the number stitches required for the pattern. I call this round the transitional round. For example, if you have 96 stitches after finishing the bag bottom, and the bag body calls for 104 stitches (for example, 4 repeats of a 26-stitch pattern), increase 8 stitches evenly in the transitional round.
• I like to start carrying the yarns from round 2. That is, after the magic circle (which is also the first round), I start carrying the yarns. This is so that the stitches' height and fabric thickness are even throughout. The more yarns you carry, the taller the stitches and the thicker the fabric will be.
• Because the piece is crocheted spirally in the round, color changes may result in color jogs. In some patterns, this can be hidden or masked by making some adjustments to the pattern or choosing a point in the pattern as the start/end of round so that the color change appear intentional. But if the color jog doesn't bother you, it doesn't matter :)

My bag bottom is a 9-sided polygon a.k.a. nonagon

The Bag Body

Crocheting the bag body is virtually a no-brainer. After completing the bag bottom and the transitional round, if required, simply continue working the same number of stitches every round, in single crochet spiral, following the pattern for the bag body, until you reach the desired height for the bag.

For me, the one challenge in making the bag body has been adjusting the pattern to minimize color jogs that make the pattern appear "broken".

See this.

Color jog makes the pattern appear broken

I have since learned of ways to work around the problem, though it took me quite a while to wrap my head around them. Even now, I still learn every time I make a piece. Sometimes, I work it out on paper or with software before I start. Other times, I just take a leap of faith and work it out as I go.

To finish the body, you can add some decorative rows like shells or picots, or just keep it plain.

I added eyelets for drawstring and finished with picots

The Bag Strap

The bag strap is basically a long, flat rectangle or oblong/oval. In order for the stitches to appear uniform i.e. all same-side stitches appear on one side, I do either of these, depending on the pattern.

1. Crochet a very long oblong/oval. After the foundation chain, continue working down the chain on the opposite side, without turning. In each round, I add 3 or more stitches evenly at each end of the strap. 
2. Crochet a very long rectangle. I start with the single crochet foundation stitch chain. The next row and all subsequent rows are crocheted from the same side of the strap. At the end of each row, the yarn is cut. Yes, there is a helluva lot of yarn ends to clean up :(

Thin/narrow straps tend to curl and stretch. To minimize curling, I carry yarns along even when color changes are not required. This also helps to make the strap thicker and sturdier.

The finished strap is sewn to the top of the bag body.

Water bottle holder with strap

Making the long bag strap is, by far, the part I enjoy the least in making a tapestry crochet bag. The long foundation chain is a pain to count, and the many pattern repeats agonizingly monotonous. I have yet to find a workable, happy alternative.

Many of the beautiful bag straps (of the Wayuu Mochila) that I see on the web are woven using some sort of loom, or braided, e.g. ply-split braiding. These processes seem tedious and time-consuming but they do yield beautiful, sturdy straps.

Patterns

Despite the multi-color look, only 3 yarns are used at any one time - one working yarn and 2 carried yarns. This is maintained throughout the piece to ensure even thickness.

Bag Bottom
The bottom is a nonagon, i.e. 9-sided polygon. I start with the magic circle with 9 stitches, and increase 9 stitches evenly every round for 13 rounds - 117 stitches. In the transitional round, I increase 3 stitches evenly, to get 120 stitches.

Bag bottom pattern

Bag Body

Work 10 repeats of the 12-stitch pattern - 120 stitches.

Bag body pattern

Eyelets
I use this buttonhole technique to make the eyelets. It doesn't leave any of the carried yarns exposed, like those that involve making chains and skipping stitches do. All carried yarns are nicely hidden under the single crochets.

Crochet buttonhole / eyelet

Some Helpful Links:

• Tapestry Crochet - how to crochet : https://www.anniescatalog.com/crochet/content.html?content_id=625
• Tapestry Crochet - more techniques and variations : http://www.tapestrycrochet.com/blog/?cat=18
• A Wayuu Mochila Tutorial (in Spanish) 
• Part 1 : http://www.ctejidas.co/2015/10/tutorial-18-mochila-wayuu-fucsia-parte.html
• Part 2 : http://www.ctejidas.co/2015/10/tutorial-19-mochila-wayuu-fucsia-parte.html

Crochet Mini Shell Tote

Crochet Mini Shoulder Tote

This bag was based loosely on Tangled Happy's Spring Inspired Boutique Bags pattern. I started out with the pattern but made quite a few changes along the way. I wanted a bag that can hold things, and be carried on the shoulder - like a mini shoulder tote. So I made it bigger, added a base, and made the strap longer.

About The Pattern

The bag is crocheted in a tube, with the bottom sewn or stitched together at the at end. The shell pattern is basically constructed from multiples of 3 stitches. That forms the basis of the foundation chain - any multiple of 3. For example, a foundation chain of 99 stitches will give you 33 shells. The length of the foundation chain will form the circumference of the bag. So if you want your bag to measure 6 inches in width, the foundation chain should be at least 12 inches.

An alternative is to crochet around the foundation chain, forming the circle right from the base, thus eliminating the need to sew. Make sure the foundation chain is the length of the desired width of the bag, not the circumference.

The instructions for Round 2 of the original pattern is especially confusing.

Rnd 2: Sl St in each dc of shell into sp between first two shells. Work Beginning Shell. {Work Shell in space between next shell.} Repeat between {} to end. Join in top of ch 3. (17 Shells)

After several attempts, I think I finally decoded it. This is what I did:

*Slip stitch in the top of ch3 (of the Beginning Shell) to join the round. Then slip stitch in the next 2 dcs (of the Beginning Shell) until you reach the space between the Beginning Shell and the next Shell. Work Beginning Shell in this space --> this is the beginning shell of the new round. Then work Shell in the space between the next 2 shells, to end* At the end of round, repeat from *.

Normally when you sl st to join stitches in the round, the "seam" is formed on the same stitch column, i.e. the sl st sits on top on the sl st of the previous round. With the method above, the "seam" is more diagonal than straight as the stitches for the new round starts at the space between the first 2 shells rather than directly above the first shell.

For the base, I simply made an oblong piece of single crochets, and sc it to the bottom of the body piece.

Added an oblong-shaped base

Shell stitches

About The Yarn
The yarn I used for this bag is Bendigo Woollen Mills Harmony in Carnation which is a cotton-wool-lycra blend. I had knitted up a top/vest with it, but frogged the whole thing soon after because I didn't like it and would never wear it. The knitted fabric was very thick and heavy, and felt rough on the skin. It didn't have the squishiness of wool nor the smoothness of cotton. Instincts led me to try Harmony on a this bag, and I loved the result! For me, this yarn is perfect for making crochet bags because it produces a thick, sturdy fabric that is essential for bags.

Love the bag!

From the foundation chain of 99 stitches (33 shells around), my bag measures approximately 9.5 inches wide and 8 inches from the bottom to the top center point (excluding the strap).