Crafty weekend!

Oh my gosh it's been too long between posts!  I have no other excuse than I just have to get in the habit of blogging.  :(  I was down and out with a horrible cold this last weekend but that is still no excuse.  (although no one really wants to hear about how someone isn't feeling well)  Great thing is, I am finally feeling like a human being and I am not going through a box of Kleenex every other day!  Ok.  This last weekend since I didn't feel like running around town doing errands, I got a project done that I've been sitting on the materials for about a year!!  I am not the best sewer in the world, but my resolution this year was to improve my skills with the sewing machine and tackle projects that I've pinned to my Sewing Board on Pinterest.

I've been wanting a messenger bag for quite some time and hadn't found one with a print that I just had to have so I had started looking on Pinterest for tutorials on how to make a messenger bag.  I stumbled upon this one from Fabric Mutt: http://fabricmutt.blogspot.com/2014/09/malibu-satchel-tutorial.html

And IT WAS AMAZING!!!  Honestly her tutorial walks you through each step and makes the whole process less daunting.  I was finally ready to cut up the fabric I had bought so long ago with a messenger bag in mind.  I will say I varied from the tutorial a little.  I wanted a wider strap for my shoulder so I made one out of fabric instead of using the cotton webbing and I didn't put on the top "suitcase" style strap because I knew I wouldn't use it.  Also, I totally forgot to buy the magnetic closures but I was ok with that in the end too because I know sometimes my bag will be filled fuller than other times and it wouldn't always be able to clasp anyways.  Here's the fabric I had bought:

I have a slight obsession with argyle, so when I originally found the fabric I knew I had to have it.  I really had wanted to match the dark teal color for the inside of my bag but never could find the right shade so I went with the orange.  It matches perfectly!  (I have a little bit of OCD with that sort of thing...I know the inside and outside wouldn't be visible at the same time but I just couldn't buy a shade of teal that wasn't spot on.)  Ok, originally I was going to do the whole outside with the Argyle but decided that might be a bit much so instead I did just the flap and my shoulder strap with it and did the body out of the dark grey.  I am really not sure what I was thinking when I bought the chevron fabric but that worked out too because my son said he wanted me to make him a bag for his Bible and his workbook when he goes to Awanas and so I made his bag out of that and the grey.  For C-Man's bag I followed Fabric Mutt's pattern sizes and after I cut out the pieces for his bag, I realized that I wanted a larger one for me since I plan on using mine for my work bag.  That way I don't have to carry a purse and my crochet bag to work and have free hands!  Riding the bus and hanging on to 2 bags just gets to be too much, especially when the bus is so full it's standing room only.  So, I figured out how big I wanted it and made the adjustments.  Here's the pattern and sizes of my bag:

The only thing that's not on there is the strap pattern.  I cut 2 pieces of fabric 4" x 48"...one out of the argyle and the other out of the dark grey.  Ironed on some fusible interfacing on each piece, pinned them right sides together, sewed them, turned them right sides out and then sewed about 1/4" from the edge to lock them down.  I think they turned out rather well.  I did the same thing on C-Man's bag except I cut his straps 2" x 30".  I used interfacing I had on hand...which varied from some thinner iron on stuff to fusible fleece and I have to say, when I make another bag, I will use the fusible fleece for everything.  It definitely adds more stability to the bag, especially since my bags are both made of straight cotton fabric.  Here's a couple of pics of all my pieces cut out:

I am SO HAPPY with how my bags turned out!!  This tutorial truly walks you through each step and even with the changes I made with the straps, it was easy to follow and I've been using my bag every day.  I will say when I make another bag, I will add more pockets on the inside.  I had thought about it when I was putting it all together but was so excited to get it together that I didn't take time to add more.  I didn't take time to think about a pockets for my chapstick (so it's not hiding out somewhere on the bottom of the bag), earbuds, Tylenol bottle...just little things that rocket around in the bottom of a bag.  Next time for sure!!  Honestly this bag was so easy to make I may make several!!  Here's the finished products!!

My Beautiful Argyle Bag!!

C-Man's Awana's Bag

I will leave you with this...if you're searching for a messenger bag and not finding exactly what you want...MAKE ONE!!!  Customize it to how you want and don't be afraid!  This one is going to be filed under Pinterest WIN!!  :)

Later Gators!

Tiffany