Saturday 16 June 2012

Waiting on a Messenger

This post is past. I actually finished the Zakka Style Messenger Bag on Monday but have not, as yet, had a chance to write about it until today. It figures though because this project has had to wait before. On the tri-bar slider kit that I should have ordered BEFORE starting. I did try to buy the hardware locally from the 2 major fabric chains Lincraft and Spotlight but to no avail. I ended up purchasing via the Etsy store listed in the Zakka book. No problems with shipping but my unpreparedness put me behind the Zakka Style Sew Along by 2 weeks with this one.


This project was the 2nd only bag project I have attempted after the earlier Zig Zag Tote and I was a bit intimidated. However, it was a lot simpler to follow the directions in the book without getting into trouble.


There are a lot of great versions of this messenger bag on the Flickr group but I kind of stuck with the original colour palette in the book and I am so happy with the results.


Fabric Choices
Amazingly enough, Spotlight have just added some textured / woven solids to their quilting range lately and I was able to buy a lot of fabrics for the Zakka projects and use my $40 off when you spend $100 voucher to buy some really lovely large 1m cuts. Also some pre-made bias binding and various zips.
The rest of the fabrics, for the leaves, came from the scrappy solids I had lurking around. The outer body of the bag is from the previously purchased Essex linen in natural. Now the inner lining fabric is from Alexander Henry and I only had 1 yard of it instead of the 1.5 stated in the book, but I managed to stretch it by using the linen for the outer pocket lining.


Variations
Lining - I changed the layout of the inner pockets in the lining, added some interfacing and also added a magnetic clasp to keep the inside closed. I have seen a few ladies use these to keep the flap closed but I had already made the flap and could not work out how to put it in without a lot of unpicking and rethinking. 
Straps - The pattern called for a 1.5" strap in the same fabric but I wanted to show off some of the great lining fabric and so I went back to the Zig Zag Tote instructions to make a 2-toned version. Unfortuately I miscalculated and mine ended up at 2" wide. They kind of squished into the 1.5" tri-bar slider.
There are only 2 things that I am unhappy about:


1.  Is the stain that the basting spray made on my leaves because I really overused it.
2. My mother has requested the bag for her August birthday present (so that means that I have to make myself another one eventually). It's nice that she liked it that much though. I am making her a matching Zakka Style Orchard Tweed Pouch to go inside as a surprise.
I am linking up with...





6 comments:

  1. Your version of the bag looks great! Love the shade of linen. The inner fabric is nice too!
    That is rather annoying when someone sees something you've made and wants one too..not knowing of the hassles it caused you to make it =D

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    1. I would have to agree with you Cherie but in my mum's case I am willing to hand it over because she has made soooo many bags of her own (2 for me) and it is kind of a compliment that she wants my humble 2nd bag. She took home some fabric and the zig zag tote pattern as well.

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  2. I love your bag, Fiona! Great colours! You did a great job with it.

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  3. How did I miss this post? Your bag looks so beautiful! I can definitely see why you'd want to keep it for yourself, but quite a compliment your mum loves it too :)
    You are doing so well learning new sewing skills and techniques - it's very inspiring.

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  4. Beautiful bag! I love the leaf pattern on the front and the colors. Wow! Thanks for linking up to TGIFF on my blog this past week! :)

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  5. Beautiful bag! I love the leaf pattern on the front and the colors. Wow! Thanks for linking up to TGIFF on my blog this past week! :)

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