15 November, 2015

Boxy Bags








This weeks mission on Elm Street Quilts'  BAG IT series was to make some boxy bags.
I still have a QAYG (Quilt As You Go) bag to make to get caught up.




The first one made was the Medium Formula One car racing bag. The suggested tutorial was this.
And as soon as I got to the corners, I recalled this tutorial with dislike. I'd been down this rabbit hole before.

Yes, it results in no seams inside. Yes, it results in a bag that works. But it takes hours to do and the lining is floating around in there - too big - with no way to adjust it. I want to tack the corners of the lining to the outer fabric but I am resisting. Because I have spent enough time on this bag.


My cute checkerboard lining.



 The small Formula One and the Elephant Bag are made with this video tutorial.
Which is how it's done in RTW.

The lining is attached to the outer fabric via the serged seams, providing a nice neat interior.

Actually, I studied my son's Dopp Bag last year and the inside seams are finished with grosgrain ribbon folded over those exposed seams. And the lining is fused to the outer fabric.




 I don't mind my serged seams either. (Yes, I powered over those nylon zipper teeth at the side seam.). I put a drop of Fray-check on the corners where I trimmed the serger thread. The insides of these two bags are really clean.

And - it took 20 minutes to cut, fuse, and sew this bag compared to the hours spent on the first Boxy Bag. Who has that much time? No one will ever notice the inside - except for how loose it is in the first bag.





Lining all bunched up and loose. No way to cut it smaller or adjust . I am not tacking it down at the corners.








With cute tassel - made by me too.




Boxy Bags made in three sizes.

Baby: started at 8" x 6".
Mama: started at 13" x 8"
Daddy: started at 15" x 10"



I was thinking of making a Daddy Formula One bag but I ran out of my checkerboard lining fabric and grabbed some home decor fabric instead.

15 comments:

  1. Oh wow! I really like the race car bags with checkerboard lining. But I love the elephant bag with the tassel!!! It reminds me of Aladdin at the Hyperion Theater at California Adventure! By the way, I am making a petticoat & am undecided on long or knee length?

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    1. Seriously - will you start a blog or at least be on IG so I can see why you might be making a petticoat???

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  2. I have some of that elephant fabric too! Did I get it from you or you from me? One of my favorites for covering chair seats.

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    1. This fabric was from our infamous inaugural garage sale christening of my new car - five years ago! One big easy chair and it's ottoman, one big box of fabric and three middle aged ladies. The doors shut easily. Another amazing haul.

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  3. These are wonderful bags. Great fabric choices. Thanks for sharing and stitching along !

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  4. Those are really great bags. I saw something similar in a book this summer and have been meaning to sew it up, but I think that version has no lining. Your checkerboard lining is great, even if it didn't come out like you intended.

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  5. You're an amazing seamstress. They are great and will be so handy. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  6. The small bag and the elephant bag are so crisply boxy. I'm impressed that you remembered how to do that instead of the floppy lining method. I couldn't even remember how to assemble the lined tote I made yesterday! Memory going, going, gon......

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    1. YouTube video tutorial. Combining the lining into the outer seams results in a crisper look. They work together.

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  7. Oh my - I love making boxy bags - I have 4 done and ready to send to Bag It! when I get pictures, and I have more kitted to work on as time permits :D I hate raw edges in bags (especially in patterns I've paid money for, grrrrr) but I zigzag the raw edges of my boxy bags - I don't want to individually box and stitch 8 corners :D I match the thread to the lining fabric as closely as I can, and the inside looks just fine, and isn't baggy or bunchy. I use 14w x 16t for my big ones, and then work my way down from there, depending on the size of the fabric I'm trying to use up :D Your fabrics are fantastic!

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    1. I've been enjoying your bags (hello airplane material).

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  8. What wonderful bags with the racing cars and checkerboard lining. It's hard to find really good fabric for guys, but this is perfect. Found you via Bag It.

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    1. Formula One fabric was bought for my very best host sister in Sweden who is obsessed with formula one racing - which is nothing like Nascar. Thanks for stopping by.

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  9. Lovely boxy pouches, sorry they were such a struggle!

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