Hapai Tote

 This is a largish tote that I sewed this weekend. Santa was pretty good to me this year - this Hapai Tote was offered as a kit from CloBird Designs. It arrived in January and didn't sit around too long.

It's designed by Jessica Curzan of SewDaKine in Hawaii. This is who I order my cork fabric from.

For this tote kit, I opened it up and was rather dismayed to find it was all taupe. The cork, the lining, the main fabric were all shades of nothingness. I almost started sewing it with the burgundy thread in my sewing machine but decided to sew it as a normal person who never deviates and always has matching thread in the sewing machine. (It was screamin'difficult for only ten minutes)

 I liked how Jessica designed this. She also runs  a Production Sewing group on Facebook. Keep the shapes simple, cut multiples at a time, sew each section, then move on to the next. Already things I'm interested in. Jessica puts it out there in a fun, productive way. She is earning a living (plus) sewing bags. A goal to emulate.

 Once I was finished, it was still beige, and the rainy day was so not helping on the camera lighting.  I added a Hawaiian zipper charm and then hung it up to ignore for a couple of hours.
 
 I decided it needed a giant tassel.
 
I still have Kyle's turquoise tassel that she sent me. It was the right size but not quite right, color wise. I rummaged around and found a burgundy vinyl and quickly made a tassel that *helps*.

I love how the pattern designer added a recessed zipper to this bag. It keeps things from toppling out. This bag is made with firmer materials like cork and canvas but it still likes to collapse a bit.

Her directions are for the intermediate sewist. There were a couple of directions that a beginner would need help deciphering.

It's big enough to throw a couple of beach towels in. It's also washable. Yes, that cork is washable. It's a renewable resource, backed onto a stabilizer fabric. It doesn't fray, making this easy to execute.

I'm still staring at it and knowing it will pop over to the etsy shop to be sold to someone who appreciates it more.

It's way too big for  me. Perfect for a beach tote - size wise - but the colors don't make me happy. I might do some more work on it - maybe some hand-stitching in a burgundy color to match the tassel.

Sketch Wallet

I have wanted to make a wallet with a  zipper enclosure for a while. Choly Knight from Sew Desu Ne offered up a free tutorial a week or so ago and I got inspired.

Really inspired. Before sewing it once through, I added all sorts of amazing bits.
Which is bad!
Note to self: Please try to sew items the first time as per directed.

Above is my second attempt which is so much better than the first one.


Below is my first attempt.

What? You can't see what could be made better?

I immediately had to add a  see-thru vinyl zippered pocket. The attachment is onto the spine, which is floppy. I ironed on some SF 101 to the spine before sewing but it isn't enough. And then to add another pocket for it to support. Ahem.

After turning acrobatics, it comes out pretty wrinkled. Attempting to iron it smooth, I scorched my pretty Summersville fabric store.

Then, I got my iron too hot because now my interfacing won't lie smooth. Anymore.
(I pre-shrunk that interfacing too!)
I hated - okay - disliked the pellon decor bond 803 that Choly had you add to the outer sections to stiffen them up.
On a good note, I did not burn a hole in my vinyl pocket.

I also tried out a metal zipper because I had one in the exact length. I actually liked the metal teeth on this wallet, but there wasn't enough sub-structure to support this heavier zipper.

I love how my second one turned out.

First off, I used a nylon zipper - as called for in the directions! and following my recent success at putting zipper pulls back onto zipper tape, made it a double pull zipper. You can unzip from both directions.

Secondly, I ditched my awesome extra vinyl pocket. I may add it back in.

Thirdly? I looked around my sewing room for something to add to make the outsides stiffer. I found these disposable meat cutting boards. I originally bought these for camping but they have migrated into my sewing room for making templates.

So useful here. I cut two a little smaller than the outside dimensions, rolled them up and inserted them and mushed them into place with my fingers. Then I sewed this seam shut (open from turning it inside out).

Musing on needing a stiffer outside, I thought about inserting peltex (pellon 70) inside but that stuff is thick - about 1/16" thick. The plastic was much thinner and works perfectly.

Seriously awesome sturdy sketch wallet.
Now, I need to go shopping for a sketch book that fits.

Have you jumped on the adult coloring book bandwagon?
Zentangle anyone?

 
Blue sketch fabric is from Riley Blake's "Rocket Age".
Ticket fabric came from Japan.
Cork fabric (New love - it does NOT fray and looks amazing) was purchased from this seller.    The cork helped to give this structure as well - home dec weight.