Simplicity 4391 - The Alexis Bag - Finished!

I got an earlier start today – well, earlier than yesterday; I started around 2:30 pm.  First thing I did was cut out the lining sections and the facings.  The whole time I was cutting the facings, I couldn’t understand why I needed them, but I went ahead and interfaced them.

The first thing I did was sew the pocket piece onto one of the facing sections.  I was still scratching my head over it.  I looked ahead in the directions and to be honest, even to my intermediate sewing skills, it looked like a waste of time.  The facings were going to cause the lining to be longer than the inside of the bag.  So I figured I will just do this the same way I did the Rooster Bag lining.

I sewed the front and back lining sections together at the sides, and then I took off the same amount I took off the body of the bag to make it not quite so deep.  Then I sewed only part of the bottom of the lining, leaving an opening for turning in the bottom.  Then I boxed the corners.  This picture shows it turned just so I could check the corners – when it is inside the bag, it will have the right side in.

After turning it inside out again, I basted the pocket to one side.

You can kind of see where the bottom isn’t sewn in that picture.

Then I inserted the bag right sides together into the lining.  I only basted it all together, because I wasn’t all that sure it was going to work – this time, in addition to the flap, I had the pocket to consider.  I also had to be careful not to catch the tabs with the D-rings in the sewing.

Then I gave birth – to a perfectly formed baby bag!  <INSERT HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF HERE>

I put the spool of thread in there to open it to show that the pocket actually ended up where I wanted it.  

I turned it all back inside out so I could properly sewn and finish the top seam.  After that, I turned it again, pressed it down and top stitched around the top.  I stuffed it with plastic bags to take a decent picture-

This is exciting – only the strap is left.  Alexis likes a long strap that will go cross-body, so I figure if I cut it 60” it will be long enough finished.  All I have enough left of is the batik, so I guess that is going to be the strap.  It’s only going to be 1” wide when finished, so I’ll just use the rotary cutter and ruler to cut a piece 60” x 3” – I will fold it in half and use a ½” seam allowance.

I interfaced the strap with the lighter interfacing – I figure that way, if Alexis wants to shorten it temporarily, she can tie a knot in it.  It looked pretty darn long when it was put together-

Sewed the strap on and Alexis said it was the perfect length!  I offered to do the “E-word” to it for her – Embellish – but she said no.  Darn, I got the prettiest turquoise colored beads...

Another project finished!  It’s amazing how productive I have gotten lately.  I actually want to get out of bed in the mornings as long as I have sewing to look forward to.

I am so excited about my next project.  It is going to be a Christmas gift for someone very special that I know doesn’t read my blog.  Details tomorrow!