So…

If you’re following along on the progress of this design, you might remember from our last post, that as pleased as we were with that sample, there were still quite a few smallish-type changes I felt were called for!

The result is presented at left and if you compare this photo with one from our last post you may be able to spot some of these changes yourself!

So let me give you a quick tour,
then I’ll tell you about this yummy fabric!

Here’s the new look of this Bag Front.
The first big change you might note is at the four top corners of this bag. I changed these corners so that instead of turning UP at the corners, I just let them continue DOWN in a very natural way from the center of the Bag.

Another change I made that I really like, is that I extended the Side Bands UP and over
the Bag Top edges so that they themselves become the D-ring holders.
It seems like a more organic progression & I like this look very much!

The last change I made was that I moved the Side Bands 3/8″ further away from the side seams.
I just like how the bias tape binding looks as it proceeds BEYOND the Side Bands. 🙂

Here’s a good look at the Bag Back. I like using our translucent zippers in this area because it reveals the contrasting lining and indeed spotlights it so that it actually becomes another design element in and of itself! 🙂
Pretty cool, right?

And finally, on our last sample, the length of the Zipper Panel for the main compartment caused a problem with the Side Bands extending over the Bag top edges, so to compensate for that, I altered the Zipper Panel this time, but now I’m thinking the Zipper Panel is STILL TOO SHORT (Grrrrr), leaving too much of a gap between the zipper pull and the side wall of the Bag, but not too worry, I’ll definitely resolve this issue, hopefully in the next sample I make.

And the last BIG change I made for this sample, was that I added a bias-taped Slip Pocket to the interior. It seems a tad too high because its too close to the Zipper Panel, so I’ll lower it next time.

So, it may be a bit before I show you the next sample of this new design!

Not to worry though, it’s just that its time to get serious about Quilt Market & Festival. Next Wednesday, we’ll be on the road for ~two weeks in Houston, then a week or so catching up when we return, THEN comes… the not-so-fun part. In mid-November I’ll be laid up for a couple of weeks as I recover from my 2nd knee replacement.

I have my work timed so that I can work on more sedentary activities, such as writing the bag instructions, and prepping for our Annual Advent Calendar Sale, but I probably wont be able to get back to sewing until after Thanksgiving. Not to worry though, those activities are all part of getting ready for a new pattern. They all have to be done sooner or later, they’ll just be done sooner this time.

And now… A word about this unique fabric!

I was very intrigued by this interesting fabric by the Morris Group for QT Fabrics! It’s called “Mystic Owls“, and even though I’m an abstract kind of a gal, I’m really not sure I “see” the owls in this design just yet, (do YOU?) but I still love the fabric!

I paired it with a glittery light blue fabric I’ve had in my stash for a long, long time (yeah, I know it doesn’t so much look light blue in this picture), but you can tell in the bag pics that it is in fact, light blue.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with how this sample came out, & I’ll make the little adjustments indicated on the next sample.

And now…. it’s YOUR turn!

I’d love to know what you think of this design thus far. What do you think of the changes I’ve made so far? And if you have comments you’d like to share, suggestions you’d like to make, or questions you’d like to ask about this design in general or this sample in specific, please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

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