I managed to finished the Amy Butler Weekender Travel Bag and let me tell you,  this is no fun project. As much as I enjoy making bags, this one was just no fun at all. Don’t get me wrong, I really love the bag and all but the process of making it was just plain annoying. But let’s start with the good stuff. (Click on the pictures for a bigger version)

The Good:
The pattern is well written and Amy explains you nearly everything at least once and for us metric people there is a conversion chart which is very helpful. The Bag has an awesome size and shape and I can see myself use it a lot! It’s definitely big enough for a weekend trip or your sewing machine plus fabric and notions. But why bag doesn’t have some pockets on the inside is beyond me. 

The Bad:
The cutting. It took me 3,5 hours to cut everything. I had to cut 22 pieces for the outer shell, including the facing, plus 11 for the lining because I added some pockets. And then I had to cut some more for the cording. Did I mention I hate cutting? I’m not crazy about the lining, and that you have to sew it on by hand and  I really think it could use some interfacing and should be a tad smaller to fit more tightly. I also would have been thankful for a suggestion what to do with a all the bulk from the seam allowance, because it really gets in your way. 

The Ugly:
The sewing. Because of the interfacing it was incredibly difficult to sew the layers together, and I didn’t even use Timtex, I can’t imaging using an even stiffer facing than I did which was Freudenberg T290. And it doesn’t help that 90% of this project is sewn with a zipper foot.  The hardest part was sewing around the corners and I really wish there would have been a more useful tip than “go slowly” in the pattern. Try forcing your fabric with 6 layers + interfacing + another 2 layers of seam allowance into a nice curve. Good luck with that. Another thing that really annoyed me was that the bottom panel is too long, so I had to rip the whole thing off, shortened the bottom panel 1 cm and sew it on again.

Final Notes: 
The bag is HUGE so I added a zipper pocket and another two pockets on the inside, I highly recommend this to keep your things organized. I also made the handles longer and wider and padded them with some fleece, instead of interfacing,  so the bag is more comfortable to wear on the shoulder. For reference: the pattern tells you to cut the handles 3″x48″ and I cut them 4,75″x57″. 

There is no such thing like a 30″ non seperating zipper, so don’t bother looking for it and just buy a longer one and sew a zipper stop. 

Binder clips are your friends unless you want to bent all of your pins. It’s impossible to pin all the layers together and I was really thankful for the binder clip tip in the pattern, so go and get some.

I added 6 bag feet on the bottom, just because I never used them before and I think they’re cute :)

I used fusible tape to close up my bias strips like suggested here, it worked like a charm and I had one less seam to worry about. For more tips on the Weekender check here, here, here and here.

I know this read like a long rant, but in the end it was worth it because the bag is really great. I just wish it would be more fun to make it, because I really want another one but the thought of going through it all over again makes me cringe. But hey, give me a couple of months and I’m probably crazy enough to make another one :)

I think it’s time for a little game: Guess the mess. Here you see a whole lot of fabric and now you have to guess on which project I’m working on…..

….it’s the Amy Butler Weekender Travel Bag, and the mess in the picture is the fabric that took me 3,5 hours to cut. Argh. If I’ll every make this bag again somebody else has to do the cutting, seriously. Does anybody else hate cutting as much as I do? Anyway, I hope I’ll finish the outer shell of the bag this weekend and then make the lining next week. Now I have to pack up my little sewing machine and get it over to Tony’s apartment and start sewing.  I’m still not sure if I used the right interfacing and my machine is acting kind of weird lately, so wish me luck.

Sew a fabric bucket - check. And yet another item  I can cross off my Project List. I really fell in love with this little bucket, and I have to hold myself back from sewing another twenty in different sizes. I used some Ikea fabric I originally bought to reupholster my armchair and tried some freehand embroidery around the leaves. At the moment I use every project to practice my freemotion quilting and I have the feeling I’m slowly getting better.  It was a bit tricky to sew on the round bottom, but in the end who cares if it’s a perfect circle or not :)

What else can I say? Go and sew some buckets, they’re really cute. Check here if you want to make one yourself. Or go to my Make something - Storage Boxes post for even more tutorials

I made another item from my Project List - the 1 Hour Bag, well kind of, because it turned out nothing like the original one and it took longer than an hour. If you want to make one yourself, check out Jodie’s fabulous tutorial and while you’re over there, drool over her amazing selvage frock.

It was so much fun sewing this bag, you wouldn’t believe it! It started out with a boring day at work where I, instead of working, drew the pattern for the bag. (My boss will never read this blog so I guess it’s ok to say so :) Back home I was going through my stash and found some pretty turquoise corduroy I bought a while back, and from this point on I just improvised. I appliqued some circles to the front and stitched two circles by hand, one with embroidery floss the other with wool. For the back I actually used the left side of the fabric and while I was staring at it, I felt kind of brave and tried some free motion quilting.

After sewing in the lining it didn’t quite fit, because I used a some polar fleece as interfacing, but I liked how it looked like binding and so I went with it.  On to the handles. I only bought half a meter so I didn’t have enough length in the grain for the handles, and since the fabric is super stretchy I stuck for a moment. But the god of improvisation was kind to me that day, so I just cut 4 strips and sewed them together changing from left to the right side of the fabric. 

At this point it totally looked like a hippie bag and something I would have loved back when I was 17. Again I did some free motion quilting, which will come apart pretty soon because the tension was way off, added two buttons and that was that: my totally improvised, “I’m 17, going to Ibiza and do a lot of *beep*, because I’m a hippie” 1 Hour Bag.

I really love this bag just because making it was so much fun. It was so liberating not trying to be perfect and going with the flow, that for a brief moment I thought this is the way I will make every project from now on. But I know myself too well to realize this isn’t possible. But I will try not to overthink everything I make, that’s the first step, right?

I actually managed to leave my happy place (the bathtub) and can now cross something off my project list: the camera strap. I found this great tutorial, and had enough scraps from my quilt left over to come up with this:

Now I can wear my camera in style and the only thing left to do, is to really learn how to use it. And I have to built a light box to take pictures because the lighting in my apartment really sucks.  I’m not sure if I should take a photography class or just buy a book. Can anyone of you recommend a good book on digital photography?

Update: this is an on going list so I’ll update it regularly with new projects and cross off the ones I’ve done

I thought I’d post my project list for you guys to give me an extra kick in the butt. I shamelessly stole the idea from Katy and will also put it (in a smaller version) in my sidebar. So here we go, all the stuff I’m planning to do in no particular order:

 
Amy Butler Weekender Travel Bag - Done!
Got the pattern and I know what fabric I want to use (Amy Butler Buds in Chocolate), but still have to order it and figure out what interfacing I should use since the suggestion on the pattern isn’t available in Germany. And I’m not sure if I should make a prototype first. 

Camera Strap  - Done!
Have the pattern and the fabric.

Spring Quilt
Yup I’m already planing my next quilt. Already have a pattern in mind and most of the fabric (greens, yum!). Still need to buy fabric for the sashing and back and finish the pattern/measurements.

La Rue Bag
Can’t believe I found a pattern for this one! I was so pissed when I found out they sold it in Germany but that it sold out in a day. Now I only have to decide what fabric to use, but this will be hard because I have two totally different styles in mind. Maybe I’ll just make two.

Apron
I would love to make the Emmeline apron but I don’t have the pattern. So either I’ll buy it or I’ll make the one from Seams to Me. Either way: I need fabric.

Camera Bag
I don’t even know where to start with this one.

Tuna Quilt
Since Tuna loves the quilts I make I thought I’d make one all for her cute self. It will be a great project to practice free motion quilting because if I screw  up, I’m sure she won’t mind :)

Amy Butler Lounge Pants
I ordered the fabric in September and while I was waiting for it, I made one out of a bed cover for me and black ones for Tony. So have the pattern and the fabric, just need to buy the trim and start sewing.

Skirt
This scares me. Have the “Sew What - Skirts” book, but haven’t made a pattern yet because measuring myself is not that easy. And I have trouble finding my widest part, because, well, uh, I have so many *cough*.

Purse Organizer
Have the pattern, and probably the fabric

Upholster my armchair
I have the fabric, still have to buy some bias binding or make some for the piping. I just have know idea how to make the pattern because the armchair has an odd shape

Oven Mitts
Still have to make the second one for Tony

Pillows
I really could use some nice pillows.

Moleskine Cover Done!
I’m still waiting for the creative spark to hit me. Can’t decide if I should patchwork, embroider or applique it.

Step Lively Slippers
Have the pattern and fabric, still need to get the vinyl.

One Hour Bag Done!
Really another bag? Oh well, I guess I’m a bag lady. Have the pattern and probably the fabric. 

Fabric Bucket Done!
I want to make at least one for my sewing room, and probably a few more for the bathroom and my office

Patchwork Belt Done!
I plan to make this out of the scraps that will be left over from the Spring quilt

MacBook Sleeve Done!
Have the fabric, not sure about the pattern but I’m thinking envelope style.

Midnight Snack Bag
I want to make my own pattern for the bag and use this fabric. 

Highbrow Hobo Bag Done!
Got the pattern over at U Handbag, not sure about the fabric but I think I’ll go with an Echino print

Summer Blouse Done and Done
I need to make at least two of these. From Heather Ross Weekend Sewing

Kimono Dress Done! kind of :)
Also from Weekend Sewing. I saw a great green linen that would be perfect for it but it’s 23 Euro the meter, so I bought some cheap Viscose to try it out.

Goodies for Sina
Something with swirls for our private swap

A bag for Elke Done
Because she’s turning 30 and ask for one
 
Peewwh, I guess that’s it for the moment. To be honest I have no idea when I’ll finish or even start all the projects, work is sucking the life out of me again but I’ve promised myself to keep up with being crafty. So wish me luck ladies.