To carry all my mad loot!

This weekend I'll be going to the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.  I wanted something that would both suit the occasion and be a great sewing project.  I found a tutorial for a fun bag over at Sew Hooked's blog.

I started with some denim I picked up at the thrift store.  I'm not sure how much yardage is there, but it seemed a great beginning for my bag.  With denim, I won't have to worry about interfacing.  It should hold up just fine on its own.

When I pulled the tape off, it left some sticky residue behind, but it didn't really affect my cutting.  Sure, this might be plug for Goodwill, but I do some of my best shopping there.  Besides, I'm not sure you can buy a single yard of denim for that price.

Since I can't make only one of anything, I cut out two bags.  I wanted to make sure that I had a couple to pick from.  Besides, I'm going with a friend and she might like a bag to hold some of her wooly loot.  I followed the basic directions provided by Sew Hooked for cutting and some of the construction.  I made some changes to the construction order and some of the methods to fit in with my own work-flow.  Not everyone creates the same and sometimes what works for someone else just doesn't work for me.  I'll post my construction instructions some time in the future. 

I picked this wonderful, playful floral and the blue which is something like a batik, but just a print.  I had enough that I cut a piece for an inner pocket.  I stitched it down around the middle so it makes two little pockets for the inside.  Great place to hold my wallet and my cellular. 

I picked up a great embroidery design as part of a sale over at Urban Threads.  They have amazing designs.  These aren't those cute and cuddly applique and embroidery designs that are more suited to the nursery than to your shirt.  Great stuff!  This one really works for this project since we'll be looking for fiber (both spun and un-spun) from around the country. 

I used small pieces of some scraps to cover up the fold of the fabric.  It was dirty from being on the bolt so long and hanging out on a thrift store shelf.  I'm not even sure it will come out in the wash, so covering it was the best option.  This adds a little bit of style and hides the imperfection  of the underlying fabric.  It also brings the lining fabric out into view. 

I learned that I would like the strap to be longer on this bag.  It fits, but I'd like to have it fall closer to my hip than my waist.  I'm not an overly tall person, so if it bothers me, it will likely bother taller people.  I'll have to add to it for all future bags.  (Yes, there are more of these in my future.)

I can't wait to head out to the festival.  This bag begs for yarn to nestle inside. 

UPDATE:  The bags were mentioned on the Urban Threads website Flickr Roundup for May.