McCall's 6875 Version 8 and Teacher Bags

I thought before I revealed the first finished dress of the sewcation that I would share so more reversible bags that I'm giving to the teachers for Christmas.  They already know what they are getting and when.  I had ARD meetings for both the nerdlet and the bear cub the last week of school and I took a stack of fabrics for them to choose from for their own bags.  These are not all the bags that I made, but I have already given away a handful.  The five on the right are the ones for the teachers and speech language pathologist.

Here is the finished dress, McCall's 6875 version 8.  This was supposed to be the bear cub's first day of Kindergarten dress dress.  It is a size 4 dress and is the smallest of the four.  It makes me kind of sad that I'm probably not going to be making size 4s anymore.

The two fabrics that I bought are so gorgeous.  I bought them from the sale area at the local quilt store.  I always go through the sale fabrics, and while I often buy from them, I hardly ever find quality fabrics like these two.  I had a hard time even believing they were there.  Here is a close up because you can't really see the beauty in the large picture of the dress.

Anyway, I'm back to sewing now as I have three left to finish.

And if anyone cares, here are the links to the other bags I have made and the tutorial and the other versions of this dress.

Bag tutorial

Other bags 1, 2, 3

Versions 1 and 2

Versions 3 and 4

Versions 5 and 6

Version 7

Teacher Appreciation Gifts 2014 - part 2

Yesterday, I posted about the first four bags that I made for teacher appreciation week.  Here are the other four that I made.  I still plan on making a number of pillowcases for the bus drivers and aides, but I likely won't post about that, but it will be two coordinating batiks for each pillowcase.

I didn't plan it, but apparently there is exactly a four inch repeat on my favorite butterfly fabric. Which makes for identical straps.

The two identical butterfly bags one turned each way.

And the last two identical bags, one turned each way.

If I had purchased enough fabric, I would be making one of each of these and the ones I made yesterday for myself.  I really love these fabrics, and the bags are so sturdy.

Teacher Appreciation Gifts 2014

This coming week is Teacher Appreciation Week.  Last year, it was later in May, so I thought I had more time.  I had purchased fabric to make more bags already, but I hadn't really started anything until yesterday.  I was going to make them all out of batiks, but upon a visit to my local quilt store, I found this fabric on the clearance wall and felt it was perfect to go with the red that the nerdlet insisted upon for her teacher.

After working with it all yesterday, I still like it a lot and I'll buy the rest of the bolt if there is any left on my next visit.

I'm using the same reversible bag pattern that I drew up for last years bags.  I'm still using the first bag I made like this heavily and while my dragons have detached somewhat, the bag itself shows no signs of any wear even from multiple washes and hard use, mostly carrying loads of books.

So far, I have four bags done.  For some reason, they are taking me longer this time to make.  I'm not sure if I am spending more time pressing and ironing or just being too much of a perfectionist.  I haven't had to seam rip or redo anything so I don't have an easy explanation for the slower work.  Luckily for me, Q entertained the girls for me most of yesterday so that I could work mostly uninterrupted.  This year, I am making gifts for the bus drivers in addition to the teachers, speech therapists, and aides so I still have a lot of work to do.

Teacher Appreciation Gifts

I got a note in the bear cub's backpack saying that this past week was Teacher Appreciation week and telling us what we could do to show our appreciation that week.  It also listed their favorite colors, snacks, and drinks.  I decided to make them bags and spent last weekend making them.  I actually finished them Tuesday night and they went with the bear cub to school Wednesday this past week.  Two of these are actually for the nerdlet's teachers, but the bear cub has six teachers.  There is the main classroom teacher, the special education teacher, the speech therapist (the only therapy the bear cub gets is speech), and three aides.  I can't really express how pleased I am with how much care and attention that they give the bear cub and how well she is doing so I felt that this was more heart felt than sending a soda one day and a candy bar another.  These are the bags.

I also took a bunch of pictures so that I could post a tutorial.  I think this is about as easy as you can get for a lined, reversible bag and I'd love to know how if you think you can do it with fewer seams.

 First cut two fabrics: the first 18 x 42 inches and the second 18 x 35 inches.  Before actually cutting, I would measure the width of your fabrics because some fabrics that are supposedly 45 inches turn out to be less than 42 and if that is the case, you'll want to use that one for the shorter cut.  In the event they both are you can reduce the height of each of these by the same amount until you have enough fabric.

I use the leftover ends for the handles shooting for two pieces as close to 4 x 18 inches as I can.

 

Fold this piece in half wrong sides together and press.

 

Then I fold both of the raw edges inward and press again.

 

Then I topstitch both sides 1/8 inch from edge.  I made two of this bag and the two bags had different fabric for handles.

 

Now onto the bag itself.  Fold them both in half and sew the bag pieces 1/2 inch from the edge along the length so that your two pieces now measure 18 x 17 1/2 inches and 18 x 21 inches.

On the longer piece, cut out 5 1/2 inch squares from the seam and the bottom fold on each side (so the rectangle is actually 5 1/2 x 6 inches). 

From the other piece, cut out 2 inch squares from the seam and the bottom fold on each side (so the rectangle is actually 2 1/2 x 2 inches). 

At this point, you will want to open one (and only one - you'll be using the other one to turn the bag) of the 2 inch squares bringing the corners out to make a straight edge and sew 5/8 inch from the edge.

 

 

 

 

 

After sewing the first seam 5/8 inch from the edge, sew another 1/8 inch inside that seam.

 

Only one side is done at this point.

 

Open the 5 1/2 inch corners the same way.  Sew them both 5/8 inch across and again 1/8 closer to the edge.

Place the bags one inside the other right sides facing.  Match the seams of one bag halfway between the seams of the other bag.

Pin the handles in between the two layers.  Mine were three inches to each side of each seam.  Check to make sure the handle pieces lay in the same direction so that you handles do not twist in the final bag.

Sew around the top of the bag 1 inch from the edge.

Open the bag and pull the bag all the way through so that you only see right sides.

 

 

  

 

Almost there.  Now at the edge bring the bottom of the inside layer to the edge of the opening.  Fold one edge of the opening over the edge of the inside layer (I find it easier to do this with the seamed edge of the opening.  Fold the other edge inside touching the other folded under edge.

 Press and sew 1/8 inch from the edge making sure to secure the beginning and ending of your stitching.

 I match the other bottom edge of the inside layer to the other bottom edge of the outside layer and sew this side also 1/8 inch from the edge. So that both outside edges look like the bottom bag in this picture and both inside seams look like the top bag.

 

 Press the bag opening with one layer slight above the other.

Topstitch 1/8 inch from the edge and again 1/8 inch from the first seam.

Here are what the two sides of your reversible bag should look like.

 Your final bag should be super sturdy as none of the inside, supporting seams match up.

Dragon Bag

My MIL wanted a bag pattern and I found this one for her.  I was planning on using it for the bag I made with the dragons I got from my MIL, but I decided that I wanted to change it a little.  I wanted it to be a little sturdier and have more room in the bottom part.  My changes are really pretty minimal.  I made the main fabric out of one piece so that there isn't a seam at the bottom.  I changed the lining so that none of my seams lined up with the outer bag piece.  The final change was to sew in thick Peltex stabilizer in the bottom to give it a base at the bottom of the bag.

This is the finished bag from the bottom view.

My original plan.

 

After ironing the interfacing onto the outer bag fabric, I used HeatnBond.  I chose the wrong one and couldn't sew through it.  I was planning on stitching around at this point with a satin stitch, but I'll likely cover the edges with paint later instead.

I did make my straps differently in that I simply folded it in half and then folded the insides in.

 Then I pressed the straps and topstitched on both sides.

The finished bag with a skilled and large tupperwear inside to show the depth.

The other side.