Bags not hats

It seems that my sewing equivalent of hats is bags. I have been focusing more on getting through some projects I had been meaning to sew but never seemed to get around to. With the help of a wonderful friend who has been helping me figure the patterns out, I have finally started getting things finished. 

The first project was inspired by a shopping trip before christmas. I had purchased a learn to embroider kit. The patterns were very cute. It took me a while to get started because the beginning involved an iron, which was on a different floor than my project. Once I got started I really enjoyed making it. I thought it would be a lot harder that it was. I had a book of sewing projects that had a bag with a hand embroidered bird. That bird was a different one, and on a hexagon shape. but I don't didn't think that was a crucial detail. I found some cloud fabric to go with my bird and made this little bag. It is a perfect size for a small knitting project. 

Project number two was from the same book. It is a pencil case with pieced pencils. It would be more useful if I still actually used pencils on a regular basis. This one took a long time to get started because it requires lots of little scraps of fabric. I get the impression that most serious sewers get this after a while. I am still new to the sewing, and I am not inclined to keep tiny bits of things I may never use. I managed most of the colors, but my wonderful sewing friend gave me some colored scraps that worked perfectly. The way this is pieced is very forgiving; you just end up with different shaped pencils. The zipper on this pouch was not as cooperative as I would have liked. Overall I am happy with how it turned out. 

The next bag I am not happy with. This was a sewing club project. I braved dealing with the new teacher there, it was a mistake. I was really excited about this bag. I thought it was cute, and a good shape and size. The construction is also very interesting. I could have done without the zipper tab on the side, but a minor issue. The major flaw with this bag is that despite it having a lining fabric all the inside seams are visible. I remember my first sewing club class we made a bag and the teacher thought it was awful to have a bag with no lining so she told us how to modify the pattern to add one. That teacher, Michelle, would never have left this bag as is. The biggest issue I have with the current teacher is her inability to alter the pattern. I made the bag as is, but I don't like it. I doubt I will ever use it. 

The last project is very similar to the first. This time it is a tea cup with tea themed fabric. This bag I managed to remember how to do make it without any help. This time I didn't have a string, so I made one out of some left over cashmere yarn. Fanciest string ever. I have one more bag of this type on my to make list, but I haven't made the embroidery yet.