The Case of the Misshapen Aeroplane Bag

It is so nice and sunny out today that it could be a "lashings of ginger beer" picnic and mystery solving opportunity for Enid Blyton's Famous Five or Secret Seven.  So, could they solve the mystery of my misshapen aeroplane bag?

See?  One side is pooching out the other is not.  Not sure how clued up Ms Blyton's juvenile sleuths are on zip fitting in bags, but my money is on the tapering zip!  Never mind, I think it looks pretty anyway!

I made the larger of the two bags in order to maximise what I might be able to carry with me on to a flight, instead of trying to cram everything (unsuccessfully) into a smaller handbag.

There's a ton of room in there and I'm really pleased with the overall size.

I used the Sew Sweetness pattern and some extra, helpful advice from a few friends.  All in all, the pattern was easy to follow and the bag came together well.  I love that I finally found a use for that Amy Butler Daisy Chain print.  I made it with about half an inch to spare on that one.  I think if you plan to give this bag a lot of use and abuse you would be best to make it in something a bit more robust than quilting cotton, but as I don't actually travel very often and intend that it will be carry on luggage only, I imagine it will survive well enough with the stabilisers and interfacings hidden in there.

Not so pretty zip end.

And another one

As I said, I am fairly certain the misshapen sides of the bag are due to my inability to interpret the zip tapering instructions.  I think this caused my problems with not being able to get my needle close enough to the area where the bag edges and lining edges met the zip ends.  I unpicked a few times but my puzzler couldn't work it out. Since it was most likely the tapering itself that was the issue, without understanding fully how that works I'm just repeating my problem.  The result is these funny, bulky "pleats" at my zip ends and a bit of a gap in the lining side of one of the ends too.

I gave it some thought and while one part of me wants to know how to put it right, the other part of me is happy to chalk it up to experience, try to resolve it if there is ever a next time, and just get on and stuff that bag full of necessaries for fun weekends away now and again!


I do believe this finish also constitutes a tick of my FAL Qtr 3 List already!!

Bit of a Dilemma!

I mentioned yesterday that my recent fabric purchases have presented me with a bit of a dilemma.  So here's why -

I've been thinking for a few weeks that I haven't made any bags for a little while and that I would really like to make a couple for this summer - one larger bag for air travel hand luggage and another large tote for taking all my junk on hols.

I've been tempted by so many bag patterns but have settled, I think, on making an Aeroplane Bag (to make the most of cabin baggage allowance) and on Judith's Quilt As You Go Bag (so many lovelies have appeared on her blog lately, not least Shannon's GORGEOUS version).

It will be a little while before I can clear some of my continuing projects and make a start on the bags but for now I am contenting myself with making some fabric choices.  For the QAYG bag I'm thinking lots of Bonnie and Camille strippy scrap left overs - no brainer for me really.  However, making my mind up on the aeroplane bag is not so easy.

First of all, I ordered some Kate Spain fabrics from the Super Sale at Pink Castle Fabrics

and I really thought these would become my aeroplane bag in due course.  I love orange and these prints make me smile!

But then, before the Pink Castle order arrived, I bought a little bit of teal square stitch fabric and when I was putting it away in my stash drawer I noticed how yummy it was with an Amy Butler print that I've held on to for a long time. It started shouting "aeroplane bag" at me, see?

So, I picked up a wee piece of contrasting lining fabric and sighed a happy sigh that I'd got my fabrics together.

However, now that the Kate Spain Sunnysides have arrived, I am soooooo torn.  I love both options and don't know how to choose!

Eeeekk!

Guess I can mull it over while I handstitch the binding to my medallion quilt ...