Love Handles

After putting together all the bibs and bobs to launch my blog I was too tired to put any actual sewing information on the Nanna bag (you know, just in case you too come across a pair of cane handles in an op shop).  I had quite a hard time choosing a template for the blog. I loved the one that Kristy on Lower Your Presser Foot uses, but I really hate using exactly the same format as anyone else. Also, it is slightly on the tasteful side. There is another version of dots called "dark dots" which is closer to the spirit of how I write, but there's no escaping the fact it's a lot harder to read.  

Now if I was doing a "bogan chic" sewing blog I'd be home and hosed. There's a denim template, and its variants - stretch denim, and denim wash, but surprisingly, no acid washed stretch denim.  So it really only left me with "Ms Moto" which I chose because of its 70's yuppy bathroom colour scheme of pink and grey.  Also, it had a delightful detail at the top which, with a bit of imagination, could be construed as strands of ric rac or lace detail. Sold! 

 

The other set up detail which amused me was the box you had to tick if you blog contained "adult" themes. It does not bear thinking about does it, what people do on their blogs. But anyway, I got to thinking .. Warning! Shows seams that may offend some viewers. Contains explicit sewing instructions etc.    So anyway, here it is, my sewing blog. Like all blogs before me I suspect there will be a few months of feverish activity while I clear the back log of sewing activity and then will settle down to posting spasmodically as projects are finished in real time. 

Sewing instructions for Nanna bag : no pattern required.

You will need: 

• One set of handles with a metal spoke that runs between the handles to support the bag.  (incidently, Spotlight sells cane handles but I'm not sure if they have the spoke) 
  
• 0.4 metres of fabric and lining. 
  
• 1 metre tape, 2 cms wide. (I used  a white cotton broidery anglaise trim)
  
• 15 cms of narrower tape to form loop closure.
  

1. Cut out 2 pieces of fabric and lining 35 (l)  x 53 (w) cms.
   
2. Mark a large dot 13 cms down for the top on both sides, on all pieces of fabric.
   
3. Neaten edges.
   
4. Sew (seam allowance is 1.5 cms)from dot to dot along the bottom and sides of the bag and lining. Leave a large gap (12 cms) on the bottom of the lining so you can turn the bag out.
   
5. Put lining inside bag, right sides together.
   
6. Sew the lining and bag together between the dots, along the upper sides and top of the bag.
   
7. Clip corners, turn bag out through the hole in the bottom of the lining. Use a pin to pull out corners. Slip stitch the hole closed.
   
8. On the inside of the bag, 1.5 cms down from the top of the bag, attach tape, sewing top and bottom to form a casing. 
   
9. Mark the centre of the bag and attach a button to the front. To the back top centre attach your loop closure (I used 14 cms of 1 cm cotton tape).
   

Eh voila! The Nanna bag. 

Cuss factor: none. Easy peasy made it in less than an hour.

 

Now for my next show and tell. There is a theory out there that you are either a shoes, handbag or underwear freak. Now I am none of these, but I'm beginning to spot a trend in my purchasing that suggests another predilection. While I was in Salvage I spotted this lovely pair of old handles. This bag was all together more complicated to construct. First I had to design a bag to go with it, because the handles came solo. Then I had to draft a pattern and a lining. Because I used dressmaking fabrics instead of upholstery fabrics I also had to add hair canvas as an interlining.   Now the origins of these handles are interesting - this bag was clearly a "craft bag" - you know, one of those bags where women used to carry around their knitting. The stitched method of attachment suggests they were never particularly strong and hence their delicate contents. Well, some things do not change - we all need a special bag to take to our craft groups, don't we?