This morning I worked vigorously on lesson plans. It is, in my humble opinion, tedious work. I don't like it. Plus, the pillows on the wooden chair aren't nearly soft enough for my poor butt bones. After working on staying awake and eeking my way through the history plans for several hours this morning, I felt very sorry for myself and decided to make another tote bag. 
I am really enamored of the pleated tote that I made with the Japanese fabric, but I'd really like it smaller and couldn't figure out how to reduce the size of the pattern. So what I did was printed out a new pattern, scanned them as jpegs into my computer, reduced them in size by 50% in paint and then printed them out. The finished size is pretty darn good although when I make this bag again I want to reduce the size by about 65% instead of just 50%. I still feel this finished bag is a little too big for me to actually use as a tote bag.
Plus if it's too big and I actually take it out then Del will rib me constantly about how I'm carrying around a purse and not a bag. I think Marie can attest that SHE carries around a genuine purse and I carry around a silly little bag, right?
I am really enamored of the pleated tote that I made with the Japanese fabric, but I'd really like it smaller and couldn't figure out how to reduce the size of the pattern. So what I did was printed out a new pattern, scanned them as jpegs into my computer, reduced them in size by 50% in paint and then printed them out. The finished size is pretty darn good although when I make this bag again I want to reduce the size by about 65% instead of just 50%. I still feel this finished bag is a little too big for me to actually use as a tote bag. Plus if it's too big and I actually take it out then Del will rib me constantly about how I'm carrying around a purse and not a bag. I think Marie can attest that SHE carries around a genuine purse and I carry around a silly little bag, right?I altered the pattern also by making the sides a different fabric than the middle. I really like the way it turned out. The side fabric should look familiar as I just used it to revive my throw pillows and the other is some home dec fabric I bought several years ago. Looking through my stash made me realize once again, especially after seeing Johanna's very mature bag, how immature my fabrics are. Juvenille, I should say. For cute little girls and not grown women. Oh well...
3 comments:
Don't feel too badly about your fabric stash. Both the fabrics I used in that bag came from when I raided my mom's stash!! Since my stash is almost entirely for my business, it is all baby fabric. Thank goodness for mom!
Btw, I had printed out that pattern from Artsy Craft Babe to use for my tote - that is until you used it! :) I still plan to try it though. And since I do carry a real purse, I think the size won't be so much of a problem for me.
ha ha! first come first served. i did use the tote the next day. i didn't put any pockets in it so things inside are a bit jumbled. i was thinking i should make a couple of little bag/wallet type items to put in; say one for my wallet, one for my pens and pencils, one for my comb and pony tail holders and another random one for...random stuff. i need a pattern. other than it being total chaos inside i thought the bag worked out well. the size didn't really bother me very much except for it was a little too noticeable.
So I saw this one in person and this picture just doesn't do this bag justice! You can't really see the pleats, and the colors aren't quite right. It is MUCH better in person!
Post a Comment