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Ok, I couldn’t have thought of a better way to open 2008 than with a much loved finished object. I LOVE this bag!!! Love it, love it, love it!! If I could marry it I would. When it was finished I would leave the room and then come back just to look at it. I walked around the house with it for hours with no intention of going anywhere. Even now I get a little gitty just thinking about it. It took all my will power to finish my resolution posts and not inject this FO post in the mix. Does it match my outfit you ask? WHO CARES!! I will wear it anyway. That is how much I love this bag. Excuse me I have to go look at my bag now….

Fabric:

Inspiration: Pleatness Bag from Craftster Tutorial (here is the link to the .doc file for the tutorial)
Modifications: Quite a few modifications – dimensions changes, added inside pocket, deleted zipper top, lenghtened straps, added button closure.
Enjoyment Factor: 10++
Time: 1.5 days

The Good:

  • You mean the fact that I love this bag isn’t enough? Ok, ok, back to the details…

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  • The fabric. I finally broke and added the yellow beehive fabric to my stash when I heard that this line was being discontinued. Yes, there will be no more!! I had to get it. And once I had it I had to make something wonderful, which I think I did. The Uptown lining fabric was found on a later visit to Purl and it just complimented everything because I looked at it and at once thought of honeycomb.
  • The Red Suede. I had this fabric in my stash for a while and I just love the feel of it. It was a great combination piece to the Etsuko fabric

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  • Notice the button string? Well that is the selvage of the fabric. I couldn’t find a ribbon or string I liked enough so I used the wonderful purple fabric of the selvage. It was a bear to make bias tape from about 1/4″ of fabric, but I did!
  • I really like the side pockets since I always lose my phone in my bag, hopefully the pockets will end the futile “search for the phone before it goes to voicemail” adventures

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  • I am getting really good at adding those welt zipper pockets to the inside of bags. They are so handy!

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  • Love the chubbiness of the bag. It was modeled after a $3.00 bag I got from Target that I always use for casual (a.k.a. everyday) use. It can hold a mountain of stuff, including the requisite knitting project and still has room for more.
  • Gotta love them pleats. I like how they add dimension to the honeycomb fabric and it really makes the bees pop!
  • The tutorial is well written and it was a great gesture on heartasaurus’ part since she sells these bags on her etsy site.

The Bad:

  • The straps were originally too short. I complete the outer shell and was so disappointed to find that the straps were just too short. I felt that I had an armpit tumor with the bag right there. So I had to deconstruct the whole bag to get back to the handles and then remake the handles to the proper dimension. Final cut dimensions were 44″L x 4″W cause I like my straps on the long side.

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  • I love the bag when it was completed but it was a little too gardener bag like when the edges flopped out on the top. So I added some pleated to the sides which kept them in and make the bag look a little more petite. That little addition just made my hear soar.
  • The top of the bag could have used a little interfacing. Nothing bad, but it would have given it just a little more structure. I will do that next time.

The Ugly:

  • Absolutely, Positively, not…one…thing

Ok, I have been away from my bag long enough. I must get back to oggling it!