Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Sew Perfect Laptop Bag...

I can't sew. I mean, really, I can sorta sew (remember, I got a C in Home Ec.). I don't sew well enough for like, a real seamstress to call me a "sew-er". I do own a sewing machine and can somewhat sew a straight line, thread my needle, etc. But, I'm an amateur for sure. I'm rambling. I know. I just needed to point out to you the difficulty in this undertaking before I showed you my project.

Here's my inspiration:


via jeanneoliverdesigns.com
I really really love this bag. Unfortunately, it is waaaaaayyy outta my price range at 102.00. Yeah. I can't even possibly imagine paying 100 bucks for a bag (not that it isn't lovely). So, I said, "I think I can make that". It's for my laptop and a couple of school books.

I don't want to bore you with the details but I made a mock-up for the bag and guessed how I might sew it, making my own pattern up as I went along. I took the bag that I had been using for my laptop to gather measurements since I liked the size of it. Then, I went to Joann's (with my 20% off coupon) and got  fabric to start sewing. I got 3 cuts of fabric: 1 for the outside of the bag (1.5 yds), 1 for an inside liner (1.5 yds), and 1 for the mustard yellow flower (0.5 yds). I also bought some batting to make the bag slightly softer and more substantial. Total cost for all was16.00 and change.

And here is my end result:

I cannot tell you how proud I am of myself. For most regular sew-ers this is prob a 2 hour quick bag with little to no thought but for me? Well, remember when I made my bread? Well, this is the same thing. I feel so empowered. Like, yes I can!!! (you know back when everyone liked Obama and had hope for our country? That's how empowered and confident I feel).  I really love my bag. Let's do a side by side comparison before I continue:

Sorry for the tiny picture.
Not bad though right? !!!!

Okay, enough of patting myself on the back (okay, I just did it one more time for good measure). Here's the lining:
So cute.
And an up close of the ruffled pleats and flower:
What I love about this is that I got what I wanted for only 16.00 I'm sure the other bag is nicer, and probably made better (obviously) but for only 16.00 I'll take my bag!

I feel like I could be Laura Ingalls any day now what with my mad sewing skills and baking bread. Forget the fact that I can't live without electricity or that I have no idea how to kill and skin animals or pluck chickens. I'll figure that out some other day.

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