Skirt to Shoulder Bag...

I should get straight to the point.  I have made a skirt into a bag.  That will have shoulder straps...eventually.  When the weather is not so nice and we don't have friends with a new baby to visit.... and on that note here it is so far.  Smile.


So anywho I am all about repurposing old clothes that I dont wear (or quite frankly don't fit) into other items or just learning to sew projects.  I love the idea of reversible things and this skirt was reversible so I thought maybe a reversible bag? And while I am on the topic of reversible!  Let me remind everyone, because apparently I can NEVER seem to remember myself: if you want to applique (i.e. my LOVE motif on skirt) something, you must do it before you put product together,  I cannot tell you how many times ( well, actually 4) I have made a reversible bib and then realized that if I put a decoration on one side the seams would go through and "ruin" the other side.  This is not a part of sewing that requires skill,...just some remembering and planning. Not my best qualities!!!  Anyway, I figured I could save the top finished seam ( I am ALL about that as I find finishing tiny seams and bias tape a bit tedious) and perhaps just sew the bottoms together for a nice carry-all?

So this was the skirt. Great for Texas..not so much for Minnesota.. and I will admit that my "above the knee" days are drawing to a close. You can see Ive already gotten busy with my new pinking shears, sew ( I said it!) much fun! Please If You Are Actually Reading This Blog I am assuming you are as much of a hack as I am and I just want to encourage you to have fun and go for it! As always I saw a great pattern online for a bag and then just decided to go it on my own. I realize that this is not the "sure fire" method and I know I am risking not coming out with a great

"end product", but here's the deal: You can always follow a pattern if you want to make it perfect, sell it,etc. If you really want to learn how and why certain sewing methods, measurements, seams, etc. work, and you are patient enough... I think its worth doing it this way. Just my opinion.

So I just sewed the "right sides" matching fabric together and left a turning flap on one side. when I cut the seam off the skirt it came apart and I was able to pull it apart as you see above. I sewed both sides but only one needed the "turning flap". I can't even explain it. I suggest that if you are unsure just pin where you will sew and then see if it will work out. It is CRAZY, but sometimes it is so hard to picture what will be right side up, inside out, etc. when you are sewing...it really does involve thinking backwards and I just have to pin it to see sometimes. So here are the eventual straps...

I feel like this is such an incomplete project, but in my efforts to document my work I want to at least get this much posted...I am going to sew these this weekend, but I must say that they are strips of unfinished material that I will need to pin and fold over very close to the edge and well...to be quite honest i despise that part of detail work!!!  I think I might be well suited for some sort of ...uh...maybe there is not a job that calls for shoddy, haphazard work...but if there is Im the girl and I will happily do it!  Sew long!

Update:

The straps were not as hard as I thought:

I just pinned alot and then it was easy to sew.  I attached them by folding the bottoms over and just straight sewing them onto the bag.  You could also sew button holes on the straps and buttons on the bag.  Would be cute, I just am not patient enough. So anyway, while sewing I did miss a pin  and it got caught and I had to take machine apart.  A bit of a pain, however I learned how to fix it and cleaned the inside...

I decided I wanted long enough straps so I could peek in the bag while it was still on my shoulder.  That's one of the things I love about sewing.  You can tailor your projects to your liking. 

OK, sew long again!