Craft Month

Hi everyone!

It has been craft book month for the past 30 days :) and of course I had to wait until the very last minute to participate. There is something about a looming deadline that lets me get creative.

Let me say that I rarely buy craft books. I own three, one of them Amy Butler's Style Stitches. Now, I know that this is probably one of the books almost everybody has at home and the Cosmos Bag is probably the most made bag. 

But if you want to use faux leather (not quite sure you would call it that, basically it is plastic and sewing with it has the same advantages and challenges that coated fabrics create) you are probably wondering if this bag is even possible to make.

 

The short answer is: yes! I simplified the pattern a bit: no outer side pockets and no clipping the edges on the bottom panel the way it is described in the pattern. You also have to be carefully when sewing with faux leather because every stitch shows and your stitches shouldn't be too narrow because it can tear the fabric apart.

I must also say that this is not an easy pattern to make - contrary to what the description says. Having a lot of experience with sewing patterns comes in handy but if I hadn't had them I doubt I would have tried. Last time I made the pattern, I was shocked to see how huge it turned out so this time I shrank all the pieces to 75%. I think it is the perfect size now!

Because I was afraid that the handles may come undone if I pieced them together, I cut them in one single piece. Now, getting the lining and the outer fabric to match up was quite a challenge but I basically folded the seam allowances to the inside, put the left sides together, put paper clips in place instead of pins and just topstiched through both layers. No turning necessary :)

And here it is on me (yes, with a heart the same color as the bag!). If you made this bag, let me know how you thought it went, I would love to hear it.

Have a great start into the week!

Johanna