It's a wrap

One of my friends Jan makes some lovely jewellery and has just started to sell them at craft fairs.

I asked her if she’d like me to make her something for her jewellery. She’d love a wrap to carry necklaces to the fairs and a bigger tool bag. 

I wrote down the various measurements for the wrap and bag then sketched two quick diagrams.

I had intended on making them using a patchwork design. However Jan asked if they could be made out of lilac fabric instead as that was going to be her corporate business colour.

As our local area is pretty short on places to buy fabric, particularly cotton, I ordered them online.I made a start on the top and bottom of the bag, first marking out the diagonal lines with a fabric marker.

      

I was concerned about the bag being too bulky so used tissue paper for all the foundation pieces. Once I’d finished the quilting the tissue paper would simply be removed.

Next to be done were the sides. I stitched the zip (cut to size from a continuous length I bought on eBay) to the two side pieces. 

I had originally intended to leave the sides un-quilted. However as they needed more stiffness than just the wadding, I stitched in some medium weight sew-in interfacing using the diagonal pattern as before. This is why the diagonal lines above and below the zip don’t match!!!

 

I pinned the top and base of the bag to the sides to see how it looked but I wasn’t happy. They were too flimsy. Even if I added a medium weight interfacing, it still wouldn’t be strong enough. It needed firm interfacing, something which I didn’t have, so trusty eBay came to my rescue.

Three days later, after ironing the newly acquired firm interfacing to the top and base, I stitched the sides to the base.

 

Jan had asked if the lid could have an inside pocket. Rather than making it flush, like in her original bag, I suggested the pocket be elasticated which would give it a bit more room inside.

Once the top was stitched to the sides, I made the bias binding and attached that to the bag.

The original design for the bag made no mention of a handle. However, given its size and what it was going to be used for, I felt that a handle was needed.

Like the bag I didn’t want the wrap to be too bulky so once again I used tissue paper for the foundation piece.

The inside of the wrap was going to be left plain so only the back was quilted. To keep the continuity right I used the same diagonal pattern as the bag.

Next I added the necklace tape to the front of the wrap, securing it with a couple of stitches every six inches or so. 

I wasn’t sure where Jan wanted the back ties to be placed – left, right or in the centre – so sent her a text message. The reply came back saying she’s like them in the centre.

I tacked the front and the back together then stitched the two fold lines though all the layers. Finally I added the bias binding.

I’m pleased to report that Jan was delighted with both her bag and wrap and I wish her well in her jewellery making business.

Gertie xx


PS pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.