Friday, January 2, 2015

Salvaged Selvage Bag



Allow me to prepare you for a wee bit of rambling today, but there are pictures.

New Year's Day was quiet here inside, and very cold and windy out. There was a fire in the hearth, hockey on the t.v., and fast food for supper. I had almost the whole day to sew, and since the year was new, I wanted to try something I'd never done before. Selvages. Wouldn't they look cute on a little zipper bag?


First, to sort them. I have been saving the strips since summer, and amassed a nice collection. Most were not cut with an extra inch or two of fabric as some selvage sewists recommend. I'm too frugal there. I divided between the side of the selvage with the copyright and dye information, and the other with the little bit of print. I didn't even get to the bottom of the tub before I'd come up with the ones I wanted.


I carry around my little camera almost every time I leave the house, and often it's just thrown in the bottom of my purse. Wouldn't a sweet, padded camera bag be just the ticket to protect it? One would think so. I'm going to tell you right now that I worked for many, many hours on it, and it was one project that 'Hit the Wall', so to speak. If you've read my first posts about zipper bags, I talked about how difficult it can be to think in the 3-D aspect of turning things in and out so all your seam allowances are out of sight. That, and shooting for more of a round-shaped bag finally sunk the project. About 7 p.m. I ripped the lining apart, and salvaged the pieces I could. Oh, well. So much for that.

I wound up cutting down the parts, and I did put it all together in a little zipper bag, but much smaller than I'd need for a camera. It's still very cute, I think, and I certainly learned where I went, Oh, So Wrong! with the last one. Here's the back side. I love, love polka dots!


So, can you guess what I'm doing this morning? Yes, ma'am, I'm going to try it again, and this time I'll make it all bigger to start, and use a flat construction standpoint. I'll keep my fusible fleece out of my seam allowances, and I will not be afraid. The Doxie Girls will be nearby for assistance and play breaks.


If you're on Instagram, I'm there, too, as PINKDOXIES. You can follow me there, and I'm hoping to have a lot more pictures that don't make it to the blog. It also lets me follow YOU! I got started uploading some pictures yesterday, like this one. The top two fabrics are Rush Hour by Studio E, and the bottom is a grey Shot Cotton. I like darker bottoms to resist the grunge that bags can pick up. The little tassel just finishes the bags off, and helps you to quickly find the zipper pull.




Doxie Girls, quit your snoring, and greet the day.
Chase the squirrels away from the feeder for me,
and then,
Let's go sew.

Linking up with~
Val's Archives

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had a couple of rough starts with zipper pouches, but you just gotta keep at it until you get it right. Yours turned out great!

Julie said...

Dear Wannabequilter, you are so right. Zippers should not intimidate us, but they do. Approach them like cartwheels. Take a breath, hands out front, and head down. We can do this! I zipped over to your blog through your link, and you have definitely mastered them with your polka dot bags. Great perseverance!

Your colors you choose for projects are just my flavor, too. I used Bloglovin to follow you, so please keep the projects coming this year.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
~Julie

Unknown said...

I have a small tub of selvage pieces....some I cut favorably...but most have come by others throwing their scraps at me (lol)
I have a pattern for an 'over the arm' of chair' holder for sewing stuff. Haven't ventured into this as yet. Perhaps this is the year
Your pics and motiviation are so helpful. thanks

Unknown said...

Jenny Doan from Missouri Star Quilt Shop just put out a video tutorial on making zippered pouches. She takes a lot of the mystery of sewing zippers out of the process. She made a zippered pouch in less than 25 minutes! I really like your pouch with the traveled looking edge.

Julie said...

Hi Irene! I just get in the habit of zipping off the selvage, but like you, don't always cut it to best use it. Some are definitely cuter than others and more worthy of saving, and I've read that they actually now design selvages to be part of the lure of the fabric. Selvage sewing has it's followers, for sure. I'd love to see your project here when it's done.

Julie said...

I'm linking the YouTube clip that you've mentioned, Philip. Thank you for the heads-up on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehdNBYnFsAw

I love Jenny Doan, and Missouri Quit Co. has done a lot to teach and promote sewing and quilting. Kudos to them! I think I've watched most of her tutorials myself. The one thing that I've run into when I make a bag like she demonstrates in the clip is the fabric sewn to the zipper will fray unless it has a finished edge. It has stuck in the zipper for me, and is frustrating. I would finish that with a zigzag first.. But as for a really quick little bag with self lining, it's a wonderful clip to get started with.

Thanks, Philip.


evaj said...

Roligt Julie att du vill vara med och INSPIRERA på Visa och Berätta måndag!!!Hoppas du har det bra !! Jag träffade Jenny Doan personligen när jag besökte Quilt Festival i Houston i Oktober.,Hon hade också varit i Sverige närmare i Stockholm!!Kram till dig och Tack för din länkning!!Bambikram

Julie said...

I'll answer in English tonight, Eva. It was so nice of you to have the linking to your site today. Thank you! My daughter and I consider Jenny Doan a quilting Rock Star. So neat that you got to meet her at the Houston Festival ,and she'd been to Sweden! I hope to be able to attend the conference someday, and also long after another trip to Sverige. Maybe I would run into you then? Now that would be fun!