Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Let's Review

I finished my Amy Butler High Street Messenger Bag and so I though I'd write a little pattern review! For starters, there are a lot of pieces and the cutting takes forever, since each pattern piece is folded to make other pattern pieces and careful marking must be done so you don't lose track of what's what. Also, there are a lot of steps, this bag is not for the feint of heart! This pattern has one major flaw: it calls for heavyweight home decorator fabric for the exterior and lining and a heavy cotton canvas to use as interfacing. These heavy fabrics make it WAY too thick. A lesser machine could not have handled it. I had to take the canvas off of certain pieces and just use regular interfacing to make it less thick. Another more minor flaw, it asks for 12" zippers, but the bag is about 13" wide so of course I have gaps at the ends of two of my zippers! So, I do really love it, it has tons of great pockets, which I like and I know I will use it often (although it weighs about 10 pounds empty because of all the heavy fabric.) BUT, if I make it again, which I'd rather not for a long time :), I will use regular cotton fabrics, a less heavy fabric for interfacing, and I'll buy longer zippers and just cut them off after sewing the side seams. There ya go, in case any one of you wants to try this pattern!

1 comment:

  1. I love it!! I would like to try tackling this monster of a project...I figured if you could do it and come out a survivor, well, then, since you taught me how to sew I might be able to do it too! :) Thanks for the chat yesterday... I needed it!

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