HOT in the City....

I really hope the Bureau of Meteorology is playing some sick sort of joke, and that we're NOT facing a week of 40 degrees days (around 100F I think?). Note to friends in the Northern Hemisphere - PLEASE send us an arctic blast or two...? A HINT of coolness...?

Ok - got that off my chest - now back to sewing....

I made this City Bag on the weekend. I think it looks a bit Hawaiian-shirt-ish - a bit of happy Summer (as opposed to oppressive, scorching summer... Sorry - I'll shut up about it in a minute...).

I kept it pretty simple - with 32mm Flat O-rings in the straps and a plain boxed-corner base (pic below). I used Fast2Fuse as the base support because it's flexible and comfortable when the bag is slung around the body (over the head - hands-free style) which is a really easy way to wear this bag.
This one (below) is cotton moleskin in a gorgeous shade of orange (that won't photograph easily!). It tones in beautifully with this Kaffe Fassett print.

Slightly more detail here. The same o-rings as above, but also an eyelet in the strap and an oval zipper-pull.

I also included a structured base on this bag. This is the method I teach so that you can add a hard base and purse feet to any box-cornered bag. It uses Vilene S520 and Template Plastic as support (and requires competent sewing machine skills).

I'll be teaching this method at the Stitches and Craft Show as well as in A Sharper Edge classes. I also offer a printed tutorial (if requested) with purchases of Vilene S520 and Template Plastic.

Last pic... this is the inside of the bag. It has a large zipped pocket and a compartment pocket.

I'm just going to lap up the air-conditioned comfort of home for a while and steel myself for tomorrow. My studio is NOT air conditioned and I have a date with a fusing press...!!!?

A few hints for using interfacing...

Using the correct interfacing -and the correct application of it - can be the difference between a "home-made" and "hand-made" bag. Here are a few hints for success...

1. Use good quality interfacing. Cheap interfacing is often more trouble than it's worth.

2. You need a good iron. One with a lot of heat and steam, and a reliable thermostat. I don't have any particular recommendations (but I'd love to hear if you do). I go through loads of irons, and the only recommendation I have is "don't spend less than $60" (AUD).

3. Remember that lighter interfacings are more heat-sensitive than heavy interfacing. Light to medium-light interfacings don't like more than a COTTON setting on your iron - otherwise they'll shrivel up and wrinkle your fabric. Heavier interfacings like a HOT HOT HOT iron, lots of PRESSURE.... and STEAM is also highly effective (I don't care what the books say).

4. Press your fabric before you fuse interfacing to it. Failure to do this may result in unwanted permanent wrinkles!! (Perhaps that's what happened to my FACE...???).

5. Double-check that you have the GLUE side down to the back of the fabric. It's usually shiny or grainy. A plastic feel. If it's the the wrong way around you'll either make a mess of your iron or interface your pressing cloth.
6. Use a Rajah Cloth to protect heat-sensitive fabrics from the iron when you're pressing heavy interfacing to it. I often use (an old) one under the fabric and (a new) one over the back of the interfacing - this protects the fabric, the ironing board and the iron!
7. Press in a DOWNWARD direction. Don't slide your iron around while you're pushing down on it, or the interfacing might move and fuse in the wrong place. Hold the iron down for 5-10 seconds before gliding it gently to the next unfused area... hold it down again. Shoot steam through if it's being particularly obstinate and refusing to stick. If you see bubbles like this... STEAM AND PRESS them down!!!8. Once the interfacing is stuck into place, give the fabric a really good press from the right side. This will iron out any remaining bubbles and smooth the surface of the fabric.
9. If you do a LOT of interfacing, you might consider something like an Elna Press. (I bought mine on Ebay for $76 (!!) but they can be pretty pricey if you buy them new). They make it SUPER-EASY to fuse evenly.... you press your fabric, line up the interfacing.... Rajah Cloth if necessary....

...close the lid...
....see the difference (below) between the fused and un-fused bits..? You have to move larger pieces around a little to get all the area covered.
Close the lid again, then ... oooh-ahhh... nice and flat!
I have to add at this point, that despite having made my living from making clothing, hats and bags for close to twenty years, I only bought the Elna Press this year. I'm still in the honeymoon stage with it!!!