Weekender Sew Along : Supplies

It's April 30th and that means its time to get this Weekender Party started!

This week we are talking supplies.  Christen, Nicole and I are all making our bags a little different.  Christen is following the pattern and using home dec weight and the peltex interfacing.  Nicole is using hexies and quilting hers and I am going all out with pieced & quilted panels and pockets in a similar fashion to my first bag.

So let's talk about what you'll need ...

Obviously, you will need the Weekender Bag pattern.  (We have more arriving on Friday and they are on sale through today 4/30/14. :-)  The pattern has all the instructions as well as templates for the bag parts and components.

General supplies you need: 

• Zipper (I am going to use a metal one - I used a plastic molded last time.  I chose metal this time as it matched the closest to the main panel fabric I think I am using.)  - You need a 30 inch zipper - I found mine at a big box fabric store. 
• Coordinating thread 
• Jeans Needles
• Appropriate machine feet - regular piecing, walking foot, zipper foot, piping foot (Note:  I don't have a piping foot, so I use my zipper foot.) 
• Clover Wonder clips (or binding clips) - HIGHLY recommended.  Pins would work, but its not going to be fun. 
• Fabric marking pen
• 5 yards of cording to make your own piping (I am working on getting this in the shop)
• Sewing Machine - this is definitely the job for a machine! ;-) 

Fabric Needed: 
Since I am making mine by piecing all the pockets and quilting the main panels, my fabric requirements are a little different.  Here's what I will be needing:

• 2 side pockets - approximately 1 fat eighth
• Top panels & end pocket panels - 1/2 yard
• 2 main panels (body of bag) - approximately 1/2 yard
• 2 main pockets (large pockets) - approximately 1/2 yard 
• 2 straps - approximately 1/3 - 1/2 yard
• Bag bottom (exterior) - 1 fat eighth
• Lining - approximately 1-3/4 yards
• Piping - approximately 1/2 yard
• Batting for all panels
• 1/4 yard Fusible Fleece for straps 
• Pellon SF-101 Interfacing (about 2 yards)
• Cotton Drill cloth (heavyweight canvas) for all panels (about 2.5 yards) 

The above are rough estimates for the exterior of the bag.  I am piecing the side pockets and the two main pockets.  I plan to use mostly April Showers as well as some low volume prints in the background of my piecing.  

I am still a little undecided about my main fabric (straps, main body, etc) - to use Mochi Dots in Putty or Essex Yarn Dyed Linen in Black.  I used the Essex last time and one thing I really like about it for the bags is that the stitching "melts" into the fabric and is not very noticeable even if I use white thread.  I will probably quilt a piece of the Putty Dot and check it out first.  

Other Patterns I'm Using for Piecing the Pockets: 
I am planning to piece all my pockets.  Next week I will share my pockets and how I put them together, but fair warning ... I am using four of Camille's Thimble Blossoms Minis patterns - Swoon, Dwell, Spools and Rise & Shine.  Since these are her patterns, I won't be showing you how to piece the blocks.  I will show you how I pieced around them to make them work for my pockets. Make sense?
Of course, you can piece your pockets any way you'd like!  :-)

My Modifications & General Tips: 
There are some things that I did a little differently in my first bag than the pattern calls for and that I plan to do again:

• Quilt my panels and piece & quilt my pockets. 
• Make my straps longer - 54" long to be exact.
• Install my lining a little differently - more on that later. :-) 
• Use straight grain strips for my piping.  (Granted - bias is better.  I'm too lazy for that.  And the little bit of smooshy-ness in the corners isn't enough to drive me totally nuts.  But this is personal preference.)
• Add piping to the top of the end pockets.

A general tip for you ... remember in school you weren't allowed to write in your book?  Well, you aren't in school anymore ... write on your pattern!  Take notes about mods you make, layers of interfacing you used, etc.  In the picture below, you can see I took notes on the foot and needle position I used to get my piping on.  Take good notes for yourself!  :)

Are you in?  Have we talked you into it yet?  C'mon ... join us!  You can totally do it and you will feel so accomplished when you are done!  :-)

Email me if you have questions in the meantime ... otherwise, follow my progress this weekend on Instagram and I will see you all back here next Wednesday with pocket and panel assembly details!

Happy Sewing!  :-)