Monday, May 04, 2009

The Machine Breaker

Nibbler's Travel Bag
Project #18 in '50 in 2009 Challenge' - Nibbler's Travel Bag

In my sewing binge during my two days off before Easter, I attempted to pump out what is essentially a doggie diaper bag. I was sick of toting around all of Nibbler's essentials (food, toys, poop bags, etc) in a shopping bag when we traveled. The shopping bag served it's purpose, but seeing as we have a problem with putting things away, it often sat on our kitchen table all crinkled and stuffed full.

Ok, when I say often, I mean all the time. Except when I remembered to put it on the floor under the table.

Despite being an American Girl Place red bag, it didn't really do much for the decor.

So with a day and a half before leaving for a long weekend, I kicked it into high gear, cut out pattern pieces, went out and bought more interfacing than I ever thought I'd need, and then started a sewing frenzy that lasted into the early morning hours. (And this was after making Bray an easter basket, too.)

I took a break to sleep, but got up earlier than someone with the day off for working too many hours ever should. But I was eager to finish, especially since I had grand plans of sewing up a couple smaller projects and make some bread (ha - yea right).

And then it happened.

Nibbler's Travel Bag
This gives you an idea of the fabrics I used on the inside - you can't see the red bandana fabric I used for the inside bottom panel.

While going through layers of fabric, mid-weight interfacing and fleece interfacing, my shaft broke. With so much under the foot, I think I may have forgotten to put the foot down. I tried to work through it. I manually pushed the shaft up, shoved the fabric sandwich underneath, then let it snap back down and guided the foot with my finger so it wouldn't veer off and eventually break the needle.

That worked for a bit, until it came to needing to top stitch the lining into the outer shell. I couldn't maneuver all that fabric, in three dimensional form with neat stitches, only using my left hand.

I was beat by a diaper bag.

Despite bringing my mom's sewing machine back home with me, I ended up waiting to tackle the bag until this weekend when I got my machine back from the shop. I tore out the center divider which made maneuvering this thing a heck of a lot easier, and I was able to finish it up Saturday night.

Much to Mike's chagrin when I woke him up at quarter to midnight to share my accomplishment.

But now my little Nibbler has a stylish travel bag, and what makes it better is all the fabric came from my stash! Good thing I "love" to mix patterns because it took some finagling to find coordinating fabrics, but I accomplished it swimmingly.

Happy Surprise at the Bottom

And my favorite part: the surprise bottom, white polka dots on red!

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Stats
Pattern: Diaper Bag found in Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones (Thanks again, Amy Butler & CraftSanity)
Main Fabric: Alexander Henry's Mocca

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