The "Britt Bag" Adventure

Back in November 2013, my quilt bee hosted a workshop for an "Off-Set Bag."  One of our members is in love with the style and agreed to show us how it was done.

Those "students" who had made bags in the past were given a modified set of instructions (as the "teacher" had revised the plans that she had found somewhere on the net) and went off to do their own things.  The others plodded along step by step while NeedleB tried to coax bags into being.

The "leader of the pack" went away with a completed bag.  She is an absolute speed demon when it comes to piecing!  Another friend and I managed to finish our bags not long after everyone else went home.  The three of us made big, Big, and BIGGER bags.  We changed the cutting measurements to suit ourselves.  That's what is so great about doing things as a group!  Everyone has their own ideas about how to follow instructions.  LOL

The result of that "class" yielded 6 different bags.  Bags of 6 different sizes.  My two bags are shown below:

Expanded "Britt Bag":  Made using decorator samples that have been sitting in my fabric stash for YEARS, waiting for the "perfect" project.  This is an extra-large tote that I use to carry all sorts of stuff to meeting and to work.  It's big enough to hold my latest completed quilt or a number of knitting projects.

Britt Bag Revisited:   Made using my stash of worn out and outgrown jeans, this bag is perfect for "dress down" days!  It incorporated everything from Size 5 jeans to size 5T!  Photos show views of the front, back, side, and inside of the bag that I designed using the "Off-Set" Bag as a jumping off point.  It's easy to carry and just the right size to hold my E-Reader device and other necessities.

I wanted to make sure there were PLENTY of pockets on this cross-body bag.  On the front, the pocket even has a (back) pocket!!!  The side (back) pocket was supposed to hold my cell phone, but I didn't allow for the generous seam allowance that this bag's construction calls for.  It worked out because each side now has a "pen pocket" so I don't have to dig for something to write with.  The final (back) pocket was sewn inside the bag.  I absolutely LOVE that I was able to (re)use so many denim pieces while making this bag!

Dig through your stash and give bag making a try.  You will LOVE it!!!

Oh, speaking of love, Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you get to do something that makes you happy today.

I'm off to sew!!!