Sewing

Bonded Nylon Haralson Bag

I had fun making this bonded nylon Haralson Bag for my mom! I have used bonded nylon only once before (on a different bag I haven’t shared here yet). A new substrate is always fun to experiment with, it’s interesting to see how it behaves when sewn as well as how it looks in a final project. I know a lot of bag makers have been using bonded nylon for a while! It hadn’t really called to me until recently.

My mom is going on a trip to Europe and she needed a bag that was able to be small enough but yet be secure to wear on the front of her body. We decided the Haralson was just right and that bonded nylon would make it super durable! It’s water resistant and it does wear really well.

bonded nylon Haralson Bag

She picked out the Grove canvas by Cecilia Pettersson for the lining and I grabbed a few scraps of quilting cotton for the zippered pocket linings. We pretty much based the bag around the wavy webbing I have in my shop and I really like how it turned out!

Since we went with a solid exterior I added some leather tabs to the side connectors (a la Jordan Porter Handmade). I think it adds a nice touch to give it a little something extra. So if you have a few scraps of leather and rivets it’s a fun option to try!

bonded nylon Haralson Bag

Project Details:

Here are the links to the sew-along videos in case you need them.

bonded nylon Haralson Bag
Sewing

Puff Quarry Tote

You guys, this puff Quarry Tote is so cozy. I know we’re in summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, but I’m pretty sure everyone needs a puff Quarry Tote.

Puff Quarry Tote

So I made my first puff Quarry Tote as a test sample when I was working on the pattern. My youngest uses it so much! She’s a light traveler, so it’s been a great overnight bag when she stays with a friend. I never really got pictures of it, so I decided I just needed to make another so I could have a match!

Puff Quarry Tote

Modify it!

And I know you savvy readers have noticed that this one is missing the front pocket! Yep, you can omit it! It’s great when you’re using a fabric like this puff coating. It would also be perfect if you’re featuring a large-scale print, or if you just want to skip the pocket (or don’t need one!).

Puff Quarry Tote

To remove the seam that joins the Top Panel and Main Panel pieces and make it a single cut of fabric (one for the front, the other for the back) is relatively easy. Add the height of the Top Panel to the height of the Main Panel and then subtract 3/4″ (that’s double the 3/8″ seam allowance you’d normally use to join the two). Once you have that measurement, cut one front and one back piece using that measurement for the height of the piece – the width stays the same. Everything else is the same. When you go to construct the tote, you can start at Step 2d. Yay for that!

Puff Fabrics

More about this puff fabric. I’m kind of obsessed. It’s so sporty looking! I loooove that. I’m thinking it’s a perfect gym bag or swimming bag. The puff coating is somewhat water-resistant, so that’s a bonus. I got mine from Style Maker Fabrics. There’s a nice selection of colors, and I think all of them would make good-looking totes!

Pattern Details:

Puff Quarry Tote
Sewing

Two Mini Fieldstone Totes

Mini?! Heck yes. I always love a mini version of pretty much anything, so these two Mini Fieldstone Totes are juuust right. When I started designing the Fieldstone Tote pattern, I started off with the mini! Normally, I gravitate toward a bigger bag, but I think as the years go along, smaller has been a fun side quest.

Two Mini Fieldstone Totes

I made these two Fieldstone samples while filming my YouTube video for the Fieldstone. It’s much easier to work with a smaller project on camera.

I had fun picking out fabrics for both of these! Smaller amounts of fabric required make it an even more appealing project to sew. If you have only a few small pieces of fabric that you love, or even an abandoned quilt block, this would be a great project to use it!

Two Mini Fieldstone Totes

Lunch Bag?

Can I make this into a lunch bag? Yes! I recommend using the Insul-Bright (affiliate link) basted on both Main and both Side Panels. The Insul-Bright will give it the insulation you’ll want to keep things cool (or warm).

Secondly, I’d recommend using a wipeable material for the lining. Waterproof canvas is great for this! The 300d from Sullivan’s trim is what I’ve used a lot for lining my samples.

View B (the zip top) is going to be your best bet! The Mini size works for carrying a one-person meal. If you carry a lot of food or for multiple people (road trip!) I think the Regular size would be great, too.

Project Details:

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