FINISHED! My Rainy Day Bag

Sunday's sewing got me looking at my list for the Finish Along, and I decided to pull out the Rainy Day Tote.  This is a bag I designed myself after failing to find a pattern for a bag like the one that was stolen out of my car a few years ago.  It was a wonderful mini backpack made from a perfect blue microfiber that I carried to Disney World, the beach, in planes, trains, and automobiles, and just around the block to run errands.  It was perfect, and I was as sad about the loss of this bag as I was about my camera and wallet.

I simply drew a rough outline of the shape as I remembered it, and added the details I had loved most - an outside pocket with a magnetic closure, and an inside pocket for things that don't need to get jostled around or which I might need to find quickly instead of digging through the main compartment.

I had never added a magnetic closure before, and it wasn't hard at all.  The first piece, on the flap, was simply a matter of stitching in the ridge on my machine; the piece on the pocket had to be hand stitched because the magnet kept sticking to my machine.  I know that magnets aren't good for digital machines, so I hope the attempt didn't cause any damage.  On the outside of the pocket flap, I added a white fabric button from my grandmother's button box. 

I  finally feel confident about zippers and linings.  This isn't perfect by any stretch, and you'd never mistake it for a commercially produced bag, but it is exactly what I was looking for with minimal ripping of stitches. 

It helped that I made a demo before I cut up my laminate.  Gracie quickly appropriated that one, even though it has plenty of mistakes.  Since I have laminate left over, maybe I'll make another one for her and take pictures and notes along the way. 

In the meantime, I'm glad to have found my sewing mojo again.  Where do you look when you lose yours?



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