Happy Sewing Machine Day!

Today is National Sewing Machine Day, so if you have a favorite machine, give it an extra pat of appreciation. I did an interview with someone yesterday who referred to her collection as a “sewing machine orphanage,” so that is what I am calling mine from now on.

In today’s episode of Adventures of a Spatially-Challenged Sewist, I’m going to tell you about making this bag:

This is the Portsmith Tote from Klum House. It’s a very simple, minimalist tote. I’ve made far more complicated patterns; their Slabtown Backpack was a fun project I made two summers ago. This one, however, gave me fits, and it was a prime example of how pattern instructions—or the lack of them—can be critical to a successful project.

The original pattern is for a basic waxed canvas tote without a lining. An expansion pack is available which offers options for a lining and a zipper top. I, of course, went whole hog and decided to make the bag with both a lining and a zipper.

All was going well until it came time to insert the lining. The zipper extensions were attached by then and were flipped up over the top of the bag. The instructions said to pretend as though the extensions weren’t there throughout the rest of the construction. I knew that something wasn’t quite right, but I couldn’t figure out what, so I charged ahead. My experience with Klum House patterns has been that even if I don’t understand a construction technique, I should trust that it will work out.

Yeah, not this time. I turned the bag inside out and the zipper extensions were between the bag and the lining. Clearly, that was wrong. I turned the bag inside out again, ripped out the seam, and then it hit me. The instructions were missing one critical sentence that would have made everything make sense:

Tuck the zipper extensions down into the bag and ignore them for the remainder of the construction.

I did that, re-sewed the seam, and when I turned the bag inside out, everything was where it was supposed to be.

I should be a professional pattern tester, because if there is a way to screw up something, I will find it. Go ahead and laugh at me—I find myself very entertaining.

I used my rivet press for attaching the handles and that worked well. I also sewed all of this on the Juki 1541 and have become more comfortable with that machine. I am glad I was able to figure out how to slow down the servo motor, because I needed the control for some small areas. (Speed is fine for long seams, but not for topstitching a 1" section of zipper flap.) I also mended the husband’s work pants while I was at it.

Will I make this bag again? Eh, maybe not. If I do, I’ll use the waxed canvas from AL Frances. This was waxed canvas from Klum House. The canvas has a finer weave, which I like, but the “wax” is a vegan formulation and it’s oily rather than waxy. The bag has no structure; in the first photo, it’s stuffed with towels to give it some shape.

*********

The robins have been unbelievably obnoxious this year. I’m used to them scolding me when I get too close to a nest, but there are half a dozen hanging around the porch and all they do is spend their days squabbling with each other. A couple of robins sat on the garden fence and yelled at me yesterday while I was in the strawberry patch, because apparently, that is their strawberry patch.

[The husband says that the property belongs to the animals and I am just the groundskeeper.]

I have not seen the snake again, but I check every time I go out to the garden.

*********

I stopped at Joann Fabrics yesterday while I was in town. I wonder if they’ve hired a new manager? The store was clean and tidy and some of the shelves were restocked. Perhaps they’ve turned a corner.