Re-Usable Grocery Bag Pattern Testing Part 2! – Small adjustments

Hi Friends!

I made a few adjustments in the paper pattern. First, I cut it down to just half the size since it was a mirror image. Then I lowered both the sides and the front curves…

…and added a side seam. I thought this would work better for Fat Quarters and Half Yard Cuts. I’m still on the fence about the handle curve. Now that I’m writing this after making my 7th prototype I’m more likely going to change it to a straighter edition. It was slightly more challenging to put the piping on with it being curved like this…

I chose a collection of fabrics to play with the idea of a coordinated set and to figure out how much bias binding I’ll get out of a half yard. The fabric collection I chose was this blue and yellow group.

The yellow would serve as my binding…

I was impressed with how much binding I could get out of a half yard!

I also cut out the bag body…in all the coordinates PLUS 1 more…

I experimented with a binding foot (with mixed results…but more about that in another post) and seam finishes too.

I think with the 7th one I was finding a rhythm. The binding foot did make quick work of finishing the edges (when I was using it correctly…once again a story for another day) and each of these went together very quickly!