Technical Difficulties

Hello faithful readers!

This is just a heads-up to let you know that we are experiencing some techinical difficulties with our home computer at the moment so there won't be any posts for a few weeks as we work to fix things.  Hopefully I'll be super productive without having Candy Crush and Facebook as a distraction and have a dozen posts ready to go by the time things get back!

I hope you all are able to enjoy the last days of warmth before the chill of autumn sets in!

--Doodle

Not All Who Wander Are Lost, Part 7

It's time for the seventh installment of the Fandom in Stitches "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" block-of-the-month quilt!

Here are my finished blocks:

"Treebeard" designed by Lilja Björk Sigurdórsdóttir

"The Ring"  designed by Breanne Cremean

"Shard of Narsil"  designed by Lilja Björk Sigurdórsdóttir

An Epic Bag of Holding

A while back I used this awesome tutorial to make a messenger bag and a smaller purse.  They were both a lot of fun to make and I decided that I needed to make a bag for myself!  But this wasn't going to be an ordinary bag... no.  It was going to be epic.

I mulled over the design for months.  I inventoried everything that I regularly carried in my old, too-small purse and made sure that I designed a spot for everything.  I caluculated the ideal dimensions for a bag that would be large enough to comfortably carry everything I needed, yet not be overly bulky.  I strategized ways of adding zippers and secret pockets so that I could maximize the interior space.  The easy part was finding the right fabric... I had plenty of the soft brown corderoy left over from the messenger bag I had made my sister and then I had two shades of a lovely leafy-green print in my stash that I had been saving for something special.

Once my plan was made and once I had the free time, my Epic Bag came together very quickly!

For the front flap I used a reverse applique technique to create a leafy twig design.  I had fun "sketching" the outline of the leaves and stem with machine sewing.  The slight fraying along the edges adds just enough texture and character.

I also added leaves in a vine-like pattern around the strap.

This vine pattern was also used to quilt the back and sides of the bag.

But the really fun part is on the inside!

I made custom pockets on the front that comfortably fit my phone, ipod and camera so that they are always within easy reach!

There is a zippered pouch on the front for more easily-accessible storage and then I added a large zipper over the main compartment too.  That way, important things like my keys and wallet won't go flying if I happen to drop my bag.  

The main compartment is divided into two sections.  The back section is specifically for a notebook for jotting down crafty ideas or inspiration... because I always seem to think of great things when I am out and about!

Then there is obviously a spot for a pen or pencil and another small zippered pouch for important but not always needed things like nail clippers and band-aids.

Well there you have it!  With my Bag of Awesomeness I always feel well prepared.  Even if we're just going to the park.