Steps Forwards and Backwards and Forwards again...

Right, the bag.  The term erectile dysfunction comes to mind.  It just didn't stand up unaided.  I didn't take a photo, but it wasn't pretty.  I'd got to the last few steps of the bag construction, and knew it wasn't worth continuing, without having to do some sort of surgery.

Some bags are still useable even if they are a bit floppy.  This is not one of those bags - it needs to be self supporting so that you can load up all the pockets before filling the actual bag with loot.  It's a big bag, it will fit in lots of loot!

The last Saturday of the month is an open sewing day at The Country Yard.  Yay, perfect for some friendly advice and product assistance.  After much hmming and hawing... we decided it needed some bag interfacing - a sew in product that provides firmness and support. 

I unsewed where I'd attached the lining to the bag exterior, and removed the base of the lining from the lining sides.  Then I cut pieces of interfacing to fit from seam to seam along each of the four sides of the lining and topstitched along the seamlines, to catch the interfacing.  I also topstitched along the panels where the elasticated pockets had a tendency to pull in, making it all sit much flatter.  Sounds very complicated, and by this stage I was really hoping it was all going to work.  Then the steps forward, added the lining base back onto the lining sides, and re-inserted the lining into the bag outer.

We have lift-off!

So now I'm back at the stage I was at on Tuesday.  I need to trim the excess interfacing from the top edge, make and attach the small handles and fit the top facing.

Now for the glaring error.  One of these pockets is not like the others...

It wasn't until it was fully assembled that I realised that the teal spotted pocket was backwards!  Oops.  You should see a white/grey spot with the teal lining peaking over the top.  This will just have to be the special pocket for putting chocolate into.

Some more happy fabric came home with me from The Country Yard...

... and this pattern wanted to come home with me too... not that I need any more new projects!

My sewing progress included starting the stem on the second panel like this one... and starting the blanket stitch on the first panel.  Remember this was the goal for ALYoF for February... an epic fail... which hasn't seen the light of day since. 

I'm also slowly making progress  with my May Tokyo subway block... all those 2.5" squares turning into four patches...

And finally, we purchased a very handy box.  Can you guess what it is for?

Note the wheels, it has a pull out handle and large spacious interior...