Sunday 16 November 2014

What I'm making: Noodlehead Trail Tote

My latest make has been the noodlehead trail tote. I LOVE Anna's patterns, they are easy enough for a complete novice such as myself to follow. I have made a few of her other patterns in the past with great success, so when I saw this one, I wanted to have a go. The fact that I am in a handmade birthday club gives me loads of opportunities to try new things (check some of the awesomness on Instagram at #ahbcparty3).

The thing I find the most difficult about bag patterns is deciphering the interfacing requirements. I have no idea about interfacing and trying to convert US brands and types to what I can readily find in Australia is confusing to say the least.  Googling Pellon replacements whilst towing two small kids around Spotlight is not cool. So I winged it. On the exterior and strap I used some Vilene H640 as that's what I had and I wanted the bag to withstand wear and tear. Perhaps that made the seams a bit bulky, but hopefully it will stop the bag from going all floppy.

Then there was the hardware - seriously, why is this stuff so hard to find? I ordered mine from Voodoo Rabbit and it came really quickly, but they didn't have the size of O rings I wanted to I just made do with the next size up. I think it turned out ok, but would have been better with the right size.

This pattern is clear and easy to follow. I did my first inset zipper (I didn't even know that was the right term til I saw it on Instagram) and magnetic snaps and piping without too much hand wringing or brow wiping. Here is a work in progress shot (also note the nifty labels):



I actually think it turned out pretty well. I used some Brambleberry Ridge for the accents and one of the exterior sides and Essex Yard Dyed for the other exterior side. I lined it in Cotton + Steel netorious. The recipient said they like minty green and yellow so hopefully this fits the bill. I don't have a lot of yellow or large pieces of fabric in my stash, so made do with what I have. Here are some photos of the finished product:



Ta da!! Thanks for reading

1 comment:

  1. Lovely. I'm starting on one and googled images of it and found your blog. Nice job.

    Joy

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