It had taken me the entire sewing class to get the pieces cut out and to sew that one pocket. But I was proud. It required that I learn to sew that fabric, to attach a zipper pull to zipper tape, to sew through several layers of fairly thick stuff in places. So it was a good start.
Basking in the glow of my accomplishment, I let everything sit at home for a few days. I was thinking about the mesh. Would I be able to sew that without trouble? Finally I sat down at the machine and gave it a try. It sewed! And the machine did not object. So I got the other end of the bag finished. Then added the side pocket to the main bag piece:
So then I had:
The two ends and the start of the middle.
Adding webbing to the bag was next. The pattern shows clearly where it goes and the instructions show a good method for getting it on. Creating the grips for handles came first, then pinning and sewing:
Next came the third - and last - zipper. I had some trouble, as usual, putting the zipper pull on, but finally got it done. The instructions for this bag are very clear and easy to follow, so I soon had the zipper on the main body piece:
Doesn't look so great in this photo but it's fine. You can see the grips better here, too.
Now it was time to get the inner waterproof bag done. This is a bag that is almost the length of the main bag, made of lightweight ripstop nylon. It is accessible from the mesh end of the bag, so one can put wet things in there and they will not get anything inside the bag wet. Here I am sewing the inner bag:
I sewed the inner bag into the main bag, opening to one end. The final work was sewing the two round pocket ends to the main body, topstitching around each pocket, and finally creating the shoulder strap. And here it is!
Fabric pocket end showing.
Close-up of mesh pocket end.
Mesh pocket end showing.
I am not sure if I will want to make something like this again soon, but I learned a lot from it. I learned that I can sew with these unusual materials, that my machine can handle some pretty heavy-duty stuff, and that I can make something presentable and usable. I'll be taking it to the gym tomorrow, proudly.
Basking in the glow of my accomplishment, I let everything sit at home for a few days. I was thinking about the mesh. Would I be able to sew that without trouble? Finally I sat down at the machine and gave it a try. It sewed! And the machine did not object. So I got the other end of the bag finished. Then added the side pocket to the main bag piece:
So then I had:
The two ends and the start of the middle.
Adding webbing to the bag was next. The pattern shows clearly where it goes and the instructions show a good method for getting it on. Creating the grips for handles came first, then pinning and sewing:
Next came the third - and last - zipper. I had some trouble, as usual, putting the zipper pull on, but finally got it done. The instructions for this bag are very clear and easy to follow, so I soon had the zipper on the main body piece:
Doesn't look so great in this photo but it's fine. You can see the grips better here, too.
Now it was time to get the inner waterproof bag done. This is a bag that is almost the length of the main bag, made of lightweight ripstop nylon. It is accessible from the mesh end of the bag, so one can put wet things in there and they will not get anything inside the bag wet. Here I am sewing the inner bag:
I sewed the inner bag into the main bag, opening to one end. The final work was sewing the two round pocket ends to the main body, topstitching around each pocket, and finally creating the shoulder strap. And here it is!
Fabric pocket end showing.
Close-up of mesh pocket end.
Mesh pocket end showing.
I am not sure if I will want to make something like this again soon, but I learned a lot from it. I learned that I can sew with these unusual materials, that my machine can handle some pretty heavy-duty stuff, and that I can make something presentable and usable. I'll be taking it to the gym tomorrow, proudly.
