Tuesday Project Roundup: Think Green

I sewed up the souvenir fabric I (finally) found at Stonemountain right away–mostly because I’m, uh, out of fabric storage space but also because I wanted a lighter layer as we inch towards spring.

This is the Marlo Sweater from True Bias, last made in 2021 (and modeled in the hallway mirror back then, too):

The fabric was a find in the Stonemountain sale attic, an organic cotton deadstock from Amour Vert. It’s beautiful quality but there was a running flaw about 2/3 across the width, so I got an extra half yard and cut around it.

I know the green and white could read “Christmas elf” to a lot of people but to me, it’s giving “Bermuda tennis club awning.” If only we had weather to match that vibe.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Road Tested Backpack

Finally, a project post for the travel backpack that consumed my life for a month. I posted about my self-induced struggles with it when it was done, but now I’ve taken it on a trip so I can give a full report.

We’ve seen this shot before but I wanted to show off the stripe webbing and accent zips again:

 

And here she is packed within an inch of her life. When I installed the recommended #10 zipper for the main compartment, I thought it was overkill–but I’m glad I listened to the instructions in this case, because I’m not sure a #5 zip would have made it:

 

The pattern suggested a way to make the backpack straps detachable so you could stow them behind the back panel; I didn’t use the silk clips as suggested because I had G-hooks in my stash. They worked pretty well (no accidental detaching so far):

And here they are stashed. The pattern left the back panel design pretty open to interpretation–it gave construction info but no pattern pieces, just inspiration photos. I ended up drafting a piece with curved sides that could also be a sleeve for a rolling luggage handle. (You can see how the whole thing sits crooked in this angle; yes that’s going to bother me forever.)

 

Other than being bothered by my construction mistakes, was it functional? Yes, overall! I had a moment where I thought a 32L would be TOO big, so I sized the pattern down 10% when I printed it and ended up with a 29-ishL size. Honestly, I could have used that extra 10% and I think it still would have fit under the airline seat.

The pockets were everything I wanted, though, and the fact they didn’t share volume with the main compartment really helped with packing. The front panel pocket fit the carry-on toiletries and the back laptop pocket fit my tech stuff and knitting. I ended up padding the laptop pocket with 2mm EVA foamĀ  (on the back panel) and some Soft and Stable (on the inside panel).

 

I added interior pockets, too, but I didn’t really use them. You can barely see the inside lid mesh pocket in this picture but that was fun to add. (You can also see the hinge about an inch off-center in this interior shot.)

 

Am I proud of this, despite my errors? Yes. I was at a Cotopaxi store after I finished this and looked at their bags–and while they weren’t sewn crooked, the stitch quality and fabric weights just weren’t as nice as mine. My bag fit a weekend’s worth of clothes and in-flight entertainment and was comfortable to wear through airports, which were exactly my goals.

The details:

  • Pattern: Prickly Gorse/MYOG Tutorials “TRVL 32L: Travel Backpack
  • Outer canvas: 600 Denier Magnatuff Plus Polyester from The Rain Shed
  • Inner lining: Nylon Taffeta from The Rain Shed
  • Mesh for inside lid pocket: KoolKnit Mesh from The Rain Shed
  • Stretch mesh for side pocket: Brown Power Net from The Rain Shed
  • #10 zippers for main compartment: The Zipper Lady
  • #5 zippers for pockets: Wawak
  • Gucci stripe webbing: Sewtopia (the link is to 1.5″ but they had 1″ in store, which is what I used)
  • Back panel spacer mesh: in stash, originally from Salt Lake Sewciety
  • 2mm EVA foam for straps and back panel: in stash, originally from Amazon
  • Grosgrain binding in stash, originally from Wawak (huge rolls!)
  • Assorted foldover elastics and hardware from stash

 

Wednesday Project Roundup: Travel Case

After I finished my backpack, I ended up making one more thing for my extremely short trip –a “tech pouch” to hold my Kindle and glasses and charging cords.

I had leftover stripe webbing and red zippers from the backpack, so I used snakeskin print denim scraps (from a pair of jeans I never posted) and went for a “MYOGucci” look:

I had everything in my stash–ripstop lining, interior zipper, grosgrain binding, and even the wide elastic for a pen loop.

After the struggles with my backpack, this went together really quickly, even if I broke my own rule and used another pattern from the Learn MYOG guy (something I said I’d never do after the fiasco with his other pack pattern). This “Tech Pouch” pattern is a new one from him and it’s definitely better (real marking points on the pattern, actual illustrations, and only $10 vs. $30).

This was pretty handy to have on the plane and I can even see using it instead of a purse for errands, since I’m quickly approaching the point I need my glasses for reading anything, not just screens.

Sewing: Keeping Me Humble

This isn’t a full project roundup, just a reminder to myself of the dangers of sewing hubris because this backpack project has been such a struggle.

Did I think it would be that difficult? Nope, I’ve breezed through hiking packs and wool coats so I expected this to be the same, but wow the user error got me on this. I can’t even blame the instructions, because they were very thorough! They gave me many tips on sewing curves, which I ignored, because I’ve sewn curves before! They WARNED me to pay attention to the alignment marks, but did I? Not really!

You might be thinking, “What’s the problem, Karen? This looks fine!” but the picture isn’t showing that the back panel with the straps isn’t aligned with the body, yet the zipper lid IS, so that makes it all sit crooked. And the curves of the back pocket and the lid have puckers, despite me trying two or three times on each (but still not following the instructions!?!).

I have one more step to go to finish (bind the inside seam) and then I’m taking this on the road in a couple weeks, where hopefully the flaws will fade and I can see if it’s as useful as I planned. So I’ll get more pictures then, but I don’t post about the struggle much–honestly, it’s been a while since I HAD such a project struggle–so I just wanted to keep it real.

2025 Sewing Intentions

Daughter Judy Patterns put out their own spin on the traditional “Make 9” sewing community lists. Since I make a lot more than 9 things anyway, I liked this more thoughtful approach. Here are the prompts:

 

And here are my answers:

1. 2025 Color: I’m really into red–this image from J. Crew is a little more orange-red, which is a no-brainer, but a true red is speaking to me too.

2. Vintage Pattern: If I can track down a copy of DKNY Vogue 2958, I think it would look great in a red coating.

3. Skill Enhancer: I want to get better at hand sewing for tailoring/any hand sewing at all. I really hate it (I even have a Bernina foot to sew buttons on by machine) but you can’t get a perfect collar/lapel roll on jackets or coats any other way. Daughter Judy has teased a blazer pattern this year so maybe that will be when I learn.

4. On Your “To Knit” List: I’m really going to make that Gap-inspired sweater this year. I just ordered yarn!

5. 3 Personal Style Words: I think Colorful is self explanatory. Layered gets ignored a lot when I need to just throw something on after the gym for Zoom, but I want to get back into the habit–because that’s what makes me feel Cool.

6. Batch Sew Basics: I need bras, both for the gym and for home. The Greenstyle and Cloth Habit patterns I have work and lord knows I have enough knit scraps to use.

7. Pinterest Pin You Can’t Stop Thinking About: This picture of curator Thelma Golden. The coolness! The confidence! The colors and prints!

8. 2025 Mantra: I have SO much fabric that’s special or one of a kind, which makes me want to hoard it rather than use it up. But isn’t it better to enjoy it in my closet rather than on the fabric shelf? And isn’t my hoarding of it just based in fear (“What if I mess it up and can’t get more?”) anyway? This hobby shouldn’t feed my anxiety!

9. Take Your Time Project: I’m still marinating on this one but I could really use that Waffle Patterns 3-in-1 Kikyo Jacket I posted about.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Arts & Crafts For Christmas

I kept it pretty low-key for handmade gifts this year–I’m finally learning that December is full of government clients wanting to wrap up projects, plus two birthdays and regular holiday insanity, so maybe I shouldn’t plan the ultra-ambitious projects for gifts.

But a little valet tray to hold a traditional gift of car wash tokens for my Sunday Night Conversations friend? That took an evening and it’s always fun to play with cardboard and glue. I know he loves intalgios so when I saw this new paper from Parvum Opus, I had to use it. (And now he wants to carry the paper in his store, success!)

 

For my dad, I wanted something to go with a vintage tiki mug I found him. This is a wild swerve away from plaid flannel; the Hawaiian print flannel (from Joann) might be a little much for an old cowboy, but the thing about handmade gifts for a parent is they have to use them, if only when you come to visit. And it’s warm.

And finally, I sewed a little pouch to hold a Stonemountain gift card for the friend I’m going to the East Bay next month. Of course, theĀ leftover fabric I wanted to use wasn’t heavy enough on its own, so I quilted it with leftover batting and more stash fabric on the inside. I even had a matching zipper and tiny D-ring!

I rushed the seam binding on the inside since I was working on this the Sunday before Christmas, but it’s sturdy and I don’t think anyone’s going to turn it inside out and inspect it too closely.

Winter Break Project Planning: Travel Backpack

I was feeling the urge to make something complicated, but instead of a coat I landed on a travel backpack. Why? My friend and I actually booked a winter trip after talking about it for years. We’re going to the East Bay (ok, we’re going to Stonemountain) in January and I decided to sew a suitcase-backpack for it. (Why not sew that domed carry on that I keep posting about every year and then not making? We won’t have a car so I want something that’s comfy to walk around with. Someday, carry on…)

I’m going to use the “TRVL 32” from Prickly Gorse which won out over the Stitchback Gear version because it opens like a suitcase and has lots of exterior pockets. Just look at all these pockets!

I uncharacteristically didn’t go mega-colorful with this one–my thought is that Doc could use this as a personal item if we ever go anywhere with rolling luggage and I could still sew the Kate Spade knockoff carry on for mine. (Also, if your backpack is neutral it won’t clash with your snakeskin printed pants or bright blue corduroys as you prance around Berkeley.) I couldn’t resist contrast red lining inside, though:

I’m not 100% sold on the two tans so I might check out Salt Lake Sewciety for a backup. But otherwise, I have everything I need to get started–including the biggest zippers I’ve ever seen:

Let’s sew a suitcase!

Tuesday Project Roundup: Catzilla Birthday Shirt

Doc got his traditional birthday shirt, the trusty M6044, in perhaps the best print ever this year:

Giant cats causing city-wide havoc! I found this at Miss Matatabi in the late summer and didn’t even have to think twice about buying it. It’s a nice shirt weight, too–almost an oxford.

I was able to pattern match the pockets but not the placket, but I think that’s OK. Everyone will be too busy seeing what the giant cats are doing to pay attention to the placket anyway.

Wednesday Project Roundup: Pattern Testing Pics

I got some more pictures of the pattern I tested, which is releasing today: The Monty Pant from Daughter Judy.

Since testing, the designer has made the fit a little smaller overall and refined the zipper placket instructions, so you shouldn’t have any of the issues I did. Like I said before, I don’t think I would have picked this shape but I really love it. It helps that there’s an elastic-back waist and lots of room in the hip, but I also just like the vibes: a little 80s, a little modern I kind of want a corduroy pair now.

I just don’t wear office clothes any more so I styled these the way I’d actually wear them, but I think they’d really work with ankle boots and a button up, too.

Anyway, pattern testing was fun! Expanding my style horizons and getting to provide written opinions, what’s not to love?

Pattern Testing, Keeping It Real

I had my first pattern tester experience for one of my favorite companies, Daughter Judy. (Pattern testing is just doing a trial sew of something before the pattern is released and putting in notes about the pattern and instructions.) This is an elastic-back pant that’s coming in a couple weeks and I would never have picked this silhouette on my own, but I kind of love it?
(I’m going to make Doc take real pictures so I can post more detail.)

 

This is actually my second pair; the instructions for the exposed front zip kicked my ass the first time (the bottom opening should have been square):

But the pattern designer put a helpful video in the tester Slack group (and I think will add more detail to the instructions) so my second try turned out great:

Remember, you can be at any skill level and mess things up! But you can also try again!