New Busy Bag

When we go to Hubby’s appointments I’ve been taking my bag….
I love my bag.  It’s the perfect size when we are staying overnight and I need the laptop with.  There’s room for magazines for the hotel room in the evening…room for stitching projects and my English paper piecing.

When we go to the actual appointments, the bag is a little too big…so, I decided to make myself a smaller busy bag that can go inside my big bag.  I’ll take that out and bring it with when we go to the actual appointment.

I thought about buying a pattern.  I thought about searching the internet to find a free pattern.  Then I thought WHY…you can sew Jo.  You can just work it out as you go…and that’s what I did.

I started with an orphan block left over from my Tulip Fields quilt.  I put a 1 1/2″ strip on each side.

Then I put 2 1/2″ strips on each side of that.
Then… a 1 3/4″ strip went on top and the 3″ strip along the bottom.
That’s when I got a little excited about the project and forgot to take pictures.  AHHH!!

From there I sandwiched the top-  It was the top, fusible fleece and a backing fabric.  I machine quilted it and made a wristlet type handle.

From there I started on the back side of the bag.  I wanted to use the mesh stuff so I could see into the bag without opening it.  So I cut a 11×7 piece of that.  Then I added pieces to the sides….The sides got 2″ pieces.  Notice how I have things sandwiched fabric/mesh/fabric.

Then I top stitched along the sides.

I got this far and then added pieces to the top and bottom.  I put 3″ pieces on the top and bottom too.  Again I top stitched.

Then I put the front piece on top of the bottom piece.  I cut the bottom piece to be the same size as the top piece.

Next I took a 12″ zipper.  I added fabric pieces to the ends.  I cut the zipper off as it was too big.   Then I sewed the zipper to the front and then the back sides of the bag.  I opened the zipper half way.  Then I put right sides and sewed around the edge.

I like bags with boxed corners so I did that next.  I folded the bottom corners and made a line 1″ in.

I sewed on the line and the trimmed off the end.
I turned the bag right side out and LOOK.  My bag was finished.  Here’s the front….
and here’s the back….

I took the bag downstairs and tried it out…

PERFECT!!  PERFECT!!

My cross stitch project is in there and so is Hubby’s Kindle.  There’s room for tissues or something else if I need it.

So now that it’s packed…I packed it in my big bag.

We’re ready for what comes our way.  Fingers crossed and prayers said for whatever comes our way.  We’re going to do this!!

Thanks for all well wishes.  We so appreciate all of the support.