McCall 6090 - Poofy Tote

Hello Friends! Sorry I haven't posted anything the past few days. Honestly, I've been too lazy/busy to blog what I've created. I have been busy sewing bags, creating fabric flowers, and I still haven't posted the 18 cards that I created for my card marathon last week. Blogging takes away from creating and I've been trying to be more productive. I'm hoping to participate in a craft fair next month or at least in the near future and I need to concentrate my efforts towards creating.

Okay. . .let me discuss the bags I've recently sewn. For this bag, I used McCall 6090 pattern. Here are a few things I've learned since I've started sewing. . .one is to read the specification of the pattern before buying a pattern and not to rely on the photo. The photo on the package of this pattern is deceiving because the bag looks like a small purse or handbag size. Well, the "small bag" pattern for this bag measures 15 x 11". . . it's more like "tote" size. There are 3 sizes and the "large bag" measures 19 x 11". That's huge.


The original "small bag" pattern is actually the blue/black bag below with no modification to the pattern except for the handle. I'll explain later. The changes I made to the pattern are the "strap" length, the flap at the top, use of a magnetic closure, and the size of the fabric to create the outside body of the bag.

For the "small bag" pattern, the strap is a little shorter as shown below and the bag is meant for you to carry the bag with your hand rather than on your shoulder. My daughter wanted the blue/black bag below but she told me that she would prefer that the bag be carried on her shoulders so I switched the handle by using the "medium bag" strap pattern.

I reduced the fabric size of the outside body of the bag by 1/4 because I didn't like the amount of "poofiness" to the bag. LOL! I just felt it was too poofy. Despite reducing the size, the bag was still a bit too poofy so the next time I sew this bag, I think I'll decrease the fabric size closer to 1/2 the size. Also, rather than "gather" the fabric as instructed, I pleated the fabric instead. The blue/black bag below was "gathered" and the pink bag was pleated.

The pattern didn't come with a closure but I wanted a closure to the bag so I created my own flap pattern and added the magnetic closure. I also reduced the height of the binding around the top of the bag. I didn't like the height of the binding as shown in the blue/black bag below.

For the fabric, I used Calico Keepsake fabrics that you can find at Joanns. The price is reasonable when you use your coupon. I think I'm going to start purchasing designer fabrics online but they are pricey so when I do use a designer fabric, it has to be a bag pattern that I really like. In order to find out which bag pattern to use for designer fabrics, I will need to try out different patterns.

This is the first bag that I sewn using the pattern with no modifications. I guess you can say this was a "test" bag. As you can see the bag's handle is a little shorter, the binding at the top a bit larger and the pleats have a more "gathered" appearance rather than a pleated appearance. With this bag, I didn't add interfacing to the outside body and instead interfaced the inside lining. The pink bag is the opposite. I interfaced the outside (as the pattern calls for) and did not interface the inside which is actually better.

The pattern for the "small bag" requires that you use a " 24" ribbon" for the handle which I didn't want to do so I cut a fabric measuring 24" to create my own handle.

The fabric flowers are not part of the pattern. I decided to add them on to give the bag a more vintage/shabby chic appearance.

What do I think of this bag pattern? I'm still debating whether I like it. The bag is really cute but honestly, it uses way too much fabric and I think there's a way to create the body without so much fabric/pleats and still look nice. The pattern calls for the sides of the bag be tacked on to the bottom of the top band and I think it's a waste of fabric. It would have been better if the pattern was cut rounded rather than squared so that you don't have to gather the bottom of the sides of the bag and tack it on to the band in order to give it a rounded appearance.

Anyway, I need to get back to creating. . .but not before I clean up my craft room! Yikes. . .it's a mess right now. I do clean up after each project but I do make a lot of mess while creating. **sigh**. . .okay, folks. . .I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!