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Choose Your Own Adventure Bag

Instructions Page 2

Adventure Bag Instructions
Page 1	Page 2	Page 3	Page 4

Step 1: Cut out your pattern pieces. But before you do this, you have to make a choice.

• You can waterproof your bag by cutting out coated ripstop nylon to use as interfacing for pattern pieces 1, 2 and 3. You will fuse this to the bag using iron-on applique fusible webbing (see step 6). The advantage is it reinforces your bag even more than interfacing, and also makes it water resistant. The disadvantage it reinforces the bag even more than interfacing -- if you have a stiff fabric already, you may want to avoid this. It may also make a crinkling noise in the final bag. Crinkle (not rub) your nylon to get an idea of the worst-case senario noise.
• You can just use interfacing instead of bothering with all this nylon stuff. Your bag won't be waterproof, and maybe not as strong, but it won't have any of the disadvantages of the nylon interlining, either.

You also need to decide how long to make your strap. The directions on the pattern will make a 50" strap, which on me (I'm 5'4") means the bag rests on my lower hip when I wear it across my body. Measure the straps of bags you already own (or your friends already own) to get an idea of a good length for you. It's better to err on the side of length. In step 24, you can check the length with the shell of your bag and adjust it before they get sewn in for good.

Step 2: Note - if you want to add any pockets to the lining, do so now. Otherwise... Begin with the constrast lining. Line up the centers of one of the lining front or back pieces with the lining bottom piece (pieces #1 and #3). Pin the pieces together, with the right sides together. The point where bottom piece begins to angle in is about the point where the curved corner of the bag starts. What is most important is just to make sure it is pinned symmetrically.

Step 3: Sew along the seam you just pinned, using a 1/2" seam allowance, starting and finishing at the marked dot (on the pattern piece #3). Stopping at the dot is necessary to leave some seam allowance for the other back/front piece.

Step 4: Pin and sew the other back/front piece bottom piece as in steps 2 and 3. Your lining should look like this at this point. Notice that no seams are sewn above the point of the bottom piece.

Step 5: Pin the sides together above the point (marked by the green arrow). Sew from the edge to exactly meet the other stitching. Pull the triangle and the rest of the bottom piece away from your sewing so it doesn't get caught by the needle.

If you open up the bottom, the stitching should look like this. If all your stitching doesn't meet at one point, extend the offending seam by the necessary amount.

The right side will look like this.

Step 6, If you want to use the nylon interlining: Pin all the interlining pieces (2 of piece #1, 2 of piece #2, and 1 of piece #3) to the applique fusable web. Cut around your fabric pieces using paper-grade scissors (not your nice shears!). Remove the paper backing at this step.

Now make a fabric sandwich for pressing, in this order: nylon, coated side up; fusible web; fabric, right side up; press cloth. Iron, following the instructions that came with your fusible web, but don't use a temperature too hot for your fabric. If want to use interfacing, fuse the interfacing to the bag front, back, bottom, and both flap pieces at this point.

Step 7: Make up the cording (instructions here). For four of the cording pieces, finish one of the ends. The fifth is for buttonloops. If you aren't going to use buttonloops, don't bother with this piece.

Step 8: Apply any pocket desired to the back or front of the bag. I have instructions for the double-welt slash pocket shown in the photo in the techniques section. The pattern pieces for a 6" welt pocket are included in the pdf file.

Step 9: Baste the raw ends of two of the cord lengths to the center of the bag front, on the right side. Make sure the cord ends are even with the edge of the fabric, so that they will be anchored in the seam when the bag bottom is sewn on.

Step 10: Now pin and sew the bag bottom in place, as you did for the lining in steps 2 and 3. Notice the little cords stitcking up, out of the way. If you use the ripstop interlining, be aware the ripstop may seem "sticky". If you are having difficulty, be sure that you aren't incidentally pressing the fabric down against your machine, increasing the friction.

Step 11: Sew the bag back piece to the bottom, and sew up the sides, like steps 4 and 5. Reinforce the stitching by sewing again halfway between the seam and the edge of the fabric.

Step 12: Turn the bag right side out, and set in the lining, and pin the raw edges together as shown. Baste them together using a long stitch length, less than 1/2" from the edge.

Continue onto the 3rd page.