Well, it's day 3...making progress

Ok, a couple things I thought of to share. Fabric selection is essential. I wanted my bag to look high end, perhaps like a knockoff of Louise or Coach. Anyways I'm using this lovely chocolate brown microsuede. It's a bitch to work with! I'm a pretty seasoned sewer and bag maker, but if I weren't I'd probably be in tears. It's slick and stretchy for one, but oh does it look good. So something to consider strongly is your fabric choice. AB recommends home dec weight, that's a great choice and there's some great fabrics to be found, but I had to be different so you know it serves me right if I'm finding my microsuede a less than forgiving choice. The other thing I learned is about helpful feet to use, she suggest a zipper foot and she's not kidding. So far I've been sewing this on my PC 6000 (I know, I said I'd use the necchi...but the Brother is my dear friend and she didn't want to be left out, besides I have a lot of feet for her and apparently I have every foot for the necchi except a zipper foot or cording foot, so boohoo for me)and alternating between my zipper foot and my 1/4" foot.

So progress for today. I've made the outer pocket. I altered the way she had you attach the lining to pocket. I couldn't seem to get it stitched without the stitching showing through even though the directions said they shouldn't...I tried her way, then my way , my way was to make a little hem 1/4 at the top of the lining and then attach it right side together to the cording and then stitching in the ditch stitch the lining down. On further consideration I was obsessing a bit too much about it. It's an interior pocket...it lays flat and it's stitched straight and now you can't see the stitching on the outside. I think it would pass inspector #8's scrutiny.

So here are pictures of the two front panels w/the handles attached. I used her measurement, but I think next time I'd like the handles a tad wider and longer. The length they are now will require that it be carried by hand, it wouldn't go over the shoulder, so for the next bag I'll add 12 inches to the length and an inch to the width. Oh well, live and learn.