Welcome, and thanks for joining me as we make this fun and fabulous bag! I hope you’ll find this sewalong motivating, informative, and enjoyable! Here’s what you can expect over the next few days:

• Day 1  (that’s today!)- Fabric, interfacing, and hardware selection and gathering. Printing of pattern, and cutting and fusing fabric and interfacing.
• Day 2 – We begin sewing the bag.
• Day 3  – Final assembly and completion of bag

Let’s get started! If you haven’t already, go grab a copy of the PDF, and use code OKAPI10 to save 10% (on any pattern, any time!)

You’ll also need to gather your supplies. For my bag, I’m using vinyl for the bottom and shoulder straps, and cotton for the rest. I interfaced my lining and pockets with Pellon Shapeflex 101 (fusible cotton woven) and used fusible fleece for my exterior. I wouldn’t recommend foam interfacing for this bag, since we’re pleating the panels. The pattern suggests using a sew-in batting or duck canvas, which will work too of course. I found some amazing oversized rings at Emmaline Bags and I’m using 1″ O-rings instead of 5/8″ D-rings. If you can’t find hardware to match the requirements exactly, that’s ok, I’ll address that when we get to cutting.

You’ll want to make you print at 100% and measure the test square to make sure it’s an accurate printing. I usually just print the pattern pieces out and read the instructions from my tablet; this way I save big on printer ink. You may want to print the pattern pieces that are cut on fold twice, or trace those pieces onto another piece of paper, cut, and tape together at the fold line. I find this helps me get more accurate cuts and lets me visualize my fabric placement a bit better than cutting or tracing on the fold.

Before I get started cutting, I organize my fabrics and pattern pieces and make a small chart for myself. I’m using 3 different exterior fabrics, so the chart helps me keep everything in order and I can make sure all my pieces are cut by checking them off as I go. Here’s mine:

You’ll note the * next to D ring tab in my chart, that’s because I’m lazy so I try to find ways to make bag making faster and easier, so I actually just cut a 6″ x 3″ piece and sew to make the tab as directed, then cut in half to end up with 2 tabs the same size as in the pattern. You may also notice I interface more than called for in the pattern, and that’s just my personal preference; so feel free to interface the lining, as I do, or leave it off, as the pattern does, either way it won’t make a difference in assembly of the bag. For example, I cut the interfacing for the slip pocket the same size as the pocket, instead of half. I just like a bit more body to my bags, so I tend to add interfacing even where patterns don’t necessarily call for it. 

If you couldn’t find the same hardware as listed, you may need to adjust your straps. For example if you only have a 1″ slide and swivel clips, you may need to make your strap at a finished width of 1″ instead of 1.5″ or for your D ring tabs, you’ll need to make sure your finished width will fit in the D rings you have. To make a strap or tab, cut it 4x times wide as desired finished width.

You’ll need to figure out what length you want for your adjustable strap. A good way to estimate is to take your tape measure and drape across your shoulder as if it were a strap for a cross body bag, then measure how long the strap would need to be: I cut mine at 55″, keeping in mind that a few inches will be folded up to attach hardware.

Now that you’ve got your cutting list sorted out, go ahead and start cutting. I like to start with my Sf101, and fuse that to the pieces that will be interfaced with it, then cutting the fabric out around the interfacing: refer to my laziness above, this allows me to trace my pieces a few less times.

You might be wondering why we aren’t cutting a lot of the sew-in or fleece at this point, but it’s coming tomorrow, so don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten it yet.

Once you’ve cut all your fabric and interfacing, if you haven’t fused as you cut, you’ll need to do that now. Set all your pieces in a pretty pile and come back tomorrow to start sewing!

I’d love to see your progress! Use #HappyOkapiBlueCallaSAL on Instagram to share.