Weekender FINISHED!! :)

Several weeks ago I saw Amy Butler's Weekender Bag on a few blogs and HAD to make one for myself.  I sent out an email to my friends and family, seeing if they wanted to join me in the fun.  A few of us decided to make the bags together :)  I've been working on mine with Annette, one day last week and this past Wednesday.  Friday, April and Konda and I went to my moms to finish them off. (Annette couldn't come, and we missed her SO much!!!)

I picked up April and Konda at 7 am Friday morning and we headed out to my moms.  My mom is SO sweet to have hosted us.  She had BEAUTIFUL scones ready for us for breakfast.  They were even dusted with sparkly prism shaped sugar ;)

 I have to say that I don't get jealous much, but I am TOTALLY jealous of my mom's sewing room.  I have random pictures around the room in this post.  We made quite the mess of her AMAZING sewing space. :)  Also, My mom's bff, MaryAnne, was there too to make one too. (I didn't get a picture of MaryAnne :(... )

This is my mom's sewing machine's corner.

This is where we they cut out their fabric.  Can you make out the daisy/green bowl on the left of the counter?  This is FULL of peanut M&M's!

April and Konda battling their bags.

When we arrived at my mom's, April was all ready to assemble her bag.  Konda was all cut out and ready to press and assemble.   I was mostly finished with mine.  I just needed to hand sew in my lining :D

Konda at the far left and my mom standing getting ready to press.

MaryAnne's sewing station

 My mom and MaryAnne had their fabric and needed to start from scratch.  There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth while cutting out! :)  Since I was pretty much finished with mine, after I hand sewed my lining in, I sewed MaryAnne and my mom's linings for them, including the pockets.  I also made their straps. :)  I was VERY happy to help!

Here is the photo documentation of our HARD work!!! :D

April's AWESOME mustache bag.

April modeling her finished bag.

Konda's smiling, but her eye's are closed :( ...but she is smiling and looking  ever so lovely! :)

***Sidenote about Konda, she only grumbled a little bit.  She LOVES all things quilting, but this bag making stuff is not her cup of tea!  Despite this not being her forte, her bag turned out SPECTACULAR!!!*** ...actually the only thing Konda likes less than bag making is participating in skits! :D

Me getting ready for my picture.

"WAIT, Konda!  I need to fix my hair!!!"

"Cheese!"

"Did you get the picture yet?"

The Three Stooges

April's bag

Konda's bag.

(I LOVE the fabric!  It is SO PRETTY!!!)

My bag

MaryAnne's side panels :)

(Isn't her fabric WONDERFUL???)

My mom's BEAUTIFUL bag.

MaryAnne and my mom's bags hanging out.

My mom's cute fabric cupboard.

She is always so nice to let me raid it :)

The Anne and Andy's dolls my mom made.

What a PERFECT day!!  Friends, family and our sewing machines!!!  Not to mention the FABULOUS fabric we got to play with!!!  Life couldn't be more sweet!


****So, I thought I should let you know what we did differently with our bags :)****

Konda, MaryAnne and my mom all followed the pattern pretty much exactly.  Konda did use quilting fabric instead of the medium weight upholstery fabric called for in the pattern.

Most of us used a separating parka zipper.  It is the opposite of a suitcase zipper, and we think we like them :)  We will let you know!

Konda, April and I added feet to our bags.  We also are using plastic corrugated cardboard for the bottoms.  Nice and stiff!

April, Annette and I pieced our bag panels like many other bloggers have done.  This process took a WHOLE day, but I am REALLY happy with my results!

We used duck for the backing with a thin layer of batting (cut a 1/2" smaller...we didn't actually do this, but WE SHOULD HAVE!!!!) and then just quilted fun fabrics to it.  I sort of used a quilt as you go process, but as usual, I improvised and made the method all mine ;D

We also used the fusible Pellon to line the lining fabric.

We added pockets to the lining!!!  A LARGE divided pocket along the bottom of one side...

Can you see them?

How about now, with stuff in them?

....and a zippered pocket on the other side :)

"Say, AHHHHHhhhh!"

One REALLY cool thing we did, happened while Annette and I were sewing last Wednesday.  Annette accidentally grabbed some of my fabric and sewed it into her bag.  Frankly, I am SUCH A SLOB and my fabric scraps were everywhere, including some parts of Texas, that it was totally my fault.  I thought since she had some of my fabric in her bag, that I needed to get a piece of hers to add to mine :)  She has some orange in hers, so I chose the brightest scrap of orange she had and added it to mine!

When April came by to join our sew-fest last Wednesday, we showed her our happy exchanges of fabrics and she grabbed some of our scraps and added them to hers :)  Now we just needed to get some of April's fabric.... but what to choose.... how about a mustache??? DUGH!!! :D

Here is a terrible phone picture of Annette's and my bags from last Wednesday.  Aren't they CUTE???

Annette's bag DARLING bag is on the right.

Well that is pretty much it...as far as I can remember ;)   

WARNING:  This bag is not for the faint of heart!  It is definitely a intermediate to advanced pattern.  A VERY brave and adventurous beginner can do it for sure! :D 

PS-  I will be starting bag #2 soon.  I am making one for my 18 year old daughter for Christmas.  Stay tuned!