Category: Patterns

Emma Stadium Bag Hacks with Twill Tape

The best part about writing patterns is coming back and hacking them! I’m constantly inspired by the runways and the latest fashion trends. When I wrote this Emma Stadium Bag hack for Sewn Magazine (April 2020,) I noticed how straps were becoming the main focus on bags. They were produced in different fabric from the main bodies and were made in all sorts of distinctive colors and contrasting patterns…making the straps REALLY stand out.  Many brands were  offering customization with mix and match options which help to make a bag feel like it was made for you. I love a good statement strap as seen with my Guitar Strap Tutorial here and my play on a fringed Festival Bag here.  Needless to say, I couldn’t resist making my own designer inspired version.  Can you guess the high-fashion label that was my muse?  Now, you can really make a full personalized bag with the Twill Tape hack below!

Materials Required

Cutting

  • Cut fabric and vinyl per instructions minus the strap pieces.
  • Cut (2) 7 1/2” lengths of the Twill Tape. Heat seal each end of the tape with the lighter. Set Aside.

Strap

  • With the remaining Twill Tape, heat seal each end of the tape with the lighter.  *If you are using a 100% cotton tape, you won’t be able to heat seal.  Sew 1/8″ at each raw edge to keep it from unraveling.  Back-stitch well.
  • Follow the instructions in the pattern to thread the strap through the 1 1/2” slider and (2) 1 1/2” Swivel Clasps.
  • Use (2) Rivets to secure each end of the strap (4 rivets total) or sew into place.  This video can help you through adding rivets.

Pocket

  • This was omitted to let the twill tape stand on its own and not detract from the overall look.

Zipper Top

  • Make with the SHORT D-Ring tab option.  Although the photo shows the vinyl already attached, you will only have the Zipper Top completed at this point.

Vinyl Bottom

  • After marking the center of the vinyl bottom on the wrong side of the vinyl, mark 3/4” out on either side of the center. These lines will be used as sides for the Twill Tape.
  • Flip the vinyl over and line up Twill Tape within the markings. Top-stitch along the Twill Tape 1/16” into place. Optional – Add another row of stitching down the center of the Twill Tape. Repeat on other side of the body.
    • TIP: Sew down the sides of the Twill Tape in the same direction to avoid possible shifting.
  • Finish sewing the rest of the vinyl bottom, making sure to align the Twill tape when sewing the bottom seam.
  • With the Twill Tape facing up, sew the seam allowance to the body between 1/8″ – 1/4″ from the seam.
  • Finish the bag and wipe away any markings on the vinyl.

D-Ring Accent Tabs

I love the look of extra texture on the Zipper Top and these tabs provide such nice details…especially with the addition of rivets.  However, if you tried to make only these long tabs with fabric, they would pull and go vertical when worn.   The D-ring would also be sliding all across the tab and the weight distribution on the strap would definitely be off.  So when I was trying to decide how I could I could have the look, it dawned on me, that I could literally combine the techniques of the short tab and these riveted accent one.   I developed this “double D-ring” method to have the visual appeal AND have the security of a shorter tab.
  • To make, take the 13”x1” strip of fabric –
    • (Bottom and middle strips) Fold each long side toward the center, wrong-sides together making 1/2” single-fold tape.  Press well
    • (Top strip) Top-stitch 1/16” along each long edge
  • Cut in half length-wise so there are (2) 6 1/2” tabs. With each tab, fold each short end inward with wrong sides together by 1/2”.   Press.
  • Fold the entire tab in half, wrong sides together.  Press.
  • Glue down each 1/2” folded end.
  • Slide the Accent Tab equally through the 1/2” D-Ring with right side facing out.
  • With the D-Ring tab fully extended, mark the Accent Tab placement so it is parallel to the zipper and next to, but not pushing into the D-Ring.  Glue the Accent Tab into place.
  • From the edge of the tab, mark at 3/8” and 1 1/4” for rivet placement.
  • Use the fabric hole punch to cut through the Accent Tab, Main Fabric, and Lining.  Attach rivets using your preferred method.  You can check out this hand application video here.
  • Repeat on the other side of the same Accent Tab. Then repeat for the second Accent Tab. You will attach 8 rivets altogether on the Accent Tabs.
  • Attach the Strap to the D-Rings and you are ready to rock out in style!  How do you like the D-ring illusion?
If you are looking for other ideas to get the most out of your Emma Stadium Bag pattern, check out this post on how to add a leather hook and the Intro post here with tester versions.   Happy Sewing! Cristy  
This post may contain affiliate links which help keep this website and content rolling.  You can read about all of my Disclosures here.

Full Zip Hack with the Grace Rashie Pattern

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When I first hacked the Grace Rashie by Swim Style Patterns two years ago, I never documented the process…Big mistake, I know!  It was one of my late night experimentations which you can find here.  I honestly didn’t know if it would work or not and got so wrapped up in the process that I didn’t write down measurements or take photos of my complete step outs.  But luckily, I knew I needed at least a second rashguard for myself and made sure to document it this time!

Supplies Needed

Tutorial

Step 1:  Cut all pattern templates according to instructions.  Pull out the “Front Section” and add 1/4″ to the center-front as shown.  You will cut at the dashed line for just the “Top.”

Note: I made a size M and all measurements for center front, zipper guard, and zipper are ALL for this size.  You will have to adjust as needed for your sizing.

Step 2:  Cut all fabric according to instructions EXCEPT for the “Front Section.”  Instead of cutting the “Front Section” on the fold, you will cut TWO separate mirrored pieces using that 1/4″ you added in.

Step 3: Cut (2) 19 1/4″(length of the center front)  x 1/2″ strips of interfacing and fuse to each wrong side of the  center “Front Sections.”  Set aside.

left side of image is the Bottom and the right side is the Top

Step 4:  Cut (1) 19 1/4″ (same as length of center front) x 3″ strip of Main Fabric for the Zipper Guard.  Fold the fabric lengthwise with right sides together and press with low-heat iron, if needed. Mark seam with 1/4″ at the bottom.  For the top, measure 1/4″ down at the raw edge and then 1″ down on the folded side.  Connect the two points with a curved line as shown.  It doesn’t need to be precise!

Step 5: Sew on the markings you made. (They don’t need to be serged, but I went ahead and serger the seams while my machine was set up.)

Step 6:  Flip the Zipper Guard right side out, pushing out the bottom corner and the top curve.  Press with a low-heat iron.  Match the raw edges and finish with serger or zig-zag stitch.  Set aside.

Step 7:  Prepare Zipper by folding down the excess tape above the top stoppers.  Tack the fold into place approx. 1/8″ away from the edge.  Trim the overhanging tape.  (If you are making size L, you might be able to skip this step and use the full length of the zipper.)

***Follow instructions to complete the Grace Rashie (skipping all zipper steps.)  When you get to the hem, double check that the length of the finished center front matches the length of the zipper.

Step 8: With the wrong side of the Zipper facing up, add Wonder Tape to each long side of the tape.

Bottom

Top

Step 9:  Separate the Zipper and lay one zipper side down on the stitched side of the Zipper Guard.  Pictured is the LEFT side of the zipper (without the head,) but my previous version had the head with the guard.  I honestly don’t know which side of the zipper should sit with the guard, is technically correct.  I was playing to see if there was any real difference in how it wore on the body and I didn’t feel anything different…

Step 10:  Fold the Top of the Zipper Guard over Zipper and tack into place with 1/8″ seam allowance.

Step 11:  Working on the LEFT side of the garment, match the center front of the Rashie with the Zipper Guard, right sides together.  Use a zipper foot and sew itogether with a 1/4″ seam allowance.  Open the Zipper Guard and press seam allowance to the back.  Top-stitch 1/8″ from the edge of the Zipper, going through the Main Fabric, Zipper, and seam allowance.  Repeat with the RIGHT zipper.

Congratulations!  You now have a custom swim rashguard to protect your skin against the sun and elements.  I love having these for the cool winds of the lake.  The best part is when the rashguard gets wet, I can easily zip it off!

Please let me know how this tutorial worked for you!

 

Happy Sewing,

Cristy

 

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please read about my Disclosures, here.

Make the Most Comfortable Fabric Mask

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It’s hard to imagine months later, we are still here…  But now with mask mandates across so many US cities and numbers of COVID-19 cases back on the rise.  Everyday, more and more businesses are requiring masks when in their stores and even schools are requiring them as well.  We ALL need to do our part and wear a mask to prevent the spread of this coronavirus.  This is not a practice that will be going away soon, so I figured I would make the most comfortable fabric masks for my family and friends.

This post details what I’m using for my fabric masks (which are non-medical) and where to find supplies.  I am not a medical professional and/or a PPE engineer or expert.  I made these masks in lieu of purchasing medical grade supplies to keep them available for healthcare and other frontline personnel.  I encourage you to read the CDC fabric mask guidelines for additional info and how you can help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Background

At the doctor’s with jewelry cording elastic and a paper clip nose bridge

Back in May, I took my oldest son (9 years old) to his annual check-up and it was required that both of us had to wear masks.  No problem.  From the time B put on his mask until we were seen and back in the car, one whole hour passed.  But during that time, he was batting at his ears the ENTIRE appointment.  Granted, the only elastic I could get my hands on at that time was jewelry cording.  While the cording fit behind the ears and didn’t push them forward, after awhile they felt like they were cutting into the ears a bit….making them so uncomfortable.  I knew we needed something different for comfort and just knowing masks are here to stay for awhile.

Pattern

With so many sewists in mask making mode since the beginning of the pandemic, it was not hard to find patterns.  I even have a Pleated Mask (with Ties) Tutorial you can find here.  If you are looking to upcycle or do a project with kids with no sewing, I also have a No Sew T-Shirt Mask Tutorial using hair elastics you can find here.  But for comfort, I was looking for a pattern that I could either tie in the back or use elastic to hold around the head instead of pressure by the ears.  I decided to use the Craft Passion version because (1) It was already drafted for a nice contoured fit around the face and used less fabric which I thought could be cooler? (2) It came in multiple sizes (3) Had instructions for a filter pocket and (4) Came with pattern length adjustments for elastic/tie widths.  You can find the very detailed blog post with videos and even more options here.

I decided to make the original mask with filter pockets, but used the extended length for wider elastic/ties even though the widest width elastic I would use is 1/4″.  The extra length allows room for the mask to scrunch and fit around the face better.  If it’s more narrow and closer to the stitching and folds (aka bulk) of the fabric, it doesn’t contour as well.

Elastic

Mask with DIY knit jersey “elastic”

With my kids as my target audience, I knew the elastic definitely needed to be changed.  When I was first testing out this pattern, I used knit ties made from cutting 1″ 4-way jersey knit fabric and pulling on each strip until they coiled around.  But I wanted a little bit of a faster (and easier) make since I was sewing for family and friends too.  Luckily, elastic supplies are back in stock and I was SO pleased to find rounded knit elastic that is MUCH softer  than traditional braided elastic and came in various widths.  To the touch, these elastics feel so much softer and do not have that rubber texture.  They are are incredibly more comfortable than the cording I was previously using.

I’ve been purchasing the majority of my elastics off of Amazon and like the flat 4mm width the most, but have had to order from different sellers based on available stock. From left to right (top image) and going top-left clockwise (in bottom image):

  • White Flat 4mm – Feels like a heavier stocking and has great stretch and recovery.  I got this particular one from Amazon, but have purchased similar product from Salt and Summit Supply.  If you are planning to make a lot of masks to sell or for friends and family, I got a great deal ($15.99) on a large 145 yd spool here.
  • White Rounded 4mm – This one feels more like the inside of a sock and also has good stretch and recovery.  It’s not quite flat, and not completely round, but definitely thicker than the above flat elastic. You can find it here.
  • Black Flat 6mm (1/4″) – The touch of this elastic is like a traditional pair of sheer stockings or like many baby headbands.  It stretches the most out of these three and had good recovery as well.  You can find it here.

The other great part about having a mask with elastic around the head is that you can pull it down (with washed hands and socially distanced from others) to eat or to grab a breath. The way the mask hangs, the inside doesn’t come in contact with your neck or clothing too!  I imagine that these masks will turn into the new “lost glove,” especially with kids.  So, I love that this style of mask can stay with the person and not be sitting on random surfaces, fall to the floor or stuffed in a pocket. Having the tie or knot on the top of the head is CLUTCH! You just have to grab the knot and pull down. This helps to reduce contact with the actual mask itself.

For each sized mask, I used the following lengths:

  • Men – 36″
  • Women/Teen – 30″
  • Older Kids – 24″
  • Little Kids – 20″

Note:  As with all items that hand around the neck, these can become a chocking hazard. Please make sure kids are monitored by an adult at ALL times while wearing a mask.

Cord Locks

To pull down the mask, the elastic would have to be adjusted and I just couldn’t imagine my kids having to tie their masks….they barely can tie their own shoes well!  So, I thought adding a plastic cord lock made the most sense.  This allows a nice firm fit around the head which keeps the sides of the masks close to the cheeks and it won’t shift if you have to talk while wearing the mask.

Sphere vs Slim Cord Locks

When I first was looking at locks, I (of course) went to Amazon to find a deal on just a handful of them to try out.  I bought the spherical ones here and while they are strong and give you ample surface area to pinch down on the lock, they were just too bulky for my tastes.  Nothing goes to waste, so I used them on just the men’s masks I was making.  I then found these slimmer locks from Paracord Planet for the best pricing at the time ($21.99/50) with more color choices too.  But just the other week I found the same locks only in black for WAY less ($8.49/50) here!  These are the same quality..if not a little better than the ones from PP.

Nose Bridge

There is some debate among sewists to which side the nose bridge should go…and I choose the inside – call me a rebel!  For my method, I complete the entire mask and sew on a 4″ x 1/2″ piece of acrylic felt, leaving  a 1/2″ opening to add and remove the metal when washing or for replacement purposes.  I back-stitch on both sides of the opening and at the short ends of the felt rectangle for extra security.

You can use any material to make the nose bridge chamber (ribbon, twill tape, folded fabric, etc.)  Personally, I like the felt for the extra loft and softness on my nose.  I wear glasses just about every single day and definitely have been blinded by fog coming out of the refrigerated produce room in Costco!  The extra loft seems to help catch more of the moisture and I love how you can leave it with a raw-edge…double-win!

Domesticity vs Amazon

Early on in the pandemic, I was using pipe cleaners and paper clips for nose bridges and they were okay, but I was never truly fog-free.  Then metal strips were slowly coming onto the scene and they are wonderful!  The strength and extra surface area that helps wrap your nose is truly key in making a good seal.  I first bought (50) 3 1/2″ x 1/8″ aluminum strips from Domesticity back in May and they are great!  I tried to bend one bridge back and forth 50+ times and it still hasn’t snapped.  But I’m always on the hunt for a great deal and found 200 of these strips with an adhesive backing for just about the same price.  While these strips are also Aluminum and slightly larger at 3.54″ x 1/5″, they are also slightly thinner and broke after about 38 repeated bends.  Even though I have plenty of extras for back-up, I would definitely switch back to the ones at Domesticity for their strength.

Filters

As I mentioned above, I used the Craft Passion mask pattern since it was drafted with a filter pocket feature.  You can purchase mask filters like these, but I caution that they do come from overseas and do not come in sterile single packaging.  I have yet to find a domestic supplier, so if you know of one, please comment below!  You can certainly use paper towels, another layer of fabric or coffee filters for extra protection.  Shown above, you can see how a filter fits inside this mask.

Fabric

Fortunately, my stash has always included lots of designer quilt cottons from my quilt making days.  I was able to use my stash through the beginning of the pandemic and I’m getting around to supporting small quilt shops as I receive personal requests for masks from friends and family.  Of course, I love Sew to Speak which is local to me and I can pay online for contactless pick-up.  While picking up the nose bridges, I’ve also purchased fabric from Domesticity.  I love Circa Fabric Studio for great clearance prices on designer cottons and recently bought from Hart’s Fabric which has a nice selection.

Final Thoughts

I think this is a great pattern for a mask and fits such a wide variety of faces.  The feedback I’ve received is a combination of the softness of the fabric (designer cotton, baby!) and how nice it is to have pressure relieved from the ears.  The cord-lock is MUCH appreciated by parents and it only took a few learning sessions for my 7 and 9 year olds to put them on and take them off on their own.  Please let me know how any of these supplies worked out for you!

DON’T FORGET TO WEAR A MASK!

 

Hugs and Stitches!

Cristy

 

While there are many affiliate links in this post (please read full Disclosures here,) I purchased all of these supplies on my own for my own fabric masks.  I’m sharing the supplies based off of feedback when I shared many of these links on my Instagram account.

Working Out with Ciré by Pine Crest Fabrics

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With a short, petite frame and hips two sizes larger than my waist, I’ve struggled to find athletic wear that won’t roll or shift down while I move.  Even with poor luck with the big name athleisure companies, I started making my own work out clothes a few years ago and haven’t turned back since.  The fabric and compression fit are important factors to me and why I am SUCH a big fan of Pine Crest athletic fabrics.  I was pretty stoked when they asked me to work with their gorgeous Blazer Floral Printed Ciré fabric since I was curious to see how it felt and moved with it’s liquid-like look.

You can understand my love for this company by checking out my other makes using Pine Crest fabrics like my Full-Zip Rashguard, Textured Web Athleisure Capsule, and Holiday dress with their Stretch Velvet.

 

FABRIC

When I was first asked to work with the Blazer Floral Printed Ciré, I honestly admit, I was a little hesitant about how it would look and feel.  Would it be TOO shiny?  I mean, I do like some flash…but I don’t consider my style to be flash-yyy…  Would it have a “plastic” coating to it?  Would I end up sticking to it when I work out?  There were so. many. questions.

Well, I’m so glad I took the plunge because this fabric is A-MAZING!  While there is remarkable shine and sheen to the top of the fabric, the Ciré is not “sticky” at all.  It is smooth to the touch and is completely matte on the reverse, making it SO comfortable and soft.  The fabric is 80% Nylon, 20% Spandex, 195GSM, and has a generous 56/58″ WOF.  There is ~40% four-way stretch with GREAT compression — making this fabric ideal for working out, dancing and even swimwear.  You can check out more the full line of Ciré fabrics including more colors and prints here.

In addition to the amazing base cloth, the Blazer Floral Printed Ciré  has these stunning gold foil flowers that stretch and move beautifully with the fabric.  There are also subtle black printed shadows of the same flowers that give the fabric even more depth and texture.  I’ve washed this fabric twice and even tried to pick at the foil a little bit, and it is not coming off!  The fabric has remained vibrant with that signature sheen and even with all the stretching, the gold foil recovers back to a smooth finish — winner!

PATTERN

The true test of the Ciré is how it sews up and wears on the body.  So, I chose the Greenstyle Creations Power Sports Bra and Stride Athletic Tights (because…pockets!)  With the floral print, I made sure to take extra care with pattern placement with nothing odd coming out off the crotch and rear areas.  (We’ve all made those mistakes before!)  I LOVE the scale and how the foil flowers look on the body.  There is a nice balance between the gold and the navy base.  Too bad my Zumba studio is still closed, else, I’d be showing this off!

I used both my Juki MO-2000QVP Serger and Juki MCS-1700QVP Coverstitch to make both of these pieces.  It’s been awhile since I last used my Coverstitch machine and I was riding high on my “great” sewing skills on the first pass of the leggings…..until I went to try them on….and heard a series of pops.  Ugh!  I had to remove all of the thread and coverstitch again…only to go back and repeat.  SMH.  Even though I eventually got it right,  the Blazer Floral Printed Ciré took a pounding at the seams with so many additional punctures that were certainly not necessary.  With other stretch fabrics, the area would have been worn down and fuzzed up. But to my surprise, there didn’t seem to be any additional wear! This was kinda shocking since I really beat up the fabric.

With the reverse of the fabric being matte, I couldn’t help flip it over for a subtle accent.  You can see I used the matte side on the back of the tights and in the band and straps of the Power Sports Bra.  I love the extra use out of the same Blazer Floral Printed Ciré!

Other Pattern Notes:

  • Power Sports Bra –
    • Made the  34C U-back with extra wide band
    • Stitched down the sides of band to keep from shifting
    • Used reverse side of fabric for the lining
  • Stride Athletic Tights –
    • Made the Medium from hips down
    • Graded to Small in waist using curved add-on waistband
    • Add Power net to waistband along with elastic
    • Shortened pattern by 1.5″
    • Cut the cropped length
    • Added optional gusset for full range movement

PROJECT SUMMARY

I hope you are inspired to try out some new fabric that might not necessarily be your style…you maybe surprised with the results!

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

 

Fabric for this post was provided by Pine Crest Fabric.  Project conception and all opinions are my own.  

There maybe (noted) affiliate links in this post.  For my full disclosures, click here.

Megan Bucket Bag – Sewing Pattern

She is HERE!!!!!  What started as just a fun experiment in bag design (just for myself!) has turned into the latest new pattern, the Megan Bucket Bag.  This has been a labor of love with over a year passing since I first made it…..and then an extra month delay as the country locked down and I turned my efforts to PPE.  At times, it seemed like this pattern would never be published, but with all of your encouragement and an incredible tester team, it is available today in my shop!

Namesake

This bag is named after another one of my sweet nieces, Megan.  Every time I would see her, she always carried around a large purse and I knew a generously sized bucket bag would HAVE to be her’s!  She was always an avid reader and so this bag can carry around a small library if needed.  Megan loves  theater and has SUCH a beautiful voice.  It only made sense to have plenty of mix and match bag options for whatever “role” would come next.  Like my dear Megan, this bag is practical yet has just enough edge to stand out from the crowd.

Background

I’ve made nine different versions of the Megan Bucket Bag, starting with the OG, made with buttery taupe cowhide, which you can read about here.  This is STILL my everyday bag with the neutral color and has really held up well – as you would expect from genuine leather!  However, in order to turn this design into a bag pattern, I knew I had to edit it down.  For me, this is the hard part of creating patterns.  I had to adapt all of the features so that you could also make it in fabric, in leather, or a mix of both! This was another prototype version you can check out here.  This was my first fabric version I made while, of course, holding onto the leather details.  I still love that extra thin piece of leather on top of the strap….I’ll have to remember that for my next Megan bag!

Features

After teaching many bag classes and workshops, I know that many students want to make professional looking bags, but don’t necessarily have all the right equipment – including a heavy duty sewing machine.  So my goal with the construction, was to use some alternative techniques to take the bulk out of bag-making.  This helps to think outside the box so you can make bags with a wider array of equipment…not just industrial grade machines. “The Megan Bucket Bag is a fresh take on the classic slouchy bag silhouette, but with a more pronounced cube shape. The lines are clean with side seams hidden by overlays and rivets. There are two different views whether you want to make the Megan out of one fabric, or if you would like to use a raw-edge accent fabric to add a little more depth to the look.  With this pattern, you will learn different strap making techniques to take the bulk out of your fabric and gain ways to present a welt zipper pocket with plates or a cover. You will also learn an off-set bag technique for the overlays that won’t compromise your side seam stitching. There are plenty of options with snaps and the use of accent fabric for you to mix and match for your perfect bag.” This is a pattern for you to learn:
  • 2 -layer straps
  • Off-set overlay sewing to keep the integrity of the side seams
  • 4 different ways to present a welt zipper pocket with 2 plate options, a cover, or left bare.
  • Slip Pocket with an overlay
  • Connectors to help hold sides together
View A was designed for a single fabric and perfect for a newer bag-maker who wants to just use canvas.  This is a great way to start and learn new purse techniques without having to deal with other substrates.  However, this same version can be used with a single faux leather and still have a striking look. This view has a handy outside pocket with a cover to keep the look smooth and sleek but still has other details like the strap loops to add more interest. View B uses an accent fabric such as leather, suede, cork or vinyl that can be left raw edged without fraying.  These substrates are great looks to add more depth and texture to a bag.  The accent fabric is incorporated on to the side overlays, strap, and is used as decorative plating against the zipper pocket and slip pocket.  However, you can also swap out the accent fabric with some webbing to speed up your project. This pattern was written with mid-weight accent fabrics in mind with 2-3mm thickness to have enough structure in the strap.  However, I know there are a number of other fabrics you may want to use that are lighter and thinner – especially many types of cork.  Consider adding a second layer of accent fabric to the back of the strap as shown below.  Play around and see what you like!

Hardware

The main aesthetic element to the Megan Bucket Bag is the side overlay with a row of bright beautiful rivets.  Although I’ve used rivets for a long time with my bags, they were only in the patterns as alternation options for securing straps and such.  This time, the rivets are the featured stars and are not just for looks, but also for structural purposes.  They help secure the strap in place around the gorgeous O-rings.  This give such a strong, yet delicate look. To help hold the shape of the bag and keep contents safe, four sets of snaps are added to the lining.  They help keep the cube shape of the Megan while still staying slouchy like a good bucket bag does.  The purse can then be easily expanded by just releasing the snaps. Although the pattern includes the use of rivets and snaps, there are no actual instructions to install them.  Since there are SO many different types of hardware out there with multiplied by different tastes of the sewist, there was no way to include instructions for everything.  Rivets can be single sided and double-sided.  They can be shaped like pyramids, domes, or flat like burrs.  Snaps also have a number of  different sizes and features as well.  I prefer “spring” double cap snaps, but you can use magnetic or even sew-in snaps too!  This pattern allows you to use YOUR preference of material.   But just like with interfacing, you must remember to follow manufacturer’s instructions.  I’ll be showing my preferred methods of rivet and snap installations all next week, so keep an eye out!!! There are truly SO many different ways to make the Megan Bucket Bag.  If you are ready to make your own, click below for the pattern AND the hardware kits….it doesn’t get any easier, right?

|| Click HERE to shop the Megan Bucket Bag Pattern || 

|| Click HERE to shop The Hardware Kits ||

Project Details:

Tester Inspiration

There is nothing better than seeing all of your makes with my patterns.  Here are even more great versions from my testers to inspire your Megan Bucket Bag:
  • Jean widened out the cork on her bag to show it off.
  • Jen’s faux leather version is so professional and chic.
  • Loni used webbing for the accent on View B.
  • Loni stepped up her game with this all leather version.
  • Maggie used this unique fabric with metal woven in. I bet the reflection on it is so cool.
  • Maggie also made this fun version of View B with yellow leather.
  • Mallory’s bag looks like it’s sitting in a store – so beautiful.
  • You gotta love waxed canvas in such a fun color. Great job, Nela!
  • How perfect is this neutral bag by Sherrene?
I cannot wait to see all of your makes!!! Happy Sewing, Cristy
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.