A Sewist's Christmas & What's Under Your Tree?

This delightful sewing box can be yours for 29 pounds, and found at:
Elephant In My Handbag.

This is MY holiday wishlist. I don't really care about yours. 

Did I just turn into an eight-year-old girl all over again? If I look in the mirror long enough, I'm sure I'll find her tucked away in some corner playing dress-up with a doll. Nope, it's not a dollhouse you see here.  It's actually a sewing box. Wouldn't this be a great gift for that sewist-little-girl (or big girl)? YES...this would be a great gift for ME. Okay...too childish for me?  How about something more nostalgic like a cookie tin with handles? Don't give it to me empty silly...stuff it with lovely embroidery thread and these delectable needles from Bohin. (You can purchase some of the Bohin hand needles on Amazon too.)

Find this at Elephant In My Handbag HERE

I am shamelessly writing this post to tell you about a giveaway that is nothing short of "HEAVEN" for sewists around the world. Tilly and the Button has put together a collection of yummies to fatten up a lucky sewist for months to come. Quick...click onto her site and enter...or better yet, don't click on her site so I can win the whole thing for myself. I'm not kidding.  But to thwart part of my guilt (-y pleasure that is), I am going to share with you some more gifts that I want to see under my tree, besides winning this freaking amazing contest from Tilly and the Button.

Back to the sewing box. I actually saw this on Tilly and Button, and Elephant In My HandBag is one of the contest sponsors.  I poked around their site, and found all sorts of fun sewing gifts. I mean really, really adorable things.  My favorite are their kits. Don't you want to make a lamp, but didn't know how or have the time to collect all the supplies? Don't fear!  Here's a kit for your crafting pleasure...

Lampshade kits and shade choices HERE.

Or maybe one of these cute Japanese dolls (for me of course), if you don't feel a hankering for a new lamp:

This doll is so popular, it is currently out-of-stock. But write them and see when
they are getting the next shipment HERE.

MORE GIFT IDEAS FOR ME!

If you missed the Craftsy class sale that ended yesterday, I'm sorry. They were selling all their classes for $19.99. I splurged. I bought many, and really not enough at the same time considering all the classes that are still sitting in my WishList. But I have a sneaky feeling that the sale is going to come back around before the year ends, so keep your eyes peeled to your mail from Craftsy. In the meantime, there are some pretty fun things going on over there, and I recently picked up some yarn to match the sweater class that I bought (YESTERDAY). Craftsy also has a few kits to consider, and well, compared to some of the US kits out there, I think theirs are pretty darn nice. You know how to get there...I don't need to give you the info right? Okay...here's a little link for ya to something nice HERE for a real little girl and not your imaginary one. For the knitters out there, here's a kit that I think is beautiful and maybe simple enough for even me to tackle HERE.

My husband doesn't like to second guess on gifts. When he was in China, he called me from his phone to video conference me in to look at some fabrics from a local silk shop. But one type of fail-proof gift are Japanese imported textiles.  Particularly from Echino and Kokka. Just make sure you get me at least four yards from any of the print selections HERE at Hart's Fabrics.

You can order this print from this Etsy store HERE in HALF YARD increments,  but it's cheaper at Hart's Fabric.

Available on Etsy HERE in HALF yard increments, and at Hart's Fabric. (Cheaper at Hart's)

As soon as the weather gets warmer...I'm going to sign up for a sewing retreat or a week-long workshop. The first that comes to mind is Susan Khalje's class that's coming to San Francisco. I was also on her site recently and saw an announcement about videos soon to be available!  OMG! I love her, and if you want to get a taste of Susan, then sign up for her Craftsy class, and then read everything she writes in Thread's magazine. I can't wait until her videos come out.  Check her out HERE. Susan also puts together trips to France. Wouldn't that be a dream trip and something fantastic under the tree?

SewEzi Portable Sewing Table. $249.00 Get one HERE.

How on Earth did I almost forget to add this to my wishlist. Here's the thing, I sew on a tabletop, and lately I've really been wanting a flushed surface to sew on. Spending thousands of dollars on custom tables that aren't portable really isn't ideal. One day I'm going to move, and my next home will probably be smaller, and I might even lose my sewing studio (gasp). How do I prepare to size down now and still get what I want in a table? Enter the "SewEzi" table. It's portable folks and it also has custom inserts. I could get one table and multiple inserts to trade machines. The only problem is the price at $249. If I had to redesign my room all over again, I would buy a couple of these to set up my two machines. Santa? Are you still there?  HERE is a review about the table from another blogger.

Another drawback is the lack of tables available for sergers. An overlooked need for home machines. Ever use your serger and wish there was just more space? I do...all the time. The best I can find are extension tables. I am probably not waiting for this one because it's on sale right now at Sewing Machine Plus for $79.00. There's free ground shipping for orders totaling more than $49.

Picture from Sewing Machine Plus. Get the insert HERE.

Well...if you (hubby) are getting a big bonus this year, and feel like splurging it on your lovely wife, here's something that wouldn't fit under the tree, but would look great in my sewing studio. I have saved the best for last.

More information about Brother's new Dreamweaver XE machine HERE.

I have been going back and forth about what I want in a new machine. I think I just want it all, and still keep a high-speed single stitch for everything else. I really can't get away with less than four machines. I currently have six, so I would be willing to part with two of them to have this one. Okay, maybe one of them to have this one.  I've been a big fan of Bernina for years, but after using my Juki, and sampling other machines, I have a renewed respect for other brands. For what this Brother machine offers, a comparable Bernina would be three or four times more in price.

Thanks Santa in advance for my gifts!  Happy holidays everyone!

1950's Blouse - Eva Dress Pattern

I added non-woven interfacing to this final collar, because I wanted something stiffer. 

You can flip the top ear down, but I like the option of having it stick up to change

the look of the blouse. 

If you've been wondering what I've been up to, it's mostly been studying.  But I did sneak in some sewing in small bits this past month.  I stumbled across Eva Patterns online, mostly by accident and started trolling other blogs where sewists have used her patterns.  What I liked about the patterns are the range of sizes. I was feeling confident and decided to pick up a couple of patterns and see how I would fair with some vintage styles: a 1920's dress and this 1950's blouse. 

   

The back came out straight too. 

I'm going to call this blouse "Lucille" after Lucille Ball. I think it's something she would wear, and may be even in these colors if her shows were in color. Excuse the unfinished hem. I decided to shoot the pictures before finishing everything by hand.  The fabric is 100% light stretch cotton from Hart's Fabrics. It was part of my 2012 Spring stash purchase. I think the colors works year-round. Because the pattern is so large, I suggest 50" wide fabric. I made mine with 45", and I had to shave off 1.5 inches from the hem to complete it. So instead of a nice two inch hem I wanted to help weight the blouse down, I'm doing one instead and will probably add some hem tape for the weight.  

The pattern came three sizes too small, so it required some heavy duty grading, and a full muslin. The markings on the patterns took some getting used to and not your typical modern pattern markings.  I suggest everyone read through the instructions carefully.  In the end, I did have to use a lot of my drafting skills to figure things out for my body type.  If you're the right size for the pattern, then it will be a breeze to sew. 

I was nervous about using a striped fabric. I lined up the print so that they matched on both sides. I didn't know if the front was going to Chevron the way I wanted, because one never knows how these things will shift during cutting. 

Because I sized up so much, I had to create new facings for the pattern. The blouse itself is really one pattern with two cuts. It pattern looks hand drawn rather than machine. I loved the way the arm shape looked, and how the curves really matched my hip and French curve. This made for a beautiful pattern, but difficult to grade. I decided to add a facing to the sleeve opening and create a thin bound opening to stabilize the fabric. I have to warn you that the sleeve is very tapered by the time it reached my forearm. It's lovely to have something fitted and still have plenty of room to move, which the Kimono sleeve allows. 

Here is the first muslin, and after I tried this on, I felt like it still didn't have enough ease for me. I'm not used to the tailored fit of the 50's, and I still needed to add another inch to the hem. I think this blouse was meant to pair with a high waisted skirt. 

This is the second muslin I made from a slightly stretchy knit fabric I got for mostly free at FABMO. It's a really old print, and I thought it would be relatively painless to sew with, and I was right. The print is crazy, so you can't see the style lines. This muslin turned out well enough that I can keep it as a blouse. 

Gussets are my achilles heel. This pattern wants you to put a square gusset in after you sew up the arm seams.  I did that with this second muslin, but I think it took me almost as long as sewing the complete blouse to make this gusset work.  Sorry...I don't think you can see it very clearly here. I decided that for my final piece, I would use a half gusset, which is a triangle, stitch into each arm and then sew up the sleeve.  This is not a horrible way to do it, but it's not as pretty as a square gusset. I will admit now that my gusset still looked crappy with the final, and I didn't take pictures because I'm disappointed at how the corners puckered a bit.  Sigh.  I've never sewn a flat gusset, gore insert, or anything that required a clean point well.  A part of my subconscious must be adverse to sharp corners.   Happy sewing!

Construction notes:

1. Graded up three sizes, and added more ease 

2. Added a 2 inch facing to the sleeve cuff.

3. Added non-woven fusible interfacing to the bow facing as a stiffener.

4. Gusset is challenging

5. Short-waisted

6. Better with 50" wide fabric (2.5 yards)

Supplies:

Final: 45" wide 100% cotton: Hart's Fabric

Second Muslin: 45" wide vintage polyester knit, FABMO

Thread: polyester (Gutermann)

Interfacing from: Fashion Sewing Supply

Pattern: Eva Dress, $14.00 plus S/H

DIY Patches for Jeans - Tutorial

My husband hates these jeans. But I love them. They are the most comfortable pair that I own, and I could wear them forever. Some of you might suggest that I rub the pattern and make another pair, but it's not the same.  You see, it's the way the denim has worn down like an old pair of flannel pajamas, making them sleepwear worthy.  However, I've been banned from wearing them, especially to bed, because according to my husband, they are an embarrassment even in the dark.

I don't like doing alterations or repairs much on clothes. It's like cleaning the house for me...pure work and short-lived satisfaction. So instead of sewing just any old patch onto my holy jeans, I decided to make my own. Remember that growing box of scraps that I showed you in my last post? I'm trying to use pieces out of there whenever I can. The leftovers from my daughter's quilt project from two Summers ago have really come in handy. I've used it for interfacing, bias tape, and today, I turned one of the pieces into patches.

It's not a quick and dirty job though. The whole process took me a couple of hours, and the hand stitching was the most tedious, but rewarding. I can't believe I said the words tedious and rewarding in the same sentence.  I'm not a quilter so I don't make appliques too often, but they do come in handy once in a while for apparel detail. These patches are functional and decorative, and can be used for more than just holes. Once you get the hang of it, they can be created to embellish as well as repair garments.

If anyone is interested, here is how I made them using supplies I had on hand:

SUPPLIES
1. Fabric for patches (if your jeans are stretch, you might want to use washable stretch fabric instead). My jeans don't have stretch in it, so I used basic cotton. You can even recycle your jeans into patches for other jeans.
2. Shapeflex from Pellon to add some stiffness to the patch (leftovers from my Weekender Bag).
3. 800 Clear Fuse from Pellon to use as the iron on between the patch and the jeans.
4. Embroidery thread and a nub of good bee's wax. I used a rayon embroidery thread that I had in my stash for a long time. It had a very nice sheen, but not the most sturdy. Try to use sturdier thread.
5. Stitch Witchery hemming tape to iron on edges that lift up or did not adhere to the Clear Fuse.

The rest is pretty self explanatory.

1. Trim the shredded thread around the holes in your jeans.

2. Iron on the Shapeflex according to instructions to your chosen patch fabric. Make sure you have a piece big enough to cover your patch. I covered my complete right knee area because the hole was very big, and I wanted to stabilize the fabric in that area.

3. Place the 800 Clear Fuse behind your patch, but do not iron yet. Make sure that the "sticky" side of the Clear Fuse is against the Shapeflex or the BACK of your patch.  You are creating the adhesive for your patch, which should be the same shape as the patch, see next step.

3. Cut out the shape you want to use as a patch. You can get creative here and cut around the designs on your fabric like I did, or you can make your own. Remember that the 800 clear fuse is on the back, and whatever you cut out of the fabric should be matched on the fuse.

4. Iron your Clear Fuse to the Shapeflex or BACK of your patch.  Leave a little corner UN-IRONED, so there is somewhere you can hold onto when you tear away the Clear Fuse backing to expose the other sticky side.

5. Now tear away the backing of the Clear Fuse.

6. Center your patch on your holes, and iron the patch to your jeans. NOTE: you might need to put a piece of fabric against the inside of your jeans, so the sticky Clear Fuse doesn't fuse to the back side of your jeans.  This is just used like a pressing cloth.  It doesn't stay on, but you could  create a second patch for the back side of the pants, and double up on the patches. This certainly would be much more thick and sturdy. I'd recommend double patches for around the knees of children's pants and maybe even the crotch areas where there is a lot of friction. Make sure your second patch is the same size as the exterior/outside patch. So both can get stitched together.

7, Check the patch edges for areas that are lifting up. If you see them, this is because some of the Clear Fuse adhesive did not make it to your patch.  This is where you would cut out strips of Stitch Witchery and iron it in between the patch and the jeans to hold the patch in place.

8.  Now bee's wax and thread the needle and stitch around the patch.  I used a double-side running stitch (also called a Holbein Stitch). If you don't know how to do this very historic hand stitch, you can learn it HERE. It basically looks like a running stitch except there are no spaces, and both the front and the back look like a continuous stitch.

I left the patch edges raw. You certainly can fold it under before ironing the patch, and then stitching the folded edge afterwards. I thought it might add some bulk so I didn't opt to do that. I might run in the problem of shredding later, but I'm hoping the adhesive will help keep the shredding to a minimum. I like the rustic-looking, (my definition for uneven) stitching.

The bottom right patch is what it looked like before I stitched it. 

Another option:
You could always cut the holes much bigger and stitch the patch from behind the hole, and then hand stitch it together. If you decide to use this step, you don't need to use the 800 Clear Fuse application. I decided not to do it that way because I want to reinforce the jean's fabric more. However, I think it would be an interesting look doing the reverse, and I might try it next time. You can see an example of this HERE.

More embellishments:
I was pretty tired after hand stitching all the patches, but you could embellish more by adding seed beads or even sequin to highlight the print. I might do that later...then update a photo. You can see examples of how other people have creatively repaired jeans HERE, HERE, and HERE. There is even a person selling patched jeans on Etsy HERE.

Happy patching!

A Bolt of Gray Fleece, Granny Pants, & Underwear

Vogue V8778 Pattern - Took me about two hours to sew.
I think I might add some kangaroo pockets next time. It looks a little plain.

One would think that after completing the Weekender Bag, I'd be pretty tired of sewing this week. It's been the exact opposite! My fingertips are still a bit chafed, but I'm persevering. Hot off my Bernina today is the Katherine Tilton fleece top. A couple of things I did differently, I sewed the collar to the opposite side so it opens up on my right instead of left.  It doesn't really matter if you're not adding the zipper opening. I didn't add the sleeve inserts either. I couldn't find anything to match the fleece, and I prefer vest-like tops where I can layer a long sleeve shirt underneath.

Easy pattern for beginners. I only used three pattern pieces.
I could have gone down a size. I made it in large.

I bought this 10-yard bolt of fleece from Joann's Fabrics last February during a 50 percent sale. The whole thing was about $26 dollars. This averages out to $2.60 a yard. I thought I was getting a ridiculous steel when I got it, and from the outside, the fleece was really soft and cuddly. The fabric is cheap in price, and cheap in quality. What did I expect for $2.60 a yard huh?

I will probably be sick of this fabric by the end of Winter.

After sewing with it, I quickly learned how it can fall apart if there's any seam ripping involved (which I had because I sewed the edges to the collar neckline too long.) I couldn't really fix my collar error without damaging the fabric, so I did a work-around on the stitching, and it's not the "best" but it's not noticeable either. This fleece also deteriorates with any kind of strong heat, and I accidentally melted part of the collar trying to steam down the edges before topstitching. Of course I had to use the slightly melted side as the under collar.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted on the G+ Community group about making some granny pants out of vintage polyester. What I really wanted was something super tapered like pencil pants. I remember wearing pants like this as a kid.  It's cute on kids, and then they turn into granny pants when you get older.

My challenge this week was remembering how to sew in a front fly pant zipper. I don't think I've done one in almost 20 years. I have been mostly sewing side zippers on pants, because I like the clean, flat pant fronts. But I'm looking to make some jeans and cargo pants soon, so I might as well start practicing. As usual, I couldn't figure out the instructions on the pattern.  But who should save the day? Sandra Betzina of course. Here is the tutorial I used online, and it's the BEST out there as far as explaining the process without stressssssssing me out. See her in action HERE.

I used a McCall's pattern for what looks like leggings, but view A, which is the bottom right in the picture below is actually PANTS!!! There are darts and a fly-front zipper. Who would have thought after just looking at these photos.

I think the next time I make these, I will use the legging pattern, which does not have side seams. But I did get the retro look, even though they don't look that great on. So I found someone who looked just like me but wearing a shorter version at the drug store. Hers had pockets, and I thought they were cute. And then I felt better about my granny pants.  :-)

Between the granny pants and fleece top, I decided to try my hand at copying RTW. I chose a pair of underwear that I've been wanting to copy since I saw the Hart's Fabric tutorial HERE.  These were hipsters, which I later adjusted the pattern to some basic briefs, AKA granny panties. Notice a running theme today? I had a t-shirt that was too small for everyone in the household to wear so I decided to use it as my muslin. No good...not enough stretch in the fabric. Wasting a perfectly good t-shirt made me sad.

The front is on the left. See where I taped a belly panel to turn it from a hip style to a brief?

I really liked this t-shirt, but it's child sized.

While I was about to make a t-shirt out of this super cute Paul Frank material, I decided to use a bit of it for my underwear pattern. There was definitely more stretch, but I have to see how it feels after I put in the elastic. It's now sitting in my "Waiting Pile" along with my corset pieces because I don't have the right elastic in my notion's stash. The giant roll of 3/8" elastic I bought off Amazon is actually rubber for bathing suits and too thick. Darn it! (I can't stand having uncompleted projects lying around.)

Yup...I copied and drafted this all by my lonesome.

One of the ladies from my sewing group will be around this weekend to help me with my corset. She's going to show me how to stitch a casing for the boning, and help me with cleaning up the fitting. I decided to do a pre-final version out of thin denim before cutting into my coutil. I still have to order grommet strips, lacing, and the busk. (Argh!) I'll be heading down to Lacis for the corset's steel boning after everything else is assembled and stitched. There's just so many components to organize.  I hope I don't get tired of making corsets after I'm done with this first one. 

I am using the Truly Victorian pattern for my corset.

I also re-shaped my dress form this week to see if I could get it more true to my body. It's okay, but I can't seem to get a true side seam. Making the taped dress form next year will probably really help. I'm trying to organize a class for that in late Winter. For now, I'm hoping the bodice muslin will help. Incidentally, while refitting the bodice, I noticed how my shoulders slope forward. I changed the shoulder line, and added the volume to the back bodice, and it looks pretty good. My body is probably morphing with age. 

I went through my stash again looking for fabric that I have not pre-washed. I found all my Shibori printed pieces I picked up this Summer on EBay, and two huge pieces of cool looking flannel that I've had for about ten years.  Just in time for pajama pants for the family!

After I was done with my projects, I noticed how full my scrap box was getting. There are pieces of material from every project I've made so far in this box. It's almost like a little fabric journal. Happy sewing everyone!

Amy Butler Weekender Bag - Pleather Version - Sew-My-Stash-Away Accessories Challenge

Amy Butler Weekender Bag Completed!

I tied some checkered ribbon at the zipper
handle to make it easier to find.

Inside lining that was attached by hand.

View from the top

You can't see me, but I'm really doing the "Happy Dance" right now.  

If you've been wondering what happened to my sew-my-stash-away challenge...it's alive and well. I have been quietly working on the mother of all handbags: the Amy Butler Weekender. Other than simple totes, this was my first bag that required some real professional handling. 

I bought enough material to make TWO bags.  All the fabric and supplies were taking up a lot of space under my cutting table, and making my room look like I hoard fabric or something.  This is only the first version of the Weekender Bag.  I don't know when I'm going to get around to the second bag.  I feel like I just ran a marathon after finishing this one.  Whew!

Stitching the bag almost broke my machine.  Why? After you account for the many layers of Peltex, interfacing, and pleather, my poor little Juki's heart almost gave out.  After four broken needles, chafed finger tips, and much perspiration, it's finally done.  But the first thing I'm going to tell you is that I didn't follow the instructions exactly because it's pleather, and I needed to reduce some of the layers just to get it under my machine.  I don't think anyone who posts on the internet has made one in pleather. I might have been the first (and last) foolish sewist to attempt such a daunting project.  Which leads to my second realization...I am never going to sew this thing in pleather again. My second version is all fabric...and it should be a breeze compared to this one.

The whole project took me two weeks to finish, and it's best to break it up into increments. I needed a breather every so many hours. Kinda like babysitting an unruly child, we both needed some time outs. The first session should be reading the instructions in its entirety and doing another inventory of supplies before starting. I was still running around getting thread on day one of my cutting.  I probably spent about 40 hours on this bag if you add up all the "thinking" time I took to do the pleather workarounds. If you have to ask...no, this is not really a bag for beginners, and yes, it's a very expensive bag to make. Supplies will run close to $100-plus after you're done, more if you make mistakes. Home decor fabric is more durable, but also more expensive.

Look at all the pieces you have to cut out, and this doesn't count the amount of time
it takes you to make the contrasting piping. 

When I made the piping, I thought I would be "smart" and use some Stitch Witchery on the inside to hold the cording in place without having to stitch it down by machine. Ironing it on still takes a lot of time though.  In the end, the fabric I used didn't adhere to the Stitch Witchery evenly so I ended up sewing it anyway.  This wasted some more time.

I couldn't pin or use any basting stitch that would create holes in the pleather.
I whipped out my trusty painters tape, which is indispensable for taping down
zippers, to taping it to the presser foot so pleather can move smoother.  A Teflon foot
might have made things easier. But the black patches on the pleather is actually
a synthetic velour which helped move the presser foot along.

This is the zipper pieces. It's not clear, but I actually sewed the seamed closed first,
and then attached the zipper.  This is not the right way to do it normally, but had
I basted a stitch and then ripped it out, it would have left holes in the pleather.

I love the purse feet. I realized after buying the Clover purse feet that it
would look too small compared to the weight of this bag. Be sure to get the
larger feet. I found these great domed feet that came in black, and matched
the bag perfectly...don't you think?  See supplier below.

Here are a list of things I did differently, mainly to eliminate bulk:
- I attached the main bag Peltex to the lining.
- I hand-stitched the lining to the bag
- I didn't follow the zipper instructions because one cannot press "open" pleather, nor can one baste any stitches that needs to be removed later without leaving gaping holes. Sewing with pleather is just like sewing with leather...but worse. It's not as pliable, and I actually think it's thicker.
- I extended the straps three inches, which makes it easier to carry on the shoulder
- I added large purse feet (I love them)

Here are a list of things I plan on adding to the next bag (whenever I get to it):
- Add a semi-padded interior pocket to house a small laptop, iPad, or reader
- Add more small pockets and may be a zipper pocket for my wallet
- Add magnetic snaps to the outside pockets
- Add side jump rings
- Use a "D" ring for the strap handles (I just feel like aesthetically, this might look better, but not sure if it might make the bag weaker by breaking up the handles.

Cautionary notes for my next bag:
- Don't sew with pleather unless you have an industrial leather sewing machine (I seriously thought about picking up a secondhand one to complete the bag)
- Have plenty of heavy duty Jeans needles ready, and switch them out a few times during the sewing process. I broke four needles, and used six in total, which means I switched out an unbroken one...or BETTER use leather needles (which I didn't have on hand).
- When ironing the fusible Shapeflex, be careful. Press from the center out, and then trim the edges that get stretched out. Don't put too much weight on the iron. It's very easy to wrinkle, and then distort your fabric on the other side, which doesn't look good. I've seen a few bags on the internet that have wrinkled bodies.
- Oil your machine before you start, and oil it again after you're done.  My Juki sounded like it was hacking and coughing after I was done with the bag, and better again after lubricating.
- Don't use thin or loosely woven fabric for this bag, not even the lining. My red lining was a loose weave, and I found I had to add Shapeflex to it in order for it to keep its shape.  You don't want anything to stretch when sewing this bag.  I bought thick canvas for the lining and piping for my second version.
- Don't be cheap with your thread.  Thread is rather a critical component to sewing the bag.  I used polyester upholstery thread that looked thin, but it was strong.  Let me repeat: don't be cheap about the thread.  You want it to hold all those layers together!

I might consider doing this bag again using real pig skin leather.  Wouldn't that be lovely? I feel like since I can tackle pleather, leather should be easier. In my dreams.

Here are a list of my suppliers:

- Pleather from Discount Fabrics in Berkeley.
- The remainder of the supplies from Joann's Fabrics (including the lining, and interfacings)
- Pattern from The Granary in Sunnyvale, CA (but you can order it anywhere)
- Purse Feet from Pacific Trimming, NY (which is a great place to get all kinds of stuff for bag supplies). I bought the 24mm domed bag feet in black.  Anything smaller, will look weird.