Box Bags

I sew a bit.  I seem to have a natural EMP though, any electronics I purchase for myself are likely to break shortly after I get them.  Any drive I've purchased for myself, any electronic device, begins to behave in a funny manner shortly after getting it.  This seems to have been the case with my sewing machine.

We fixed it once.  Then I took it to the repair shop when it needed it after we fixed it.  Now, a different problem is happening, the thread is catching the floating plastic bit the bobbin sits in and unseating it.*  I am using a different bobbin, and it could be that the bobbin is just not heavy enough to keep the plastic bit seated, but I've no idea.  I am so close to completion with my Tunisian crochet hooks and DPN case, I just need seven straight lines, two only 1/2", and a buttonhole to complete it.  So close, yet, so far!

I have, however, finished three box bags and a wall hanging that I've never shown off.  The last one took me only an hour or two - they really are easy, once you get the hang of it!  The nice thing is that the kimono come have the nice outer fabric and the matching liner.  There were even thin straps that I could use for key clips if I wanted.  All I needed to choose was matching thread and zipper, which were pretty easy to choose for the most part:

I made the first one for myself, and it's been my traveling project bag ever since.  It's got my current sock, glove, scarf, or what-have-you in it all the time, along with necessary notions, and is typically hanging from my wrist as I knit and walk to and from work.  They're all made from recycled silk kimonos, and the silk really isn't all that hard-wearing.  I've had my bag for, oh, I don't know - two years? and it is wearing through at the corners.  Not a problem, it's served me well and I will keep using it until it is completely dead.  I will just have to make a few more for when it dies:

Pattern: Box Bag Tutorial

Fabric: Recycled kimono with medium-weight interfacing

Timeframe: No idea, but it took a while, I know that much!

Mods: Tried the sew all the way across mod from the comments, not necessary, but useful, and tried to add a strap for a key clip.  It didn't work so well this time.

Problems: Lining up everything correctly the first time.  The seam ripper, it was my friend!

Pattern: Box Bag Tutorial

Fabric: Recycled kimono with medium-weight interfacing

Timeframe: No idea, this one sat around mostly finished because I couldn't line up the triangles when I was first trying.  Didn't need to rip at all when I picked it back up though!

Mods: Added a strap with a clip for keys.  Love this bag, hope my mom likes it too!

Problems: Sewing the zipper onto the correct side the first time.  I got it in the end.

Pattern: Box Bag Tutorial

Fabric: Recycled kimono with medium-weight interfacing

Timeframe: A couple of hours - though it was already cut out.  This time, it went very smoothly.

Mods: None except for mistakes!

Problems: Sewing the zipper onto the correct side the first time.  I left it long this time.

Apparently, my subconscious deals with things when I'm not working on them.  I pick up the box bags, and the go together smoothly after having issues the first time and a half.  I put down the paper baskets, and when I pick them up again, they go together like magic.  I don't get it, but it works for me!

Pattern: None

Fabric: 1 m of fabric from the craft store

Timeframe: An afternoon, I believe.

Mods: No pattern, no mods.

Problems: No real problems aside from the learning curve, used this as a simple project to learn a new technique.

* This was a long-ago post, written before this one mentioning the fixing of the bobbin case (sandpaper on a rough edge of the plastic bit). Didn't realize I never posted it, so fixing the bobbin case made no sense to readers at the time, d'oh!