Sashiko bag construction

By now I should be able to construct a bag on auto-pilot but there were a couple of tricky bits to this one. While there were cutting diagrams, there were no instructions for insetting the magnet closure, other than  to stitch it on by hand.

I had misplaced the magnet supplied with the kit so ordered more from Spotlight.When they arrived I cut the fabric, added the pocket to the lining and stitched the side-seams on the bag and lining. I then played around trying to work out how to place the magnets between the lining and the outer bag, before putting these together. I got them in the right position, but the wrong way around. .

I had attached the interfacing to the fabric before embroidering it, in contravention of the instructions. I think this was a good decision. It improved the embroidery and simplified construction. In the end I removed the magnets, pinned the lining in place, then tried again: successful.

I thought a lot about the strap. A strong 65cm woven webbing strap was provided. I considered inserting a side release buckle so it is adjustable. I decided it was overkill and proceeded to add reinforcement to the attachment point and insert the strap. The result still seemed rather long, so I found a buckle I had recycled from a shoe some 40 years ago and worked out a way add it to the handle so it creates a loop, which can be secured by a button on the side of the bag.

This seems to have worked. The strap now has two lengths. If more variety is needed I can add more button loops.

I also decided against a gusset at the base of the bag. It seems to hang well without it, and shows the fabric to advantage.

This has been an adventure - a step outside my norm. I really like the result. I did a lot of adapting, but I like that it demanded that. I'm not sure how it will be put to use, but I''m sure it will be.