Tasting Table Tuesday - Weekender Bag Review

It was a tough battle, but I won.  This bag was definitely the most difficult bag I'm made yet.  But I kind of compare it to childbirth - tough to get through, but so worth it in the end!  It's been a few days now, and I've already almost forgotten how difficult it was - I repeat - almost!

I'm happy with the structure of the bag, since I used the QAYG technique instead of the Peltex on every panel.  It's definitely stable enough and stands up well on it's own.  What really made this bag difficult to sew was the piping in the seams.  But the bag wouldn't look as good without it, so it was worth suffering through the process.

One success though - I didn't break any needles!  The instructions actually suggest that you have a package of new needles on hand, and from the reviews I read, most people go through several.  My Bernina's a tough old gal...

Lots of reviews I read mentioned that the bottom lining panel seemed too big, and I have to agree.  When I realized it, I could have stopped and altered it to fit, but I took the easy way out, like everyone else, and just put some little pleats in the bottom corners to take up the extra fullness.  Afterall, it's on the inside of the bag and will never be noticed, so I'm fine with that.

I also increased the strap length by 9 inches (also recommended on a review) so it can be carried as a shoulder bag, and that length worked out great.

So all-in-all, I'm very happy with how this bag turned out, but I won't be making another one anytime soon.
It's for my granddaughter for Christmas.  Her mom wanted an overnight bag just for her, and I think this will be just perfect.  Oh, the things we do for love...

Cheers!