The first day outfit is done. The backpack is done. And now, the lunchbox is done. It's the end of September and she's finally ready for school. What?
This Sewing Showcase post aims inspire with a unique combination of sewing pattern and fabrics.
Scroll to the bottom of this article for full details.
Scroll to the bottom of this article for full details.
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| See the backside of the lunch bag here, on Facebook or on Instagram, too. |
This is my second time sewing the Peas & Corn Lunch Bag from Sew Sweetness, My first attempt (last year) was so rough I never shared any pictures of it. This one also gave me trouble. Right out of the gate I kept cutting the zipper panel wrong. First, I cut both panel pieces an inch too short. Next, I accidentally decapitated half the characters when I cut on the opposite side from where I had planned. Is it still called decapitation when you cut right through the middle of a face? The poor cutting sent me back out for more fabric and more Vinyl Fuse. Then I had to sew those bottom corners on the front panel three times, each time more panicked than the last because unpicking vinyl-fused fabric is not easy and can be pretty damaging. That corner closest to the camera is done, though clearly tortured. But! I still really like the pattern. The directions are clear, the construction is clean (when done properly), and the size is perfect for The Peanut's divided food-box and small thermos. [Full disclosure: I mean that. I purchased the pattern myself and have absolutely no relationship, professional or otherwise, with Sew Sweetness.] The problem with this pattern is all mine -- I consistently use materials different from those specified on the pattern itself. And yet, it's still looks okay and, if last year is any indication, still holds up.
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| Perfectly sized for The Peanut's lunch. |
As with the backpack, I used Pellon Vinyl Fuse on cotton fabric -- regular (shiny) finish for the polka dot lining, and matte finish for the navy exterior. I ignored the pattern's specifications (to my own detriment) to use a single layer of Insul-Bright as interfacing between the laminated layers. It's that stuff that you would use in hot pads, or in a Table Running Trivet, and "the hot or cold energy is reflected back to its source, maintaining the hot or cold temperature of the contents." [source] Perfect for a lunch bag, no? I also used a scrap of nylon webbing (edges singed) for the handle. It is inexplicably slightly off-center, though I measured at least twice. It is driving me crazy, however I don't think anyone, including The Peanut, has noticed.
Pattern
Peas & Corn Lunch Bag, rounded top
Fabric
Character Cotton: Emotions Everyday; Character Fabric: Emotions Polka Dot; Insul-Bright; Pellon Vinyl Fuse; Pellon Vinyl Fuse Matte (all from Joann Fabric and Craft)
Notes
This one was a struggle for me to sew -- those four bottom corners put up a fight! I finally made a note right on my directions to make sure the front/back panel is on the bottom against the throat plate when stitching (both for basting together and then adding the bias-tape). Come back next year and see if I still agree.
The Peanut used the bag for over a week before I finally got a chance to photograph it. I found that I could take a warm iron to it to clean up the matte vinyl where it had scratched and creased a little. I may have to do that a few times during the year.
Love
That fabric! Still. Also the shape and size is so perfect for our current needs; her lunch fits in it, and it fits inside her mostly empty backpack. This is becoming one of my workhorse patterns.
Ren Murphy writes for The Inspired Wren.
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