Tags
bags, cats, Columbia River, Pooh, randonneuring, sewing, travel, Wenatchee, WIP Wednesday
Oh, bike bag, you’re the only one who understands me . . . .
WIP = Work in Progress
Happy Wednesday!
I have not been doing a ton of sewing this week (more fabric in than out these days–whoops!), but I do have that little bag up top to tell you about.
This was another request from my honey for a little bag to use when he’s out on his bike. (The type of cycling he does is called randonneuring–long-distance, self-supported, non-competitive cycling. Basically, cycling long distances (100 kilometers and up) on a set route with controls where you have to stop and get a receipt or signature to prove you were there. You have to finish within the time allowed, but it’s not a race to see who finishes first.) He’s set on waterproof bags to carry things like his rain gear and tools while on the bike, but he needed a little bag to carry his phone, brevet card, and wallet when he gets off the bike at controls. I’d made him one previously, but he decided he wanted a different style and size this time. He uses these bags a lot, and doing bike rides that last from 6 hours all the way to several days gives you a fair bit of time to think about your gear, so he has some very definite opinions on what features his bags should have.
This is about 7″ high by 5″ wide. All scraps from the stash: black cotton duck, plain white cotton for the lining, split rings and Velcro from my collection of purse hardware. The little zip came from a cheap, nasty, plasticky purse that my mother was getting rid of. Tip from somebody who makes a lot of bags: even cheap and nasty purses tend to have good-quality zippers! This is a big, beefy coil zipper, the kind I like because they’re tough without being super bulky.
I had a couple of problems to solve in making this. First was how to make the zipper coin pocket on the outside front. The solution I came up with was to cut three of the front pieces out of the black fabric. One of them was sewn to one side of the zipper, the second was sewn to the other side of the zipper, and then the unit was trimmed to match the third. The zipper unit was then basted to the third front piece, which now serves as the back of the pocket.
The second issue was what size to cut the front and back so that I could box the corners of the bag. I found this really nifty guide to the math of boxing corners here (scroll waaaaayyyy down to the end) and it worked perfectly.
So I got this little bag done on Friday afternoon, then we ran off to Wenatchee for my honey’s latest ride. I didn’t take any pictures in town, as where we were staying in East Wenatchee was basically one big mall punctuated with fast food restaurants, but I did get a couple of good ones on the way home Sunday.
Carrying all the electricity generated by the Rock Island Dam.
Viewpoint over the Columbia River.
A few spring wildflowers among the sagebrush and rock. Soon to be gone–we’ve had a couple of near-90-degree days here already.
Then it was back home to the floof and his little sister.
I am told the bag worked great on Saturday, though I’ve already had a request for more Velcro on it, and he says he has some ideas for the next one. I have obviously spoiled that boy to just a terrible extent. 😉
Anyway, have a great week, everybody, and I hope you find a little time soon to do the things that make you happy with the people you love.
STH
Living in Color 