Guest blogger number 2: Mrs Potsblog makes a bag and enters a contest

(Maude Rith and her bag)
Mrs Potsblog entered a contest today, wherein you take something and refashion it into a clothing item, in her case, an accessory (bag/purse) made from a bit of skirt scrap, part of an old comforter, and who knows what else. It looks GOOD. Here's her story:

Dear Mr. Pottersblog,

I think after slaving all day with the terrors and pleasures of working on and delivering a project I'd just get to swill scotch and pass out, but nooooooo I have to be all suave and articulate so here goes.

It's certain there is no fine thing
Since Adam's fall but needs much laboring.
Adam's Curse W. B. Yeats

So I design this bag and each time I answer a question about what to do or how to do it, a whole bunch more questions pop up. I'm not used to this! I'm a dreamer, things are perfect in my mind, and more important, they don't take ANY effort on my part.

I skip reading Potter's blog for at least three night's running. I teach myself how to make piping, match fabric for less visible patches and pockets, use tips I've only read about. Friday evening rolls around and I am still only halfway done. Or so I thought. And as the bag becomes more real my sewing skills become more evident. Top stitching wavers, wavers! Fabric unravels and I wear little bits of tan lint all over my navy sweater.

Saturday morning. G off to jury, I have dog duty, need to go to work and must finish this bag. Top stitch one interior seam then sew all the exterior seams, top stitch them, sew in magnets for the closure and fix any of the problems that I can fix. Two hours, right? Five hours later I'm hustling the dogs back in, they are shocked, shocked that after all their gentle hints I am not giving them dinner, not even water and simply leaving. Yup, left with a check barely registered in the book, the bag and the entry form, not even a note for my partner in life about their status "Dear Honey, Welcome home. Please feed dogs."

As I drive (at the speed limit) downtown I start to wonder about all the things I could have done differently about the bag. Does it need a piece of cardboard at the bottom? Would that make it too heavy? Would accessories--notepad, water bottle, pen--be more impressive to the judges? Should I have switched the fabrics to make it lighter weight? Should the straps have been all heavy fabric for longer wear?

Parking downtown on a Saturday is a nightmare, I pass a spot. There is a CD sale and people all over the place. I circle the block (decadent) and take the spot, which is miraculously still there. I am 1/4 inch behind an SUV and the very edge of someone's driveway. The SUV has plenty of room to get out. The derelict on the sidewalk reassures me I did a fine job parking.

I walk to the place to turn in my bag. I get to show it to some great sewers and fashion enthusiasts, explaining the features. I am one of eight entries in the accessories category. What was I thinking? I look at the books, leaf through the one on haute couture techniques. I come home, wait for judgment. I'll know tomorrow afternoon.