No, I didn't do any machine embroidery today. What is wrong with me?! I've got two birthdays and Mothers Day this coming weekend, and I just can't get motivated,
My procrastination today, however, was a triumph!
I made a replacement bag for my Pilates mat and ball!
I realised - early on - that I'd made a bit of an error in starting by sewing the channel for the drawstring. I'd sewn the edge over with my seewing machine (first time in a very long time that she's had a bit of exercise), and then I folded it over again and coverstitched it.
I hadn't considered that I'd need to leave a gap at the top of the long side, to enable nme to "open" the bag to put it on my mat. I would be left with a raw edge. However, I worked out a way to ensure that it wasn't a problem for sewing up the sides by quickly overlocking some extra fabric on to top of the side piece, then folding it over the raw edge and coverstitching. Then I overlocked the rest of the side together.
It worked really well. I should have realised before I started of course. And I sghould have just unpicked when I realised. Buy, I didn't get cross with myself, and I worked out a useable soluion, so that was a result.
I even managed to sew the bottom in without incident, and I managed to get the drawstring through. It looked very acceptable.
And then I realised.
In my excitement at having worked out a slution, I'd sewn up the side without putting the carrying strap in, What an idiot!
I thought about my options for a while., If I hadn't sewn the bottom in, I would have just re-sewn the side seam, I'd got enough space to do it. However, I had sewn the bottom in, and I didn't want to have to redo it,
In the end I decided to try just cutting two gaps and then resewing. I thought abut what could go wrong, and took action. Firstly, I marked where I wanted to insert the strap. Then, I used my sewing machine to zig zag along my marks. reinforcing the seams either side of where i was going to open them.
I then unpicked the overlocking in the gap. I inserted some webbing which had been threaded through a ring. I then straight stitched it in place, and then I went over this with a zig zag stitch many times. I did the same at the other end. I then did a lot of zigzagging on the webbing, to make sure that was reinforced as well,.
Next, i did a straight stitch, along my original seam line,, starting well before the webbing and ending well after. I then zigzagged that as well.
Finally, I used the overlocker to chop off the ends of the webbing, sealing it and giving another layer of reinforcement.
It worked much better than I expected,
t would have been better if I'd just unpicked the channel.
It would have been quicker (with a better finish, this still has some bits that aren't great) i I'd just unpicked it in the first place.
But it was a good learning experience, and a great result. I'm really, really happy that I saved it.
It's taller than I need, even with the ball on top of the mat, so I might redo the top bit at some point.
