Bag Lady

Once again, I'm going through the "why make one when you can make twice as many" thing.  This time, instead of oven mitts, its shopping bags.  Yup - I foresee oven mitts, tote bags and shopping bags for people's Christmas presents this year.  I hope you like them!

Part of the reason for this sewing spree was that I can make two bags in less than twice the yardage of one.  Intially, I was replacing a pair of existing shopping bags that were falling apart (I've already sews the straps back on twice).  Then I fell in love with two different types of material.  They were in the red-tag aisle and everything was half off.  How could I pass up a deal like that?  I saw the pink material first, but on my way to the cutting table the retro pattern caught my eye.  I thought: perhaps I will keep one bag of each?  Since then, the retro fabric has really grown on me, so I might have to give away both of the pink checkered print bags.  Oh, the choices I must make!

Since this material (and the denim) tends to fray really easily, I found the best way to finish the inside edges was to roll them.  My mother got this presser foot for my machine decades ago, specifically for hemming my bedroom curtains and a dust ruffle for the bed.  (That was quite the project with yards of material.  I swear it was a never-ending ruffle.)

This roller foot has been kicking around in my sewing drawer ever since, dusty and unloved.  Until now.  I still haven't quite mastered the knack of getting an edge started, but once I get going, it makes this beautiful 1/8" finished edge in no time.  I love this presser foot (at least for this project!).  Just look at that edge!

Now that I've finished the bags, I think I'm keeping the both of retro ones.  Which ones would you choose?