French seams and such

I must apologize (again, I know) for my last blog. It was very poorly written, boring, and it didn't show how I did anything. I'm making the excuse that it was very late in the evening after I got a very fussy Ava to sleep, finally.

Anyhoo, I'd like to show you what I meant by "french seams" and give the step by step of my Christmas bag making. Of which, I'm still incredibly proud. My birthday books are coming in quite useful!

So here's the play by play:

I started with a hunk of fabric. Obviously.

First thing I did was sew the corners in for the drawstring hole openings.

Then I made dinner and forgot I was taking pictures of the play by play. Heh. Anyhow, the next step was to make the casing. Look at me, using technical terms! I might have called it a tube before my handy dandy sewing books.

Then, I clipped the fabric that was not part of the casing away from...the...casing. I don't know how to describe what I did, that's why I took pictures!

Then, with right sides out, I folded the fabric in half, matching up the casings, and sewed up both sides. Yes. Right side out. That's the whole secret of a french seam.

Then, I turned the whole shebang inside out...

...and sewed right next to the seams that were sewn while it was right side out. So now the side seams look finished inside AND out!

Next came the gussets.

With the bag still inside out, I spread the corner open (how to describe this...), measured in an inch on my nifty cutting mat...

marked a line...

and viola! A gusset! Should I be trimming the excess fabric? I haven't been because that would create some raw edges in the bag, and I don't want that.

Here's what it looks like once you flip it right side out.

Here's a lovely shot of the inside french seam at the casing opening.

Next came the drawstring. I used a safety pin on my b-e-a-youtiful gold ropey stuff, guiding in through the casing.

Bada-bing...

Bada-boom.
Tie 'er in a knot, and it's all finished!

So pretty!

The obligatory candle-lit photos...

So there. I feel much better now. I hope to write better blogs in the future, really documenting my plights.

And HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! I hope you have some quality time with loved ones. :)