Monday 2 November 2015

Mom! Can You Fix These?

This was the question Not-So-Little PurpleBoots had for me when he brought a pair of cargo shorts to me with a split zipper that refused to behave for him. I probably could have replaced the zipper, but it's unlikely that they would've fit him again next year at the current rate of speed he seems to be growing. So, "Nope! Sorry Bud, they're not worth fixing."

So they sat and sat, I hated to toss them...my inner tree hugger winces a bit at the thought of tossing out perfectly good (and expensive) shorts. But without a working zipper what good are they really? Well, thanks to Google and according to this tutorial by Noodlehead I found out that I CAN make a purse out of them!

So that's exactly what happened today. Instead of heading to the boxing gym I headed to my sewing corner and knocked out this bit of cross-body-goodness in about 3 hours. Seems my avoidance skills are every bit as as powerful as my left hook! You'd think I would have cleaned up that giant mess of Kona Kandy off the cutting table, but geez, who's got time for cleaning when the zombies are coming! (This photo makes me think of #honestcraftroom on Instagram.)



I used the cargo pocket as the tutorial suggests for the flap, but pieced in the side pocket on the back panel as an extra little pocket. A gal needs all the pockets she can get, right?

When I was in Amherst the other week I picked up some Zombie fabric by Riley Blake. My pal Adrienne over at Chezzetcook Modern Quilts tempted me with hers and it just so happened that there was still some on the bolts at Mrs. Pugsley's Fabric Emporium. Not that Not-So-Little PurpleBoots will want this bag, but he really loves the Walking Dead series so it seemed logical that I used it for the lining. I placed the flap lining so that it could be read when the bag was open...the instructions on the fabric are invaluable to one's survival of a zombie apocalypse.




And would ya look at my bias binding? It pleases me to no end! Just in case you decide to give this bag a go I cut it at a 45° angle in 2.25" wide and pressed it in half. I then stitched it to the back with a quarter inch seam, pressed it, turned it, pressed it again and then topstitched it to the front, just like a quilt.


Clearly a pair of pants would have been better as there'd be a lot more fabric to work with...I had to piece bits together and improvise with the strap since there wasn't nearly enough fabric to make one...good thing these shorts came with a cloth belt! The Pfaff 4.2 QE  didn't flinch with all those layers, even sewed that heavy belt in place without so much as a hiccup; that machine is a workhorse! All that was left of the shorts was a small pile of scraps and a couple more pockets...and that my friends, seems like a more reasonable amount of trash.



How much fun is this? God, I love the internet! I might have to go for a root at the second hand store in search of more cargo pants. I have a hunch this might not be the last of these bags!


13 comments:

  1. You are so talented. I have a long list of reasons why I would not begin to tackle something so complicated. Ben had better beware, his clothes may disappear before he grows out of them.

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  2. What a great idea. Now I want a cargo bag. The zombie fabric is awesome.

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  3. What a great way to "fix" the shorts!

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  4. Refashioning clothes is such a fun thing to do! Love how your bag turned out, that zombie fabric is the bomb. :)

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  5. See! Yay for Zombies! This is just fabulous my dear. And I just so happen to have a stack of I'd say a dozen pairs of jeans that were just culled in a deep closet clean. So if you are in need....Yay zombies!

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  6. See! Yay for Zombies! This is just fabulous my dear. And I just so happen to have a stack of I'd say a dozen pairs of jeans that were just culled in a deep closet clean. So if you are in need....Yay zombies!

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  7. Your bag is amazing! Love how you used the cargo shorts and the zombies. It sure works well!

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  8. I particularly like the sense of humor it takes to use a zombie print for the lining of the bag. It's something that will be seen every time the bag is opened and will probably start a lot of fun conversations.

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  9. Wicked good. Makes me want to grab a pair of Himself's cargo shorts and get to cutting. And not just because he's forever asking me to patch his clothes... he'd give No-so-little PurpleBoots a run for his money in the destruction category. And I think DT has inherited the gene. I have never used so much strain treater in my life.

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  10. Very inspirational! I shall have to take a look in my husbands closet for...well, I mean, for pants that should go to the thrift store and then divert them to my sewing room.

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  11. Love the Use What You Have and Make Magic attitude about this whole thing. The bag is awesome, and so representative of you. The lining is brilliant. You'll enjoy this. Years ago I made myself a small knapsack. I found a fun fabric of fancy brassieres for the lining!

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  12. This has been in my to do pile for almost a year! I have the pants, I have the lining fabric, I have her tutorial saved to an easy to access place.......now that I see yours, I'm inspired to maybe finally make it? You said three hours? I guess I can handle that. Job well done. I love how it turned out. Thanks for being such an inspiration!

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