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By Annie Hanging Cosmetics Bag

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Since I turned in my book’s manuscript on Friday, I decided to do a little bit of selfish sewing. Annie Unrein of By Annie’s Soft and Stable has a wonderful Craftsy instructional video that came out in July called Sew Sturdy Travel Organizers. The class contains instructions to make two bags, the Sew Sturdy Organizer and the Hanging Cosmetics Bag. Annie sells finishing kits for both bags on her site (the finishing kits contain the hardware, mesh, vinyl, zippers, and strapping needed to make the respective bag). I opted for getting both kits, as I am lazy, and the kits were packaged quite beautifully, it turns out.

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I get to see Annie a couple of times a year at Quilt Market. She is just amazing, and I also love Kaitlyn, one of her employees that is always with her. They are some of the nicest people ever, and I think that kindness translates in the Craftsy video. Annie walks you through all of the steps for both bags in a calm, friendly nature. When you sign up for the class, in addition to the instruction video, you also get two print-outs, one for each pattern. The print-out is a text-only version of the pattern, which includes check boxes for each step, and a page at the back with drafted square labels so that you can label all of your cut-out pattern pieces. Both features are just great. I thought I was going to be a big show-off and assemble the pattern off the text instructions, but I ended up watching pretty much the whole video as a) I’m not as smart as I look and b) it’s really very pleasant to sew along with Annie’s instruction as she works at a slow but not too slow pace (plus, you can pause and re-watch any parts that you need to in the video).

I think the Hanging Cosmetics Bag would be great for an intermediate-level sewist. The bag is quilted, and with the addition of several features like the zippered mesh and zippered vinyl pockets, and the 3-dimensional pocket at the bottom of the bag, I think would be challenging for a beginner. Although, this is an instructional video, so maybe any level would be possible.

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The first step to the bag was to make a quilt sandwich with the exterior, Soft and Stable, and lining. I quilted mine in a lattice design using 40wt Aurifil thread. It’s important to quilt the bag because the interior pockets will be attached later, and that stitching shows. The quilting makes that all blend in, plus it looks really pretty.

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I’m really happy with the finished bag. I used Indelible fabrics by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics and a coordinating gray solid. I was sick over the weekend, so the bag came together on two separate days.

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Instead of interfacing, the strap fabrics are strengthened with strapping (nylon webbing). The strap fabrics are sewn right sides together along the long edge, turned, pressed, and the strapping is pulled through. I do think that it does make the straps very sturdy.

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I just love that mesh pocket. I’ve never sewn with mesh before, but it gives the bag a beautifully-finished pocket and it is very easy to install with the zipper.

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Here’s a look at the bag opened all the way up. As you can see, it has one mesh pocket, two vinyl pockets, and the large 3-dimensional pocket at the bottom. For some reason, I cut my vinyl pockets a smidge too short length-wise, but I got them centered and hoped and prayed, and yes the binding covered the edges of the vinyl at the end. Whew!

It started snowing as I was taking these shots, so pardon the white stuff.

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All-in-all, a very fun project and I learned something new, which is always a plus! If you liked my bag, check out Sew Sturdy Travel Organizers. I’m looking forward to making the second bag sometime soon!

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16 thoughts on “By Annie Hanging Cosmetics Bag

  1. Loved you travel bag. Will have to add it to my wish list. Oh, oh so many bag, so little time!

  2. Mary vukusich says:

    Love Annie and her products. Have talked to her at 2 houston quilt shows. Her patterns are amazing.

  3. I leave for vacation tomorrow…was just thinking, wish I had a cute travel bag…alas, I’m not that ambitious at this point…but maybe for the next go around!

  4. Also…I clicked the link and got a 404 error 🙁

  5. Hilary says:

    It looks so good! This class has been on my Craftsy wishlist for a little while now, I might have to finally take it.

  6. Marci Girl says:

    I bought this class about a month ago, but now I want to make it now! As always, beautiful Sara!

  7. Thank you for the writeup! I’ve been wanting to learn some more advanced bag techniques so this is perfect for me. BTW, none of the links to craftsy work by just clicking them, thought you’d want to know =)

  8. Mara says:

    Beautiful! Love the fabrics you used and so amazed that it still only took you 2 days and you were sick, amazing.

  9. helen LeBrett says:

    It looks great!! How hard is it to get the 2D part sewn to the 3D part? Looks a bit tricky to me.

  10. green231 says:

    Sara, I have watched this class but haven’t made the bag yet! It is very high on my list as I think it would be a great knitting bag. Although I have made several bags already (yours and other designers) I still learned a lot.
    And you are not lazy! I wish I could buy a kit but with overseas shipping it’s too expensive.

    So glad to hear you finished your second book. I can’t wait to read it.

  11. Jen Beatty says:

    My mom & I had the chance to meet Annie @ Festival last month, she did a great talk in Open Studio’s. We bought my mom this pattern and now that I moved into my new home I promised her I’d work with her to get it completed soon.

  12. What a great looking bag! I have a few of Annie’s patterns and need to get sewing. Have a happy day!

  13. Beth says:

    must go look at the Craftsy class. Cute bags. Who doesn’t need one?

  14. Vera says:

    These are looking great! Well done!

  15. You did a great job on your bag. Love your fabric selections. Goes well together. My favorite part from her class was learning to put in the zipper.

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