Bagged another one!

Remember the green and orange bag I blogged about a few weeks back which I made from a Japanese book I bought when in Penang?

Well, as it turned out, the book isn’t Japanese, but Chinese. My brother, Azan and friends at NNC pointed it point to me. My brother who knows a little bit of mandarin wondered how I managed to make my bags without knowing a word of what was written inside the book. *grin* Nothing is impossible when it comes to my crafts! LOL!

Anyway, my brother Azan, suggested that I ask my son, Aiman, who actually has had formal lessons in mandarin since he was 5, to help me to read the intructions. But, boys being boys, or, is that just Aiman, he’d rather be playing Angry Bird than help Mummy translate a Chinese craft book into English. *sigh*

Oh well, I managed to make a bag the last time with no help from him at all, and I think I did pretty OK. *grin*

Anyway, back to the present time, last weekend, I managed to complete another bag which I got the basic pattern from the same chinese book. I actually started on this bag first before I did the green and orange bag, but I had to stop when I could not find a suitable handle and also, I needed to find time to visit Kelvin to get a set of clasp for the front pocket – something I have never tried before.

Here’s the front of the bag with the pocket with the clasp I mentioned earlier.

Kelvin helped me to put the clasp on since I have never made a bag with this type of clasp before. It did not look too difficult to make, but it gave the bag that added value.

Here’s the side of the bag. I really like the design of this bag with this strip around the zippers, and it being brown in colour, Kelvin and some of his tudents who were attending classes there when I brought the bag in to put on the clasp thought that the brown fabric was made out of leather. It isn’t. It’s 100% American cotton. Cool, huh?

A view of the back showing the zippered pocket. .

It’s got another one inside the bag

By the way, the handles are from Sally. I bought them when I bought the handles for the green and orange bag. The handles suited the bag perfectly!

I initially thought that it would not suit the bag due to different brown tone to the strip around the zippers, but, when I put them together, I think it gave the bag another added value by adding more tones to the bag.

This bag measures 14in long by 9in high by 4in wide and is very roomy. I think it can even fit in an iPad. I know for sure it fits in my Sam (Samsung Galaxy Tab) comfortably.

If everything goes well, I hope to have this bag up for custom order at a price in the range of RM240.00 to RM280.00 depending on the fabric and handle design at my blogshop, Uniquely Aznique, by the end of year. I am sorry I can’t take in any orders earlier than December 2011 as I am currently taking up a certification program which will only complete in Janaury 2012. Only then will I be able to find time to make any bags. I will make an announcement here and at my blogshop when I am ready. Look out for it then.

In the mean time, look out for future postings too of future bag projects which I made from time to time when I can find the time in between my busy schedule (it’s like taking a break from the hectic work schedule and, as always, my crafts are very therapeutic. It calms me down, and helps lower my blood pressure and unpredictable temperaments. *smile*).

I have another bag already in the making as I write this which I started when I was experiencing vertigo and hypotension and not being able to stand up for long. I spent time sitting down and working on a simple bag instead. I will blog about that in another posting. Keep a look out for it! *wink*