Lost map, Found perspective

It is amazing to travel! Not only because of the movement, or because of the anticipation to reach places, but because of the changing scenery and the freedom of thinking. I don't know about you, but my mind sets up on different frequency, while I am on the road, my thoughts have different density and my joy is much purer. 

Canada is one of a kind country to explore - with its unexplored yet grounds and undiscovered plants. My mission is to walk on this land as much as possible, filling the footprints of prior 'explorers' with happier and more colourful memories. This year's destination is green Cape Breton, north of the blue shirt of Nova Scotia.

I am using the Daily Like Canada adventurous fabric to make some little treasures, needed for the trip.

Here is a recipe for one memorable trip:

1. Choose a destination

2. Find the right company

3. Plan ahead

4. Book the time and places to sleep. Hint: pick a small hotels or B&B. There is a charm to every place one goes and to be able to see it, one must dive into the culture. 

5. Make a map of daily hike. Count the kilometres carefully - not to get too exhausted the first days of your stay, but not to waist time in wondering what to do.

6. Plan your luggage. For different places, certain necessities are needed. 

7. Make notes of things you must-see.

8. Improvise

Few hours are left to our trip. I can not wait. In summary, it looks like that:

Destination: East Canada, mostly Nova Scotia and Cape Breton

Company: family and friends

Celebration: having all the beautiful treasures on Earth and Canada 150

Length of the trip: 14 days

Accessories: Binocular and compass.

Inspiration: previous trip to Newfoundland and Labrador

Resolution: Life is beautiful 

I have decided to make this little bag for a binocular. We need to spot the white eagle in Cape Breton, and the whales in Rivière-de-Loup, Québec.

It is easy to design this type of bag, and very comfortable to make. The only part a bit challenging is the bias binding. I have sore hands and arms from hand-sewing the bias binding all around the bag, but that is how I like it done - no seams are visible, and the evenness of the bias is pleasingly clear.

Here is how to

Create a pattern for this type of bag:

1. Decide the hight of the bag A- in this case this is the height of the binocular (14.5 cm)
2. Decide the width of the bag W

3. Decide the depth of the bag B -(4.5 cm)

4. Decide the size of the flap C - (9.5 cm)

5. Draw a rectangular piece with L= 2xA + 2xB + C and W=W
6. Draw a rectangular piece B x A - this will be the pattern for the sides

7. Curve the corners of the flap as desired. If you wish, you could curve the body of the bag as well. I did that.

Easy as that!

Materials used: 

1. Daily Like Canada Lesser Panda oxford cotton for the face of the bag and for the top side of handle
2. Daily Like Canada Peaceful Green cotton 20C for the lining
3. Daily Like Canada Sage Green oxford cotton for the handle base
4. Daily Like Canada  Hill cotton 20C for the bias binding
5. A piece of Daily Like Canada Winter Fox oxford cotton for the pocket
6. Daily Like Canada Winter Fox Mini-pocket Mirror
7. Daily Like Canada Winter Fox Note Card
8. Daily Like Canada Winter Fox Pen
9. Daily Like Canada Lesser Panda Tag
10. Daily Like Canada Leather Tag 'Handmade'
11. "Inazuma" magnetic button, 3 mm
12. Fusible Batting
13. Heavy weight fusible interfacing

Recipe for sewing the bag:

1. Draw the pattern on a piece of paper, marking each part: A, B and C, have the pattern for the sides ready.
2. Prepare the continuous bias binding , using the Hill cotton 20C.
3. Position the patterns over the fat-quarter of the Lesser Panda oxford. Draw with a washable marker, or tailor's chalk.
4. Cut around the lines, leaving 5 mm allowance for the seam.
5. Follow the steps 2-3 for the lining.
6. Cut the batting and the fusible interfacing, without leaving seam allowance.
7. Apply the fusible batting to the wrong side of the Lesser Panda oxford cotton.

Note: Because the fabric, used for the face, has a directional pattern, the print on the back of the bag will appear upside-down. If you would like to avoid that, make sure that you cut a separate piece of fabric for the back, leaving seam allowances where the seams would be.

8. Apply the fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric used for lining.
9. Mark the parts A, B and C on the interfaced bag lining and press with an iron to form the folds. Now you have a pretty good idea of the shape of your bag. This helps a lot for adding the embellishments.
10. Sew the tags on the lining part, where desired and attach both parts of the magnetic button in a way so they meet nicely and the closure is perfectly centred. Add the pocket to the lining.
11. Pin the face and lining together, wrong sides facing. Baste all around.
12. Bind the outside edge of part A, which would be on the inside of the bag. If you have curves there, bind along the curve. Leave the piece aside, work on the side parts and the handle.

Handle making:

13. Cut a bias strip of the Sage oxford cotton long enough to form a handle and 4 cm wide.
14. Cut a strip from the Lesser Panda fabric, the same length, 3.5 cm wide.
15. Interface the bias strip, using heavy weight interfacing.
16. Fold both sides of the strip towards the centre, almost meeting them and press with iron.
17. Fold the Lesser Panda strip in a same manner. Top the Sage oxford cotton strip with the Lesser Panda one, wrong sides facing and top stitch.
18. Cut and interface two pieces of Hill cotton 20C, size B cm x 3.5cm to make the handle fasteners. Form folds on both sides 0.7 cm inward. Pin them on the Lesser Panda bag sides, 2 cm bellow the top edge. Insert the handle in the fasteners and top stitch, along the lines. Top stitch again, forming a cross for stability. I used jeans cotton thread.

I added a thin cut of the Winter Fox fabric, where the Winter Fox pen could hang.

Now you have both sides of the bag, connected with the handle.

19. Pin the face (lesser Panda sides with the handle attached) and lined bag sides together, wrong sides facing. Baste all around.

20. Shape the bag, following the established already folds and baste the bag part and side parts together to form the bag.

21. Machine stitch the bias binding on the outside of the bag, starting from one side of the already biased part A and stitching all around.
22. Press with an iron, fold the bias and slip stitch on the opposite side.
23. Enjoy the beautiful little treasure you are holding in hands and be proud with your creation.

I made a mini-pouch for the compass my daughter is using, when hiking in the deep forests of the Appalachian Mountains. I know, the topographic maps are out of fashion, substituted by the new technologies, but the knowledge one has, when learning how to read the maps with a compass is priceless.

The card and the pen are a must, because the most adventurous beautiful day will be shared in words there and sealed until her next visit to Nova Scotia. The mirror is for playing 'Sunny bunny" with the landscape and creating effects on the photographs. She has thought everything through. When it comes to exploration, she is an expert.

Well, I think that was all! The bags are all packed, and the new items, my daughter has now will travel in the car. Crossing the Appalachian Mountains is a real adventure. The road twists up and down on both sides of painfully green forests and there are so many lookout spots to stop and admire the scenery. She insists of having her binocular handy.

I cut and made an easy bandana from the Evergreen cotton 20C, that she attached to the bag, threw some nut cookies in the clear cellophane Lesser Panda bags for the trails and well equipped, we are leaving ...

Stay tuned for my other project I made for the trip. Super useful and beautiful, a sneak peak of which is visible on the last image. These 'loving Nature' fabric pieces were a total inspiration for me.

Thank you so much, lovely friends, for visiting my happy corner!

Wishing you happy summer days!
♥ Ivelina