Swoon Bonnie SAL Day 1: Print, Cut, Interface

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Welcome to the Swoon Bonnie sewalong.  This sewalong will span four days.

Bonnie is not a difficult bag.  It is helpful to have bag experience, but isn't completely necessary. If you've sewn zippers and understand general sewing terminology, you can sew Bonnie.  If you have any questions during the sewalong, please leave a comment, email me, or ask in the Facebook Swoon Group page.

Let's Go!

1.  Buy Bonnie pattern.

2.  If you have already purchased Bonnie, there is an update to the pattern.  Please head over to Swoon Patterns, or where ever you purchased your pattern, to download the latest update.

3.  Purchase materials

• 1/2 yard Exterior A
• 1/2 yard Exterior B
• 1 yard Interior Lining
• 2.5 yards woven fusible interfacing (Shape Flex 101)
• 1/4 yard heavy sew in stabilizer (Peltex 70)
• 15" (or longer) main zipper
• Two 7" zippers (exterior and interior pockets, optional)
• Two 1.5" O-rings or 1" loops

Print out pattern at 100% or "Actual Size".  Be sure to check the test square to ensure printing accuracy.
In addition to the pattern pieces, you will also need to cut the following:

Handle: 4" x 20" Cut 1 main exterior, 1 interfacing  (interfacing not necessary if using leather/vinyl)
Handle Connectors: 4"x4" Cut 2 main exterior
Pocket Facing: 9" x 4" Cut 1 fabric

Please quickly read through this day before cutting! It's a little jumbled up and I give tips below, which might be helpful before cutting your fabric.

I like to cut my interfacing out first.  For the exterior main panel.  You will need to cut 4 pieces, 2 of which are mirror images.  I fold my interfacing and cut the piece (this piece is NOT cut on the fold, just cut the mirror images)

Main Panel interfacing. You can see there are two sets of mirror images. More about the exterior main panels below.

I fuse my interfacing to my fabric then cut it out.  This is also helpful if you are fussy cutting your fabric-which I'm doing here with the birds.

For the exterior bottom piece, put your stabilizer down, then the SF101 on top of that. The interfacing will lay 1/2"off all sides of the stabilizer.  Iron the SF 101 down, making sure to really adhere the 1/2" hang off to your fabric.

If you are using vinyl, leather, or something that cannot be ironed, I use spray adhesive to adhere the interfacing/stabilizer.  I highly recommend spraying this stuff outside. 

After cutting out all my interfacing, I iron it on to my fabric and cut out my pocket pieces.  I cut out TWO pockets-one for the exterior pocket and I also put a zipper pocket in the interior.

If you'd like interior slip pockets, take your bottom lining main panel...

...and fold it in half.  Using the bottom half, cut TWO lining pieces on the fold and 1 interfacing on the fold.

The exterior of Bonnie is color blocked with two fabrics.  Both pieces of Exterior A should be cut with the RIGHT side of the pattern piece face up.  Both pieces of Exterior B should be the mirror image (wrong side of the pattern piece).
As you can see, I fussy cut one panel with the bird on the bottom because my welted zipper pocket will be where my fingers are.

Once everything is cut and interfaced, you should have:

• 1 Handle
• 2 Handle Connectors
• 1 Pocket facing
• Bottom Panels-one exterior with stabilizer and interfacing, one lining with interfacing
• Exterior Main Panel-4 with interfacing
• Top Lining Main Panel-2 with interfacing
• Bottom Lining Main panel-2 with interfacing
• Pocket panel-1 or 2 (fabric only) depending on how many pockets you want. 
• 2 interior slip pocket pieces-one piece with interfacing (optional)
• Pocket Welts: 2 fabric only
• Bottom Strip: 2 fabric only

Come back tomorrow for day 2!