C'est Fini!!!!!!!!!!!

C'est Fini---------------- yesssssssssssssssssssssssssss!

At very long last the Ravenna Satchel is finished! This one lingered longer than imaginable, it had it's heartaches and pitfalls and well, boring spots.

But done it is. For the most part I love it, but it took a lot of changes-- some big and some small.

The needle felting (thanks Emily for the loan of the needle felting tools) made a world of difference, it was nasty icky without it. Sort of blobby and indistinguishable. The felting took two days and two needles. Finishing was different than the pattern specified and for a lot of reasons.

The pattern specified that the top of the felted bag use black seam binding and I really didn't like the look at all so left it all. I used purchased black suede handles and simple feet on the bottom of the bag. Those that were on the original Satchel were gorgeous but pricey and I opted out. Instead of (ick) using a long row of velcro to close the bag I inserted a center pull zipper by machine and find that it gives easy, wide access to the bag and stability. The bag was very floppy even after felting so the lining is two layers of home dec weight fabric (in a happy acid green giraffe print) with the heaviest interfacing imaginable sandwiched in between. The lining then was inserted into the satchel and I used liquid stitching to cement the lining to the top of the bag. The bottom was still very sloppyfloppy. The pattern calls for masonite and that was heavy and not a happening thing. Two layers of needlepoint canvas were not strong enough. I've chosen a double layer of foam core, wrapped with fabric cut to fit very tightly into the bottom of the bag. Hey, if it has to be replaced it has to be replaced.


The lining makes me smile------- all in all a great bag and I'm sooooooo happy to be done with it. NOTHING left in the works in progress, can you believe it. That my blitters feels better than just about anything!