Hello, bag-making friends! If you love a good sew-along with plenty of tips, tricks, and real-time adjustments, then the latest Bag Makers Sew-Ciety live session was one to watch! This time, we tackled the Passionflower Tote by Blue Calla, a fantastic pattern that’s both stylish and functional.
Although the live session is no longer available, I’m recapping all the key moments—including pattern modifications, topstitching tricks, and live troubleshooting—so you can follow along at your own pace.
Prepping for the Sew-Along
Before jumping into the sewing, I made sure to have all my pattern pieces cut, interfaced, and stabilized. For this version of the Passionflower Tote, I used Decovil Light for structure and added waterproof canvas in some areas for durability.
One of the stars of this project was the variegated Tex 45 thread from Little Stitcher Sews, which gave the topstitching a beautiful, shifting color effect. I even had a 15% discount code for those watching live—so if you were there, I hope you grabbed it!
Modifying the Passionflower Tote
As with most bag patterns, I made a few adjustments to suit my sewing style.
I chose to make both the front and back panels identical, which allowed for extra pockets.
Instead of using four separate pieces for the zipper panel, I streamlined it into one single piece to reduce bulk.
Adjusted the zipper panel measurements accordingly to maintain the correct seam allowances.
These little changes helped make the bag even more practical and easier to construct.
Sewing Machine & Material Choices
For this bag, I used my Jack H2 industrial walking foot machine, which handled the vinyl, Decovil, and multiple layers with ease. I also talked about how different machines might require adjusting fabric thickness or skipping fusible fleece in seam allowances to avoid unnecessary bulk.
Handles, Straps & Topstitching Perfection
Bag handles and straps can make or break a project, so I took extra care here!
The handles were made from black vinyl, carefully marked and folded for precise stitching.
The D-ring connectors were reinforced with Decovil for extra durability.
A 4.5 stitch length was used for topstitching, while construction stitches were kept at 2.5.
The variegated thread looked stunning, creating a subtle shift in color that added a unique touch to the finished bag.
Adding the Magnetic Snap & Securing the Pocket
A magnetic snap was attached to the exterior pocket for added security. To prevent wear and tear, I placed extra Decovil behind the snap for reinforcement. Once attached, the pocket edges were basted and topstitched, ensuring a neat and polished look.
Strap Attachment & Alignment Tips
Straps need to be secure and evenly placed, so I used double-sided tape to position them before stitching. Checking alignment multiple times ensured that everything looked professional and symmetrical.
Live-Sewing Chaos (and Quick Fixes!)
What’s a live sew-along without a few unexpected moments? At one point, I misplaced a fabric piece mid-stream (where did it go? Who knows!), but I quickly cut a new one and kept going.
Multitasking was the name of the game as I balanced sewing, chatting with viewers, and adjusting the camera angles to show the stitching details properly.
Final Thoughts
The Passionflower Tote is such a fun and satisfying bag to make, and I loved walking through the process in this sew-along! Whether you followed along live or are catching up now, I hope this recap gives you some useful tips and inspiration for your own version of the bag.
If you missed the live session, don’t worry—you can still catch the replay on The Bag Makers Sew-Ciety YouTube channel. Have you made the Passionflower Tote before? Planning to try it? Let’s chat in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts! 😊
Until next time happy sewing and may your bobbin always be full
Deb x
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