sew crafty

the dilemma
I've been on the hunt for an affordable case/bag/what-have-you to carry and protect the new camera.  I'm not sure I'll ever invest in anything crazy expensive, considering I'm not quite over the purchase of the camera itself.  But even if I did, with literally hundreds of varieties of cases and bags on the market, I can't begin to know yet which type will serve me well.

the "solution"
Sometimes I fool myself into thinking I can be crafty, and in a weak moment of my research, I walked right into the trap: "I can totally make something that will be functional.  And for much cheaper."  (Famous last words.)

the other dilemma
By entertaining the DIY line of thinking, I was thus making myself vulnerable to the antics of the sewing machine.  Mom and I have had many an ugly-girl laugh over my sewing expeditions, because I don't use patterns and my projects are completely winged.  I admit I feel great pride when a project is completed, but the frustration along the way will make you want to slap your mama (not mine, though, because she laughs me through it).

the (loose) vision
I decided I could sew some padded linings, that could be inserted into one of the million unused bags I already own.  Think bumper pads that go around a baby's crib.  Simple materials, small scale.  This was doable.

the process
I started with some poly foam, about a yard of fun fabric, and the bag.  (And you'll note some Velcro in this pic, but it never made an appearance in the process.  Ah, the greatest plans ...)



In pretty typical fashion, I employed the eyeball measuring method for the size of a base piece, and four side pieces, and sewed covers for each one.  (You can do so much with the pillowcase pattern!)



These pieces all got placed inside the bag, so it made a cozy little nest for a delicate piece of photography equipment.



The final step was definitely the least developed: the dividing pieces.  Although those sides are nice and padded, I still wasn't loving the idea of my camera sliding around in the bag.  So I made these little guys to be adjustable, and I hoped they would fit the bill.



And I think they're doing pretty well so far!

the good news
Love that I spent only $8.00 on the fabric and foam.  And I love the fabric.

the not surprising news
The 36-hour hiatus from the process to address the fact that I had left out Mr. Velcro along the way.  He wasn't overly necessary, but I had really wanted to include him initially.  It's never a surprise that I have to a) problem solve along the way, because I didn't remember a critical step, and b) take my sweet time figuring it out.

the happy sigh of relief
It was a good little weekend project, and the best news -- other than the fact that I didn't throw my sewing machine off the balcony -- is that my camera has a safe, happy home.



And that, friends, will fulfill my crafting quota for a nice spell.