One Pattern Two Different Bags

Sometimes a project isn’t just about making a thing. It’s about pulling together skills you already have, making mistakes along the way, and choosing to use those moments as opportunities to try new techniques or ideas. It’s about fixing what doesn’t feel right, experimenting without pressure, and ending up with something that makes you smile every time you see it. Even after years of creating, mistakes still happen… and honestly, they’re often where the best ideas come from.

That pretty much sums up these two zipper bags.

Same Technique, Different Twist

I used my go-to patch technique for both bags, but this time I changed things up by using fabric glue instead of Steam-A-Seam on the patchwork. Honestly? It worked beautifully and gave me just enough flexibility while piecing everything together.

I also used 2½” mini charm squares, which I love for projects like this. They give you a great variety of fabrics without overthinking color placement and even though I used mostly the same pack, the bags ended up looking completely different. Proof that fabric placement really is magic.

A Bear, Some Honey, and Better Points

One of the bags is a remake of Autumn’s bear bag. I’ll be honest… the first version just wasn’t sitting right with me. The points weren’t as crisp as I wanted, so I made the decision to redo it.

And I’m glad I did… because before I finished the new version, Autumn made a very important request:

“Can you add more honey dripping from the bear?” 🍯🐻

Yes. Yes, I can.

Adding the extra honey gave the bag more personality and movement, and honestly made it so much better. Sometimes listening to your audience (even when they’re your kid) pays off.

The Fox, ChatGPT, and a Happy Accident

The fox bag was a fun collaboration . ChatGPT assisted me in developing the fox design, and I took it from there with my appliqué and thread sketching.

Now here’s where real-life creativity kicked in…

I meant to trace the fox mirrored onto Steam-A-Seam.

But I was tired.

And I didn’t.

So instead of starting over, I pivoted.

Since my 2½” squares were already fused, I grabbed wax paper, traced the fox not mirrored, and then pressed the wax paper template onto the right side of the fabric with my iron. From there, I cut out the shapes… and guess what?

👉 I actually fussy-cut it better this way.

Bonus tip: wax paper templates are reusable, so I got multiple uses out of them. Happy accident turned favorite workaround.

After peeling off the wax paper and Steam-A-Seam, I continued with my usual appliqué and thread-sketching process.

Texture You Can Feel

For the fox bag, I added two layers of batting and yes, you can absolutely see (and feel) the difference in height and texture compared to the other bag. That extra loft gave the fox a little more presence and softness, which I really love.

The Best Part

Now both of my girls have their own zipper bags.

And I didn’t learn new skills… I just searched my memory bank combined skills I already had in a new way.

That’s the part I really want to highlight.

You don’t always need a brand-new technique to grow as an artist. Sometimes growth looks like:

• trusting yourself to redo something

• fixing a mistake creatively

• trying a different adhesive

• or letting your skills overlap in unexpected ways

These bags are a reminder that confidence comes from doing, not perfection and that even tired moments can lead to better solutions.

And honestly? That’s my favorite kind of making. 💛

~ Angela