I haven’t posted much this month.

I’ve been sewing but not doing it well.  Seemed everything I did turned out WRONG!  For instance this little gig bag….

Some background here first.

I took up the baritone ukulele several months ago.  Mostly because it was sitting there in the corner looking lonely. I bought it for my two of my granddaughters but they really weren’t impressed! (Ahhhh, could you get us guitars?)

Then I found a couple friends that were interested in learning, too.

After actually mastering a few chords and playing for several weeks, I realized that my very inexpensive (cheap) uke did not have a very good voice.  My friends agreed that their mail-order ukes were also failing them.  So off we went–time to shop and actually play some ukes! Crystal River. Ocala.  Miconopy.  And finally we found three sweet singing baritone ukuleles in Wildwood at Bondz Music. My little Lana-Lana-Lanakai!

Typically my ukulele rests on top of the baby grand.  Smiling at my starter banjo. (My Deering Maple Blossom has it’s own special holder–it does not hang around on any old wall!)

But sometimes Lana likes to go to ukulele jams and needs something to wear.  So I decided that I would MAKE a gig bag. I have one for the other uke but its just not pretty enough for sweet Lana!

I design lots of bags and totes.  I like to think that I’m pretty good at it.  Thought this would be easy peasy.

Nope. Gotta say. Making that bag is kicking my BUTT!

Did a lot of research on Pinterest.  Seemed easy enough.  I traced around the uke.  Added 1″ on all sides for seams and a little wiggle room.

Then I measured the depth–the body is 3″.  So I planned 4″ sides for the entire case–1/2″ seams once again but no wiggle room.

Bought a parka zipper with a zipper tab at each end.  I needed 44″.  Could only find 48″.  Okay.  Just a little more of a zippity-do-da opening.

Used denim for the exterior and some Kona Cotton for the lining.  Added batting for a little bit of cushion for Lana.

Thought it needed some personality so I added some flair with embroidery, applique, and a strap.

After designing, sewing, ripping out, contemplating, sewing some more….. A week later I finished it.

SO DISAPPOINTED.

It was a bit “saggy baggy elephant”.  (You know, kind of when you lose a lot of weight and there’s all this skin just kinda hanging there.)

I hadn’t taken into account that while the body was 3″ deep.  The headstock was only 1 3/4″. Duh!

I made the strap with one of the ribbons from the Ribbon Lovers Club from Renaissance Ribbons.  Love that part of the bag!

So after carrying it around for three weeks, I decided to make another one. And that’s what I’m doing now. Which, if I ever get done designing, sewing, ripping out, and contemplating, I’ll share with you.

And I also decided to alter the current bag a little by taking in the seams around the headstock.  I couldn’t take it in as much as would have liked since I didn’t want to lose the machine embroidery that I had added.

Still a little saggy baggy. But not quite as bad.

When I finish the next gig bag, this one is going to one of my jamming friends that had already asked for it when it was still saggy baggy!