After the progress I made on the Sophia the other day, I couldn’t wait to get back into my sewing room to work on the bag some more. I made huge progress – not only did I apply the piping to the exterior, but installed the zipper (which went much smoother than what I had expected), and constructed the entire outer shell of the bag.

The only change that I made so far, was the elimination of the piping to the bottom of the bag. After reading reviews and tips on it’s construction, I thought that I would skip this potential headache (and after attaching the bottom to the bag, I can see how everyone had a hard time with the piping in this area – I’m not sure I could have gotten it to ‘look right’ if I had gone with it). I do have to say, I am thrilled with how my Bernina sewed through all those layers – it was a bit thick in parts, but it didn’t have any difficulties plowing through it all. Plus, I’m in love with the “hands free” lever (knee lift)… it really came in handy when I needed to hold onto my pieces and lower the presser foot at the same time.
Now, with the exterior finished, I believe the hardest part of constructing this bag is over – it’s time to move onto the lining!