Curious Cuties – Session #2

The second Curious Cutie session is here, on its second week.
This week's question was asked by Natalia, and that was her question:

"How long does it usually take you to make a bag?"

Good question. In the sense of it being complicated to answer, as it doesn't have only one answer.

Obviously it depends on the bag's design and the pattern making (if you include the pattern making in the time that it takes to make a bag). The time it takes to make a bag depends on many other things. It depends on the level, the complexity, the number and type of pieces I need to cut out, the details I want it to have (rings, eyelets, pockets, etc.), and the type of closure. Every bag has its own uniqueness, hence the different amount of time it takes to make it.

When I first started making bags, my first bags took maybe an hour. And those were crappy bags. During the learning of the bag making, I turned my bags more complicated, more unique and more… more, so did the hours that took me to make them.

Today, it doesn't take me less than 5 hours to make a bag, because I like doing them complex and with many details so the effort shows. Those 5 hours tops are pretty rare because of the reason of me wanting to make complicated bags which means more details, and those 5 hours ones are for bags that are pretty simple.

I have no problem making bags that are many many more hours. For reference, I made a bag once that took me 14(!) hours to make. That was my high score. The next in line was a bag pattern that I made only 3 times of them, and they took me 12 hours. And just to be clear, I can work on a bag for 12 hours straight, almost without eating, drinking or going to the bathroom. I don't think that's very healthy, but when you're addicted to something… I'm trying to let myself go a little. Take breaks for more than 5 minutes and even spread my work out to 2 and even 3 days.

Being a time obsessed, I always count everything I do. Including the amount of time it takes me to make bags. The clock is a very good friend of mine, even though I don't think all that matters. The bag making time is important to me, though, because I believe I need it, for future reference or something.

However, most of my bags take about 7-8 hours. Those are the bags that are detailed, but not THAT detailed. Pockets detail is something that I try to include in every bag, at least one, at least inside the bag. I also take a note that every type of straps/handles would take different times to make, as there are kinds that need more strips to make into straps, some have rings. Also the type of closure. If it's a zippered closure it obviously takes more time to make. Every detail like this counts. And each one can be as equally important as the bag design itself.

Thanks, Natalia!

Want to ask a question about bags? Don't even know what "Curious Cuties" is all about? To read more about it, go here!
To send questions you can either use the form in the same link above, or send me email to: daphna@creativecutie.com

Third session of Curious Cuties - next week. In the meantime, keep sending your questions, yours might get picked up next week, who knows!