If you read the post preceding this one, you know how much I love the Enigma Pouch, designed by Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness patterns. If you haven’t seen that post yet, here’s the link. The Enigma is part of the Minikins Season 4 collection of patterns, which was released in mid-April, 2023.
At the end of that post, I said I would make another to gift to my step-granddaughter, newly graduated from the 8th grade in Traverse City, Michigan. But, for some reason, I had a very difficult time getting this pattern to come together, and I really want one of these Enigmas for my travels. So this may just belong to me. I’ve got two similar bags in progress now, a pattern called “The Drop Zone,” designed by Annie Unrein of by.Annie patterns. I believe she gave them that name because they open out to become rimmed trays you can drop makeup tubes or quarters or earrings into at the end of a long day. Those would function similarly to the Enigma, and seem to be a little simpler to make. If they work the way I envision, then I will keep this Enigma for myself. Stay tuned on that front.
The second Enigma uses the same exterior fabric as the first, a similar zipper with a different zipper pull, and the same lining design but in a different colorway: “Topaz.” I went through the same mental gymnastics while constructing #2, deciding whether to include the zippered pocket or skip it. I opted for imclude.
My construction challenge came when I sewed the side panels to the bottom panel. At that point, the Pull Tab has already been basted to the Bottom Panel. When pinning or clipping the Side Panels to the Bottom Panel, right sides together, the Pull Tab is sandwiched between the two panels. If I had paid very close attention as I was pinning the panels together, I would have realized the zipper ends were not centered on the Pull Tab. Ugh! It’s funny how a such a seemingly small error can cause so much extra work!
I sewed all the way around the Bottom Panel, flipped it right side out, and realized I had only the tiniest misaligned Pull Tabs to hold onto while closing the zipper. Much seam ripping and realigning and resewing followed before I finally felt that the Pull Tabs were lined up well enough for me to call it done.
It’s finished and has been treated with ScotchGard and is ready to head to New Orleans in a few months for a family wedding. I think I’ll love it once I see it in action. It sure took me long enough to get here!
