The Hey Mercedes Sew Along posts are all finished and the completed bags are almost due to be entered to win some great prizes. If you need a recap, check out Day 1 for all the details.

I thought it would be fun to share some of the bags that have been completed so far. If you're still working on yours, or haven't started yet, you still have a bit of time. Maybe these versions will inspire you to finish yours up. You can also refer to the sewalong after the contest is over.

I love the bright colours Lisa chose for her bag. That bright solid green for the handles is so fun!

Kelly used rings for hers and she matched the pocket to the main panel perfectly. Fussy cut for the win! She also made her Hey Mercedes at 75% of the original size; it looks like a great scale for that print.

Sheri from Munkee Made chose some gorgeous Art Gallery fabric and paired it with coordinating glitter vinyl. That side panel looks absolutely amazing!

I'm loving seeing all the creations! Make sure to use #HeyMercedesSAL on instagram or upload your completed pictures through my contact page by March 31, 2016 to be entered in the contest to win prizes from Sitka Fabrics and Aurifil Thread.

I'm so excited to share the release of these patterns with you today! These are both being released by Blue Calla Sewing Patterns, but the special part is that the Moonflower Tote is a collaboration between Crystal of Cloth Albatross and Celine of Blue Calla. The Morning Glory pouch is being offered as a free companion to the Moonflower! Crystal has designed the Moonflower Tote, with its unique reverse applique features, and Celine wrote and published the pattern. I've worked with both of these ladies and am truly inspired by this genius partnership.

I haven't had a chance to sew up the Moonflower Tote yet, but I've been teased with these sneak peeks from the testers and I am so excited about this bag.  I did get some time to test the free companion pattern, the Morning Glory Pouch, and it's so much fun, and great for a beginner. There is no zipper, so that speeds things up a bit, for me anyway.

For my Morning Glory Pouch, I used a FQ bundle of Type, by Julia Rothman for Windham Fabrics, Fabricspark.com.

The Morning Glory has a reverse applique of an accent fabric, just like the Moonflower. The pouch has a magnetic snap on the flap, plus a slip pocket inside. There are pretty pleats along the rounded bottom of the pouch, making it more than just a simple pouch. You're certainly in for a treat with this freebie!

Together, they make a great set. There will even be a tutorial up on the Blue Calla blog for adding a zipper and card slots to your Morning Glory, so you can use it in place of a wallet inside the Mooflower Tote.

The Moonflower Tote offers many different features and opportunities for different sewing techniques. Reverse applique is the main theme of technique here, but you'll also be installing eyelets and making accented handles. The tote is about 16" wide at the base, tapering to 12" at the top, 13" high, and 3.5" deep, so it's a nice roomy carryall.

As usual with Blue Calla patterns, you can take advantage of an introductory price on the pattern.  Today through Friday, save 25% on the Moonflower Tote.

Woohoo! It's time to finish our bags. Here's a recap if you're just joining us now, and looking for the other posts to catch up:

• Day 1: Preparing the pattern, cutting the fabric and interfacing, and fusing the interfacing
• Day 2: Sewing handles and handle connectors, and creating pockets
  
• Day 3 (that's today): Final assembly of bag
  

Before we can do the final assembly, we need to attach the handle extenders and rings. First, fold the curved end of each handle extender down by 3 1/4" and press in place. You'll want to have 2 matching sets of mirror image curved handle extenders. Using the pattern piece as a guide, place the handle extenders onto the exterior bag front and back, then pin in place and stitch along previous top stitching lines up to the crease line (the folded curved edge should be unsewn at this point). I drew a line along the crease to see it better for sewing. On the front of the bag, the handle extenders should be covering the side (raw) edges of the front pocket.

Now slide on the rectangle rings into the crease and fold back down. I used fusible webbing here to secure the folded ends back into position before I have a chance to stitch them onto the bag panels. Topstitch again along previous stitching and just under rings, about 1/4"; you may find a zipper foot easier here so you can get close to the hardware - I just moved my needle all the way to the left and used my regular foot and found it worked fine. Repeat for all extenders, so you have 2 on the front and 2 on the back.

Fold exterior bag bottom piece in half, matching short edges and follow measurements in book to cut your piece to size. I used my quilting ruler and rotary cutter. Once the exterior is done, use it as a template for the lining piece. I just laid the folded exterior piece over the folded lining and cut in place.

Fold each exterior main panel in half and finger press or use a marker to note the centres of the top and bottom of the panel. Mark a line in the seam allowance on the wrong side of the bag bottom 1/2" from each end. Match the centre of the exterior front panel with the centre of the bag bottom piece, and pin or clip in place. Then, working your way out from the centre, pin the rest of the bag bottom to the front panel. It should go up the sides about 6" from the top of the panel. Sew in place with a 1/2" seam allowance, starting and ending at the 1/2" line you marked previously, making sure to backstitch at start and stop. Repeat to attach other long edge of bag bottom to exterior back panel.

Now match up unsewn portions of front and back of bag and sew in place from top of the bag up to and just over the side seams, making sure to backstitch. Repeat all these steps for lining, except leave a 6-8" turning hole in the bottom of one lining/bag bottom seam. With the turning hole, it's important to backstitch at start and stop. Trim your seam allowances, but leave seam allowance over turning hole intact.

Now we need to install the magnetic snap in the lining. Alternatively, you can do this step before sewing the lining shell together. Use the washer from the snap to mark your slot placement 1 1/2" from the top of the bag, and centred. I like to use my seam ripper to make the holes for the prong slots. I use foam or fleece scraps on the back to reinforce the snap. You can look at page 88 of the book for more detailed instructions of the snap installation.

Once you have both exterior and lining shells done, turn exterior bag right side and put it inside the lining, so right sides of lining and exterior are together. Match up all the side seams and bag centres (previously marked). Pin or clip in place and sew lining and exterior along the top of the top of the bag.

Once you have sewn them together, turn the bag right side out through the opening in the lining. (We're soooo close!) I used a turning tool at this point to make sure the tops of my bag were nice and sharp where they're supposed to be. Press along the top. I also use Wonder Clips to make sure the top stays nice and crisp before I topsitich. Then topstitch about 1/8" away from the top edge. Lengthening your stitch length here will allow for a nice, even look.

Tuck in the seam allowance of the turning hole, and stitch up, either by machine with a very small seam allowance, or by hand, with a blind stitch. Finally, attach the handles to the rings: Press the ends of each handle 1/2", then another 1" both to the back of the handle. Slide through the rings into the second crease, hiding the raw ends of the handle. Attach the other end of the handle to the ring on the same side of the bag, making sure the handle isn't twisted. Clip into place and repeat for other side of bag. Now's your chance to adjust the length of the handles if you want. Once you're sure you're happy with the handle length, sew in place, securing with a stitched rectangle. If you like, add rivets too.

Now give the whole bag a nice press and show it off!

To be eligible to win a prize, use #HeyMercedesSAL on Instagram to post a picture of your completed bag. You can also use this hashtag to share your progress - it's so fun to see what everyone is up to. Just make sure your account isn't private, otherwise I won't be able to see your pictures. If you prefer, you can send me a picture of your completed bag; just upload it through my contact page. You have until March 31, 2016 to complete your Hey Mercedes bag for the contest. Contest open internationally.

Welcome to Day 2 of the Hey Mercedes Sewalong. If you need to catch up, head over to Day 1 to get started. Here's a recap of what the sewalong will look like:

• Day 1: Preparing the pattern, cutting the fabric and interfacing, and fusing the interfacing
• Day 2 (that's today): Sewing handles and handle connectors, and creating pockets
• Day 3: Final assembly of bag
  

Please note: this sewalong is meant as an additional guide to the pattern instructions found in Windy City Bags; please read through pattern instructions in the book as well.

Making the handles for the bag is similar to making double fold bias binding. Start by taking one interfaced handle piece and fold in half, matching long sides, press in the centre, then unfold and bring those long, raw edges to meet in the centre, press in place, then fold again, matching long folded edges. Topstitch along both long edges about 1/8" away from the edge. I like to increase my stitch length here for a smoother, neater look. Repeat with other handle to have 2 completed handles.

We'll need 4 matching sets of handle extenders. Since you cut them in pairs, you should have 4 sets that match up quite well in mirror image. One you've paired them up, pin or use wonderclips to hold them sides together, and sew together, leaving the short straight edge unsewn. The book suggests that leaving a turning hole further up the curved edge may help turn the extender later, but I have a trick that will make turning these so easy, so just go ahead and see all the way around except the short straight edge at the bottom. You'll want to follow the curve with your stitching, so take your time here. You may need to use smaller stitch lengths to get around corners nicely, and stop with your needle in the down position to lift your pressed foot and turn the fabric. Once you've sewn all 4 handle extenders, you'll need to trim the seam allowance, and clip into the curves and notch around outer curves, as shown in the book. You could also just trim the seam allowance with pinking shears to speed this step up a bit. Watch this video to see how easy it is to turn the handle extenders. I used a spool of thread and a chopstick; you can use similar items from your sewing supplies too!

Once the handle extenders are all turned, use the chop stick or similar tool to push out the seams nicely, then press and topstitch.

Press the piece of bias trim in half, matching long edges, wrong sides together, and pin to the top of the exterior pocket. The raw edges of the trim should match the top raw edges of the pocket; baste the trim onto the pocket with a 1/8" seam allowance. Place lining front pocket right sides together on the exterior pocket, sandwiching the bias trim in between along the top of the pocket and sew together with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Now clip into the curves, making sure not to cut into the stitching. Then turn right side out, with pocket pieces wrong sides together and the folded edge of the trim along the top of the pocket. Press and topstitch along the top 1/8" from the seam.

Now fold the bag front and pocket in half vertically to find the centres. Then place the pocket on the front of the bag, matching centres and bottom edges of the bag front and pocket. Baste in place with a 1/8" seam allowance along the sides and bottom of pocket.

Refer to pages 86-88 of Windy City Bags for additional tips for installing the zippered pockets. Place a lining panel right side up on your work surface, then place a lining pocket down on the lining, right sides together. Measure up 1.5" from bottom of the lining panel and line up short edge of lining pocket along the 1.5" measurement from the bottom. Pin the lining pocket in place.  Now draw a side-centred rectangle starting 7.5" from the top short edge of the lining pocket. The rectangle will be 8" wide and 1/2" tall.

Sew along the rectangle you just drew. I find using a smaller stitch length here allows me to make sharper corners. Once sewn, draw small triangles inside each short end of the rectangle and draw a horizontal line centred in the rectangle, connecting the tips of the triangles. Now cut along the horizontal line, and into the corners just up to the stitching in the corners, but not through the stitching. Now we want to bring the lining pocket through the opening we just cut to the back of the lining. It may help to press before you pull the pocket through. Take your time here and press well once the pocket is through.

Before I place my zipper, I like to use double sided tape, like Wonder Tape, that can be sewn through. It really helps to hold the zipper in place while I'm sewing and helps prevent wobbly stitching of the zipper box. Some people glue baste their zippers, and others just pin in place. I've also used scotch tape sparingly to hold my zippers in place, then carefully removed it after sewing. The idea is that you want your zipper to keep still in just the right spot while you're sewing, so try a few different methods until you find one you like the best. Once you've positioned the zipper, then you'll need to sew it in place. Depending on the zipper you used, you may wish to switch to a zipper foot here. Stitch all around the box with a small seam allowance; approximately 1/16" would be good. Once the box is sewn, fold up your pocket and stitch around remaining 3 sides. You'll need to fold the lining panel out of the way so that you don't sew through it - trust me on this one.

Repeat for remaining zipper, pocket and lining panel, and you're all done for Day 2! See you back here for Day 3 to finish the bag! Please share your progress using #HeyMercedesSAL on Instagram.