Total Newb--NEVER sewn anything but buttons--Question

[raina.storms]

Ooookay! I bought a bag pattern, fabric, interfacing, and velcro strips. I'm pretty sure the very first thing I do is iron my fabric and pattern, yes? Then cut them out together? Or do I iron on the interfacing first? I just wasn't sure which came first ironing the interfacing or the cutting. And... at what point do I pin and unpin? Is the pinning just during the cutting phase? I'm big into steps.

Thanks for any help!

[jMi]

Personally when I use a pattern, I cut the pattern (never have ironed it, maybe I should try that lol), iron my fabric. Pin my pattern to my fabric (to make as much use as my fabric as possible, and less cutting sometimes- like when there are 2 of something I double up on the fabric). When everything is cut I iron on my interfacing I unpin everything when I'm ready to sew so that I don't lose anything!

I've only used patterns 2 or 3 times- too much going on for me lol

[raina.storms]

Ah! Thank you SO much!  Ironing the pattern was an idea I got from The Idiot's Guide to Sewing. LOL   I'll post it when I'm finished... or if *knock on wood* there's a problem.

[jMi]

Thats an awesome idea to iron it! I don't know why it never occurred to me to iron the incredibly annoyingly wrinkled and folded pattern

Im sure you'll do awesome! The pattern aspect of it annoys me, but I LOVED the way my first pattern project (a skirt) came out!

[raina.storms]

Just an update, if you're curious.   I got the machine all threaded and tested it, to make sure it worked properly. (That took a while.) Yay! So technically I've sewn my first thing on it now, even if it was a scrap. Tomorrow, the bag!

[jMi]

WOO! I want some in progress pictures missy!!