Introducing the "last" needlework UFO - Plaza Sewing Bag

I have been diligently working down the UFO pile; it's down to two 'not counted thread' projects (the Unicorn Pillow is now in the rotation) and one last counted thread project that I have not mentioned yet.  If I REALLY really want to get to "UFO zero", I need to stop procrastinating on this project. 

This project has been in what @Handworkmaniac calls "craft prison" for a reason.  "Craft Prison" is where you put a project which has an issue that may cause it to be totally abandoned.  However, you can also sort of see what might need to happen to get it to a finish even if you aren't sure it's worth it.  That's definitely the status of this project.  It has a HISTORY!  

Back in the late 1990s/early 2000s, I was involved (a founding member, treasurer) of the sadly defunct Kansas City Historic Sampler Guild.  One of the other founding members was a designer and did a whole series of smalls exclusive to the guild.  (One of her designs is what I'm modifying for the second tape measure cover.) She also did some designing for a local shop, the Counting Cottage.

In 2003, that shop did a class for a vintage inspired (1930s) sewing bag in the same design style style as all the guild smalls and inspired by the same historic area (The Country Club Plaza) in KC.  The kit materials are lovely and the stitching is fiddly but fun with lots of specialty stitches in the details.  BUT, the shop closed before the second class on how to assemble the project.  

So I am left with two large, basted pieces of linen and no finishing instructions to speak of, just some hints in the description and layout sections of the pattern!   I've lost track of the designer and don't remember who else was in the class.   So I'm not sure if I just didn't get the final instructions or if they were never sent out. 

Side one of Bag

Pattern Side 1

Side two of Bag

Pattern Side 2

This project went out on the second UFO Round Robin in 2009.   But I didn't really pick it up again once it came home (unlike Dutch Beauty where the RR got me "over the hump" and excited about the project again).  This is not one of the projects that I lost track of like the unicorn pillow, and it is not one I worked on every now and then prior to having my stitching mojo kick-started by joining the Slow Sunday Stitching crew like Dutch Beauty.  No, this one I just ignore, pass over, shove in the back of the storage container and never pull out.   

I think what I need to do is to make a mock up of the bag.  Pull out some muslin or quilting cotton, mark it up with the same lines as the basting and try to figure out exactly how to assemble it (and take really GOOD notes).  If I can get past the "I have no idea how this thing will go together" point, the actual stitching should be fine. 

I'm being sort of a grump about this because between the end of the guild and missing all of those ladies, especially Meredith, and a good LNS (not exactly LOCAL, it was a 2 hour drive) store closing, there's a lot of bad karma wrapped up in this piece.   But I still like the design and I'd love to have a cool bag for the guild smalls set.  So maybe this project will be on parole soon!

(pattern photos Copyright 2003 Meredith A. Rosenblum)