Messenger Bag

With all these trips to NYC I have realized I do not have a good bag for my sketchpad and book.  I am cheap and supper picky so I decided to take a stab at making my own bag, not because I have ever, just why not.  Besides Daniel was going to kill me if I never used my sewing machine this summer, since it took up so much space in the car.

DIY Messenger Bag:

Along with the the sewing machine, that took up too much space in the car I also brought a whole box of fabric to entertain myself.  Of couse I did not already own any fabric that would work for my bag, so I went out shopping. To be fair to me, you really need upholstery weight fabric if you want to make a bag and I didn't have any big enough peices.

So a quick run to the fabric store, quick... who am I kidding, an hour long run to the fabric store.  A fabric store is one of my favorite places to be, so pretty, so full of possibility.

Fabric!

I picked this great blue and red but did decided I would use whatever fabric I had at home for liner fabric.  It isn't my first choice but I think it will work.

Now I have patterned my own costumes so I figured I could make my own bag pattern.

Exact isn't it

Pretty simple: one short rectangle in the front, a long rectangle (to include the flap) in the back, and one super long skinny band to give the bag some thickness. Then add straps, it will be a snap right?

My big plan was to make two bags and then stuff the lining "bag" into the exterior bag and then stitch them around the top.

The Stuffing

Pressing action.

Stitching time.  My trusty basic sewing machine.  I really wanted a CD player that Christmas, but in hindsight this was a much better gift. Thanks Mom.

Closing up the top

So in cutting my straps I forgot to include the over lap to stitch down, so just a titch shorter than the originally plan.

I decided to double stitch everything to add some strength so my book doesn't come crashing through, oh and it looks cool.

Must learn to take better sewing pictures.

Mood lighting stitching

It's alive!!!

With Pockets:

 

Looks like I am headed off to the first day of school.

So the flap only goes half way down the front, which was exactly what was planned.  After it was finished it occurred to me normally the flap is the full length of the front pannel, if not even longer.  I may be engineering some sort of button latch to make sure nothing falls out.

Summery:

Cost:

                       Fabric        $15

                       (I already had all the other supplies)        

Time:  6 hours (shopping and building, I work at a casual pace for myself)   

Average : $2.50/hr entertainment

Perks: 

A custom bag, while I spend the next year searching for my ultimate and inexpensive bag.  It will take me that long.