The Organized Traveler Bag

The Organized Traveler Bag is an extra large bag loaded with pockets to keep you organized. I tested this bag for Around the Bobbin Patterns and it's a great bag! Finished size is approx. 13″ H x 16″ W (22″ at top) x 6.5″ D.

The pattern is on sale Friday-Sunday (November 7-9) for 20% off using code: ORGANIZED, so grab your pattern now while it's on sale.

While the pattern called for using 2 exterior fabrics, I chose to make the bag in one as this was a large print and I didn't want to cut off the woman's head by using 2 fabrics. See all the tester bags here.

Zipper closure keeps contents secure, especially great while traveling.

I added purse feet to help keep the bottom of the bag cleaner. The directions do not have purse feet, but you could add them if you want to.

I quilted my bag too using a serpentine stitch and quilted it in a diagonal grid. The back side has a zipper pocket.

Inside has a ton of pockets to keep you organized. A water bottle sleeve to hold you water bottle in place. I show a wide water bottle here. Plus, divided mesh pockets on both sides of the interior, which helps you to see what is in the pockets. Across from the water bottle is a pen/pencil pocket. Behind the mesh pockets on one side is a large pocket for a tablet or slim laptop with a narrow flap closure and behind the other mesh pockets are fabric pockets. There is also a key leash to hook you keys too so you can easily find them.

The water bottle sleeve empty here.

I placed a smaller water bottle in the sleeve here. You can see the space around the water bottle, since it is smaller, yet the sleeve will still hold the bottle upright.

She would look great traveling to Paris, n'est-ce pas?

Adjustable crossbody strap to clip on or remove as needed.

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Boxed Bliss Bag~ pdf Pattern by ChrisW Designs

The Boxed Bliss bag is ChrisW Designs newest bag and it is loaded with some fabulous features! It is the most structured bag I have made, so no flopping on this bag. You can choose from a few stabilizers to use. For mine, I chose double fusible interfacing with added fusible fleece, plus the addition of a firmer stabilizer on the base and at the sides. The cording/piping at the sides further adds and enhances the stability of this bag.

Christine is a master at coming up with so many ingenious ways to sew what looks like a simple looking bag. From her signature phone pocket, to the zipper overlay pockets with added credit card and note card pockets, pleated pockets and the way she has you close the bottom of the bag without turning it, will blow you away! Eleven years of testing bags for Christine and I am still learning new things.

The pocket instructions can certainly be applied to other bags you make too, so it's almost like getting 2 patterns in one. While this doesn't look difficult, there are a few places that are more advanced so it is not a beginner pattern. However, there is also video instructions as well as the pdf pattern, so that is really helpful. As a tester, I didn't have the luxury of watching the video, since she needed to record it and make corrections after I had made the bag. But if I make another one, I will watch the video.

The Boxed Bliss measures 10" wide x 9" high x 5" deep. The pattern is on sale now! Grab yours one sale for a limited time only. 

Check out the video intro here, that also shows the tester photos and the full video is located farther down on the same page on YouTube.

Boxed Bliss Bag is a handbag with structure and loaded with interior pockets! You can add optional strap tabs at the side and clip on a cross body strap too. I opted to just have the carry handles that are rolled for easier on your hands holding.

Side view with piping  and stabilizer for added structure.

Vinyl base has bag feet to keep the bottom cleaner when placing it down.

Zipper closure has a long zipper so when you unzip it the bag is fully open making it easier to access your belongings.

Hidden phone pocket behind the recess zipper closure allows quick access to your phone.

Pleated slip pockets, internal pocket behind and the zipper overlay pockets with credit card pockets and note pocket. You can choose to add fewer pockets if you desire.

Vinyl overlay with credit card pockets, note pocket and 2 zipper pockets. Like an attached wallet if you don't want to carry a wallet. You can make a single zipper pocket if you prefer here instead, especially if you prefer carrying a separate wallet.

Pleated pocket, slip pocket with a large internal pocket behind (that I added rickrack around). If you rather carry a wallet instead of making the vinyl overlay with the pockets, a wallet would fit in the internal pocket.

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Zippy Cross Body Bag

This is the Zippy Cross Body Bag that I made on commission last year for a quilt friend. It was a kit that had the pattern and some fabric with it. The problem was there was no indication as to what fabric went to what piece, so I had to do my best at figuring it out and I also wanted to place the fabrics in a pleasing way. I did have to use my own fabric inside the zippered pocket on the inside pocket as I didn't have enough of any of the fabrics left to use. It came out rather patchwork looking, which I like, but also because I had to use what was available of the fabrics given to me. The strap was made from all the leftover pieces that I sewed together in order to make the strap.

2 zippered pockets on the front of the bag.

The back of the bag.

The recessed zipper I used 2 different fabrics.

A divided slip pocket and a zippered pocket inside.

This bag turned out nicely. I can make more because she gave me the pattern to keep.

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Wayfarer Sling

I made this Wayfarer Sling (pdf from A Quaint Stitch) back in February and forgot to post it. So here it is. 

I had wanted to try making a sling bag and looked at a few of the styles out there from different designers. I really liked the look of this sling. It had 2 versions, one that had an extra zip around pocket. I made the version with one zip around pocket. 

The instructions were very good and someone even made a video tutorial for this bag, so you could follow along with the video too.

I love the look of this bag, but the stuff I tend to carry has dimension to it like sunglasses case and reading glasses case, and a large wallet are the main large items I carry. I carry smaller items too, but it appears that a sling like this is mainly made for lots of small, or somewhat flat items to be carried. If you put glasses and large wallets, the larger items will bulge a bit in the bag. Maybe that is something that won't bother you, maybe it will bother you? A phone or a tablet is flat and would fit fine in the pockets. But it got me wondering what do people carry in a sling? Do they even use all the pockets? I know I could have left off some of the pockets, but never having made or used a sling like this before I was uncertain as to how it was going to go together and which pockets would be more useful, so I added them all. I figure that whoever wants to buy this bag can choose which pockets to use and which not to, or use them all. Anyhow, I am curious if any of you have ever used a sling similar to this and how you liked it and what you carried in it?

I was thinking that I might want to use this sling myself. I like the idea of slinging it over my shoulder like a backpack or wearing it in front for easier access and safety (because as a backpack could get pickpocketed too easily). But my stuff didn't fit inside as nicely as I would have liked.

 

I used cotton to make this bag. That is faux cork on the bottom and the strap.

The hook can be attached to either the right or left side of the bag, depending on if you would wear on your right or left shoulder. The strap is adjustable too.

A zippered pocket in the front is handy for a phone.

The back side of the sling has a zippered pocket. This is the side that is worn against your body on either the front or back of your body. Perfect for carrying your wallet.

When you unhook the hook you have access to the slip pocket and the zippered curved pocket behind it.

The slip pocket has even more slip pockets on each side. 

Unzip the curved pocket and inside are more pockets! A zippered pocket, a mesh slip pocket, a padded slip pocket (good for holding a small tablet).

A better view of the mesh divided slip pocket and the zippered pocket.

I have made fanny/bum/waist bags that can be worn as a sling too and I think I prefer that style of bag to this one. My daughter bought a sling bag just before I made this one and she likes her sling. I think the only way this sling would have worked for me is to not add all those slip pockets and zippered pocket inside and just use the front and back zippered pocket and the curved zippered pocket with no pockets inside it. Then maybe my larger items would have fit inside.

It is not a bag I would make again, unless I did eliminate the inside pockets and perhaps gave it more depth at the sides to hold larger items.

This bag has SOLD.

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Velocity Girl Bag

I made the Velocity Girl Bag (by Sew Sweetness). This bag has side pockets, 3 divided front pockets and pockets inside as well. I made the back the same as the front, so there are even more pockets on this bag; in fact there are 11 pockets total if you include the narrow pen pocket inside. The strap is adjustable too. I added strap tabs too. It is a nice size bag, measuring 14" wide x 8 1/2" tall and 3' deep. It closes with a magnetic snap.

Velocity Girl bag

Pocket in the front (and back) of the bag are divided into 3rds.

There is a pocket on each side too. These pockets are not large enough to hold much. When this pattern was designed they might have held a cell phone; you know those thicker smaller ones. But now cell phones are taller, wider, but thinner, so they would fit better into the front pocket.

The back of the bag is the same as the front with 3 divided pockets.

Inside is a zippered pocket, a large slip pocket with a pen pocket next to it you cannot see here.

If you are interested in buying this bag from me, it is for sale for $45 plus $15 shipping (USA; international shipping higher). Email me.
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