Knitting Bag with Sheep Print

I made a bag with a sheep print that would make a great knitting bag. I did a lot of modifications on the basic Retreat Bag. One modification was to make the bag taller, so as to be able to fit more inside of it. 

This bag measures 13" high x 12" wide x 5 3/4" deep at sides.

The front has a slip pocket.

The back has a zipper pocket. The bag handle can be dropped for easy access to the zipper pocket.

For a fun bit of bling, I added a skein of yarn charm and a button that I sewed to the zipper tab end.

Another button sewn to the other zipper tab end. Both red buttons, this one in a polka dot and the button above is a gingham check.

Say ahhh. This bag opens so nice and wide and stays open due to the internal frame. There is a slip pocket one one side with a pen pocket. And another divided slip pocket on the opposite side as you can see closer in the next 2 photos below.

Purse on the bottom.

Let me know if you are interested in purchasing this bag and I will email you back with a price. Payment through PayPal. Email me and include your zip code, so that I can determine the shipping cost to your location. Thanks for looking. This bag has SOLD.

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Large Retreat Bag with Handles & other Modifications

I love using up scraps of fabric strips to create a bag. This is a large Retreat Bag by Emmaline Bags that I modified and added handles to and I sewed a lower accent brown to the bag also to make the bag taller as well. I am always trying different things with my bag modifications. On this bag I made long strap tabs and riveted them to the bag. It gives a different look than the other Retreat Bags that I modified before.

 Besides the lower section and the handles, the other modifications I made were to sew fabric strips and quilt the exterior, a zipper pocket I added on the back of the bag, both a divided slip pocket and a zippered pocket inside the bag, purse feet and a stabilizer to the bottom of the bag, and I did not add an internal frame to the bag. With all my modifications, this bag is nothing like the original bag.

The bag measures 18" wide x 11"high x 6" deep.

The colorful fabric strips are all batik fabrics, accented with a brown cotton fabric.

Back of the bag I added a zippered pocket.

I love how wide this bag opens up. I added a zippered pocket and a divided slip pocket inside.

On the divided pocket, I added a pen pocket and a Kam snap for the remainder of the pocket to keep it closed.

Purse feet to keep it off the ground.

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Zippered Bag in Wool Look Applique Print

I bought this beautiful fabric print several years ago after seeing Liz make her Lombard Street Bag with it when we both were testing that bag for ChrisW Designs. I fell in love with it. Liz lives in Germany and I knew I hadn't seen anything like that here. So I did a search online and found it and emailed back and forth to see if I could buy metre of of it. I got the fabric and because with the cost of postage from Germany, it was rather expensive fabric, so I was afraid to cut into it for years. I wanted to make sure I made a bag that I knew was a good design first as well, because I didn't want to waste any of it. I only used a small amount of that fabric to make this bag, so I have enough left to make some more bags too.

I used the floral section of the bag only. There are birds and some dots too that I didn't cut into, so when I use that part of the fabric, it will look totally different. I also needed to use this fabric so that I was featuring the fabric to it's best. I didn't want half a bird showing just to use it. So I decided to make the small size retreat bag (Emmaline Bags), but without a frame in the bag and I made the bag taller and added strap tabs and straps too. The dark base of the bag is real wool material. I love how this one looks and yes I am keeping this one for myself.

I decided to take my bag on a location shoot around my yard, lol!

I sewed some flower buttons on both zipper tab ends.

The back of the bag showing other faux wool flowers.

I made the inside fun by using 2 fabrics for the lining. A zippered pocket and a slip pocket too.

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Large Retreat Bags in Blue Patchwork

I have made Retreat Bags before, both large and small and have added my own changes to the bags. I bought a dozen or so frames last year  from Emmaline bags for the large size, but these bags look just as nice without a frame too, they just look different. So I thought I would show you the look both with a frame and without a frame. The frame is the last thing that gets inserted into a bag, so if you prefer without a frame, just don't add it.

I made these two Retreat Bags by sewing strips together and then quilting the bag front and back. I added handles and pockets and a frame to the bag too. The basic bag is a free pattern from Emmaline Bags, which looks like a Dopp bag (with the frame), but I like to add handles and pockets to make it even nicer looking and more useful.

I used foam stabilizer to help the bag keep it's shape too. Some rings and rivets add to the look and function of the bag as well.

Using blues from my scraps bag of blue fabrics, I pulled out strips of all widths to sew together. This is the front side of the bag with the frame inserted.

Here is the same front side without the frame inserted. It looks wider at the top, but I like this look too.

Side view with no frame.

Back of bag without the frame.

Inside divided slip pocket.

Bag with the frame shows how wide it can open up. Like a nice big box.

Inside zippered pocket.

Without the frame, the bag still opens up nice and wide, but doesn't retain that box look.

Front of bag with the frame. The sides fold down and the zipper pulls don't stick out as much with the frame.

Here are the 2 bags I made. The bag on the right without the frame and the bag on the left with the frame so you can see the difference side-by-side.

Here they both are with frames inserted.

I made this second bag with blues and touches of green and aqua too. Here with the frame inserted into the bag.

Without the frame here.

The back of the bag without the frame.

Side of the bag without the frame.

Inside divided slip pocket.

Inside zipper pocket.

Bag wide open with the frame.

Bag wide open without the frame.

Do you have a preference for the bag with the frame or without the frame? I love them both! But when I use up all the frames I have, I will continue to make these bags without a frame. I make the small size without a frame because I didn't buy frames in small. 

I have added pockets to the front and back of the retreat bags I made before, but because these are patchwork, I didn't want to cover up the patchwork on these. I like to vary how I make these bags by adding pockets, straps, frames or not, and more. That way all of my bags are truly a one-of-a-kind bag.

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Small Retreat Bag Without Frame

I made this bag using up some blue scraps of fabric. It is the size small Retreat Bag (free pattern from Emmaline Bags), but made without a frame. I love the look with or without the internal frame because the bag doesn't look the same. I think the frame works best on the larger bag.

Bag front.

Bag back.

Inside bag has a zippered pocket. See how nice and wide this bag opens up?

Zipper tab with an added button for fun.

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