Friday, March 1, 2013

Friday Finish: Duffle Bag

I showed a quick picture of my completed duffle bag before I went to QuiltCon, but this bag deserves a little more attention.

Holiday in London duffle bag
The bag pattern is Holiday in London from BariJ, and all the fabrics are from Art Gallery.

roomy inside
The duffle bag is bigger than I thought, and I ended up using it as my carryon bag for all my fabric.  As with clothes, I tend to pack more than I need, so this bag weighed a ton!

Shoulder strap
The long shoulder strap helped with that extra weight, especially while walking through airports.  I had a dreadful thought that the bag seams would break open and all my fabric would fall out....right as I passed another quilter heading to QuiltCon.  So glad THAT didn't happen!  Remember, this is the first bag I've ever made - a big step up for me from zipper pouches.

removable bottom
I'm not sure you can tell from the picture, but the bag has a removable bottom insert.   The insert cover fabric is a nice contrast to the lining fabric.

pockets and piping
Everything in this bag is lined - even the pockets.  Sometimes I think cutting out the pattern pieces for a project like this takes just as long as sewing the bag together!   Did you notice the piping?  Another first for me.

label inside
  I was brave and used blue thread for my topstitching on the outside of the bag which I think looks nice.  I also stitched my label inside the bag; something I usually forget.

overhead view
The bag requires a very long zipper which I found in the upholstery section of the craft store.

zipper pull
I added a coordinating zipper pull since the zipper color is so plain.

another inside look
I can't tell you how happy I am that my first duffle bag survived QuiltCon and made it safely home in one piece after lugging all that fabric around.  Success!

Holiday in London duffle bag

Here's one more look.  Isn't she pretty?!

Thanks for stopping by.  Happy stitching,

11 comments:

  1. A beautiful bag for sure.

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  2. Wow! This is one awesome, beautiful bag!

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  3. What a great looking bag, Rene'. I like your fabric choices very much!

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  4. Yes, she is very pretty! Bit one can never take too many clothes when we go away, can we?

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  5. Very nicely done. I'm sure it was a lot of work - more than you shared in this post. Must get me some of those zipper tabs!

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  6. Rene your bag as fantastic. I just don't have the motivation to make something like that. Good job. And I laughed at the thought of trying to pack fabric for a trip. I'd probably come close to abandoning any clothes just to take too much fabric.

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  7. Rene', your bag is beautiful and so functional. Doing a zipper, piping, topstitching and much more in just one project is quite amazing. Your workmanship is excellent. Way to go!!!

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  8. I love how it looks, if you are not paying attention, like a scrap-bag bag, but when you look it is so coordinated. Zippers and piping, CANDY!

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  9. Its a great bag and you did such a wonderful job. i always pack too much and worry about straps breaking. So glad it was big enough for your purchases though.

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  10. Wow! For someone who doesn't do 3D, you sure have stepped it up! I love your bag! Well done! And piping!!!!

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