I started another Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet almost immediately.
This one, as you can clearly see, is for my mom. I want her to be able to carry her cell phone while leaving her one free hand. Now that she is moving around more and using her cane more, she might need a free hand to hold a banister. I tried something new with the strap, which I’ll talk about later and am in the process of working through the first steps.
The one thing I am trying on this one is to cut the foam a little smaller in order to reduce the bulk in the seams.
I am so excited about finishing this bag! I am not sure that is the right way to say it, but it has been a long time in coming. As mentioned, I bought Minikins Season 2 for the express reason of making this bag. Then, I was intimidated and didn’t feel up to making it.
A few years have gone by, and I have made several bags. This bag seemed right for a gift. I guess I was ready.
The bag was a challenge, but only because of the many layers, not because of the directions. The process is actually very easy. With the pattern and the video, it wasn’t hard.
Finished: Day Trip Wallet – interior
This bag is, basically, a small wallet that fits your cell phone. You could put this into a larger bag, but then take it out when you don’t need the whole bag.
This would be great for doing that since the strap is detachable. You could store the strap elsewhere or in one of the inside zipper pockets and take it out as needed.
Finished: Day Trip Wallet – exterior pocket
This is the first one that I have made, but I hope to make more. I wonder about the size of the flap for the cell phone pocket. I wonder why it is so small. It might interfere with stitching the zipper. I have asked in the Sew Sweetness group to see what others say.
I was a little worried that the pattern was designed when cell phones were smaller and a modern phone wouldn’t fit. I tried my large-ish Samsung phone in the pocket and it fits just fine. Whew! This is good as the bag is not that large and I wouldn’t want it to be enlarged so much that it wouldn’t fit in the larger bag mentioned above.
Finished: Day Trip Wallet – interior detail
The inside has two sides, both with a zipper pocket and several card slots. Behind the top card slot could be a spot for cash.
I added the optional D-ring on the spine so there would be a place to clip keys.
I also used two different colors of zippers in order to give the recipient a visual cue as to where she stashed something.
Hindsight Day Trip Cell Phone Wallet
I think I could probably have put another cell phone pocket on the other side of the bag exterior. I am not sure how useful that would be, though more pockets are always better.
I am pleased with how this came out and am cutting out a second one. This one will be for my mom who needs something for her phone so her hands are free to maneuver her walker.
I am pleased to say that the Day Trip is progressing much better than I expected.
As mentioned, I was anxious about the difficulty of this project. I am carefully following all the directions and watching the video accompaniment when I have even a sliver of doubt. I am not having any problems! I am so excited.
In some ways, this is a meditative process for me. There are a reasonable number of pieces and I was able to cut them out relatively quickly. I decided that I wasn’t going to skip steps to get to the sewing faster. That attitude made the sewing, once I finished all the prep, go much faster.
Day Trip: Magnetic snaps
It has been awhile since I installed magnet closure. I added some Decovil Heavy scraps behind both pieces to reinforce the snaps. I hope they will hold.
Sara has a really good tip in this pattern about using the round template/reinforcement thingy that comes with the magnet closure for placement. It is so obvious yet I never thought of it.
Day Trip zipper installation
The cell phone pocket (above) is complete. I am working on installing the zipper that closes the whole bag. I had to cut the zipper to the right size. I really need to make some of those Center Street Quilts heart pouches in order to use up some of my leftover zipper pieces. This is a difficult part as the zipper really doesn’t like going around corners, but I went slowly and persevered. It’s the same challenge all the time. Am I getting better? Maybe. I should be after all those Hackney pouches.
I am really jealous of that skinny quarter inch foot Sara uses. I think it would make going around those corners easier.
At Bag Club on Saturday we talked about installing an interior zipper pocket. I did sort of a theoretical tutorial using the Sotak Handmade Purse Organizer as an example. Since it was already made, there was a lot of imagination required.
Day Trip: one interior zipper pocket
Funnily enough, I had to make two of these types of pockets on Sunday! They are a little fiddly, but really easy. I use Sara’s zipper pocket ruler for the measuring and drawing the box. She is not restocking her acrylic templates, so get them while they are still available. I checked other places and can’t find one like Sara’s. I found one from Arc Expressions (no affiliation) that I think would work, though you would have to use another ruler to measure pockets on larger bags.
Anyway, talking through the pocket installation on Saturday was really helpful on Sunday when I went to make the pockets. I had an idea in my mind about what I was doing. I made one (or more??) on the most recent Superbloom, so I was in good shape. I like having the process firmly in my mind.
One of the best things about these pockets is you can pull the bag right side out through this pocket. I love it when designers use that technique. You can add these pockets to almost any bag with a lining.
I am well on my way. Get this pattern and make one!
I bought Minikins Season 2 specifically for this pattern in March of 2020. At that time, I was a little scared of this pattern. Recently, I realized I wanted to make one as a gift. Since I had the recipient in mind, I dove in to make it. This will match the Superbloom tote I finished a few weeks ago.
Day Trip for Diana start
I was still anxious that I wasn’t up to the task, so I carefully worked my way through the cutting and interfacing. I only forgot one piece! I am about to start working on the pockets, straps and tabs.
I am pretty excited that I am getting going on this project after almost 5 years!
Project bags are great for keeping all the pieces, parts and supplies for projects together. I have another jumbo project bag on the list of things I want to make for myself.
In the course of thinking about this bag I realized I have made a lot of project bags. I was initially thinking of the ByAnnie project bags**. I have made quite a few of them despite the need to quilt them. I noticed, as I looked through my photos, how many different types of project bags I have made. I decided to put them all in one post so I could see them in one place. It also gives you an idea of the different types of project bags there are. Keep in mind that this is a small number of the various patterns out there.
Tim’s Project Bag
Hildegarde in the Project Bag
My Jumbo Project Bag
Gerre’s Project Bag #2
Gerre’s project bag #1
Purple Dot Project Bag
Gerre’s Project Bag
Mom’s Project Bag
Julie’s Project Bag
Two project bags for Mom
Ultimate Project Bag in use
The photos above are mostly the ByAnnie project bags**. I added in the Ultimate Project Bag from Crafty Gemini, because it is more like the ByAnnie project bag than not. Also, I have a project in it, so it is a different kind of project bag.
Ka-Bloom Amethyst Project Bag
I have also made the Amethyst project bag from Sew Sweetness and the Sunset Project Bag from Crafty Gemini. These are quite different from the ByAnnie bags.
The Amethyst Bag is not flat. It is a box, essentially and is large enough to store blocks. I gave this away soon after I made it so I haven’t used it, but I can see it being a good bag for a large project. The ByAnnie bags are flat, so have limited space.
I like the project bags that have some vinyl so I can see what I have in the bags.
Sunset Project Bag: front panel
The Sunset Project Bag is more for small yarn projects, like crochet or knitting, in my opinion.
Project bags, regardless of design are useful and I will probably make more.
Drawstring Bag – Project size
The Lined Drawstring Bag pattern also has a project size. A lot of people use this for knitting projects. I like to give these as gifts and use them as gift bags. They are useful for knitting, but I have one that I use when I have a knitting project and probably won’t make others. The bags made from this pattern also hold collections of things. I made one as a carry-all for a juggling balls set.
I also adjust the sizes and use this pattern to make bags for quilts. The design is useful for quilt storage bags that double as gift wrap.
Of course, I use my fair share of zipper bags and other ‘free’ type of bags. I find they tend to slide off shelves, if I stack too many of them. Using a bag with fabric provides some grip when stacking.
Still, making more and more project bags is not my goal. I want to be able to reuse them not just provide a place to store pieces from UFOs.
Do you use project bags? What is your favorite pattern? What patterns have you tried?
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
After years of whining about the Hindsight Superbloom, it is finally done. Apparently, thinking up someone to whom I could give this bag was the key.
I carefully fussy cut the panels, so those pink flowers were featured. I wasn’t sure how it would look, but it looks good to me.
Hindsight Superbloom – back
I also remembered to machine sew on my label! Yay!
I like the way the handles look. That print is fun. The handles aren’t that comfortable, though. They seem to be made from some kind of polyester. I was trying to avoid sewing strips together to make the handles and that worked. I don’t think the recipient will be able to carry a lot of heavy items in the bag comfortably.
Hindsight Superbloom – interior
Hindsight Superbloom – interior zip pocket
Hindsight Superbloom – top
I used some dot fabric as the lining and it looks really fun. It also achieves my goal of being light colored, so easy to see the items in the bag.
The last photo (above, right) shows the bag closed. It has a recessed zipper. In that photo, the bag has all the small gifts I got for the family who are caring for my stepdad.
I think I might add a slip pocket or two to the next one I make.
Hindsight Superbloom – side pocket
One thing I love about this bag are the sides pockets. They are super cute. I don’t know if they are useful, but I think they would be.
I am really pleased with the way this came out. It went together really well.
I finally started the Hindsight Superbloom. This is a project that has been on my list for a long time. I was excited to make this version at the time I made the first Superbloom. Somehow I lost momentum, but recently I was inspired to pull out the fabric and the pattern and get busy.
Yes, I remembered to put my label on the bag before I started to assemble it! I am happy about that.
Hindsight Superbloom in process with handles
I had a little trouble with the handles as I was using webbing instead of making them from fabric. I eventually got them on the bag. UGH! I know why the process had to go the way it did, but I found it difficult.
I am always surprised at the size of this bag. It is quite roomy, but I always think it is bigger than it actually is.
So far, I am l loving the process. Those side pockets are awesome.
Well, I did. Mom said she wouldn’t be using the walker long enough to warrant me making a bag for it. I waited about 2 weeks before making it, but finally made one the other night. She loves it and finds it very useful. I have to keep reminding her not to fill it up too much. She is limited to carrying 5lbs per hand.
I remember thinking the directions were confusing at the time. I made the same mistake this time that I made before: I sewed the Velcro inside the pocket. DUH! I hope the photos I added will help with that.
This time, I took the time to make some edits and add in some photos for next time. I hope I won’t have to use those directions again, but I am planning for the worst and hoping for the best.
I know it seems like Christmas is lasting forever on the blog. I made quite a few gifts, but it is also taking some time to post about them all.
Tim admired all the project bags I made last year, so I decided to make him one from Christmas.
I don’t have a lot of dark greens and thought these bright greens would be too much, but he loved the bag and said that he loves all greens.
I am super happy with the way this came out and will make one for myself next. Well, maybe not the next project, but the next time I make a project bag. 😉
Another project I finished for the holidays was a second Atlas Zipper Case. This one went to SIL#2. She is a Cal (UC Berkeley) alumna so the fabric was appropriate.
As mentioned, the pattern is from Center Street Quilts. The second one went more quickly and came out really well. This is a really good pattern. I want to make more of them.
I didn’t have quite enough of the Cal fabric. I bought 5 yards several years ago and I am down to scraps after this project. I found some yellows and blues that matched the Cal fabric colors perfectly. I went looking for more of this fabric, but aside from Spoonflower options, this particular print is nowhere to be found.
Cal Atlas pouch – open
This pattern requires quilting, as do many of the Center Street Quilts bag patterns. I learned a lot by quilting the other Atlas and applied this knowledge to this bag. As you can see, I only quilted it intensely in a few places, not all over the whole piece. That technique made it a lot more doable. I like very dense quilting for bags, as you know, so I really had to restrain myself.
Cal Atlas pouch – right
I thought about making the privacy pocket (lower right) with vinyl instead, but ended up fussy cutting some of the Cal fabric and keeping it as indicated in the pattern for private items.
The interior fabric on the top vinyl pocket is an older AGF fabric and it is just a little off of the Cal yellow. I like it as an addition so the whole bag too matchy-matchy.
Cal Atlas pouch – left
I think the most useful pocket will be the large vinyl pocket. It has a lot of space for various items.
There are also slip pockets underneath all the pockets described, so flat items can be safely placed there.
I did shorten the tail of the zipper. I had a longer piece than required and thought it would be fine, but it was really too long.
She made it as a test before she makes one with some of her precious fabric. One of her friends gave her the fabric and supplies for both backpacks.
Archie Backpack – interior
I love it when people make bags so I was thrilled to see this effort.
It looks like a really useful bag. I have the Marlin Backpack pattern from Sew Sweetness and it looks similar. I haven’t made it yet, so I am having a hard time answering a couple of Lindsay’s questions.
She said the seams are rolling and I am not quite sure if that is a function of the pattern, or the fact that it is a backpack or if it is the way the seams are finished.
Archie backpack – back, straps
From these angles, the bag looks really great. I hope I get to see it in person.
Sometimes I feel like I need to review how many of a certain pattern I have made. I think I have made enough Lined Drawstring Bags to do that now. I also feel like I’d like to see all of them together.
This is a good pattern that can also be used for gift bags. They take more time and fabric than my tutorial, but are more useful as well. I’d like to start making a bag for each quilt I give away, but I haven’t done that yet.
Juggling Balls drawstring bag-3/4 view
Drawstring Gift Bag
Drawstring Bag – Project size
Drawstring Bag – Artist size
Diagonal Nine Patch Storage Bag
Carrie’s Lined Drawstring Bag
Lined Drawstring Bag for Gerre
Sue’s Drawstring bag -end
Lined Drawstring Bag for Julie
2015 Bag for Michelle
2015 Bag for Peggy
I was certain I had made more, but I think I always think that!
While I was making my sister’s Enigma bag back in July, I also made one for Gerre for Christmas. This is Enigma #6.
Skeleton Mermaid Enigma – bottom
I didn’t use my ‘regular’ sugar skull fabric for this one. I used a fabric I bought on my trip to and around Portland and I can’t decide if I like it. The key is whether Gerre likes it. I thought the seahorses and some of the ocean life were cool, but the skeletons started to creep me out after awhile. If she feels the same, I will make another one of these for her. I’ll have to see what she says.
I am pleased with the fussy cutting on the bottom. I didn’t have a lot of the fabric and was glad I had enough to highlight the main motif.
Skeleton Mermaid Enigma open
I am also pleased with the way the inside came out. The stripes I bought at the Granary are perfect for the inside.
The pattern calls for a 2.5 inch wide binding. I made the binding 2.25 inches wide, which is my norm for quilting binding. I had to stretch the binding a bit in certain places and trim seams, but mostly the 2.25 inch binding worked well.
Skeleton Mermaid Enigma – interior detail
I figured out a great place to put my label on these Enigma bags. The label fits well in the middle of the inside pocket. The label isn’t tucked away unobtrusively and I am not sure how I feel about that. I am not sure why I didn’t think of it before as it was also easy to install.
As with my sister’s Enigma bag, this one went together pretty easily. I like making the same bags over and over as they get better each time I do it.
I finished the Atlas Zipper Case right before Thanksgiving. Of course, I couldn’t talk about it before now because I wanted to be a surprise. Even this is a little early!
I am super pleased with the way it came out. I hope my Lil Sissy likes it, too. She shared the original IG video about the pouch (portfolio) with me.
I didn’t find the project to be very difficult even though I struggled to get started. Cutting is always a hassle. I always want to get straight to sewing.
For this piece, I used a piece of the Paris fabric I have been using to make gifts for my sister. The fussy cutting, after I quilted it, came out really well. I used my 20.5 inch x 20.5 inch Creative Grids ruler**. That ruler is really big and a bit unwieldy on my small cutting table, but I wanted to be able to see the whole piece and trim exactly. It worked really well except for pushing my entire scrap bin onto the floor in the process! LOL! The Eiffel Tower is perfectly placed on the front.
Paris Atlas Zipper Case – back
The bicycle on the back looks good, too. I haven’t ever asked my sister if she likes this fabric. I hope so as I just bought more of that yardage. I feel like I was lucky to find some as is isn’t new.
I forgot to sew the label on before I added the inside pockets, so I hand stitched it later.
The portfolio has a zipper that goes all the way around, so the bag is completely closed when it is zipped.
Atlas Zipper Case Open
It has smallish, but useful pockets to keep some of your tools, or, possibly, project pieces organized.
There is also space for flat items, like a 6.5 x 6.5 ruler** under the pockets.
Atlas Zipper Case -open, right
I am on the fence about the fabric pocket on the lower right. All of the other pockets are vinyl. I like seeing what I have available, but I guess you could use that pocket for things you didn’t want everyone to see. Credit cards or your driver’s license? I don’t know. I keep those things in one place so I always know where they are. If I make this again, I might make it into another vinyl pocket.
Atlas Zipper Case -open, left
The left side has a larger pocket completely made from vinyl. This is a really useful pocket.
I really like this project and am looking for ways to make more.
**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and support small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.
I didn’t really understand the directions for curving the zipper at the top of the Atlas Zipper Case pattern. My first one came out a little weird looking. There is a weird lump in the curve on the top. Underneath the end sticks out a little bit. None of this is fatal, but I wanted to do better on the second one.
Zipper tape at 90 degrees
I decided to make a triangle out of the end of the zipper. It makes a neat end with no lumps or bumps. I sewed the end down in the triangle, like in the photo (from another project). This keeps the end of the zipper in place, so I wouldn’t have to worry about it moving. As a bonus, I was able to create a nice curve as well.
Atlas zipper – better ending
The zipper on the Cal Atlas came out much better than on the Paris Atlas. There are no lumps and the curve is much flatter. In the future, I’ll do that to finish the zipper ends.
I recommend this method for crating zipper ends in the right circumstances. If you have a zipper tab, then you don’t need to do this. This is a great finish if the end of the zipper will be exposed for whatever reason.
