i am so in love with this bag. long story short: last minute plane trip, only be gone for a few days, backpack is too small, regular luggage too big, solution? make something!
edited to add: in addition to the bag, i also made the pattern!i prefer the term "weekender bag" instead of duffle bag. to me, "weekender bag" means: medium sized travel bag for short, fun trips. ok, picture time!
<---hey cutie!
<---made specifically so i can sling it on my back. i dislike bumping luggage with other travelers.
<---the bottom is one big piece of vinyl, in case i set the bag down on a wet spot.
<---strap is also vinyl - easy to grab, and looks tidy
<---corner detail w/zipper shot
<---i made it specially to fit 2 pairs of jeans (side by side), to easily pack/stack my outfits, apprently also good for towels!
<---fully lined too!
when i started sewing this together, i couldn't stop! i had to stop to eat, but that was my only break - i was on a roll, and damn proud. the vinyl and cotton print were bought from Joann's, the zipper was thrifted (actually, at the thrift store i found a comforter bag FULL of various zippers for $10, i won't have to buy zippers for a year+ now!), and the lining (a jonathan adler design) is a re-purposed shower curtain.
in just over a week, i will visit at least 3 airports on two seperate days, and i can rest assured that NOBODY will have my same carry-on bag! i love that. next step: make more for my travelling friends and family with different color combinations, whoo!
post-traveling update: my trip lasted 4 days, and i had enough room in this bag for a different outfit each day, plus space to carry-on gifts for the wedding! when totally stuffed, it was still within the carry-on limit to take on southwest flights. the best part was when i was trying to get it out of the overhead bins, a nice person would offer to grab it for me, all i had to say was "the red one" and there was no confusion, because nobody else had red luggage. folks even recognised me in the other airports, because my carry-on was so memorable 
this bag was a real success, and my mother (who was once a professional seamstress) actually asked how i made it! i will be re-designing the strap, for easier grabbing when the bag is full, i have a great idea in mind, i'll post it here when i actually make it.Q. & A. (so you don't have to read the whole thread for an answer!
Q.
Did you follow a pattern?
A. no i did not! i just imagined what i wanted the finished product to look like, and worked backwards!
Q.
Are you planning on sharing the pattern or selling these ??
A. sorry! i will not be sharing this pattern!
Q.
Do you work the vinyl on your regular sewing machine?
A. yes i do! some say to use upholstery thread & a leather needle, but honestly, i use the same needles and threads that i sew cottons with! one good thing to have if you want to sew vinyl though is a teflon foot. the regular metal feet just stick to the vinyl, and the teflon just glides over the top.
Q.
do you fold it over to hide raw edges like you would fabric? Also what kind of needle do you use?
A. you don't HAVE to hide the raw edges, because vinyl does not fray. folding over the raw edge is only an asthetic touch, not a functional one - so whether you fold or not, its your decicion! i just use my trusty all purpose needle! i dislike switching needles all of the time, so i've learned how to use the same needles with all of the fabrics i use!
