UPDATED!!!My fabulous new Messenger Bag! Image Chunky UPDATE!! SECOND BAG ADDED!

[hikeaddict]

I have been coveting my friend's Vera Bradley bags for a while now. I just can't seem to bring myself to pay that for a bag though, so when I got a sewing machine I thought it would make a fabulous second project for my beautiful machine. It has LOTS of pockets. I am really really happy with the way it turned out. I'm also madly in love with the fabric. I think a matching wallet is going to follow quite soon. Sorry..I think my blue jeans made it into a few of the pictures, ignore that --Oh and my Momma helped me!

Edit: I almost forgot! I have to share the insanity with all you understanding craftster folk! So, I was really excited about getting this bag done. All I had left was the strap and the seam finishing. So I am ironing interfacing onto my second attempt at the strap (first time was a seam estimation mistake) and I'm talking to my grandma while I stand at the ironing board (NEVER talk while ironing interfacing) and what did I do? I laid the iron on the sticky side of the interfacing, thus making a sticky nasty mess of my mother's iron. In case any of you are wondering, goo gone will NOT take interfacing glue off but a paste made with baking soda WILL (elbow grease involved). I had to share that awesome piece of crafting humiliation.

Ridiculously embarrassing update: I mentioned in a reply post that I am working on a second one of these for my bestie for her birthday. Well I got sick to crap of the pins with the flat metal heads because they made my fingers hurt so bad from trying to pin bias tape through three layers of pre quilted fabric. Right..so I get smart and go get the kind with the little balls on top. Go me..finger problem solved. I had asked my mom when I started the first ones if I could iron with pins in the fabric and she said I could so I did and it was great..yeah..well not with plastic heads on your pins. The pre-med-top-of-the-class girl melted the heads off her pins. Thought ya'll might appreciate a laugh. (Oh but I kept my wits about me and quickly got it off while the iron was hot onto a rag towel. THANK YOU THANK YOU for that tip  )

Action Shot For Size


And one With the Flap Up


Flap and Strap Detail


Back (my first ever zipper!) pocket


Front Pocket Detail


Inside


Inside Pockets


As promised, here is the second bag. I made this one for a friend for her birthday. It didn't turn out as tidy as the first one because apparently I don't quite cut or sew as straight when I am sick. My mum finished it off for me as I have been banned from the sewing machine after my surgery to avoid pain killer related injuries Also no action shots on this one as I refuse to stand in front of the camera in my post-surgical stupor. Enjoy!

[megs_a_muffin]

That's awesome!  What pattern did you use?

[eye.heart.art]

I love the colors!  Sorry about the iron miss hap.  I just had one too! 

[LauPre]

I love the bag, it's awesome.  Did you quilt the fabric with the interfacing?  It looks so perfect!  I especially like all the pockets and the using the contrast on the inside.  I'd love to have a bag just like it.

Oh, and I iron the wrong side of the interfacing all the time.  With my iron, I've found that if I quickly turn up the steam and rub the iron on a thick towel, most of it will come off easily. Just keep ironing the towel until the iron glides smoothly.

[mcbenno]

AAH! that's the walmart fabric! I LOOOOVE that fabric you found the perfect use for it!

[violentlyknits]

wow! it's awesome!

the fabric is great and it looks really really well-made.

[mhills]

Beautiful Bag.... What pattern did you use?  I would love to make one.

[sactownsue]

I got some Stitch Witchery on my little Clover Iron. I happened to have some steel wool. I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed but it came off. They make stuff specifically for cleaning irons. I think it might help.
Love the bag. That fabric looks like a lot of fun.

[yarnorama]

That's lovely!
& the fabric is beautiful.

[Juaniece]

Wow! You really did a fabulous job! Sorry about the ironing mishap...I think we all have one of those mishap stories to tell...I once mistakenly rubbed the iron on my leg to get the stuff off (what was I thinking?!!) and suffered a huge burn!

Beautiful bag and love the contrast edging! Looks like pre-quilted fabric...did you have non-pre-quilted (is that a term?) for the straps?  Looks fabulous!

Thanks for sharing!