Oliver + S Messenger Bags

Last Christmas my sister and her family came to visit.  I had a copy of Little Things to Sew and was tracing out patterns onto freezer paper.  My niece is really into bags.  And she fell in love with the messenger bag in the book and decided to trace out the pattern as well so she could make the bag.

I don't think she really knew what she would use it for ( which probably bugged my practical sister) but she still liked it.  Thing is, my sister had 5 kids and about to have her 6th.  I knew helping my niece make this bag was not going to be at the top of her to-do list for a long while.

Oh, and they were in the middle of moving several states away for a new job.  No time for unnecessary bags.

(Pigg#1 was kind enough to wear the bag for my pictures..but I don't think he'd want his face with the girly bag.  Kindergarten has taught him a few things...and don't you love the sunburst things in my pictures?  Not photoshopped.  Totally got that through my own skills/luck.)

So I decided to make the bag for her for Christmas this year.  I hope she likes it...that it meets the vision she had because I honestly couldn't remember what colors she said she'd use except for the pink.  And I don't want to ruin the surprise by asking too many questions and tipping her off.  No...I have this delicious vision of her opening the present and just loving it and knowing I made it for her out of love.  Perhaps a bit sentimental.  But I get to keep that vision because she lives in another state and won't actually open it in front of me.

But I also decided to make the smaller version for her little sister...who may not care too much about bags but I hope will like the flower print.

I personally think the little one is adorable and would make a perfect purse.  And it fits an iPad.  With one of those case thingys on it.  Convenient, right?

So things I did different...well the front pockets I made out of the lining fabric because I wanted the pop of color.  I didn't want to give them plain 'ol functional BROWN bags.  I wanted it to have a bit of fun. Honestly, I struggled a lot deciding what fabrics to use and how to make this come together.  So much so that I was asking opinions of the sweet lady in the cutting line who runs her own etsy show selling bags.  Now would be the time to link to it...but I forgot to ask what it was.  I was that preoccupied.

But I think making the front pocket out of the lining print was a great idea because I love how it looks.  Much more fun.

I used 'D' rings instead of sliders because JoAnn's didn't have any on the store I was at.  I was a bit bummed about that.  And, it turns out I didn't trace out the pocket flaps for those front pockets.  Or at least I couldn't find them.  So I just didn't put on the flaps.  I think it will be fine anyways.

And I made my own bias tape after printing out and putting together this cardstock bias tape maker.  Putting it together was a bit lengthy especially because they have two sizes and I did the wrong size first, but my goodness I turned out a bunch of bias tape in no time.

(Aren't the leaves on our tree gorgeous?)

I love the fabric I used for the pink bias.  Got 1.5 extra yards I loved it so much.  :)  However, it was the only fabric I bought that day that wasn't on clearance.  So it all even out...right?

Mr. Jiggs' one comment was that it should have something to close the main flap.  A buckle or snap or something.  Maybe I'll figure out a fix if I make another one sometime.