Saddle Bag
I've been wanting to make an everyday bag for myself for awhile and really wanted to take my favorite style bag (crossbody) and push my skills a little.
On my trip to California over the summer I picked up this beautiful pleather and paired it with a remnant from Joann's. I wanted to explore some new bag techniques and bought pieces to make adjustable straps.
The bag went together pretty well, and I immediately fell in love with it. It is the perfect size for me to carry around all day, every day. The inside pocket fits my phone, and while this doesn't carry my full wallet, I can fit my sunglass case and my coin purse/money holder with room for little things to throw in (like my business card holder).
I quickly thought about how I could create this bag to sell, and one of the reasons I held off showing it was because I've spent so much time and energy trying to make this bag work to produce. Around the time I was making this, Girl Charlee came out with their line of vegan leather. I thought this would be perfect for the bag so I bought a yard and cut into it as soon as I got it. This leather needed thick interfacing to give it the shape the vinyl did but it wasn't ironing well to the fabric. After giving up on getting the interfacing to stick, I realized the vegan leather stretched too much for this bag. So I wasted a yard of beautiful fabric. Lesson learned - so I thought.
I bought three different vinyls from another online fabric store and began the process again. I actually finished the bag and was pleased with it- until I took a step back and looked at it. The vinyl was too stiff (without interfacing!) and the bag wasn't laying properly. I AM SO FRUSTRATED WITH MAKING THIS BAG HAPPEN. I don't know if I have to find a specific vinyl or look into different pleathers. I refuse to sew with real leather because 1. The cost and 2. I don't like using animal products.
So this bag is on the back burner for now. I'll return to it soon, I just need some time away. So even though it isn't ready to put in my etsy shop, I wanted to share it because I'm so proud of it!