Camera Bag

Needed-- ok, really more like wanted-- a new durable tote bag to lug a small number of books and such around campus.  I saw a cool bag on How About Orange and decided to replicate the bag there.  The original was attractive for its minimalism, but I had to compromise with sturdier fabrics and thicker straps.   As my mechanical guide, I referred to Simplicity's free online tutorial to get a sense of how to cut the fabric, where to attach straps, and fitting in the lining.  Had to adjust the dimensions and, crap, use math for that.

The finished product:

Measurements: 12x10x4.  Enough for my macbook and books.

The Process:

Cheap fabric:  Duck cloth (beige canvas, but way thicker) 1/2 yard, 1/4 yard blue upholstery fabric, dark blue fabric I didn't end up using, and 1/2 yd of cheap yellow cotton for lining.  I liked the brighter blue as a touch of Marc Jacobs-esque whimsy.

Sewed camera by cutting out shape, tracing lines I wanted in pencil and then stitching it in with white fabric.  Had to hand-stitch the lettering though.  I used this anti-fraying liquid around the edge to prevent unraveling.

One side done!  Backed the blue handles in duck cloth since I didn't think it'd be sturdy enough to survive my abuse.

From the backside!  You can see I didn't sew the handles all the way to the top.  That's cause I can't attach the lining easily without a bit of gap there.

With attached lining.  Added pockets to the lining to keep track of wallets, keys, etc.

One more for good measure!