Bag – Sewing Blog

I am excited to share with you this project that got me through a little sewing block I had most of last year. This pattern is the Brooklyn Handbag & Traveler by Swoon Sewing Patterns. The pattern features two different size bag options included in their instructions and directions for an optional removable shoulder strap. The Brooklyn Handbag is not a beginner friendly pattern and prior sewing experience is strongly recommended. I personally did not have experience sewing bags as practical and elaborate as this one, but figured I had enough knowledge sewing at home to try it out.

Printed out Brooklyn Handbag & Traveler pattern bought from https://swoonpatterns.com/

The pattern instructions were easy to understand but some steps required me to use more physical force than I intended. Additionally, my trusty sewing machine did not handle sewing through layers of heavy weight fabric easily. There were multiple times the fabric and needle would get caught in my sewing machine and I would carefully have to take everything out and start the process over. Thankfully, no needles or fingers were harmed while sewing this handbag.

The ending product made all the sweat and maybe some tears along the way, all worth it. The bag turned out exactly as shown in pattern photos and the details made it feel as if I made a designer handbag. The only changes I would make to my own bag now or my future projects would be investing in a rivet press. A rivet press would reinforce the handles and shoulder straps making the bag sturdier for heavier items. Using a rivet press would also allow me to entirely skip sewing some tiny details which I and my sewing machine would prefer.

Finished Brooklyn handbag! Yes that is cork fabric and it looks swell!

Look at all that fancy hardware and pretty fabric.

The Brooklyn Handbag & Traveler pattern exceeded my expectations and gave me a much-needed confidence boost during a time when I was feeling a little down. I cannot wait to explore more Swoon Sewing Patterns and create unique sewing projects with their easy-to-follow sewing patterns.

Materials and Fabric Used:

Swoon Sewing Pattern: https://swoonpatterns.com/

Cotton fabric for exterior and lining: https://www.etsy.com/shop/kimonomomo

Cork fabric: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SewManyCreationsNY

Brooklyn Handbag hardware: https://www.etsy.com/shop/2Minutes2Stitch

Zipper: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MyHandmadeSpace

Hi everyone! I’m so excited to finally start up a blog for my sewing and cosplay projects. I hope to continue transforming this website into my little personal space on the internet. Thank you so much for stopping by and hopefully you find this little review helpful.

The pattern I am talking about today is Simplicity S0736/1388. I feel a little silly for not knowing this originally, but I have two versions of this pattern. S0736 was reprinted as an Official Nintendo Licensed Product using their licensed character fabric from The Legend of Zelda. I made the mistake of rebuying this pattern again and didn’t realize I had the original print at home. Either way, both versions instructions are the same and offer the exact 5 different backpack and messenger style bags for you to choose from.

First time figuring out D-rings and working with webbing. The cats stole the photo.

I have some experience working with commercial patterns before and usually find Simplicity to be one of the easier brands to follow. I decided to try making version A because it seemed slightly easier and I wanted something smaller for everyday use. Version A requires a few different notions I was not accustomed to working with yet such as webbing, D-rings, and zippers by the yard. Now, you can buy zippers already in the required size you need, however, I wanted something a little bit fancier. Plus leave it to me wanting to try something new.

This pattern was mostly straight forward but a little confusing at parts. If you are a beginner, you might struggle with some sewing terminology such as basting, right sides together, or sewing a top-stitch. With commercial patterns, most will use this type of terminology and expect the reader to already know some basic phrases. The instructions may look visually overwhelming at first because the pattern contains multiple bags assemble directions. I wish the pattern had one more page of instructions to create larger more detailed images to follow along with.

The struggle of attaching the gusset to the front of the backpack. Why does this resemble a pet bed?

Assembling the backpack was not very difficult however, I had some trouble getting the gusset to line up properly with the marked notches. This made the final backpack measurements smaller than intended and I had to adjust the lining to fit. This was not a huge deal and the suggested 22” zipper fit properly in the end. I just wanted to make note of this issue because a beginner might have struggled with this step.

The step I struggled with the most while making this backpack was top stitching the outside fabric along the zipper tape and catching the lining underneath. I had no idea how I was going to pin this cotton lining to my already very bulky backpack with multiple layers of cotton, fleece, interfacing, and a zipper. I proceeded to try using pins and ended up with some bloody accidents that nearly avoided ruining my adorable cat fabric. I eventually switched to clips. Thanks to the many layers of materials, it caused a slip and slide effect trying to sew a neat looking top-stich. I think it took me four tries to attach the lining, but I eventually made it work.

Attaching the lining taught me patience and seam ripping became a close friend.

Finished cat backpack! It’s so cute I just want to squish it.

The ending result of the backpack turned out super cute! The zipper I purchased complimented the cat fabric perfectly. The lining inside was still too big after adjustments but I will eventually hand sew the corners of the lining to the inside of the backpack. Despite having some complications with the heavy weight bulk of the project, my Brother sewing machine handled this project like a champ! Just make sure you use a heavier weight needle based on your sewing machine manual. Overall, I really enjoyed the final product and found Simplicity does a good job at providing easy to follow commercial pattern instructions.