Oh my, in between a full work week and my daughter’s birthday with family party, friend party and special dinner all orchestrated by her, I have had very little free time for creating. Fortunately today before I start more work this weekend, I squeezed in a couple hours to work on my Noodlehead Cargo Tote. I have been sewing along with Sophie and several other crafty women here: C’est la vie: { CARGO DUFFLE SEW ALONG: PART I: choosing fabrics / choisir les tissus }.
It’s been really fun to see what fabric combinations other folks are coming up with and Sophie is giving some much appreciated details in her posts. I have three bags cut out and with limited time on my hands today, decided to forge ahead with my Lotta Glimma and Carolyn Friedlander fabric combo. As I am still trying to get used to my new industrial Juki machine, I opted to add some repurposed leather to the mix donated generously by Bianca (Thanks! I made them!.) and sew most of it with this machine. I was a little intimidated as I know how unforgiving leather can be but thankfully this suede hides my mistakes fairly well.
What’s that you say? You want to see the inside? Let’s just say that I’m super psyched that Kristen from Skirt as Top has a tutorial for lining that I will be trying out. (catnap cargo duffle (with mini tutorial on how to add a lining) | skirt as top.) Halfway through quilting the sides I realized that the beige bobbin thread looked pretty darn ugly on my brown interior canvas. C’est la vie. I’ve decided also to skip the snaps as I made this one for myself and I like having my pockets open and easily accessible. My hat is off to Anna who designed another great bag. A bag’s success or failure for me often ride on whether the handles are beefy enough to hold the bag and gear (I tend to overstuff bags) and whether the weight of the body is hefty enough to keep it from seeming too homemade. This bag rates well on both. Free pattern here:noodlehead: Cargo Duffle Pattern for Robert Kaufman.
I’ll end with a picture of my girlie taken a little over a year ago on a trip to Venice. At now 13, she is still thankfully uninterested in makeup, clothes or getting her ears pierced but can almost always be found with a book in hand. BTW she requested and I made this cheesecake for her birthday dinner: chocolate peanut butter cheesecake | smitten kitchen.
BOMB.COM!!!!
Entropy Always Wins 
Your duffle looks really great! I am sure you are happy to see your choice of fabrics with the suede have come together so nicely. I’ve made 4 super totes but haven’t tried the duffle yet. I hope to in the next couple of months. Your daughter is so lovely, what a fun photo! I hope you are able to finish your other duffles and linings as well. There is also a lining tutorial that I’ve bookmarked along with the skirt as top one over at the small town thread blog.
It looks great!
Thank you
can I just say WOW ! and thank you for making my first ever sew along such a fun and rewarding experience! I love this leather bottom !
And can I just say how grateful I am that YOU are doing this. Such a nice introduction to other creative folks. And thanks for tolerating my less then girlie fabric choices as it seems like all the others are so delicate and beautiful. Can’t wit to see more completed (and to complete my other two.). Merci
This is awesome! I knew you would make good use of the leather! This bag is wonderful. The fabric combinations with the leather is perfect!
Yes, dear Bianca, the gift that keeps on giving. And I still have scraps for more projects to come. Sincere gratitude.
Looks amazing! And you quilted the leather! Besides, I thought YOUR fabrics were perfect!!!!
Thanks Sonia 🙂
cute
Thank you!
Yes, I dig the quilted leather too. And nice upcycling!! It can be hard at times to get enough out of an upcycled garment.
Also, I loved the tidbit in this post about your daughter. That description reminds me of myself at 13 and I hope that my girl maintains the courage to forge into middle school sans makeup and other burdens too:)
Thanks Brienne. Our kiddos grow up so quickly, no? Trying to maintain the childhood period for them as long as possible is an admirable goal!
Really fun bag- one that you are sure to use often. Enjoy traveling with your family. It’s also ways been a special time for us and has produced memories I will cherish for a lifetime.
Absolutely! Time is flying by.