Stash Bustin Messenger Bag

In the interests of stash-bustin I made this bag for my son from some denim fabric I bought at a market several years ago and from the beach fabric I wrote about in an earlier post. I cut and appliqued some of the fish and a shark from the beach fabric and used bondaweb and stitching to attach them to the front flap. There are also two little fish on the back of the bag.

I lined it with the beach fabric and lined the strap as well with the beach fabric so there are glimpses of colours as you use the bag. I really enjoyed the construction of this bag and working out how to fit it all together. The denim got really tough to sew through on bits like the straps as it is thick material in just one layer, let alone three, and I had to finish off the sewing by hand as it was a bit too much for my poor old sewing machine.

I had thought initially about making bags from the beach fabric by itself but I am glad I stopped and thought a bit, did some sketches and decided to do it this way as I think it is always good to try something a bit different. I do tend to rush into new projects and I am trying to alter that way of working, taking a bit more time to think things through and sketch first. Making this has reminded me a lot of when I was about 17 and used to make lots of bags on my mum's sewing machine. AAAhhhh, nostalgia.

My son has requested several times that I use the rest of this beach fabric for a duvet cover so what can I do but oblige??