Jackets to Duffle Challenge [Pt 2]: The Result

Feeling quite accomplished by this!

To all the duffles I've admired before...

I no longer have to pine any more.

For now I've made my own,

Using sewing skills as shown,

And it's really made my spirits soar.

Didn't know that I was a poet, did you?

I can't say that the above is one of my better poetic efforts, but it sums up my feelings quite well. While my old reliable store bought nylon duffle is still better designed overall, this was a challenge well met and has me feeling very accomplished for it.

[Important aside: we all need to feel accomplished every now and then. Find what does it for you and do it regularly.]

Plus, it allowed me to knock off one of my bucket list items unexpectedly early. Very early, in fact.

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Since last week's post covered the often excruciating "behind the scenes" details, this week will focus more on the photos of the completed project than any excessive verbiage. We'll start with this view from the top. (By the way, the colour is slightly off in several of the pictures; it's alternately too blue or too green.)

 

Top view...

The main zipper is off a roll of zipper tape. The diamond shaped zipper pull is part of my collection of zippiest zipper pulls. The two chrome rings on the shoulder strap may have come off an old chain belt of mine; I don't exactly recall anymore. The strap ends were secured to the rings with a single rivet.

View of the end...

The two end pocket metal zippers came from my mom's sewing box. I do wish they had been a little bit longer, but given that I didn't want to make a full width zipper pocket, I'm fine with it.

Three quarter view...

I mentioned last week that I couldn't avoid some small puckers when I sewed up the end panels. You can see one of them in the photo above.

View of the front...

Because of the thick seam that resulted when the top piece of the side panel was added to the bottom part, when it came time to secure the handle straps, I had to "jump over" this seam and leave a gap between the initial stitching and the reinforcing "X".

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The resulting gap ended up being a handy place to thread some bag bling.

What's a bag without some bling?

This piece is actually a link that I removed from a chain belt. (The belt is still a belt; the link was removed for sizing.)

View of the base...

The bottom base panel was created out of the back of the long jacket. To increase its strength, this piece was interfaced with both fusible fleece and Decor Bond.

And then just before closing the seams between the lining and the exterior, I slipped in a piece of Peltex to create an even sturdier bottom.

Adding some Peltex to the base before finishing sewing the lining to the exterior...

As you can see, the lining was also interfaced with Decor Bond. I figured that since I wasn't shelling out for the fabric on this project, it was no big deal to do a deep dive into my stash of interfacing to ensure a durable duffle. (You can see why, however, I've always been reluctant to make something of this size. If one were to use new fabric, the cost of doing so can get prohibitive.)

Speaking of the lining, with amount of (bedsheet) fabric not being an issue, I added a couple of end pockets to the interior.

Interior end pocket...

Admittedly, the pockets do not function all that well when the bag is not filled to capacity (contents spill out), but I figure when it is filled and I need some things to be kept separate, they'll come in handy.

View of one of the end pockets...

These are nothing like the large gusseted end pockets of my store bought black and purple duffle, but at least I still have some secure storage at both ends.

Despite the little pucker, the fabric matching worked out well...

By the way, for the fact that I do not recall planning for this, I was stoked by how well the two fabrics ended up lining up evenly around the ends of the bag.

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So I set out to make a duffle that could meet my needs at least as well as my old standby. Is the proof in the pudding? Well, here is a scale view of the duffle: it certainly ended up meeting my expectations for size. In these photos, there are six bath towels inside the bag.

For an idea of scale...

Padded shoulder strap...

For those of you thinking that the shoulder strap is too long, yes, that was my observation too. (Forgot to account for how much the strap anchors would add in terms of length.) I ended up doing some fancy stitching with it a few days after the photo shoot to shorten it up in the middle, which subsequently yields a padded section with three layers. The photo at right shows it in its final form.

I also know that in the long run, having just the buttons holding the strap in place will be an issue. I am planning on adding snap fasteners to relieve some of the stress. In the meantime, the shoulder strap is just a convenience; I rarely carry a duffle that way... unless I'm really in a hurry and trying to haul more than I should. In that vein, even though they had to be made shorter than I would have liked (due to fabric constraints), the handles can actually fit over my shoulder.

Here you can see the button feet on the bottom...

The photo below is a size comparison of the two duffles. They are essentially the same size once you take into consideration that the black bag is empty. (That one is, however, expandable.)

Definitely big enough to meet my needs!

Incidentally, this stands up quite well by itself when empty. (I didn't want it to be floppy even though it's made out of fabric and can be squished down if needed.) The combination of exterior fusible fleece and interior Decor Bond gives it excellent body. In the photo at the very top of this post, there is nothing inside of it.

image courtesy of verabradley.ca...

As you might guess from my opening ode to this duffle, I'm over the moon pleased with how it turned out. (Hubby says that I can sell it for big bucks.) The item is unique in the purest sense. While some folks may lust after a Vera Bradley branded duffle (e.g., at left), none of them are like mine. Transformed into something functional, every time I use it, I'm going to recall the source garments with much greater fondness than if I had donated them, or if they were still hanging (unworn) in my closet. 

In fact, I'm now motivated to examine other things hanging unworn in my closet.

If nothing else, this project is proof that when you decide to take on a challenge like this — and treat it as a one of a kind experience that you're never going to have again — you'll find the means to have it turn out well.

May you be inspired to try something similar yourself.

'Til next...