I needed a new bag to haul all my church stuff around in and I really wanted a messenger bag. So I read a few free tutorials and settled on using this one.
I wasn’t super happy with this bag when I finished it. I wanted a bag that sits up by itself really well. I am inexperienced when it comes to making bags, and so I didn’t realize that this bag doesn’t have a wide enough bottom to sit up really well with books and binders in it.

Also, I got some weird puckers around the back of the bag where it starts turning into the flap. I didn’t know until I’d already turned the bag right side out, and I couldn’t bear to turn it wrong side out again to fix it because I didn’t leave a big enough opening and it was so hard to turn it the first time. The fusible fleece has some serious thickness!
I don’t even know if I could have fixed the puckers anyway. I think they might be because the back and the flap are all one piece. But I don’t know a lot about bag making, as I already said.

Pockets!
Also, I didn’t realize just how big the bag would turn out being! I used the measurements in the tutorial without giving it much thought.
However, I took the clock in the Relief Society room at church home with me so Jon could fix it, and I have to say that having a bag big enough to stow a clock in was pretty nice!

The bag has grown on me and I like it a lot now. It will suit my needs.

I am a little behind on posting my stuff. I love to post most everything I make for memory’s sake, so I need to get caught up on that soon!