The Grainline Travel Set Duffle Bag

Until I started working on the Grainline Studio Portside Travel Set for Sew News, I had no idea how much fun it could be. As I said last week, I am now addicted to making the little dopp bags. They are fast, easy to make, and they are so cute once finished. Guess what my husband is getting for Christmas. Shhh, don't tell him ;) I've watched how he looks at the 2 that I have made so far and I can tell that he would really like to have one, but doesn't want to ask. So it will be a nice surprise unless he reads this post!!!

In the inspiration post I did a few weeks back, I showed you how the sky is really the limit when it comes to making your own duffle bag. It can be sleek and sophisticated, or as unique as the one I showed you that was made out an old coffee sack. 

I purchased the fabric below at a little shop here in Chicago called The Needle Shop. It's a small shop, but they have some wonderful pieces. The embossed faux leather was a piece that I purchased at a home dec store in Houston, Texas. If you are ever in Houston, be sure to check out some of the home dec fabric stores as they are amazing. Home dec fabric stores can be a great fabric resource for bags, coats, jackets and even skirts.

The Portside duffle bag is well designed and I especially like the fact that you are instructed to stitch over the webbing and create handles. If really gives the hand a break when carrying the bag.

The bag also features a great side pocket, perfect for storing things that you need quickly, like a boarding pass. And you'll see that creating the pocket is an absolutely no fail process. I really like no fail processes :)

In this week's sew along post, we are putting the duffle bag together. As you can see, it's basically a layering process, so it goes together very systematically, i.e., no fail!  

If you choose a fabric with a pattern, it's really quite easy to keep the pattern aligned as you insert the zipper.

You can find this week's sew along post HERE on the Sew News blog. And if you have not picked up your pattern, you can find it HERE.
Happy Sewing!
Rhonda