Laptop Bag

I promised my daughter I would make her this laptop bag for school this year. She is in Year 11 (wow..how time flies!) & is now a senior at school so has outgrown her L L Bean monogrammed backpack.

So off we went to the local quilting store to find some fabric for the lining. Well, they had fantastic printed cotton duck fabric & plains to match so we managed to get the lot in one day. I thought I'd have to visit another store for the main fabric. She picked out the gorgeous contrast fabric first and then we got the plain brown for the rest of the bag. Then we picked out the lining which is just as gorgeous and I did an order from Nicole Mallalieu for all the bits and pieces.

Cutting out and fusing this bag is the biggest time consumer of the whole project. There are so many pieces! Some are only in lining, some are in everything...you get the idea. Then to work out which bits to interface, which to add fusible wadding to....erk. Anyway, I managed to get it all cutout and then the fusing took place one Saturday morning. All morning. 2 hours worth.

The sewing was a breeze. Surprisingly. Although I did have a snafu with the bottom piece and its template plastic and vilene interfacing. Nicole folds the seams around the plastic/interfacing combo and then you topstitch that onto the outside of the bag. I trimmed a little too close at the corners and now have fraying. But other than that, the bag looks gorgeous.

This is her with bag in situ.

A closer view of the front of the bag.

The front pocket that is under the flap.

Strap & shoulder pad (although not on her shoulder properly!)

This is the expandable pleated pocket that I sewed my label onto. I had 2 friends ask me why I'd put my name on the pocket when it was my daughter's bag. Huh?? Do they ask Coco Chanel that question??????????