PPC24: There’s a Gorilla in the Studio

January 14, 2021 / Kat /

So…

in our last post, I showed you the 1st prototype of what will eventually be our next pattern, which I’m projecting to be published in late February to early March. (I’ll try to be more specific a little further down the line.) You might recall that I was really happy with how the 1st prototype turned out… yeah, it was pretty much just an empty shell of a bag, but the pattern pieces for that shell fit together SO well that now I’m ready to move right along to the “gorilla sample” for this design, which is what I’ll be showing you here!

First of all… Can I say that I personally LOVE this design? Oh, I’ve loved creating all of my designs, but let’s face it, sometimes a particular design just strikes you as perfect for your lifestyle, right? I love the size… it holds a LOT, but not too much and it can be carried both shoulder-style AND cross-body style! But that’s not all!!! BUT>>>> on the “Con Side” & visible in this photo are the ring holders which obviously need to be shortened quite a bit!!!

I’ve designed this bag with a front drop-in pocket which is perfect for virtually any sized smart phone plus two totally separate inner compartments. The back compartment is wider and is perfect for your larger items, your wallet, hairbrush & maybe a paperback book. The thinner front compartment has a much longer zipper which allows it to open MUCH wider, giving you greater access to the interior features…. But>>>> on the “Con Side” & visible in this photo– I intended for the Ring Holders to be placed more towards the center of this bag so the bag would basically hang straight. It didn’t work out that way for this sample, but it will from now on…
And this might be my favorite feature in this bag. It’s been a while since I’ve added credit card holders to a design but its a perfect addition to this design! I’ve created space for 8 cards and of course I LOVE the little bag lights we’ve added to our hardware line! Tired of digging around for those keys or that lipstick? Adding a baglight could be the perfect answer for you! But>>>>on the “Con Side” & visible in this photo- I’m not crazy about the zippered pocket being associated with the CC Slots feature because once the cards are loaded in place the pocket becomes quite stiff & just doesn’t “play well” with the zipper. Instead… I think a drop-in pocket will work much better here & I’ll just move the zippered pocket to the wide back area of the bag instead!
And finally, here’s the back side of the bag and of course I included a zippered pocket here as well! All of this adds up to a medium-sized bag with “big-bag” storage capabilities! But>>>> on the “Con-side” – and visible in this photo– you might notice the vertical, dark stitching on either side of the zipper. I obviously didnt extend these flanges high enough and this miscalculation will certainly be fixed in the next incarnation of this design!

So…

I know I normally use this space to tell you about the fabrics I used in this sample, but since this is the same fabric I used in one my ErgoMatic samples I’ll just refer you to that information HERE!

And please stay tuned for the next post in this series when I’ll show you the next sample in the relentless push toward our next pattern release!

And now, it’s YOUR turn!

How does this new design strike you? Yes? No? Maybe? And do you have any comments you’d like to share or suggestions you’d like for us to consider? And remember, we love reading your comments and answering your questions too, so please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

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Kat

34 Comments

  1. Karen Edeards on January 14, 2021 at 7:03 am

    I really like this design. Can’t wait for the pattern.



    • Kat on January 14, 2021 at 7:10 am

      Music to my ears Karen! Thanks!! 🙂



    • Lula Mae Singletary on January 15, 2021 at 7:42 am

      I always have a problem finding the overall size of the handbags. Is it just me or is it not there?



      • Kat on January 15, 2021 at 8:02 am

        Are you referring to this new design? Because of so, I havent released the dimensions for this bag yet since its still in the preliminary stages. Just let me know if there’s another bag you need info for? 🙂



  2. Gail Peters on January 14, 2021 at 7:25 am

    I like this. What is the size? I love the flap with the credit card holders. Makes so you don’t have to carry a separate wallet. And when I travel I can use the go go compact to take only what I need with me and leave the rest of my stuff back at the RV.
    Will this be large enough for a tablet or ipad?



    • Kat on January 14, 2021 at 9:36 am

      Thanks for questions Gail, all good! I hesitate to declare the size yet as I am carrying this bag for a time to make some final determinations, So I’ll let you know soon! It is however large enough to carry my iPad Air which at this point is quite old. 🙂 Stay tuned for more!



  3. Christy Lockett on January 14, 2021 at 8:15 am

    I love it…lots of zippers and pockets and you put that cell phone pocket on the front !!!! yea !!!



    • Kat on January 14, 2021 at 9:36 am

      Thanks Christy! I love hearing this!



  4. Nancy Rosa on January 14, 2021 at 8:41 am

    Looks really good! Looking forward to seeing more.



    • Kat on January 14, 2021 at 9:37 am

      Thanks Nancy! I can’t wait to show you more! 🙂



  5. Paula Nierengarten on January 14, 2021 at 10:12 am

    This looks fabulous! I think your comme to about what will be changed is perfect and this is definitely I will be making this spring!



    • Kat on January 14, 2021 at 6:31 pm

      Thanks Paula! Do stay tuned for our next post in this series! 🙂



      • Paula Snyder on January 15, 2021 at 11:18 am

        I like the looks of this bag. They all look hard for me to try and make.



        • Kat on January 16, 2021 at 6:25 pm

          As long as this isn’t the first bag you’ve ever made, then I think you’d be OK! 🙂



  6. KAY WYRICK (MARSH on January 14, 2021 at 7:27 pm

    I like the apparent ease of access into the bag. I carry several masks, hand sanitizer nowadays an up-right bag is a plus. You and your design rock, Kat as always. Must be due in part to the feline brain trust in your sewing studio 🙂



    • Kat on January 15, 2021 at 6:56 am

      Hahaha! INDEED! I couldnt do it without my assistants! Meow! 🙂



  7. Brigid Johnson on January 14, 2021 at 8:35 pm

    I’m really attached to my Everyday Attache but if this one is as functional as that but just a bit larger, I’m sold! I see the slots for credit cards, will there be one for cash too?



    • Kat on January 15, 2021 at 6:56 am

      Hi Brigid. Good question. I havent exactly built in the substitute areas for a wallet per se. But there is a drop-in pocket behind the cards that could easily be used for bills (although its deeper that the usual bill slot, and adding an extra zippered pocket would certainly work for the coins. 🙂



  8. Rosemarie Nettle on January 15, 2021 at 1:15 pm

    I really like the design of this bag. I love idea of all the added functions and keeping the bag medium size. I think this will be my next bag. I haven’t done much sewing in the past year due to serious health issues and the loss of my dear husband of 53 years. It has been quite an adjustment. This bag design is giving me the inspiration to get back to sewing. Can’t wait. Thank you.



    • Kat on January 16, 2021 at 6:27 pm

      This is wonderful news Rosemarie. I still LOVE the Bellagio Bag you made years ago! As a matter of fact, it is STILL one of my altime favorite customer made bags! I will be looking forward to see your next project and I’m so sorry to hear about your hubby.



  9. Beth on January 15, 2021 at 2:59 pm

    I really like the shape, proportion, and design features of this new pattern. It is so pretty made in your fabric with the gold zippers.



    • Kat on January 16, 2021 at 6:30 pm

      Thanks Beth! I agree about this fabric. I actually prefer it in this design as opposed to the ErgoMatic that I made in this fabric! 🙂



      • Beth on January 16, 2021 at 9:15 pm

        I don’t know which I prefer, Kat. I liked this fabric in the ErgoMatic just as much as in this design. But I’m very excited about this new design because of its graceful proportions and medium size.



  10. Karol on January 15, 2021 at 9:56 pm

    As good as this one looks, Kat, I think this will be my new bag!! I can hardly wait! I’ve been trading older ones in and out, waiting for a new pattern to jump out at me like this one did. I’ve really needed a new bag for quite awhile. Will go ‘shopping’ in my ‘resource center’ and see what I can come up with fabric wise, in anticipation. 🙂
    YAAAAY!
    Karol



    • Kat on January 16, 2021 at 6:34 pm

      Hmmm… Love the term “resource center”! It sounds SO much more sophisticated than “storage closet” or even worse… “stash”. And I’m thrilled to hear you’re excited about this bag. Having carried this “gorilla sample” now for 2+ weeks I have to say I have totally enjoyed it! Do stay tuned for our next post in this series! 🙂



  11. Carol Beasley on January 17, 2021 at 9:40 am

    I love ❤️ it!!!!



    • Kat on January 18, 2021 at 6:58 am

      Thanks Carol! I’m so glad and I can’t wait to show you MORE! 🙂



  12. Linda Collins on January 17, 2021 at 10:49 am

    I really like the looks of this bag. The credit card slots mean I will only need a small purse for bills/change or if an extra zip pocket is added I wouldn’t even need that.
    If it also holds my iPad, I am good to go. Looking forward to this pattern!



    • Kat on January 18, 2021 at 7:00 am

      Thanks for commenting Linda. I can get my iPad Air inside quite easily. It’s quite old at this point so I’m not sure how the sizes have changed over the years. 🙂



  13. Charlotte Hall on January 31, 2021 at 7:07 am

    I need this bag right now – love everything about it! Hurry, Kat, hurry!



    • Kat on January 31, 2021 at 10:44 am

      Thanks for commenting Charlotte! So glad you like the new bag! But hurrying is not always a good thing to be doing when it comes to bringing a new pattern to market. 😀



  14. Corinne on February 6, 2021 at 11:08 am

    I really like this design. I am a big fan of your Walkabout Wallet and Everyday Attache. When I saw the card slots I got excited. A cash and coin area would be perfect for me. If not in the final pattern I’m sure I could add my own using ideas from the Attache. Can’t wait to see the final design.



    • Kat on February 6, 2021 at 11:32 am

      Thanks so much Corinne! I can’t wait to show you MORE!!



  15. Jackie Twomey on February 12, 2021 at 2:43 pm

    Sorry for the late reply. I now have time to really look at your design and think about the details. It is a very interesting design with very thoughtful compartments. I admire how you are able to create so many designs for so many uses and
    so very many people’s interests.

    Zippers—Are you showing two prototypes? Some photos show the zippers all opening the same way. Others do not.
    I have a few handbags that have one zipper opening left to right. The other zipper in the bag opening right to left. (There
    could be more than 2 zippers in the bag’s construction. Doesn’t matter.) With 2 zippers opening in different directions, it seems that I always need to put the bag down somewhere to change hands holding the bag to open that 2nd zipper. And, isn’t there some kind of standard where right handed people like to open their zippers right to left, and left handed prefer left to right? Of course, when someone is making their own bag, it will be easy to change the zipper’s direction. All of that said, are your zippers all opening in the same direction? Your photos seem to show me that some are, and some are not.

    Your back pocket—If I were making this pocket, I would put about a 1/4″ to 3/4″ wide gusset into the side seams of this
    pocket top. I have a few flat pockets in handbags, and things. Especially in handbags, I find them almost useless as I can hardly get anything into them, and much more so,,,, I cannot get my fingers into them even to retrieve coins from these flat pockets. And, I cannot get a good grip on my cell phone to remove that either. A gusset would require pocket fabric to be about 1/3″ to 3/4″ that much wider on each side to accomodate a pleat to create the gusset before sewn to the bag back. It would also require that the top of the pocket be hemmed before the zipper gets attached. And, it would require the zipper to be longer and extend past the pocket fabric at the zipper’s bottom end, so that it can permit the pocket fold to open, and, a few other details that you are well aware.

    I don’t know if you are designing for all sewers. Some, who have only made a few quilts, might not be able to create a gusset.

    Jackie Twomey