PPC18: Inspiration Strikes

So….

prior to revealing the original sketches for my next pattern, (which will actually be a “set of patterns”), I’d like to give you a little background information about where my inspiration for these new designs originated from. For the last few years I’ve been on a mission to find the perfect tech gear tote. Because here’s the deal… when we first started traveling to shows in 2008 I really only had a couple of technical items to carry with me, namely a phone charger, a laptop charger and a charger for my camera battery.

But a LOT has changed over the past 10 years!
Just look at the incredible increase in the amount of technical gear
that must accompany us on every one of our business trips…

Here’s the items we need in our the Hotel room
a gang plug
an extension cord
an external jump drive
the computer charger cord
a usb connector for my phone
extra camera batteries
camera battery charger
my phone charger
the husband’s phone charger
and TWO FitBit charging cords

But in addition– these items are needed for use in our Booth
an additional gang plug
and additional extension cord
an additional phone charger
a bar code scanner
the barcode scanner charging cord
my iPad charging cord
a camera battery
at least two square card readers
a charging cord for the square card readers

So…over the past 10 years…

I’ve shopped all over the web and I’ve given quite a few totes and caddies the ol’ college try in my quest to find the perfect carrier for the multitude of cords, chargers, batteries and connectors that we must carry for the various trips we take every year (both for pleasure and for business). The result?… I’ve been sorely disappointed in every single unit I’ve tried.

They’ve either been too deep & boxy, rendering the contents a totally jumbled-up mess PLUS taking up too much room in my backpack or suitcase, OR… they’ve been of the shallow rectangular type with oodles of wide elastics for securing various cord sizes. At first glance this would SEEM to be a really great option, right? WRONG! Because LONG before it’s even half full it becomes so lumpy and and fat that you can’t even get the zipper closed and on top of that, it’s a space-hog in a suitcase or backpack!

That’s when I decided I might as well just design my own totes for my technical gear!

Right now I’m thinking that my basic unit will be long with two completely separate compartments. I’d like to have mesh pockets on each interior side of the unit in order to keep smaller items safe and sequestered.

I’m also thinking it would be helpful to have some wide elastic stitched into at least one interior sidewall in order to hold a few specialized items in place.

Along with this long unit, my thoughts are that in addition to being very useful for storing and transporting technical cords and supplies, it would also be helpful for housing makeup and various toiletry items on a trip. For this reason I’ll be planning a wider tote as well as a taller AND a much shorter tote.

Please note– We’ll be taking a brief period off from blogging (and working for that matter) as we head out into the wild, blue yonder for a vacation but LOOK OUT! When I come back (on Sept 4th), I’ll be rested and energized and ready to show you the 1st prototype for what will soon be our next new pattern!
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And now…. it’s YOUR turn!

I’d love to know what your thoughts are to our new design at this point in the process? Would a zippered tote like this be helpful to YOU when you travel? And if so, when features would YOU like to see included? 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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