Sewing Stream: My Noodlehead Bags

I made these bags a couple months ago, but never got around to posting them. They have been some of my favorite "for me" projects. Both patterns, the Super Tote and the Cargo Duffle, are Noodlehead patterns. I have made a couple of her patterns before and enjoyed them.

This was my first bag experience aside from Amy Butler. The Noodlehead instructions are not quite as polished as Amy Butler, but they turn out just as marvelously. There are great additional tutorials on her blog and around on other blogs if you get stuck.

I bought fabric for both bags at the same time, but started with the Super Tote. I used some Anna Maria Horner quilting cottons and some Yarn Died Essex, along with a LOT of iron on interfacing. This was one of my first real zipper successes! The only change I would make on a second sewing of this pattern would be to add some substantial interfacing to the shoulder straps.

The Cargo Duffle took quite a bit more time to sew. It involved quilting a layer of cotton, batting, and some pretty thick canvas together for each bag piece. I am happy with it, but I think I was envisioning a larger completed product. The hardest part of this project was sewing the seam binding around inside the bag through the thick layers, but I think it came out passably. This thing is sturdy. It stands up easily by itself! I got to use it when Tom and I went to Las Vegas for a week, and it held up remarkably well. Halcyone has tried to claim this bag as her own several times already.