For my last project for Sewvivor, I give you – a Quilted Camera Bag.
Squeee! That was the noise I made when I found out I made it into the finals for Sewvivor. And then, AHHHHH! Because y’all – I am not a quilter. Before today there was a total of 0 quilted projects on my blog – I’m not counting the Quiltcon quilts I took pictures of and collaged. Because I had nothing to do with making those, I simple ogled them.
True story: I still have a handsewn patchwork doll quilt top I made when I was like 10 that isn’t finished. Its buried in the bottom of one of my scrap boxes. That’s how much of a quilter I’m not. But. I do have this conference I’m going to, and I want to carry my laptop and camera in one bag, and they won’t fit in my current bag. So I sketched this on my computer (cuz I can’t sketch without computer aid).
This bag is fully padded on all 4 sides with 1/2″ foam, has removable and re-arrangeable 1/2″ foam dividers inside, and can accommodate my camera body with lens, my 13″ laptop, and two extra lenses with room for another lens or camera body if I made another divider.
I pieced the inside flap and the strap out of Kokka Echino Nico Camera fabric in all 3 colors. The fabric is conveniently discontinued, but I had to have it. I’m not a fabric hoarder, but I have fabric hoarder friends (thank you Karen!) and Etsy who came to my rescue. Also, this piecing took a whole evening. Laugh at me, you veteran quilters, but I’m pretty proud of how I made this look like fabric that was made this way and not pieced.
Then I quilted a camera outline on the flap. AFTER I quilted it, I realized I forgot the magnetic snap. So I un-quilted part of the lines, inserted the snap, and re-quilted around it.
I made the strap adjustable so the bag can be worn on the shoulder or cross body. I also added 2 gusseted outside pockets with hand-drawn camera buttons, a recessed zipper, an inside zip pocket and an outside zip pocket. Phew.
Three full days of patterning and sewing later (seriously, this has taken me longer to pattern and make than anything I’ve ever made before, except maybe my wedding dress. I mean, I MUSLINED A BAG. I had to make sure it would work with the limited supply of Kokka Echino I had), I am in LOVE with this bag, and I hope you love it too. And if you do, be sure to go over to Family Ever After and vote for me.
I want to say thank you to Rachel for hosting this contest and to my fellow “Sewvivors” for pushing me in my sewing. Even to quilting. And of course I want to thank all of you who have left me sweet comments and gone over to vote for me – thank you so much! It’s been a blast, and I hope you’ve all enjoyed the projects and reading about them.
Oh, and this bag? Once I recover from the construction of it, I’m taking all the pictures and my copious notes and turning it into a PDF pattern. So you too can carry all your gadgets in one bag. And with directions, it shouldn’t take you as long as it took me to sew.
Carlee
I absolutely love this bag. While I won’t be carrying my laptop and camera at the same time I have some trips planned this summer that it would be perfect for. I can’t wait for the pattern!
Janlyn
Love the bag. I can’t wait for the pattern. You say you are not a quilter but you quilt like a quilter! Oh, and I love the little button!
Jess at Me Sew Crazy
Great bag Melissa! Love all of the little details.
Veronica
Amazing! The quilted detail on the flap is my favorite part. Maybe you should consider taking up quilting!
Jessica
This is really cute and smart Melissa! Love the fabrics and the way you quilted the flap.
Samina
Beautiful bag! You did a fantastic job of becoming a quilter really fast. I appreciate it even more, since I’m not a quilter either — just admire other people’s work from afar. Best of luck with the Sewvivor competition!
Marieke
Oh my I love it! I hesitated buying your other camera bag pattern this weekend with the code, and instead got the Rose shirt and the perfect polo, thinking it could wait at least until I get a second lens… An now look… I like this one better, I LOVE how there is place for a laptop as well!! Guess I’ll wait until you release the pdf!
Emily
Gorgeous bag and piecing! 🙂
Catlin
Great job! That looks like such a well-made, useful bag. I love the pockets, and very fun idea for the quilting! Good luck! 🙂
Kirsten
Such an fabulous bag! Love how you used the camera fabric and the quilted design on the front too.
KiltQuest
What a great bag! Love the quilting on the underside of the flap! BTW, did you make the dress you’re wearing in the photo shoot? And is there a pattern?
Madeleine
Quilter or not, you did an excellent job! Looking forward to the pattern:))
Rachel
awesome job! love the embroidered camera on the fabric buttons!