The Campfire Messenger Bag by Noodlehead
Michelle Burke
I was very excited to have a customer ask me to make a Campfire Messenger Bag by Noodlehead. The Campfire Messenger Bag was the March pattern for the Bag of the Month Club. This bag is fun to make!
The instructions for this pattern are very clear and easy to follow. The diagrams included in the pattern are great visuals to "see" what is being explained in the instructions. The most time-consuming part of making the Campfire Messenger Bag is putting together the front, main panel. The front panel has three pockets - one zipper pocket and two pleated pockets, so there is quite a bit to sew, but once the front panel is assembled, the Campfire Messenger Bag goes together very quickly.
There are a few design elements that I love about the Campfire Messenger that give it its wonderful, relaxed character. I love that this pattern is designed to use four different fabrics: the exterior fabric, the lining fabric, the flap fabric, and the accent fabric. Although this bag could be made with as little as two or three different fabrics, the use of four fabrics as called for in the directions, really gives it a great finished look. The flap is a perfect place to showcase a favorite fabric that you have been saving in your stash. The flap is approximately 10-inches by 11-inches, so it can showcase a fairly large print and the other fabrics frame and play off of the flap fabric. I used the flap fabric, a beach themed fabric, for the back pocket of the bag I made for my customer to give that fabric a little more exposure.
The closure for the flap on the Campfire Messenger is unique and gives this bag its relaxed, fun look. The flap closure has snaps on tabs that go through rectangular rings. There is an option to use Velcro instead of snaps for the flap closure, but I think it is worth using snaps, it just adds great character to the Campfire Messenger Bag. I think this is a great size bag for going out to run errands or to use on a vacation, it isn't large, but it is big enough to fit everything you need. It fits an iPad perfectly, I always love a bag that fits my iPad. I am glad I got the opportunity to make the Campfire Messenger Bag for a customer, now I want to make one for myself!
The Bag of the Month Club is coming to a close in less than a week, but there is still time to join! You may be wondering why you would join at this late date, but the answer is simple - you get six great patterns from six well-respected bag designers for $40! The normal price for all six patterns will be over $55, so it is a great value. Here is the link to join the Bag of the Month Club: Bag of the Month Club on Facebook. In a couple days I will write about another Bag of the Month Club pattern that I adore!