Bags, Uncategorized

The Park West Bag

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I’m excited to introduce you to the newest pdf sewing pattern to enter my pattern shop, the Park West Bag! This large bag is great for holding a lot of stuff! There are side pockets on the exterior of the bag, and a lining zippered pocket on the inside. With pretty handle detailing for your straps and a recessed zipper closure at the top of the bag, you will be stepping out in style!

Never made a recessed zipper on a bag before? This one is easy peasy. If you can make a zipper pouch, you can assemble the zipper panel on the lining side of the bag. It’s easier than you think, and packs a lot of punch!

Finished Size: 18” long x 13” tall
All cutting measurements given throughout the pattern are length x height.
Supplies
1 yard of fabric for the exterior
1 yard of fabric for the lining
3/4 yard of fabric for the accents/straps
2-1/2 yards of 20” wide Pellon® SF-101 Shape Flex® fusible woven interfacing (or light-weight fusible interfacing)
1/2 yard of By Annie’s Soft and Stable™, available at local quilt shops or on-line
(Soft and Stable is a 1/8” thick, foam sew-in interfacing; one of my testers also recommends automotive headliner fabric in place of the Soft and Stable; you can also substitute a needled fleece fusible interfacing for the Soft and Stable, such as Pellon #TP971F Thermolam Plus fusible interfacing)
2 pieces, each 16” x 5” to slip into the false bottom (you can use plastic quilter’s template, cardboard, or extra-heavy interfacing, such as Pellon Peltex; one of my testers used a plastic cutting board from the dollar store)
10” zipper
14” zipper
Four 1-1/2” metal rectangle rings

Optional: 4 metal purse feet

As always, thank you to all of my pattern testers for turning in some shining and beautiful examples of this bag! I tip my hat to you, because all of these bags are truly stellar!

Terry used a hoarded bit of Keiki Oops-A-Daisy for her bag, and I can tell how much she loves this fabric because she painstakingly quilted all the details of the fabric. ::jawdrop:: This is utterly amazing!!

Tracy from I’ve Got a Notion made this spectacular version in a huge colored-pencil print. She has assembled this cool collage of her bag for your viewing pleasure! Beautiful work on your bag, Tracy!

Ree of Sincerely, Ree made this awesomely creative bag, and she added her own spin on it: the ruffles on the front and on the sides right below the pockets. This bag is truly breathtaking!!

Rhonda of Quilter in the Gap made this bag that I would definitely like to own…one of my favorite Echino prints on the front, and the other prints wisely chosen as well! Just gorgeous! I want it!

Liz always uses really interesting fabrics in her tester bags that I have not seen before, and this is no exception! Beautiful Paris text print, and she’s paired it perfectly with a red polka dot. Liz said that she used template plastic for the bottom of her bag to make it sturdier. Magnifique!

Laura from Quokka Quilts made her bag in this awesome laminate fabric (newsprint? laminate? fantastic!). Her dog, Scarlett, has thoroughly reviewed this bag, and you can read the hilarious commentary on Laura’s blog! Trust me, you’ll want to see this, if not just to see the adorable photos of Scarlett!!

Angela of Sewing with Squeak made this rockin’ version using Tula Pink fabric from her latest line, ‘Acacia’. These are my favorite two prints from this line, so of course I love this bag. 🙂

Nicki made her bag using a gorgeous blue and charcoal fabric, with royal blue for the accents and straps. This is a very crisp and professionally-finished bag, and I adore it!

Carol made this beautiful bag, and she made her front accent a bit wider, which I love! She also used d-rings for the hardware, which also look quite nice. Fantastic work, Carol!

Donna made this bag in a great Alexander Henry print; she also put a padded pocket on the inside for an iPad. This bag is headed to Donna’s daughter in Chicago, so I may be seeing it soon! 😉 Beautiful work, Donna!

Maria made her bag in a dark textured fabric, with white accents – the contrast is stunning! Maria is very happy with her bag, and I can see why, it’s just fantastic!!

Mhairi made this beautiful bag, and her main fabric kind of reminds me of the sides of spools of thread – right? Mhairi added an extra pocket in the front with piping, to make her bag extra-functional! Awesome!

Rachel made this very precise-looking bag, and my favorite part about it is the royal blue strap and accent. It really makes the bag pop and look oh so sophisticated. Beautiful work, Rachel!

Ceil made her bag using a fantastical bird and floral print – this is amazing! I love how the green fabric accentuates the crispness of the bag, it’s just beautiful!

Maria made her bag using upholstery fabric, which she quilted. I hope Maria won’t mind, but I wanted to use this close-up photo of her bag so you can see all of her beautiful detailing. Isn’t it fantastic?!

Annette made her bag with side pockets big enough to carry her waterbottles. I am a fan of Annette’s fabric choices, as she always seems to pick bright colors, which I love! Fantastic bag, Annette!

Anna made this whimsical owl bag, combining several different fabrics to make this a real show-stopper! It’s completely gorgeous, and having me thinking of fall! Wonderful Anna!

Hilary of Young Texan Mama made her bag in a beautiful plaid version, pairing with some beautiful chocolate-colored straps. I also like the orange dots peeping out from the lining. Very precise work, Hilary!

Chloe made her bag partially out of leather, and she says her bag is ‘amazeballs’. I totally agree, it’s beyond amazeballs! Check out more pictures and a review of her bag on Chloe’s blog!!

Melaney made this bag for a trip to Aruba (so jealous!!). It’s fantastic, and I wanted to give you her view of the lining, too, because I love how well she’s coordinated her fabrics together. Very fine finish on this one, Melaney!

Cyndi of The Nosy Pepper made her bag in this cool retro-inspired fabric. I like that she paired it with the linen accents. Beautiful sewing job on this one, Cyndi!

Bernie made her bag into a paper-pieced masterpiece! All complete with some amazing pebble quilting! Gasp! I can’t believe how much love went into this bag, it’s astounding!

Teresa used Heidi Grace fabric from Joann’s for her bag. I love how sweet this bag looks, especially with what looks to be light text fabric in the background. Beautiful bag, and I love how she styled her photo as well! Excellent work Teresa!

Irelle of Jibberish Designs made this fantastic bag in a geometric print, and I think the gray is a perfect match with the whispers of the hexagon on the main print of the bag. Just beautiful, and I loved the detailed topstitching on the straps!

Natasha of Houseful of Nicholes made this amazing blue bag! She said that her husband had thought that she had purchased a new bag from the store. Woohoo! Beautiful work as always, Natasha!

Michelle made her bag in a chocolate and aqua print, and I love this partial view of the side of the bag – this bag is so beautiful and precise! Wonderful job Michelle!

Alisha of Crafty Brooklyn Army Wife made this awesome bag, and to me, the print, black, and her work on the bag definitely makes it store-bought-looking, don’t you agree? It’s just beautiful!

Lisa of Six Munchkin Stitching made this adorable bag with a bird-print. Lisa had this to say about the automotive headliner fabric that she used to interface the bag: “I actually went out and bought automotive liner from Joann’s to use on this as I didn’t have the time necessary to order online and try Annie’s (one day I need to try it!)  There are two things about it I didn’t like.  One, it is hard to keep the fabric from shifting on the liner, even once basted and I ended up with it looking a tad ‘loose’ on the bottom.  Suggestion would be to use SF101 first on the fabric and then baste it to the liner.  Two, the backside of the foam is really ‘sticky’ when it comes to sewing through it.  Suggestion, I used this method, take a cheap interfacing or tissue paper and sew with that as a layer between machine and liner and tear off once finished.  I did really enjoy how it made it a more durable bag and I can’t wait to give it to my Mom for her birthday next weekend!”

Kelleigh got adventurous and decided to make her bag with wool. I think this bag is the perfect compliment to any fall/winter outfit, although Kelleigh admitted that the particular wool that she used, she was not a fan of working with. Despite this, another gorgeous bag Kelleigh!

Holli made her bag in this fabulous Echino print, and I wish I would have thought of it, because it fits the size and shape of this bag perfectly! She said she decided to “use the good fabric” for this one…I’m glad she did, because it’s amazing!

Corrina of Another Thing Off the List made this awesome bag in Calypso Swing fabric from Free Spirit. The pink accents and straps pack quite the punch! Gorgeous and precise work as always, Corrina!!

Emily of Half Square Triangle made this bag for her brother’s fiancee for Christmas, and she went with classic fabrics, in the style of her future sister-in-law. I think this is a very fitting gift, and with Emily’s beautiful work, I know she will carry it proudly!

Pam of Hip to Be a Square Podcast made this brilliant floral bag with a pop of color on the inside and for the straps. I think it’s really stunning, and I like that she used a larger floral print up above the pocket – it adds a lot of visual interest to the bag. Beautiful work Pam!

Maria of Beautiful Blooms made her bag with some Sandi Henderson fabrics. She said that this bag is the perfect size for school, or for a professional carrying papers, etc. She said that this is her favorite bag out of the ones she’s made lately. Woohoo!!!

Lorena made her bag using an Ikea canvas for the outside and a cotton fabric for the lining. She also said that she used plastic canvas for the false bottom, much like is used in cross stitch. She did use Soft and Stable for her bag. I think this is such a fantastic finish with some great crisp results on the finished bag. Wonderful Lorena!

Marta made this gorgeous version in a great patchwork and zig-zag. I am always a sucker for light blue or turquoise, and so the straps she has chosen really hit the spot. So so pretty, and great work Marta! 🙂 Thank you again to all of the pattern testers! If you like this bag and would like to purchase the pdf sewing pattern to make it, please visit my pattern shop!

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28 thoughts on “The Park West Bag

  1. amylouwho says:

    This is a great looking bag! I love seeing all the different fabric choices. It’s always surprising to me how much fabric choice can change the look of something!

  2. DeeAnn says:

    Looks like another great bag, Sara! I love all of the versions here, but, I think my favorite is the ruffle version – so feminine!

  3. Bonny says:

    What a great purse – love it!!!! Will have to make one for me 🙂
    Love all the color combo’s people did 🙂
    Thanks for the tutorial. I’m new to your blog but will be a member now 🙂

  4. pennydog says:

    I saw Maria’s bag earlier in the week and loved it, I’ve been looking out for this pattern release ever since.

  5. Gorgeous bag Sara! And the testers did a great job making those wonderful creations! 🙂 And a HUGE yay for the zipper closing on the top, I love it!

  6. Samantha says:

    Beautiful pattern again Sara 🙂 x

  7. Another winner! Congrats on your new release and your testers did an AWESOME job!

  8. Well, I just ordered this pattern plus three others out of Sara’s shop. I’m new to this website, but it might just be my favorite ever! I’ve seen so many awesome bags and links to other cool stuff. My project list just got a lot longer!

    1. Jake says:

      You won’t be disappointed in any of Saras Pattetns or instructions! And if you ever do have a question, she is QUICK LIKE LIGHTNING to email you right back. Welcome aboard the Sew Sweetness Train! You’ll love it here.

  9. Lori says:

    wow what a lovely pattern. and all these bags are gorgeous. LOL its a good thing we don’t have to vote. there would be no way to choose only one. great job ladies.

  10. Donna Baker says:

    congratulations Sara! this bag is beautiful and WOW on all those pattern tester’s bag details! I LOVE recessed zips like this and you’re right, it’s so easy to do and it’s so practical, since I don’t really like ‘exposing’ the contents of my bags.

  11. Donna Baker says:

    congratulations Sara! this bag is beautiful and WOW on all those pattern tester’s bag details! I LOVE recessed zips like this and you’re right, it’s so easy to do and it’s so practical, since I don’t really like ‘exposing’ the contents of my bags.

  12. Hilary says:

    All of the tester bags look great 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me test for you! I can’t wait to make another version of this bag.

  13. Katy Cameron says:

    Love your choice of fabrics, and the testers did you proud :o)

  14. Molly B says:

    Great bag! I love it! Fabulous job by all of the testers.

  15. Beth says:

    Hexies and owls and a fox. So many fantastic fabrics really provide inspiration for your amazing bags.
    No go take a nap or something….my want to do list is getting way to long. 😉 I tried to sign up for your wallet class but it is full already. Good for you though. Next time I must sign up right away.

  16. Jenny says:

    Great bag! I love the angles of it and the way it would really showcase a big, bold print. And your testers did a great job! I may have to be a copycat and make a ruffled version for myself!

  17. Mar García says:

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  18. Mar García says:

    Testers did a great job! Congrats on your new pattern

  19. Vera says:

    Great parade! It really is great to see all those different versions. Well done all of you!

  20. Mhairi says:

    This is one of my favourite bags ever. It is big, functional and so easy to make. I find it hard to get Annie’s here but have found a product that works beautifully. It is called Inn-Control by Innovative Craft Products. It is 100% polyester so I don’t know if it is similar to the Annie’s but it is all I can get easily.
    I have never tried the automotive stuff so can’t comment on that.
    Thanks so much for letting me test this bag, it certainly is a great bag and I love your instructions, they are so clear, precise and easy to follow.

  21. Another great design – Congrats Sara! 🙂

  22. I loved making this bag!! Thank you for the sweet compliment.

    CraftyBrooklynArmyWife.blogspot.com

  23. Jake says:

    You are so clever Sara! Super duty sized bag and great pattern testers–what gorgeous fabrics! I love tour patterns and instructions are sooooo well written. I’m sure this bag is no exception to your usual perfection

  24. Gina says:

    It is so much fun to see all of the different fabric choices for the bag. I like the practical, yet classy design of this latest pattern. Nice, Sara!

  25. heathersundstrom says:

    I just bought this pattern and I’m so excited to use it for gifts this year. Is their a video for this pattern?

    1. Sara Lawson says:

      Hi Heather, we don’t currently have a video available for this pattern but hope to get to it sometime in 2020. Thank you!

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