Amy Butler Reversible Sunday Sling Hack

My favourite kinds of bags to make are simple, quick bags that aren't too big, but big enough to grab when you're running to the store for a few things, or don't want to carry a purse. I made LOTS of shopping totes at Christmas, loosely based on the Purl Soho Railroad Tote. And I've made a few Amy Butler Swing Bags for friends (a pattern that seems to be out of print). But as I've mentioned before, I like the Amy Butler Sunday Sling for something a bit roomier and more substantial.

I've made it once before as a diaper bag, and when a friend told us she was expecting her first baby in May, I immediately thought of making a diaper bag. But this time, I decided to hack the pattern a bit. First, I thought a cover flap would be handy, since the bag doesn't have any closures at the top. Second, I'm not a huge fan of the tied handles (having had mine come untied as I was carrying my bag a couple of times), so I decided to change the strap. Instead of coming from the front of the bag, I put the handle at the sides (also to accommodate the cover). And finally, after seeing a few ideas for courier bags/satchels online, I decided to put elastic across the top of one of the inner pockets, just to hold the contents in a bit more securely.

So the results? Well, I'm not completely happy with some parts of it, but I'm trying hard to be less of a perfectionist, and accept things with flaws. The flaws are only really visible to me (and probably to my mother, who's even more of a perfectionist when it comes to sewing!). My friend was thrilled with the bag, which is the most important thing.

The elasticated pocket was trickier than I thought, and my fusible fleece didn't fuse as well as it should have (apparently if it sits around for a long time, it's less 'sticky' and in this humidity, that process is probably escalated). 

But, I LOVE the fabric. It's the new denim collection from Art Gallery Fabrics, and the lining is from Cloud 9. I love it so much, I had enough to make my daughter a pair of shorts...more on that later! The cover flap on the bag is definitely a good addition, and I really do prefer the one strap coming from the sides of the bag. If I make this bag again (and I do have a request from another friend who recently had a baby!), I'll do it the same way. Next time, I might even venture into putting magnetic closures on the front flap...