Bags, bags, bags. (last updated Feb 2010)

A few years back, I'd been thinking I wanted to make my next shoulder/courier/travel bag, and maybe some bicycle luggage. My bag at the time, a small 6-year-old Timbuk2, was still functional but it wasn't always the right size and shape, and was getting pretty beat up. This was just a few sketches on paper until I impulsively bought a quasi-industrial sewing machine in July '08.

This page is now a place to keep a sort of running notebook of prototypes and experiences using them. I'm also collecting various bag-making resources and links to interesting bags and bag makers.

You could also watch the disassemble blog, where I'll post a quick note whenever I add a new bag to this page.

(One more disclaimer: this is just a quick-and-dirty collection of notes and photos as I have spare minutes, so I haven't bothered to try to make the pages clean-- i realize it's a total mishmash of ugly photo galleries and bad HTML made by various programs. Some day I'll sit down and make real web pages, but this is mainly to document things for myself or the handful of friends I mention this to...)

 

Bag 0: Buckle retrofit onto an existing bag.

Bag 1: The first prototype, blue canvas, single-layer, with a zipper-swappable set of pockets.

Bag 2: A small model (or some might say, a purse), to quickly try out double-layer semi-waterproof construction, hidden seams, old-style metal hardware, and cutouts.

Bag 3: The first full bag I'm using daily. A basic lined bag, with metal hardware, a seat belt-style strap, and some inside pockets. I'm still using it a year and a half later.

Bag 4: Another small model, to try out a few more construction details.

Bag 5: Full-size reversible bag, with off-color stripes inside and outside, and various detail changes based on a few months using bag #3. I still carry this around fairly often.

Bag 6: A variation on bag #5, with diagonal stripes, teal fabric, an internal pocket, slightly different dimensions, and metal surcingle hardware, given as a present to a stranger.

Bag 7: Quick test: Trying out some new marine upholstery I got for cheap.

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Bag 8: Quick test: Proving to myself that rectangle + oval = 3D purse.
Bag #9: Will probably be something bicycle-mounted, I'm not sure yet. Bag #10: I need a challenge. And more free time.  

Patterns:

I tend to sort of wing it and visualize something, make a few sketches, and then start cutting... but then unforseen interactions of various folds and seams do come up. I plan to draw out a few simple patterns to upload here, based on what's worked. Check out the photos of the fabric, in bags such as bag #2, and you'll see the general idea-- pretty simple in concept (things like adding pockets or zippers, hiding the fastener seams, and so on are more work than making the basic bag itself).

Contact Info:

Comments / questions / suggestions? You can post a comment on the project blog or email me at bags ((at)) disassemble.org.