Retiring my first bag (Friday Foto Fun #257)

Remember way back in January of 2020... before the pandemic really started and the world shifted?  I made my very first bag on stream, the Santorini Tote Bag by Sew Hungry Hippie.  You can read about that here.  I have used the smaller version of the two totes for almost 3 years as a laptop bag.

Tomorrow on stream, I plan on making my replacement Santorini Tote bag with some modifications. I'm not really sure exactly what I want to do yet, but my current bag needs a refresh.

Here are the things that I'm noticing about my current bag:

• My stitching was really short stitched since it was still using my 50wt cotton Aurifil thread.  Surprisingly, the bag has held up really well.
• The fabric on the back of the bag is starting to show signs of wear from rubbing against me while I'm carrying the tote.
• The foam in the bag is good, but the bag itself is losing shape as time passes.  The bottom definitely sags when items are placed into the bag.
• The interior and exterior pockets are huge but functional!

Things I want to change in the new version:

• I want a Vinyl exterior for the bag with a large zipper pocket.  Most likely it'll need a zipper facing for the pocket.
• I want to use strap connectors for the exterior versus sewn-in straps.  However, depending on the size of anchor, the exterior pocket may need to change.
• I would like to add a slip pocket for the laptop inside the bag.  This will be a little interesting considering how the bag is constructed.  I may need to modify that.  However, with a laptop pocket, there will not be an interior zipper pocket so I may need to rethink if I want to add it in for the first remake of the bag.
• I want a solid base for the bag versus the seam at the bottom of the bag.
• I still think I like foam for the exterior to give the bag some padding.

Here's what the bag's interior looks like today as a reminder, a single zipper pocket!

So wish me luck as I change the pattern on the fly to make my new and improved laptop bag!  I'll be going live at 9am Central on my Twitch channel, see you there!

What are your sewing plans this weekend? 

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