Hooray, it’s finally April! And that means it’s time for the next pattern release for the Bag of the Month Club! I’m “Miss April” and my contribution to the club is the Midtown Messenger Bag!
The Midtown Messenger is a versatile bag you’ll want to carry everyday. It’s got a classic messenger-bag style with lots of extra details. The outer bag has front and back slip pockets and a flap that secures with 2 tuck catch closures.
Under the flap is a divided slip pocket, a recessed zipper for extra security and a padded tablet pocket inside.
It’s got a grab handle at the top and a nice long adjustable strap. Make the Midtown Messenger with durable waxed canvas for a rugged look or repurpose a pair of jeans and a vintage table cloth for a one-of-a-kind bag.
If you’re not familiar with sewing waxed canvas, it’s easy! I’ve got a blog post full of tips and tricks for working with waxed canvas.
Cindy of Raspberry Sunshine, test sewed her bag in a home dec cotton and a yummy grey waxed canvas accent with silver hardware.
Here you can see the padded tablet pocket under the zipper panel on Cindy’s bag.
Of course, if you’d rather not use waxed canvas, that’s ok too! One of my testers, Stacy of Stacy Sews, made her bag in a home décor weight fabric. She opted to beef up her accent fabric with interfacing. I love how the colors coordinate. So springy!
Here’s the recessed zipper and pretty lining on Stacy’s bag.
Hardware Helper
For your convenience, there is a Midtown Messenger Hardware Kit available in my etsy shop with all of the hardware needed for this bag in both finishes: Antique Brass (like I used) and the Silver Nickel (similar to what my testers used). I’ll be offering a video tutorial for installing the “tuck catches” on the flap later this week or early next. They are super easy and fun to use!
Join the Club
As I mentioned in my sneak peek post, this bag pattern is exclusive to the club! Join now and get all 4 previously released bags plus the May and June bags as they come out!
Sign up to become a member here!
Love your patterns and videos! I have made several bags from your Creativebug videos and you are a FANTASTIC instructor.
Will the Midtown Messenger Bag pattern ever be available to purchase without joining the bag of the month club?
What fabric did you use on the Midtown Messenger Bag? You always have such great choices of fabrics in your creations.
Thank you!
Wow, thanks so much! Great question, too. The Midtown Messenger will be available for individual purchase August 1st. The leaf print fabric I used is a canvas from Birch Fabrics and the solid is a brown waxed canvas.
Oh drat! I was hoping to be able to be able to make it in time for our cross-country trip in May for our daughter’s college graduation (yay!!). It looks like the PERFECT bag to carry all of my ‘stuff’.
How much will you be selling the pattern for in August (trying to see if it is worthwhile to ‘join the club’ now in order to get the pattern)?
Thanks so much.
Join the club now and get all 6 patterns for $40 or buy the individual pattern in August for $12.95.
Joined! Just waiting on the pattern…so excited. Where do you get your waxed canvas?
Wonderful! Check out the link in this post to my Tips for Sewing with Waxed Canvas post. I mention some options…
Hi Betz, I finished my Midtown Messenger and wanted to share it with you. It was fun to make and will be more fun to show it off as HANDMADE. thanks for contributing a great pattern for the club!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/13953345413/
Really lovely! Great fabric choices. Thanks so much for sharing!