Have you sewn with waxed canvas at all? If you’re unfamiliar with it, waxed canvas is a cotton canvas that has been impregnated with wax and is water resistant. It has a wonderful rugged look, almost like a distressed leather.

Recently I made my son a pencil case for school that attaches to his assignment book. I used the Notebook Pouch pattern by Elizabeth Timmons and Waxer Canvas from Robert Kaufman. He loves how it turned out! (Although I would not line it with waxed canvas, like I did at his request. It was too bulky to get crisp corners as you can see, above)

The same son (16) uses the waxed canvas Ravenwood Messenger Bag I made. It’s a miracle! A teenage boy that carries handmade items IN PUBLIC that his mom made? I’m telling you, waxed canvas is magic like that.

If tackling  a whole bag out of waxed canvas is too big of a leap, you might like adding it to bags as an accent, as I did here for the Metro Hipster Crossbody Bag. I made this one in 2014 and it still looks great despite the near constant use.

Because it’s durable and water resistant, I like adding waxed canvas to the bottom of a bag, as shown above in the Midtown Messenger. Bags sit on the ground, on the floor of the car, on chairs in the coffee shop, they get around. It’s nice when they can hide the dirt and be wiped down easily.

Sara, of Radiant Home Studio used waxed canvas  when making the Gentleman’s Travel Case from my book Present Perfect. So handsome and practical. I love the leather accents she used, too.

I thought you might be interested in playing with waxed canvas yourself! I have a surplus of large scraps and small cuts in a variety of weights and colors. I’ve put together a few assorted bundles in my shop. Yardage of waxed canvas is typically a generous width (57″) and priced accordingly. If you’d rather start small, a bundle gives you that option!  And if you’re looking for some sewing pointers, check out my post Tips for Sewing with Waxed Canvas.