Late last year I was making a lot of wallets in preparation for a couple of holiday shows as well as stocking the online shop and local shops that carry .retool. products.  I decided I needed a break, so I got in touch with my friend Pam and offered to make her and her husband Glenn each a bag as a gift.

I suggested a new design I was testing out, but she threw me a curve.  For her bag, she countered with a list of features that bore little resemblance to my initial offer. This gave me the opportunity to try something different that I would not have come up with on my own.  It also sparked some ideas for some new designs, so it was well worth it!

Pam wanted something similar to this toiletry case I made for her a couple of years ago. She loved the size, but wanted some more depth, instead of a flat pouch. She wanted a black print, a 1 inch strap, and an interior pocket. So, basically she wanted something more purse-like.

Here’s what I came up with:

Pam’s a cat person, so I decided on this adorable CoCoLand print from Kokka.  I moved the zipper to the top of the bag.  The bag is about 1 and half inches deep.
Back view.  The 1 inch wide strap is adjustable and clips on to the bag.
The grey lining is made from recycled plastic bottles.  My favorite part is the lining of the interior pocket.

I’ll write more about Glenn’s bag next time.