I didn't make the actual Portside bag. That is for another time. It gets really good reviews.
I know that Carolyn made a huge number of these dopp kits, but mostly that side of the pattern goes under the radar - and the small bag is apparently just an afterthought. I mean, you wouldn't buy the pattern for it.
More on that: this small bag is literally three pieces of fabric, a zip and two instructions. After you have gone to the trouble to line the duffel and the kit bag, you are just making a little fabric sack? It seems like the level of attention in this pattern was focused on the big target item - the duffel. And each step down from there had a decrease in quality pattern instructions, and in results.
I was extremely disappointed by the Dopp kit pattern. I was hoping to make something I could take with me travelling as my toiletry bag has basically disintegrated. I had this ridiculous pineapple fabric and a shower curtain to use as lining. The pieces make sense, but the instructions basically have you finish all the seams on the inside of the bag, despite the fact that it's in two layers. So I rethought it and with my recent Ida Clutch experience, attached the zipper first, made each layer, and then painstakingly sewed the sides up to the zipper through a hole in the lining. Then I turned it right side out and closed the hole.
Also - there's no lining for that outside pocket, which I also really didn't like.
I used a zipper that is a little bit too weak. But mainly I thought this bag was huge, way too big for my needs, and I was too busy being pissed off at it to want to use it. I gave it to my sewing friend's daughter who is apparently really pleased. (She's 6).
So I decided to salvage things with the small bag. I cut out everything in my original plus lining fabric and basically followed the same method, of attaching everything to the zip, then I created tubes of each fabric and sewed up the sides one quadrant at a time through a little hole that I left. I paid attention not to leave any gaps in the lining so no piece of jewelry (etc) could slip through. I added a little grab strap on one end. I also used an invisible zip here and that's the weak point in my system. This fit all my toiletries, though it's not really a great shape, it worked for the trip to Nepal and I can store stuff in it til it falls apart.
I know that Carolyn made a huge number of these dopp kits, but mostly that side of the pattern goes under the radar - and the small bag is apparently just an afterthought. I mean, you wouldn't buy the pattern for it.
More on that: this small bag is literally three pieces of fabric, a zip and two instructions. After you have gone to the trouble to line the duffel and the kit bag, you are just making a little fabric sack? It seems like the level of attention in this pattern was focused on the big target item - the duffel. And each step down from there had a decrease in quality pattern instructions, and in results.
I was extremely disappointed by the Dopp kit pattern. I was hoping to make something I could take with me travelling as my toiletry bag has basically disintegrated. I had this ridiculous pineapple fabric and a shower curtain to use as lining. The pieces make sense, but the instructions basically have you finish all the seams on the inside of the bag, despite the fact that it's in two layers. So I rethought it and with my recent Ida Clutch experience, attached the zipper first, made each layer, and then painstakingly sewed the sides up to the zipper through a hole in the lining. Then I turned it right side out and closed the hole.
Also - there's no lining for that outside pocket, which I also really didn't like.
I used a zipper that is a little bit too weak. But mainly I thought this bag was huge, way too big for my needs, and I was too busy being pissed off at it to want to use it. I gave it to my sewing friend's daughter who is apparently really pleased. (She's 6).
So I decided to salvage things with the small bag. I cut out everything in my original plus lining fabric and basically followed the same method, of attaching everything to the zip, then I created tubes of each fabric and sewed up the sides one quadrant at a time through a little hole that I left. I paid attention not to leave any gaps in the lining so no piece of jewelry (etc) could slip through. I added a little grab strap on one end. I also used an invisible zip here and that's the weak point in my system. This fit all my toiletries, though it's not really a great shape, it worked for the trip to Nepal and I can store stuff in it til it falls apart.
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