About a year or so, I discovered Jess Okalroots’s YouTube channel (she also has a blog). As I started watching her tutorials I found my love for making all sorts of bags and other accessories. She’s got such a fun persona and is a good teacher. Her tutorials are fun to follow, she gives details of the tools she is using, and most of all whenever she can she is using free patterns for the videos or secures discount codes to get the patterns from the designers she works with. This is how I come to know about Linds Handmade Designs‘ patterns.

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I fought the urge to buy her patterns for a while. I should not have joined Linds Handmade Designs group on Facebook. On this group, people share their makes with her designs. So, after seeing some really nice versions of the Dayna Pack ( I sort of had to have it). What tipped the scales for me was when I found how easy it is to add a zipper at the top.

Because I wanted to make a hacked version, I had to modify the construction a little and to cust the lining pieces for the front pocket the same as the outer fabric. as the top needs to accommodate a zipper. For the lining of the top zipper pocket, I cut two of the back piece in lining fabric.

I used fabrics from Minerva*, Abakhan, and EU Fabrics Ltd.

The purple packs were made with glitter purple vinyl from Abakan, black faux leather* for side accents, and the back of the bag from Minerva. I chose to make my life easy and used rainbow webbing* which I bought by the roll and use in pretty much every bag I make. For the lining I chose 7oz PU Coated Outdoor Waterproof I found at EU fabrics.

As I could not stop at two bags, for my next bags, I recycled fabric from a failed project for the linings, from purple glitter purple vinyl from Abakan and cork leather fabric* from Minerva.

Making them is quite satisfying. And with the instructions which are well written and the YouTube tutorial, it doesn’t take that long to make it. I did not need to follow the instructions once I constructed the front panel as I added the top zipper – I used a similar construction process that is used for the zippered pouches/or bags.

Who you’d have thought that I’d like to have one of these again! This design is quite stylish for me and having the two pockets makes this a good contender for replacing the handbag.

I’ve kept one bag for myself and gave the other one to my bestie! She does not do regular bags.

I’m yet to finish the other bags. Mainly because, at the moment, I lack the motivation complete them as I am not sure to whom I can gift them and because other projects have jumped the list. I fear, that a little bit of the blame lies with the zippers I chose for the second batch. On the first pack, I’ve broken a needle or two.

But in the meantime, I’ll enjoy the purple/black pack until I get the urge to finish these other ones or I’ll find homes for them.