The Sammy bag: a sewing pattern review and giveway

These days I barely have any time to sew anything for Miss Leela, but when the super talented Erin from Dog Under my Desk announced on her Facebook page that she was doing a blog hop in honor of National Sewing Month, I jumped right in!   

And I am glad I did! I la-la-love this bag, and so does Leela! Erin is a genius {{and such a perfectionist, much like yours truly, thank you very much}}. All of her sewing patterns, this dog bag included, are super easy to make and her attention to detail, as well as the tips she shares are truly invaluable.

Leela loves the bag and did not want to come out! It is comfy, padded and warm (and she doesn't even love most bags, so this says a lot!).

Would you like to make one for your pooch furbaby? Read on...

The Sammy bag is perfect for someone with little to no sewing experience. The PDF pattern includes tons of tips, and lots of pictures that explain each and every step. It took me 2 hrs., to complete it.

Some modifications I made:

• Instead of a quilting cotton for the exterior/shell, I opted to use a home dec fabric (from JoAnn's)
• Because home dec is a bit heavier than regular cotton, I left out the sew-in interfacing. Although the bag looks fine (and stands up on its own), I will definitely use the interfacing (as well as a home dec fabric) next time I make it.
• I ran out of batting, and ended up using some fleece instead - it worked out great.
• Instead of taping the bag body pieces together, I ended up cutting them as separate pieces, so that I could add that blue band in the middle. To do that, cut both the right and left sides of the bag separately (don't tape the pattern pieces together). Then add 1" to the width of the middle pattern piece, so that it becomes (2 1/4" x 9 1/4"). Then sew the band to both sides of the bag using a 1/4" seam allowance. 
• The interior fabric is a gorgeous gray chevron fabric, from JoAnn's as well.
• I only had 1 yard of the exterior fabric, so I shortened my straps to 36" instead. 
• I did not have a "sharp/microtex" needle on hand, so I used a size 16 jeans needle. I had no problem. 

I really love how it turned out.

Apparently, it doubles as a comfy bed too :)

Wanna win a copy of the Sammy Bag (a dog bag) sewing pattern?

Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of the Sammy Bag PDF sewing pattern. A winner will be chosen at 12pm PST on 09/29/13. Good luck!!!

Be sure to visit Erin's blog and these lovely ladies, who are also participating in this Blog Hop!

September 16th – Make Me Up Before You Go-Go – Kristen from KD Quilts

 September 17th – Daytripper – MaLora Ann from Bird and Bicycle

 September 18th – Quick Zip Lunch Bag – Jenn from knit ‘n lit

 September 19th – Essential Wristlet – Brooke from Custom Style

 September 20th – Notepad Organizers – Natasha from Houseful of Nicholes

 September 23rd – Zip & Go – Kristy from St. Louis Folk Victorian

 September 24th – Sammy Bag – Isabella from Ohh Leela!

 September 25th – Bigger on the Inside Drawstring Backpack – Stacy from Stacy Sews

 September 26th – Two Zip – Leila from Three Dresses Project

 September 30th – Dog Under My Desk Giveaway Winners!

About The Author : Leela

Leela is a 4.5 y.o. Silky Terrier who truly believes she is a baby. She is the Chief Designer at Ooh Leela!™, a dog boutique that specializes in personalized dog shirts, trendy dog clothing, beds and accessories. She is sassy and sweet, full of personality and attitude. You can follow her on Twitter and you can connect with her on Facebook