Simply Curious

Having used my bags repeatedly now, I've come up with some alterations.

The Corduroy Bag

Too small, which is frustrating, especially after looking at this photo and thinking how big it looks.  IT'S NOT!  I think I can fix it by adding fabric to the bottom, and I actually have fabric that will work with this.  So . . . I'm going to take it apart and do so.  Fortunately I don't have to take apart the difficult bits at the top.



The Hip Bag

Having used this on two cruises now, I love it.  It's not quite big enough for everyday use, though.  I'm trying to come up with a small list of alterations.  This WAS, after all, only supposed to be a prototype.  However, I'm not going to alter this bag, but just make a new one in nicer fabric.  (and I found some nice, nice fabric.  I can't wait to see how it turns out!)

First, it needs a proper belt that's a little easier to remove.  My biggest problem was trying to get out of the silly thing when I needed to run it through the security machine whenever reboarding the ship.  I simply had it strung on a cord with one of those squeeze pins to keep it around my waist.  I had thought my design would allow me to use the bag as either a shoulder or a hip bag, but I found I much preferred it as a hip bag.  I was considering parachute clips, but I'm not sure how easy those are to find in the size I want them to be.  I think if I add two rings to the bag and get some swivel snap hooks, it will work just fine.

It needs to be just a LITTLE bit wider.  A little annoying since I'll have to cut a zipper down to size, but I just can't fit a full passport inside it.

I need more card storage if I want to use it everyday.  I only had the very basics on the ship, but running around during the day, I'd need room for the additional store cards, library cards, insurance cards, gift cards, and the metro pass card I normally haul about.

My husband has been carrying around an aspirin tube in his pocket and just mixing all his pills inside.  I'm thinking instead of installing a zipper pouch in the next one, I'll put in a little pocket in the inner corner to hold a similar tube.  I've got one in there now and it fits OK.  I can always pick up pepto bismol in pill form rather than the pre-wrapped chewables.  Although a zippered interior pouch would be nice for loose change.  Perhaps I should install an exterior one on the back?

The formal wristlets I just made worked fine, although they could probably stand to be a little wider, too.  The owl already came loose so I'm going to have to reattach it in a new way.

Finally, I'm happy with the flap, but I need to attach it to the bag at both ends.  Lots of choices for this.  Buckles? snaps? a button? slot and tab?  We'll see what happens.