Sewn: Noodlehead Cargo Duffle Bag

Undoubtably, one of the best things to have come out of the pandemic for me is that I have had the time and inclination to do more exercise. Last year I was using the Fiit app which was a series of workout videos that you could access from home and was very good. Recently though I have signed up to a private gym and health spa. Obviously, I needed to sew myself a gym bag!

The Cargo Duffle Bag is a free pattern by Noodlehead. After reading several reviews, I decided to make some minor amendments to the design:

• I didn’t have any use for external pockets, but knew I wanted some internal ones. Although I have loved the zipped ones that I have seen (such as on Coconut Robot), I just wanted a couple of large pockets to pop my hairbrush and deodorant in. I just added a piece of the jellyfish fabric to the lining and sewed vertically in place.

• I really wanted a couple of key clips - one for my gym fob and the other so I knew exactly where my car keys would be. This was just a loop of ribbon secured into the seam. I feel like I need these in all my bags now.

I don’t know if at misread the instructions but other reviewers were saying that it wasn’t lined. However, once you sandwich your outer layer (mine was a thicker upholstery weight fabric) with the batting and inner lining fabric, you do have a lined bag, albeit with unfinished edges. These can be dealt with by the judicious use of bias binding. 

I was toying with the idea of making the depth of the bag larger but I didn’t and I didn’t actually need to have - it is the perfect size for my towel, pool slides and a change of clothes. 

One thing I didn’t do was add any batting in the two pieces that flank the zip - I couldn’t really see the benefit of requiring the thickness.I also got a bit bored doing the quilting so I made the fact that it only goes halfway up a, ahem, feature! 

My fabric was a purchased at a market in the south of France a couple of years ago, and the lining and binding was some old bedding. 

A great pattern, but not the easiest of sews in the main due to the thickness of sandwich that you need to pass through the machine. 

Love Mrs Jones x