It might be love at first sight!
So as promised a couple of weeks ago (in my mid year update) – this week is all about the Acacia Crossbody Bag. Since I finished her a few months ago, I’ve been using my Acacia as my main handbag. She’s small and compact but with plenty of pockets for all my necessities. And you know how I love pockets! I have to admit my Acacia Crossbody is fast becoming my go to bag.
The Acacia Crossbody is a pattern by Bagstock Designs. I’m fairly new to Namrata and Bagstock Design’s patterns. But if you love bags, then you should definitely check out her website. Namrata has designed a large range of bag patterns, from backpacks to clutch bags. I’ve already purchased and made a start on the Meraki Backpack and the Trailblazer Convertible Backpack.
I don’t know why but I’ve recently found a new love for backpacks. I think it’s because now they are designed so differently compared to my old school backpacks. And Namrata’s backpacks definitely come under the banner of new and exciting designs. So when Namrata released the Acacia Crossbody bag earlier this year, I was really excited. And my first thought was to make an Acacia to match my Meraki Backpack that I’m currently working on. And what makes it even better is that the Acacia is available for free!
There are a few things that it might be worth noting about Bagstock Designs’ patterns. Of course the best way to get to know a designer is to try one of their free patterns. They will always create their paid for patterns and their free ones in the same style. Eg photographs vs drawn pictures, how in-depth their instructions are, how well they explain each step. Bagstock Design patterns use photographs and are very well explained. So I would definitely recommend her patterns to beginners, particularly the free ones. And not only are the patterns clear and easy to understand but there are also plenty of video tutorials. Plus a lot of the videos have been created by famous bag maker Jess OklaRoots!
I think the thing I love the most about my Acacia Crossbody is the fabrics I’ve chosen. Who doesn’t love bees and honeycomb? The cotton honeycomb fabric I used is from Spotlight. And the Navy Marine Vinyl I purchased from fabric.com. Luckily I still had enough left over from my Meraki Backpack to be able to use the same fabric. I also purchased two bee twist locks from Etsy which I just love. Picking the right hardware definitely makes a difference. It can elevate a bag from plain and novice to professional and advanced. Of course I’ve chosen Gunmetal black. Which I think was the right choice! I also recently purchased some Sallie Tomato Zipper Tape. I used this for my main zipper compartment and just love how chunky and sturdy my zipper is.
The Acacia Crossbody also gets a special mention because it is the first vinyl bag I’ve made on my HD9. For the most part she sailed through the thick vinyl areas. Not only that but the Acacia Crossbody featured as a PedlarCreative Sewing Circle project! In the end it was just Kelly and I that could make it to these sessions. But we did have a lot of fun! The Acacia is aimed at advanced beginners. Probably because you do need to make 3 different types of pockets (2 zippered). It also requires some hardware. I think Kelly was grateful for my help and advice along the way. If you would like to join us in the next sewing circle project check out my facebook group. The more the merrier I always say. And as for my Acacia Crossbody – I couldn’t be more in love!
