Cross My Body Bag - my new favorite!

 Several months ago I was contacted by Chris Welsh of ChrisWDesigns about making one of her bags to share with my followers.  As I looked through her designs I noticed that she had a pattern for a cross body bag that was just what I was looking for, so I accepted her offer of a free pattern.  I love that she has the patterns rated by difficulty on her website!  This bag is an intermediate level, and as I have experience in making bags, it was a good fit for me, and I had no issues making it. Though I have to say that her instructions are so thorough, I would not worry about trying this one even if you don't have a lot of experience in bag making!

This bag is super cute!  I used an Island Batik fabric that I purchased from my local shop, plus lining and accent from my stash acquired as an Island Batik Ambassador!  

The notions were chosen from Missouri Star Quilt Company and included in my first Affiliate box. (Use my affiliate link to save $20.00 on an order of $50 or more - perfect for stocking up on bag hardware!)

Anyway - back to the pattern!  I loved that the pattern was so well put together.  It is a lot of pages, including some templates to print for the shaped pieces.  The advantage of a pdf pattern like this is that there are pictures for all of the steps, so you never wonder if you are understanding the directions properly.

This pattern includes three different pockets, one of my favorites is the cell phone pocket.  It's interfaced with fleece to protect your phone and is deep enough for larger phones.  There is also a fun hidden pocket on the other side of the bag, plus a zipper pocket on the inside.  I find that three pockets are plenty and keep me from endlessly searching pockets to find what I'm looking for!

I used my iPad to read the directions as I sewed, and it worked great!  There is also a video tutorial that is quite helpful and informative as well, it's like taking a class with Christine and you can see exactly how all the steps go together!  Definitely adds a ton of value to the pattern.

This bag takes a variety of hardware.  I couldn't get rivets, so left those out and just reinforced the stitching at the points where they were suggested. (I fell in love with the iridescent zipper and swivel hooks, they look so cool with my fabric!) 

 The adjustable strap is great for the bag, so you can make the handle the length you want!  

The stabilizers all work great to give the bag just enough body - it feels sturdy without being bulky and stiff.  Part of the reason I liked this bag was because of the quilted exterior, which is really easy to do with marking and quilting instructions included.

Though this bag doesn't look large, it holds an amazing amount of stuff!  I like the recessed top zipper, as well as the hidden pocket - I used this bag while traveling and it made me feel secure that my belongings were safe and secure.

The hidden pocket is perfect for keeping my keys and important pieces of paper in!

The Cross My Body Bag was a hit for me!  (I have several people hinting that they would love for me to make them one!)  I have my eye on a wallet for my next project, or maybe a nice messenger bag!  There are so many great patterns to choose from, and now that I know how great Christine's patterns are, I can't wait to try another!

Thank you, Christine for the opportunity to try one of your great patterns!

Check out ChrisWDesigns to see more of her patterns - you can start sewing today since they are pdf files!