The Podium by ChrisW Designs

I hope you already joined the Bag of the month club, because the first pattern is out!  This is a unique style and relatively fast to make (versus Chris's last year offering of the Factotum and Mini Facto which was totally awesome but SO MANY pieces!!)  You can still join at any time during the club run (now until June 30) and whenever you join, you get all the patterns that have been released up to that point.

I told him not to blink...

I had the opportunity to test for Chris again, but December is SUPER CRAZY, so I'm a little behind and didn't make the cut off for the release on the blogs.  I tried to make it, but between my screws not being loose (stripped them), having trouble deciding on my fabric (so many choices!) and catching up on sleep this last week...I'm just finishing today!  This one is super fun, but I'm more of a Rebel instead of an Imperial so it's going up in my new Etsy shop!

Interior has another fun print!

There are several options for the handles on this bag, and my first choice was for edge connectors, but my screws were slightly too big, so after I stripped them and spent an hour trying to force them to work, I went back to the drawing board.  Since I had punched holes already, that limited what I could actually use to attach the straps.  Fortunately I have some oval grommets in my stash (yay for the stash!) and once I psyched myself up to cut a big hole, they look awesome!

Oh there you are strap!

The hardest part of this bag was the oval bottom (I think I despise oval bottoms...but they look nice).  I ended up using a million clips to get it in place, then stapling to keep the vinyl exterior from moving around.  With the lining, since I used fabric, it only need a million pins and then it was all together.

Slip pockets, slightly washed out

Zip pocket, darker shot...

Once you make it past the bottoms, it all comes together smoothly! The inside has a zipper pocket and a divided slip pocket, and the outside has the giant phone/keys/snack pocket!

For your phone...or keys...or a snack...

There are instructions even to do cutouts or other fancy things on the bottom edging, but since I was trying to get it finished, I only punched some decorative holes.  They blend in with my vinyl and fabric choices (I knew I should have gone with hot pink or teal!  Or maybe not) but I think it's a nice extra touch that makes the bag look even fancier!

Love the bling from Emmaline bags!

The Tula Pink waves fabric was a perfect match for the Storm Trooper, I should have stocked up on it!