Pattern Review: The Dorothy Day Tripper from Swoon Patterns

Last week after I got all the unpacking and organizing done in my sewing studio I was so excited to finally sew something. This is what I made… a gorgeous Dorothy Day Tripper bag from (Paco Bean) now Swoon Patterns.

Here is my little one all ready to help me get busy. I picked out some oilcloth (laminated fabric), which made sewing it a bit trickier, but I love the way that stuff holds up and looks pretty for so, so long. This oilcloth comes from Tula Pink’s Parisville collection. I accented it with some polka-dot Robert Kaufman cotton that I used for the handles and the piping. 

This pattern is very well written and easy to follow. The clear instructions are accompanied by lots of diagrams.

If you decide to make this bag, be prepared to get friendly with your zipper foot. You’ll learn how to use it to make piping and then to apply it. I love the snazzy touch that coordinating piping adds. 

Because oilcloth is a fairly firm (although not thick) materiel all by itself, I decided to forego most of the peltex (ultra-firm stabilizer) that the pattern asks for, only using it for the bottom panel and the handles. I still stabilized all of my interior lining pieces using HeatnBond Craft-Fuse Medium. Remember, stabilizers make the bag!

I absolutely love the huge interior pockets in this bag.  I can’t wait to use it for holding all of my toiletries the next time we go on vacation.

But for now, I wanted to show it off so bad that I put a few sewing supplies in it and set it in a nice prominent spot in my studio. Yay!

Now go and check out this and all the other adorable patterns at Swoon Patterns!

xoxo,