Build a Bag - Adventures in sewing (and lots of pinpricks)

If you have been following my journey so far, you will know that we are in the process of moving to Barbados on their Welcome Stamp visa. We have been delayed, but it does look like it will be happening soon.

With the looming move approaching, we have been trying to minimise everything that we are planning to take, but we have also been looking at large bags so we can fit everything that we do want to take with us.

Most UK flights allow 23kg as standard when you fly to Barbados, but you can have up to 32kg for an additional fee. They also have max dimensions for a bag of up to 90 x 75 x 43cm (35 x 30 x 17in) so we were looking for a bag as close to this as possible so we have the best chance of using the maximum allowance.

Try as I might, I couldn't find bags that were anywhere near these measurements. Any bags that I did find were only slightly bigger than the standard bag I already have and were over £100.

Since I have some sewing skills (I have made a few corsets and dresses in recent years), I decided it couldn't be that hard to make a holdall-style bag close to the maximum dimensions. But would it be cost-effective?

I found some heavy-duty fabric online and seatbelt material for support/straps and it would be less than £80 for two bags, plus a bit of my time. So the new project began.

I started by cutting the fabric to size I went a bit smaller than the regulation size just in case they reduce it before we fly. I also wanted to include a flap that would cover the top zip section as added protection so it was quite a long section of material. Good job my lounge is long enough. Luna is my constant little helper.

I then cut my smaller pieces for the sides and top.

Once I had the pieces ready I pinned them and then used my sewing machine to stitch everything together. Each join was stitched three times to make sure it is nice and strong. I don't want it exploding and all my stuff spread around the airport when we arrive at the other end. That would not be the welcome I wanted after all this time planning!

After the main body of the bag was together I added a seam to the lid to make sure it wouldn't start fraying. It didn't look like the material would do this but I just wanted the added certainty. I did it the wrong way to begin with, but it turned out alright in the end.

To add more strength I ordered some seatbelt material to make the straps and loop under the bag. In my head, this would be a quick easy job but in reality, it was a wrestling match with the material...and to be honest, the material nearly won! There was just such a large bulk of material that always seemed to be in the way or in the wrong place, but we made it work and got there in the end. In hindsight I should have added the handles before making it into a box shape, as it would have been easier to manoeuvre through the sewing machine. But, after lots of pricked fingers, internal screaming and some brute force, the straps were attached. Hooray!

The material had arrived in some lightweight but strong plastic, so I wanted to reuse this as a sort of lining. I also wanted to sew some of the seatbelt material around the bag to help support the bag and any weight on the seams. I did this at the same time. More pinpricks to the finger, but much less wrestling.

The last step was to put the zip into the material for the lid. Something I had never done before so was a bit of a learning experience, but I managed it and then put it into the top of the bag. I made sure to get zips that would meet together and could be padlocked together.

It's now all in one piece and ready to be packed. At least I know there won't be any other bags that look like this at the airport and we will be able to fit as much stuff as we need inside.

Now it's time to take everything I have learnt from the first to make a second one.

Luna seems (seams?) to approve judging by her quality control inspection sleep...