Today I noticed...Sometimes it is easier than it might look!

I have been reading and watching tutorials. I have made note of the different ways folks go about making a square Dopp Kit type bag. You know, the kind that is sort of square-ish. They have a zipper across the center of the top and usually have a handle or loops or something near the ends of the zipper. It is a pretty typical bag for a guy.

I have seen all sorts of sizes and all sorts of methods for putting one together. Today, I finally took the leap and gave it a try. I used some scraps left from a project completed earlier this week. I wanted it to be pretty simple, yet, still be personalized. 

I had noticed several zip pouches and bags that had the busiest part of the pattern on one end and I wanted to try for that look. I had just the right scraps from a couple of bandanas left from the tote I finished yesterday. So, I dove in and used those. I lined it with the same bandana fabric that I had used for the tote as well. It is a pink background with boots and hats and horse shoes on it in browns and hot-pinks. 

I had the zipper work done and decided at the last minute that I would personalize it with one of the granddaughter's name. I used pink thread for the embroidery to match the zipper and the bag lining. I set it a bit off-center as well to continue onward with that decor on one end concept. I sort of wish I had just centered it on the bag but I still like it that way as well. 

One thing I would definitely do differently for the next attempt is that I would make the loops on each end lots shorter. I didn't have the perfect piece of ribbon to stitch on as a zipper pull. So, I stitched some chocolate brown rick rack onto a piece of pink twill tape and attached that as the pull  It really set the zipper off and finished it well.

Just like my finishing up a tote bag yesterday, completing this cute boxy rectangular bag really encouraged me to want to give another one of them a try. I have ideas about how I will adapt the steps with different measurements and create different sizes of this type bag.

Sometimes when I am uncertain about how to do something, I drag my feet and overthink things. I think that is what I did with this design. I'm glad I finally just dove in and gave it a try. It was far easier than it looked!