A big bag

Starting school always means buying stationery. Which I love. On day one of my course I trotted to class with a small A4 sized pouch containing a tin of pencils and erasers, a visual diary, and my course book plus a roll of butchers' paper.

For class two I'd added a tackle box with extra supplies inside and an A2 pad of cartridge paper as the list of necessities grew. I'd worked out a system: messenger bag across my body (as always), A2 pad tucked under left arm, with pouch balanced on top and roll of butchers' paper balanced in hand. Right hand carrying tackle box and water bottle.

I left class three with a list of more things to get for class four. I could balance the extra things on my head. I could go buy an expensive ugly folder thingy from the art store. Or I could be a good little Design Fundamentals student and design myself a free solution.

I chose the latter option. Introducing my new art bag:Made of black drill from Stash Mountain. Originally I planned to have the outside pocket in a contrasting pattern (and maybe create a lining in the same fabric) but decided to keep with plain black as it would go with whatever I was wearing. It's designed to hold an A2 sized pad, which supplies the stiffness to keep the bag in shape.

The front pocket is the perfect size to hold an A4 visual diary, and is ideally positioned to be able to grab the diary at a moment's notice. With one hand, if necessary.
Inside, on the edge closest to the body, is a pair of elastic straps: one to hold that pesky roll of butchers' paper, the other for the 60cm steel ruler that's on my list and which hasn't arrived yet as a friend has offered me his for free. The straps are positioned so the paper and ruler stick up just behind the bag handles, out of harm's way.Finally, because I'm guessing the bag's going to get a lot of use, there's double and triple stitching galoreplus the whole thing's completely machine washable.

I'm feeling quite chuffed. Especially as I suspect my sewing mojo may just have returned after a prolonged absence...