Pattern Testing-Retro Ruck-Sack

Don't you just love it when you achieve a first? This time its pattern testing. The Retro Ruck-Sack from Radiant Home Studio .

I came across Sara's site the beginning of March, while I was on a "blog browsing session" and saw she was enlisting pattern testers. I pondered a wee while, wondering if she might want me and thought "what the heck, dip your toes"- she said yes! (as I wouldn't be writing this!) 

Received the PDF and once printed I spent sometime just reading and familiarising myself with the details- I do this with most patterns - confession sado time - I love nothing more than taking a cuppa and a pattern (or two) to bed as reading material - okay, not quite 50 shade of grey, but darn good reading fodder! tell me I'm not on my own on this past time? 

So I've not actually worked from a download pattern before, "tick" for another first. Straight forward enough though, each piece links together by a bit of simple letter & number coding- bit of sticky tape and way you go.    

I went with a Retro fabric of lime/yellow with Mini Cooper's, a laser cut leatherette as contrast and a soft black n white polka dot cotton for the lining. The additionalities/ hardware stuff I collected n (pilfered) along the way, which meant that I spent time jumping from one part of the pattern to another   

The inner lining went together in a flash; it comprised of inserting an internal zip pocket- not sure if I put the final construction in the wrong way! as this pocket is dead deep inside.

Internal zip pocket 

There's also the option of inserting a partition panel- and as I was testing the pattern I thought it only right to complete all of the components

Inner partition pocket

The squaring off of the internal liner gave a great shape.

The outer shell took a little more thinking about, as I mentioned earlier, I probably didn't help myself by flitting from one stage to another. I think the hardest part was inserting the side panels to get a square finish, but after some head scratching and logical thinking it came together just fine. 

A mobile phone slips great into the external side pockets, which are nice 'n' deep to keep it safe- but they are a little snug to then get your hand in and retrieve...I might cut the pocket a little wider and feed some elastic through the top to overcome this. 

Side pocket 

Finding the hardware proved frustrating, local suppliers didn't carry much stock and too impatient to order, improvisation or resourcefulness meant nabbing curtain rings for the strap feeds, so now I have bedroom curtains that sag at the ends of the pole!!!   

The strap itself was taken from an old holdall that we don't use the long shoulder strap to. I cut off the padded piece and inserted a strip of the main fabric 

Back view 

This is a lovely bag with some great features. Used fully extended, it easily takes A4 folders ( I've had 3 ring binder types in and a notepad) For work I use it with flap over as a lunch bag and had lots of complements. The possibilities  to create different looks are endless. Highly recommended and have fun. :)) xxx