Another oilcloth lunchbag makes its debut...

Lunchbags.

We all need them.

And there's something really stylish about oilcloth.

So put them together and here is the latest Sew Selena designed lunchbag creation.

I don't get bored with using oilcloth because it gives such wonderful results.

Mind you, you have to make sure you know where you're going to sew because you really only get one chance - there's no unpicking with oilcloth because it makes holes that will be there for ever more.

 The sides have velcro on them to keep them from splaying open at inopportune moments.

It also has a strap fastening to keep errant sandwiches in their place.

It's really quite spacious in there.

Lined with clear PVC to make it easier to deal with spillages.

 I haven't made a lunchbag for a while now so it's always interesting to revisit my notes on how to make them.  After much tweaking I'm pretty happy with this design.

Next...

Lunchbag recipe

I'm not sure why but sometimes I confuse the colours pink and orange.  I know that it's pink but my brain says 'orange'!

In the same way I sometimes use the words 'patterns' and 'recipes' interchangeably.  So I thought I'd devise a little recipe for making a lunchbag:

Ingredients

- floral vinyl tablecloth
- clear vinyl
- thread
- velcro
- time
- stitch unpicker

Method

Cut up floral tablecloth to desired size and then make handles and strap

Add a sprinkling of velcro to keep the strap secure and the sides from gaping open

Using copious quantities of thread and time, mould the tablecloth into a lunchbag

Repeat for clear vinyl lining

Insert lining into outer and secure with yet more thread

If at any time you are unhappy, use the stitch unpicker - it's very therapeutic

When you are 100% satisfied with your creation, go and make yourself a cup of tea - you deserve it!

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And here is one I prepared earlier:

Next!!

Grace lunchbags

I have a thing about lunchbags. 

Actually, I have a lot of 'things' about a lot of things!

The reason I made it? 

I couldn't find a lunchbag that would keep a tupperware container up the right way. 

So I made one.

Why a lunchbag?

I take my lunch with me here, there and everywhere.  Being able to do the food on the go is really important to me.  And a bit of floral styling never went amiss either!

So I put the versatility of oilcloth to good use by creating the Grace lunchbag:

The inside has been lined with clear vinyl tablecloth to make it not only easier to clean but also to make it much stronger.

And I've used velcro to fasten the top and sides to keep everything exactly where it should be!

I made this bag for a friend but I can't wait to make one for myself now!

More lunch bags!

I never realised what a huge array of differently coloured and patterned vinyl tablecloths there were available - a whole new world of 'fabric' out there just waiting to be utilised!

So I made a couple more lunch bags - tweaking the design a little here and there as I went.

Every time I create something, I always make a note of how I've made it in the event that I want to make another one.  You should see all my scribbles for this design LOL!

 This lunch bag was made a bit larger than my previous design in order to accommodate a specific lunchbox.

New to this design is a wipe clean inner - the tablecloths, by their very nature are kinda soft and fluffy on the inside.  Not really conducive to leaky tuna mayo.  Not that this one should tip up, mind you, but just in case.

I also made an orange and white lunch bag too.

Told you there was a lot of different tablecloths out there!

Velcro on the top of the sides prevent the bag from gaping.  I learned that one as I went along!

And with a lunchbox inside.

*Roadtest results* - polka dot lunch bag

You may remember that I went up to London for lunch with some friends last week.  It was great to see everyone again!

The lunch bag itself held up to being carried across London - the tupperware container and all its contents stayed the right way up.  There were no spillages of any description whatsoever <grin>.  The handle was comfortable and just the right length.  The velcro strap between the handles worked well to keep the bag closed.  And I loved the polka dots!

But surely it wasn't perfect first time out?  Well, not perfect, no, there were a couple of things that I would alter slightly for the next version...

So what have I changed already?

I've added some velcro at the top inner corners to prevent the bag from gaping open or the cottage cheese tub from skittering about on top of the container.

What would I change for next time?

I'd make sure the bottom was a teensy bit more solid.

Anything else?

Oh, I might just line it with more tablecloth fabric to make it wipeable inside and out.

And I'd love to make it with proper oilcloth in the future and see how that feels to work with. 

You'll be sure to hear about it here when I've had a go :)

Oilcloth (ish) polka dot lunch bag

I'm going to lunch with some friends in London on Saturday - I can't wait! 

Whenever I've been up in the past I've always taken a tupperware container of food for the trip home as it's a long journey.  But by the time I've come to eat it, it's been spread out all over my bag/main bag/anything else that gets in its way.  The container had shuffled around, tipped over and dumped its contents liberally throughout my bag.  Not a good look.

I hadn't found the 'right' bag to carry it in either.

So, with my new-found enthusiasm and polka dot tablecloth fabric I set about designing a lunch bag that would do the job - keep my food up the right way!  Copious research proved fruitless so I had a go myself.
 
Using baking paper I figured out how best to carry the tupperware container and made a miniature prototype first - just to make sure it worked out ok!

Here's the resulting lunch bag with the container inside it already:

The view from the side:

The interior is quite large too:



The top gaped a little so I added a velcro strap to keep it together.  The velcro was repurposed from my daughter's old school book bag - it's perfect for this project because it was bright red - you don't see red velcro very often!!

I throw nothing away LOL!

Early results indicate that it not only keeps my lunch up the way it was intended, but it's also large enough to hold other food/items too.

I'll let you know how it goes on Saturday!