Remi Bag

I travel quite often, and I’d been on the hunt for a bag that could hold my overnight essentials and my gym kit without resorting to a suitcase. When I came across the Remi Travel Bag by IThinkSewBags on Etsy, I immediately thought it looked like it would fit the bill perfectly.

I found some fabulous fabric from Emma at Poppy Bear Fabrics. It’s always so helpful how she shows which fabrics work well together, which made choosing a coordinated set really easy. I also had some leather-look vinyl in my stash for the bottom of the bag, along with fixings recycled from old bags (I’m very glad I never throw anything away!). Everything worked together perfectly.

This bag was actually made during a couple of days away sewing with a friend, right in the middle of Storm Ingrid on the Penzance seafront. With the weather raging outside, it was the perfect excuse to stay in, drink lots of tea, and sew. The Remi Bag was a great project for a sewing break away—engaging without being overwhelming.

I did struggle a little with the leather look vinyl, but I found that switching to my leather/vinyl foot made a huge difference. It helped my machine glide smoothly over the fabric and gave me a much neater finish.

Overall, I found the instructions well written and easy to follow. The bag has so many pockets inside and out, which is fantastic for a night or two away. That said, all those pockets do mean there are a lot of pieces to cut—fabric, lining, and interfacing—so the cutting stage does take some time. Luckily, our Airbnb had a lovely big table and plenty of space, which made the whole process relaxed, chatty, and fun.

All in all, this is a really practical and well-designed travel bag pattern, and one I’d happily make again.

Here is the link to the bag if you are interested in making it

 https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1104338378/remi-travel-bag-pdf-sewing-pattern