Tiny Waxy Pouch

Here's a small hip pouch I just made out of some mystery waxed cotton that Waxwear sent me instead of the #10 canvas I ordered. I think it's something like a 8oz nylon-cotton fabric but I'm not sure.
So this is a no-binding design, which is kinda fun. If someone wants to know the secrets of this type of pattern, I can write up a little instruction post. Lemme know. This type of pouch is real good for cell phone pouches 'n' stuff.


You have to have a seam at the bottom of the pack if you want it to look neat at the corners where the flap folds...unless you know black magic or something.

6x5x2

Waxed Cotton!

I remember back in 2001 or two when Timbuk2 still offered waxed cotton as a standard option for their bags. I was finally gonna buy one so I could carry records to my college radio show. It was either going to be the waxed cotton or the brand new shiny ballistic nylon. The ballistic was the hot new option at the time--not the standard fabric for T2 as it is these days--so I went for that. And I've regretted it ever since. Aaaaah. Nooo. Actually, I wasn't too happy with T2's design (especially their poky cam buckle) so I ended up making my own messenger bag instead...thus giving birth to Leif Labs. Woo.
Anyway, back to point. I finally got my hands on some waxed cotton after years of searching (lazily). It's from Waxwear, aka Herbert Rice Fabrics, Inc., in Maryland. And I want to thank John McBomb and Adam (from Zugster Bags) for so graciously sharing their source. I'm pretty sure I even went to the Waxwear site long ago but never realized you could order fabrics from them. Ha. Anyway, you can. And there's only a five-yard minimum.

So, behold! the first waxed cotton bag from Leif Labs.
And it's a small and simple one. 16x10", 12x4" bottom. Lined with 1000d Cordura nylon.
The cotton is 10oz after coating. This is probably the lightest you'd want to go for a bag. Bigger bags will need a boot, definitely.


Just the basics.
And that's a floating liner in there.


And here's the pattern. Feel free to use it. Find more info on sewing your own bags on the Website: LeifLabs.com.

End of an Era

These are the last five bags lined with Sunbrella acrylic you'll see from Leif Labs. I bought twenty-something yards of Sunbrella about two years ago, and while I still have some Sunbrella pieces cut for wallets, as far as bags go, I'm out. Woo woo. Most of these bags will be available at Maude Vintage, downtown Columbia, Mo.

What's the next specialty fabric at Leif Labs, you ask? Waxed cotton. Yeah!


15inchers.

Megan!

22incher: 22x14, 15x7 bottom. Right shoulder. Adjustable shoulder pad.


Shout!

10.5.

Prizes!

Here are some prizes I made for the 6th Midwest Bike Polo Champeenships in Dayton, Ohio. Columbia sent a team up...but I didn't go 'cause I was in Austin. So it goes.
These're the first prize bags I've ever made and I think they turned out pretty well.

This is about as detailed as I get when It comes to appliqueing. My zigzag machine's just way too clunky. It probably doesn't help that I use N92 thread to do it. Ha. I'd probably need a machine from the 20u family if I wanted to do anything finer...but I don't really care to. Ha.

These are 22inchers, 22x14, 15x7 bottom.
This blue/silver colorway reminds me of a pair of underwear I had when I was a kid. Ha.

Hip packs. So convenient. I just got back from a trip where I used my hip pack every day. You'd be surprised by how much crap you can stuff into one of these. They measure 9x5x2.


Wallets, too! Boy oh boy.

And buttons! I have a button maker from Badge Parts, in Wisconsin. They make the best button makers, hands down.

Leif Labs in Austin

[photo: Jess A.]
Look at that hip pack in action.

Road Trip

I just got back from Austin, TX, and this was a gift to our couch-surfing hosts, who turned out to be super cool. Yeah!


15incher lined with Sunbrella. I only have like four more Sunbrella bags left and then I'm done with my stock. Sweet.