It always takes me a bit longer to sew up a bag, but in the end, the results are usually worth it. My latest make, the Wayfarer Sling Backpack is a great example – this project took me several days to sew (although I had some distractions in between that drug it out as well), but the end result looks professional and it’s certainly going to be fun to wear.

So, let’s dish on this pattern! For starters, there are 2 versions of the Wayfarer – the original (which is the pattern I made) and the Wayfarer 2.0 (which is larger, has 2 different styles to chose from, and can be worn as a sling or as a backpack). I opted for the original because the size was much more along the lines of what I needed and less “backpack” like (apparently the 2.0 can hold a small laptop). There are LOTS of pieces to this pattern, but several are optional (the interior pockets) which I wish I would have known before I cut and interfaced them (as I didn’t add all the pockets and card slots, more on that later).The pieces go together well and the directions are easy to follow and I liked that there is the occasional tip or trick to make things go smoother. One thing that I should point out is that all of the bag is “birthed” – so the finished edges are sewn (and not bound) and pulled out through pocket openings. I had seen people saying how difficult the birthing method was for this project, but I’ll be honest, it wasn’t that bad once you got started (since I used vinyl, I expected it to be hard to turn) and I like the way it looks over binding (because my binding is generally less than stellar). In the end, I opted for style 1 (with one zipper opening), the pen\notebook pocket and mesh pockets (both of which can be found when you unclasp the side buckle). I omitted the card slots (because chances are I’ll have a wallet to put inside and the padded gadget pocket (I wasn’t sure my big phone would fit and probably wouldn’t take the time to use it anyway).

Because it’s almost Halloween, I decided to use this fun Pastel Horror print from Zor-Elle and go completely OVER THE TOP – not only did I use coordinating splatter zipper tape and webbing, rainbow hardware (including a Ghostface and Jason Vorhees zipper pulls), and a “whipped avocado” vinyl that has just a hit of sparkle.

I realize that using vinyl on this project was a bit ambitious – it is a lot more difficult to work with, which probably drug out the time it took to sew this bag up. But overall, this particular vinyl “behaved” pretty well and isn’t too thick, but you can expect to have permanent holes (that you can’t close with heat) if you use pins or make a mistake. The webbing, on the other hand, was much more difficult. While it matches perfectly, it’s MUCH stiffer and thicker than any other that I’ve worked with so stitching over those areas was a little more difficult. In fact, it’s so thick that I couldn’t even topstitch the D-ring at the top of the bag down. Thankfully it’s so thick it just stays in place anyway.

Overall, I’m VERY pleased with this bag. It’s fun, functional, and just the right size for hands free shopping\hiking\going out. I would definitely make this bag again, but I think I’d like to try the 2.0 for when I need something larger (like traveling or for Taylor when she goes to work), too.