A Stellar Announcement

*This blog post includes affiliate links

Yesterday,  Swoon Sewing Patterns released yet another great pattern to its already marvelous collection of PDF sewing patterns! Let's all give a warm welcome to the Stella Weekender Bag ! As many of you have probably already guessed (due to many blog posts featuring a Swoon project), I really am in love with all things Swoon! This pattern is no exception! I became a Swoon pattern tester about a month ago, my first tester project being the little girl's cardigan. Stella, however, is my first bag to test, so she is extra special!

So without further ado, let me introduce you to Stella (well at least my version of Stella)!

Front Pic

Back Pic

Isn't she amazing??? The evening I finished her, I just sat and stared, hardly believing I had actually made such a bag! Trust me, it wasn't like I just snapped my fingers and presto, there she was! This girl takes work, but as you can see, the end result is kind of worth all that hard work. :)

So what makes Stella so special? Well let's put her under the microscope. Stella is full of some serious interfacing and stabilizer! Her exterior pieces are reinforced with fleece, while her lining pieces are reinforced with a lightweight interfacing. Her handles and bottom are reinforced with Peltex, a seriously wicked stabilizer. Before attaching the lining to the exterior part, I actually snapped a picture of her insides. Poor Stella would be so mortified. ;)

She definitely has plenty of body! Can I be biased and say that my stitching looks pretty darn good, even on the inside?!?!?! :)

On top of excellent structure and form, this girl is fully lined.  

I LOVE the chocolate polka dots!

She has carrying options. If your hands need a rest, throw her over your shoulder with her removable strap. I added a nice shoulder pad to my Stella, which I purchased from Strapworks.com. This is also where I purchased her strap loops and swivel snaps. Strapworks is the place to buy bag hardware (and straps of course)! Seriously, you won't be able to find better deals!

Another fabulous feature of Stella is all her room! She definitely has enough compartments to hold all you need for a quick weekend getaway or the necessary essentials to carry on your flight in case the worst happens: your luggage fails to make it to your vacation destination. Stella is also the perfect size for a roomy diaper bag. Who says diaper bags can't have style??? I packed my Stella with some perfect weekender/travel essentials just so you could see how roomy this girl is.

Speaking of room and compartments, does this girl have pockets!!! Stella is the queen of pockets! She has pockets on the outside and pockets on the inside.

She has an exterior zipper pocket,

cargo pockets (my first time making!!!),

open pockets (inside and outside),

Inside Open Pockets

Outside Open Pockets

and even side pockets.

After such an impressive resume, are you really that surprised by her name? She really is out of this world great!

Now, I must be honest with you. This bag is not a simple project. If you are looking for a quick afternoon project, Stella is NOT your girl.  Stella takes time, patience, and determination. My suggestion is to tackle Stella in parts. Spend an afternoon (or two) cutting out all her pieces, another fusing all that interfacing to the fabric, and another (or two) putting her together. Take your time and enjoy the project, keeping a mental picture of the beautiful finished project in your mind. And honestly, if you can get past the cutting and fusing, you've accomplished over half the battle. Putting her together is the fun part! Don't be intimidated! I have only been sewing for a little over a year and look at my Stella! The instructions to this pattern are so clear and detailed, and the accompanying illustrations are an added bonus! You really can do this!

So what are you waiting for??? Go visit Swoon Sewing Patterns today and pick up Stella ! Make yourself a weekender bag that everyone will be talking about! Make one for someone on your Christmas list!

Material Credits:

Exterior fabric (Home Decor)- Premier Prints Traditions French Blue/Brown (purchased on fabric.com)
Interior/lining fabric (Quilting Cotton)- Spot On II Polka Dots White/Brown (purchased on fabric.com 

Pellon Products-
Pellon 971F (Fleece)
Pellon 911FF (Lightweight interfacing)
Peltex 71F (Stabilizer)

Hardware and Notions-
Magnetic snaps (cargo pocket closures)-Jo-Ann's 
Zippers-purchased from http://www.etsy.com/shop/zipit
Strap loops, swivel snaps, and shoulder pad-purchased from strapworks.com