Even though you wouldn’t guess it from the book’s title, there are a few projects in Oliver + S Little Things to Sew that can be made for both kids and adults.
The messenger bag is one of them. The pattern for this bag comes in two size ranges: small and large. The small size (the one with the yellow trim in this photo) makes a super-cute school bag for preschool and elementary-school aged children. The large size bag (with the blue trim) is perfect for older kids and adults.
We could easily have published the pattern and instructions for this project as a stand-alone Oliver + S sewing pattern. It features the sorts of little details you’ve come to expect from us: an adjustable strap, an inside pocket for pens and pencils, exterior pockets with small flaps to secure the pockets’ contents, and bias bound trim.
You’ll also like the way it all comes together. The construction is quite unique, and you can customize the bag by adding the closures of your choice. Maybe you would like to put snaps or Velcro on the pocket flaps or a buckle and strap on the large top flap. You can also leave it plain, as we did in these photos, which allows the contents to be easily accessed while still keeping them secure.
This is the large sized bag, which is probably still a little too big for our tall five-year-old model. But I can tell you it’s the perfect size for grown-up you. It can easily fit a laptop, a few books or files, and still give you plenty of room left over for other items.
After you make the small size messenger bag for the little one in your life, I bet you’ll want to make the larger one for yourself.