It’s finally here! More for Christmas than for Thanksgiving as planned, but I don’t have a lot of control over my life right now. :) I hope you’ll still love it!

I wrote a little bit about why I wrote this pattern on the product page:

“You know I am all about travel these days, and three trips ago I swore I was done with carried carry-on. When heading to Sydney last time, somehow I ended up with a nice wheeled boarding bag (yay!) and a giant, awkward duffle/tote thing that did not attach to my suitcase (boo!) so I still ended up carrying a heavy bag with my DSLR and a ton of other stuff. I knew standing in LAX back in September that this had to be my next pattern.

Heading home, I left behind my cute little wheeled boarding bag so I could take my larger carry-on with me next time. I didn’t take much home so even with room in my suitcases, there were still things I couldn’t check, like my laptop and medication. I put my laptop in my big Daytripper and grabbed a reusable bag for the rest of it. I liked the concept of traveling light, but I needed a bag with some structure and a zipper and most importantly a designated spot for my liquids bag. And it most definitely needed to be compatible with my luggage AND be a great tote on its own.”

The straight sides make it easy to maneuver through a crowded airport or airplane aisle while perched on top of your rolling luggage. If you don’t plan to fly, simply stitch the bottom of the sleeve and use it as a pocket! The shape also prevents the bag from being top-heavy.

While the top zip is secure, the open wide feature makes it easy to find everything inside. It’s simple to insert but looks completely professional, with super detailed photos and instructions leading the way. If you’ve made a Gadget Guard, you’ll recognize the technique and fly right through it. If you haven’t, you’ll be learning a zipper technique you can apply to any bag!

 The size is not too big (so it won’t be uncomfortably heavy when full) but it holds a lot, and you can probably get away with it as your boarding bag or personal item. It will take you from car to plane to work to the gym. Or you could just make four!

I don’t want to spend ages on a bag and then put it on a dirty airplane floor, especially when I decide to “travel handmade” three days before! I kept the design as simple as possible to save time and fabric. I show you how to make it with the usual quilting cotton + fusible + foam batting, but you can reach for the home dec and save time by not fusing, or skip the foam and use batting from your stash. Whatever you choose, it will be amazing! And as you’ve come to expect, there are some neat little tricks, like how to attach this set in bottom:

My favorite feature is the front zip pocket. I typically have meds and contacts in my 3-1-1 bag, so it must be secure! When I’m not flying, my phone and wallet claim that spot.

This bag was made possible by my amazing testers, who are using their totes as diaper bags, work bags, teacher bags, and of course, travel bags!. Ten amazing ladies who jumped in and made their bags in less than four days, after I’d promised the pattern would be sent to them weeks ago. They caught an excessive number of typos and their encouragement was so incredibly helpful! If you’re interested in sharing with these fantastic people and many more, head on over and join the Facebook group. We have an inappropriate amount of fun. <3

Check out the rest of the photos and get the Takeoff Tote
on sale for $10 through Christmas!

So there you go, you finally have a new pattern that you should be sewing!! :) Will you make one for yourself or for a gift? What will you use it for?

FYI: Fat Quarter Shop has flat rate international shipping now, so I asked Bob to send me some pictures for a giveaway. More on that in the next post. :)

Thank you!!
Erin, Bob, and the puppies!