Shortly before Christmas, I was contacted by the husband of a dear friend with a special request: to make his wife a new lunch bag for him to gift her for Christmas. My friend is a maker herself; she crafts beautiful minimalist jewelry and I am (no joke) her best customer - go check out her shop on Etsy, but be forewarned, there is no way you can browse her creations without at least one piece magically appearing in your cart.

I have a good sense of M’s aesthetic, so I knew I wanted to work in denims or linens and her hubby was kind enough to send me some pics as inspiration. We worked to together to settle on a boxy shape and I set about searching for a pattern that would be well suited for our needs. I settled on the Kismet Trinket Box pattern by Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness. I’ve long admired Sara’s bags but had yet to try one of her patterns, so I opted to purchase the pattern and an accompanying video tutorial. Although Sara’s pattern was clear, well-written, and included full-color photos, it was helpful to have the video to accompany me through my own sewing process. I selected the largest size rectangular box, some herringbone denim, and a vintage metal zipper I had on hand and got to work.

Comparing my first attempt and my final version after adapting the pattern.

When I finished the piece, it turned out to be to small to be well-suited for it’s future as a lunch box so I bravely attempted to adapt the pattern on my own. I’m so happy to report that my redraft worked wonderfully and is the perfect size for M to tote her lunch to and from her job as a middle school teacher (sorry, I wrapped it up for gifting and forgot to take final measurements… oops.)

I used metal zipper I had on hand from Zipit Zippers, Essex yarn-dyed linen in nautical for the exterior, a Cotton + Steel print for the handle, and a Loominous print from Anna Maria Horner. I used both Pellon fusible fleece and Shape-Flex 101 to give the bag it’s structure and body. I love that this bag is fully machine washable since it’s meant to stand up to daily (and potentially messy) use.

I hope that it’s being well-loved and used this school week! Such a privilege to be involved in this sweet couple’s holiday gifting!