Smmit Pack by Pattern Cloud Splitter - Oshosh B'Gosh Color Scheme
As I was looking for sling bags and backpacks, I kept seeing these adorable Summit Packs in lots of colors combinations -- with so many people making these bags, it tells me it's a good pattern at a good price. For $7, I went ahead and bought it to try it out. In truth, I think all the zippers on the Wayfarer Sling have me a little stymied, so this one will give me more practice on zippers. And I get to use fabric from my stash!
Remember, I still have my fabrics and color combos laid out from the first forays with sling packs.
Ideas for color combos:
Oshkosh B'Gosh and red bandana denim
Since this fabric is leftover from an earlier project,I had just enough of the denim to eek out this bag. Plenty of red bandana fabric left.
Black Pear with gold flair
I'd still like to make on with this combination. For fall harvest season.
I'll call it the Abundance / Plenty Bag!
I was most impressed with how Cloud Splitter did the pattern pieces. Because it's designed as a pdf pattern that you print at home, the pattern pieces have to fit 8-1/2 x 11 in sheets of paper. So some larger pattern pieces needed to be taped together. All the pieces are labeled with a letter of the alphabet, and when the pattern pieces needed to be pieced together, they were on consecutive pages, so you didn't have to go hunting for them. She also included clear instructions of what goes where. Clearly, this is not Cloudsplitter's first pattern! A+ for that.
The longest step was probably cutting out all the pieces, because you need exterior, lining and stabilizer layers for almost every piece. Be sure to watch the pattern pieces, because it will tell you if the pattern piece/fabric/stabilizer needs to be face up or face down (mirror image). Label the pieces when you get them cut out and keep track of what's what. There are additional square and rectangular pieces that are not included in the pattern pieces. They are listed , though. I cut them out of recycled brown paper bag, so I will have them for next time.
After that, I made it one step at a time in the evenings after work. I wish I would have taken pictures to show the progress as the layers came together. I think I cut out all the pieces on Sunday, and had a finished bag by Friday evening. ;-)
Over all, I really like this bag. ;-) It's a good size, and I like the compartments. It will be a good bag for bopping around town doing errands. Not quite enough pockets for me to go back to work on site, though.
What would I do different next time?
Back of Cloud Splitter's Summit Pack
The zippers (4 of them!) were not hard as long as you follow the directions step-by-step. The new things for me was the fabric zipper stops and cutting a hidey-hole for the back zipper. I didn't quite understand how that was going to work -- You don't actually cut away any on the exterior fabric. You cut the slit, then fold it under to make a space to reveal the zipper. Some of the lining shows through. If I were to do it gain, I would use the red bandana fabric for that lining pocket instead of the white. The method/technique she shows in the pattern works out quite well for this type of "you're-slip-is-showing" zipper pocket.
Since I am just delving into making bags, I used the generic multi-purpose zippers I could buy locally (at Walmart and Joann's), instead of the wider-tape purse zippers the pattern recommends. I think I would use the recommended purse zippers next time, with 2 zipper heads and a bigger pull. Using the thinner ones required a few small adjustments to seam allowances and fitting the pieces together. I also cut the zipper cover strip a little thinner so there wouldn't be so much overhang with the fabric. No biggie. I am concerned that the zippers I got locally won't hold up to regular usage, though. They seem a little lightweight. We'll see ...
Instead of foam, I recycled padding from a mattress pad. The layers didn't hold together very well when cut to shape, even after I fused it to the pattern pieces. So I think I'd do a little more quilting to hold them together next time -- Otherwise, the amount of padding seems fine.
I would also probably use webbing for the lower part of the strap instead of the pinstripe denim (in fact, I might still swap that out) -- I would also make it longer piece than is recommended in the pattern because I like to wear it more as a cross-body and I need a little longer length for that. Also the denim was a bit thick with so many layers at the end of the strap.
Because I prefer to wear it cross-body at my left hip, seems like I could also make it in reverse, so that the zipper pockets on the front come up on the opposite -- so they are facing up (skyward) when worn on the left hip. That will be my next task to reverse the pattern pieces for a left hip bag.
That SF101 fusible stabilizer can get pricey--and this pattern requires 4 yards of it, so I might look for an alternative stabilizer. It's a fine cotton fabric with fusible attached, so I'm guessing the cotton is what makes it so pricey.
If you are interested in making this bag, there are several resources for you (aside from the pattern).
There are multiple renditions of The Summit Pack in various fabrics and color schemes. See the Pinterest board devoted to Cloud Splitter's Summit pack.
Many bloggers and YouTubers have chronicled making this bag:
Chatterstitch did a 3 part series on her blog about making the Summit Pack.
eSheep Designs also blogged notes about her experience making the Summit pack.
Blue Pond Ave demos making the Summit Pack in a practical 2 hour video if you need / want more guidance.
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