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I hadn’t sewn a bag for a long time when Minerva* offered me to sew one of their new Redwood tote bag sewing kits*.
I chose a colorful canvas and I also got all the paraphernalia associated with sewing bags.
- Noodlehead
- Toile
- Doublure
- Entoilage
- Fermetures
- Anneaux en D
- Mousquetons
The Redwood sewing kit
No need to panic over the sourcing of d-rings, zippers, and many other things for that bag, everything is included in the sewing kit.
Howvere, you can add or susbstract things e.g.if you already have thread and denim needles.
Everything is included:
- Redwood pattern
- outer fabric (canvas)
- cotton poplin as lining
- interfacing (+ sturdy base)
- thread
- heavy-duty needle pack
- hardware (D-ring, lobster clasps, zippers, sliders)
The fabrics are Minerva exclusive prints*. All of these are heavyweight canvas, but you can choose whatever type of fabric you want.
The Redwood pattern
I had already sewn one of Noodlehead’s pattern, named Making.
This time, I went with a tote bag with some extra added.
Made exclusively of a collection of rectangles, it’s a dream to sew. You can carry it with its short handles or use it as a cross-body bag.
It has one zippered front pocket, one slip pocket at the back, one zippered main compartment, and a slip pocket inside the compartment.
Depending on your choice of fabric, that bag will stand up on its own. It’s amazing!
The instructions and diagrams included in the booklet are clear and thorough.
My Redwood knitting bag
I didn’t really remember which fabric I had ordered. I was happy to see vibrant and cheerful colors when I unboxed my kit. It’s called Magic Garden*.
I cut the paper pattern pieces even if I could have skipped this step since the dimensions of all the rectangles pieces are given (but I don’t trust my skills!). Paper tags are provided to label each type of pieces. That’s very useful since some of the rectangles look alike.
The Redwood pattern is a good introduction to sewing bags.
Be careful with the layers: depending on your choice of fabric, you may have troubles with your sewing machine. I placed some double-cap rivets on my short handles because my sewing machine couldn’t handle all of the layers involved.
My Redwood tote bag contains a lot of yarn spools, needles, book, and other knitting stuff. It’s easy to grab and go.
It’s also the right size as a handbag.