Making a DIY Courier / Messenger bag

Having made some straps, hats, frame pads, a hip pouch etc. I am gonna venture into knocking up a Messenger bag.

I am just about to make a basic large sized prototype. It is on the cheap. I am going to use an old advertising banner, some seatbelt but no fixtyres/fasteners, liner or edging.

I will be using the size and dimensions of Archies Theo bag. I have also come across the Seagul bags site where you can make custom bags up and gives in depth descriptions of all of the add ons.

Lets see how it goes then I am going to expand and make a serious bag!

What if there is glue in between the cordura and liner on the flap though?
Wouldn't this get wet and then sticky / smelly / weird?

depends what glue surely

finaly sorted out my industrial machine (singer 111g) :) the wiring was in a bit of a state so I have replaced it all and am running it of an rcd just in case. Will get a new motor for it a some point. I was actually pleasantly surprised with the motor - its noisy but no where as difficult to control as I was lead to believe (its an old clutch motor) - after 5mins practice I can make it creap along stitch by stich pretty much :)
The foot lift on it is huge - can fit masses under it - soo much easier than with a domestic machine.

Does anyone know a good place to buy digital camo fabric? Looking to make a pouch, but shipping costs from the US are way too high for the small amount I need.

Just finished my homemade bag. it's pretty basic, just one layer cordura based on one of the designs on the first page of this thread. However, it feels pretty solid and didn't end up costing much - i used buckles and straps from an old ski backpack, and bought cordura fabric velcro and nylon thread for a total of about £20. Put in a couple of simple pockets on the inside, on that i shoved a bit of foam inj as some back padding. It is pretty basic, but i guess it shows its more than possible to make your own on a normal home sewing machine with limited sewing experience!

that's a nice bag!would u make one for me? :-D

looks good mate :)
one comment though, if you want to make it waterproof I would recommend attaching a floating liner to the inside. ie just sew it round the rim of the flap/bag. PVC coated polyester is a good choice and can be picked up reasonbly cheaply (under £10/m)
That way water cant wick up the thread and into the bag when it gets wet :)

that's a nice bag!would u make one for me? :-D

haha thanks but I don't think I've got the time or talent to start making them for other people at the moment!

looks good mate :)
one comment though, if you want to make it waterproof I would recommend attaching a floating liner to the inside. ie just sew it round the rim of the flap/bag. PVC coated polyester is a good choice and can be picked up reasonbly cheaply (under £10/m)
That way water cant wick up the thread and into the bag when it gets wet :)

Thanks mate, I was a bit worried about waterproofing, but I've got one of those waterproof bag liners like people use for camping and stuff so I think I'm just gonna chuck that in on rainy days. I think sewing in a liner would definitely be what I would do if i ever make a better one though!

I just finished making this:

Thanks to everyone posting such useful stuff in this thread, it was fairly painless for someone with pretty much no prior sewing experience. Unpicked a few things and there's some messy stitching but... it's a bag.

good job!

Hey yo here is a link to my current courier bag makings.
No Sense Needed

More to come... been super busy with these at the moment and keep refining the design every batch I do.

I'm just putting together the materials to 'upgrade' my current bag. It has the perfect buckles + straps for me but doesn't have any waterproofing or durability, so I'm hoping to swap these over onto a new main 'body' that I'll make myself out of PVC.

What thread should I use for the best durability? I'll be hand-sewing so could I go for something quite thick and nylon, but what weight do you reckon is best for PVC? Or something crazy like dental floss?

sail thread - v69 as a minimum.
Hand stitching might be tricky to provide a strong enough stitch - you would generally want a lockstitch (this is made using 2 threads)

Ah, I was afraid of that. Although it's gotta be better than my current bag which is slowly peeling apart each day. Just wish I had the money for one of yours!

you can just about get away with v69 in a domestic machine - more so if its an old sturdy metal one, rather than a modern plastic one....

OK, bought some V69 and V92. If I can't get hold of a sewing machine, or there are places where I can't get the machine into, what stitch would be best? Cross stitch and go over a couple of times?

you should be able to make do with a sewing awl I believe with that you can do a lockstitch and it will allow you to get into hard to reach places too.

something like this should do the job (albeit slowly) : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAIL-REPAIR-Sewing-Awl-Awning-Yacht-Leather-Canvas-/270946700171?pt=UK_Crafts_Leathercraft_LE&hash=item3f15ae8b8b#ht_4387wt_1342

Made a quick paper model to work out the dimensions. As I'll be hand-sewing would it be an idea to glue the seams first with something like bostik and then sew to keep the seams straight?

Looking at the second picture I reckon that top corner where the front flap starts might cause a problem. The angle looks quite severe and the PVC would probably tear quite quickly though opening and closing. Could I avoid this by folding over the edge and making a hem in the corner?

Edit: think I answered my own question by looking at others' creations. Seems I need to make the line from bag to flap smoother, al la this: http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/19959d1263242813-b.jpg

Looking to start working on some bags and products and could use some recommendations on sewing machines. Something affordable, small with enough punch to take on denim and leather. Any recommendations, or even sellers?!

Hi all,

Sorry for the unrelated post, but this might be of interest to some of you... I'm an assistant producer based in London, and a freelance director is shooting a short 5 minute documentary at the start of February. It's basically a 'slice of life'/expose on life as a cycle courier. The idea is that many people in London use cycle couriers, but nobody really has an insight into what life as a cycle courier is really like, or has any idea that there is actually a community of cycle couriers who work in London, like on this forum for example. It will be a cool, short, really nicely shot little film, and streamed on Vimeo. We need a courier who is enthusiastic about what they do, and keen to star in a short film, who we would shoot over the course of a single week during February. You wouldn't even have to miss any work. If anybody thinks they might be interested or wants to find out more, please contact Daniel Garcia on daniel@connectedpictures.com, or phone 07867 417550

time to dig this one back up. i have some trouble with edging tape, seems like a pain to stitch it clean. any of the more experienced sewing crowd have some tips on how to do it right? what width do you recommend, elastic or non elastic tape? maybe there are tools to streamline the process?

any help is greatly appreciated.

yeah i know, no one cares but what the heck: i managed to sew my first hipbag a few weekends ago and it came out ok. allthough i fucked up massively on the outside edging, need more practice..

http://oi39.tinypic.com/nvab89.jpg

The edging is always a chore. Good work

Anyone still making bags?