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You are here: Home / Bags / The “Manly Poppins” – a DIY Camera Bag

The “Manly Poppins” – a DIY Camera Bag

December 3, 2013 by Jodi 17 Comments

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

Do you sew for your man? I must admit that I don’t very often. We planned this project so long ago, that I can’t remember if he asked for a camera bag, or if I offered to make one. But at some point I did promised and then it took an embarrassingly long time to follow through. (Sorry, honey!)

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

The goal was to start with my Mommy Poppins Bag pattern (available here!), but “man it up” and outfit it for a camera bag.

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

This “Manly Poppins” bag is made of waxed canvas (my DIY waxed canvas experience is detailed here) with genuine sheepskin leather accents. The interior is lined with foam padding with foam inserts for customizing the camera gear arrangement.

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

Materials: waxed duck cloth (heavyweight canvas), sheepskin leather (from Brettuns Village)
Pattern: The Mommy Poppins Bag Pattern
Modifications To Pattern:
* stabilized with fleece instead of Peltex
* leather straps
* exterior pockets removed
* side seams moved (see below)
* facing added to interior top edge
* foam padding (see below)
* Velcro attached dividers (see below)
* widened (2 inches) cross-body strap

Cross Body Strap - Sew Fearless.com

What say you? Has it been man-ified enough?

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

At this point, I kinda wish Andy didn’t like it, because I am all sorts of in love with it.

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

I’m sure he won’t mind it if I borrow it every so often…..

Adding Leather Accents to a Mommy Poppins Bag

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

(I’ve already covered how to make the leather/belting handles in a previous blog post. )

Adding leather accents to the Mommy Poppins Bag did necessitate a change in the bag side seams. The original pattern has seams running up the four corners of the bag sides. For regular med- to heavy-weight fabrics, this doesn’t pose a problem, but the leather would be too bulky for a crisp corner, and stress might cause tearing of the leather with use. So I removed the side seams.

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

To remove the side seams, I eliminated the Side Panels and added their width (minus the seam allowances) onto the Front/Back pieces. Clear as mud? Let me try to explain how it works.

In the totally crappy sketch below, I’ve laid out how the exterior bag sections are attached.  To eliminate the Side Panel (and thus the corner seams), first remove the seam allowances on the widths of the Side and Front/Back Panels. The seam allowances are crossed off in blue in Step 1 below. Then split the Side Panels in half vertically (step 2), and add them to the sides of the Front/Back Panels. Finally, add back the seam allowances to the Front/Back Panels (step 3). The same process is followed for combining the Side and Corner patches.

how to remove side seams - seafearless.com

In short, the width of your Front/Back Panels changes to {[Original F/B Width]+[Side Panel Width – 1″ seam allowance]}, and the Corner Patches are extended another { [Side Patches Width – 1″ seam allowance] / 2 } inches. Note: Because the seams were removed, there is no longer any exterior pockets.

Padding the Mommy Poppins Bag To Make A Camera Bag

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

If you want the functionality of a camera bag, without the commitment, you could always make the standard bag lining and use a camera bag insert for your bag. Some fun DIY options here, here, and here.

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

The bag lining starts off with the same pieces as in the pattern. I sewed horizontal strips of the soft “loop” side of Velcro to these.

DIY camera bag, foam in lining - SewFearless.com

I created pockets for 1/2 inch thick foam inserts, by backing the lining pieces with pieces of muslin. The foam came up the sides of the bag 5 inch and was cut 1/2 inch shorter than the bag in all other dimensions.

DIY camera bag, foam in lining - SewFearless.com

The “pockets” were sewn closed after the foam was inserted.

DIY Camera Bag Dividers- SewFearless.com

For the bag dividers, I cut three more rectangles of  foam – 5 inches by 7 inches, tucked them into fabric pouches and sewed strips of Velcro “hooks”.Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

Waxed Canvas and Leather "Manly Poppins" Camera Bag - using the SewFearless.com Mommy Poppins Bag pattern

Have you ever sewn a “Man Bag”? What pattern did you use?

Filed Under: Bags Tagged With: bag, camera bag, diy, mommy poppins, mommy poppins bag, mommypoppins, pattern, sewing

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. SeamstressErin says

    December 3, 2013 at 3:23 pm

    It’s gorgeous!!!! Well done!

    Reply
  2. diane stanley says

    December 3, 2013 at 9:39 pm

    I am pretty sure this is the most amazing bag, for man or woman, that I have ever seen. You did an incredible job on it and it is worth it’s weight in gold, for sure.

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      December 3, 2013 at 11:17 pm

      Well, you certainly know how to make a gal blush. Thank you. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kristy says

    December 4, 2013 at 3:38 am

    Fantastic bag – I’ve been eyeing off this pattern for a camera bag too so I’m glad to see your successful version. The leather accents are very manly, although I saw some lovely red leather the other day that would be perfect for my own. Thanks for sharing your changes

    Reply
  4. Melissa says

    December 4, 2013 at 9:34 am

    Gorgeous! And smart to add pockets to hold the foam.

    Reply
  5. anita says

    December 5, 2013 at 1:14 am

    Got to go back for sewing, tnx for inspiration 🙂 great idea

    Reply
  6. Charity says

    December 5, 2013 at 1:18 am

    I am hugely impressed! I love the leather accents, and you did an excellent job ‘manning it up’. A camera bag is something I need to make myself… mine came with my camera, secondhand, and is truly ratty.

    Reply
  7. liza jane says

    December 7, 2013 at 9:19 am

    This is amazing!! Very manly indeed. I love how you made the dividers customizable. Really well done.

    Reply
  8. lynne says

    July 30, 2014 at 4:53 pm

    looks amazing. i didn’t read closely but did you find the leather on the bottom still bulky to sew? or was it a thin leather? i’ve been thinking of making a leather-bottomed bag but assumed it would be best to do it in one piece, like maybe sew it on after the bag was complete? and just maybe take out the corners to sew up the sides? is this making any sense? haha.

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      July 31, 2014 at 11:53 am

      yes, it is a think leather, a sheepskin. On top of that, I eliminated a few seams. The fewer seams the better. I would apply the leather to the bag while it is flat though.

      Reply
  9. L says

    November 22, 2014 at 2:18 pm

    Hey there,

    Beautiful Job! Did you use a 14 inch tubular purse frame?

    Thank ya kindly.

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      November 22, 2014 at 2:49 pm

      14 inches, just as the pattern specified. 🙂
      https://sewfearless.com/patterns-and-tutorials/the-mommy-poppins-bag-pattern/

      Reply
  10. t shirts custom says

    May 20, 2015 at 6:20 am

    Thanks for the marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed reading it, you’re
    a great author.I will remember to bookmark your blog
    and will often come back from now on. I want to encourage continue your great writing, have a nice morning!

    Reply
  11. ENM says

    February 25, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    Wow I really wish I could buy this bag its so perfect!

    Reply
  12. Charity says

    November 1, 2019 at 11:40 am

    How much leather is needed for this?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Tiny Sewists: Teaching Kids to Sew :: Lesson 6 | says:
    April 29, 2014 at 8:03 am

    […] to guest for the Tiny Sewists series.  Jodi has some great pdf sewing patterns, makes amazing bags, and has recently embarked on a journey to tackle her fear of sewing pants for herself.   […]

    Reply
  2. How To Shop For Leather - Sew Fearless says:
    June 2, 2015 at 1:27 pm

    […] ordered a sheepskin hide from Brettuns Village to make the “Manly Poppins” bag. It was a very very lightweight leather, which made it easy to sew, but it unfortunately was not […]

    Reply

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