A Train Case for Train Trip

In August, I am off on a new adventure which is a cross country train trip on Amtrak.  This will be a round trip from Atlanta to Washington DC to Chicago to Denver.   That is three nights going and three nights coming back - six nights on a train!  We got the Roomette, which is a small compartment with two large seats during the day, and an upper and lower berth at night.

Can't wait!


So in this month's issue of Sew News  (June/July 2017) I saw a Sew-Along for train cases, and of course what could be more perfect for my trip?  

I was a little disappointed that in addition to buying the magazine, I also had to pay $9 for the pattern online. Then I spent another $21 on fabric, zipper, interfacings, fleece batting, and Fuse-N-Shape. Therefore this HOMEMADE bag cost me $30.  So I'm not saying its a bargain because I could have bought a nice case for much less than that.

Oh well...

Here is where the pattern is available:  Crimson and Clover Train Case Pattern

And here is my finished (medium size) case

And yes, I failed to think it through when cutting it out and cut the print SIDEWAYS.  (I was intent on making sure I cut the top piece and handle just-so, so that I could highlight the "Paris"on the print, and never paid attention to the rest of it.)

Although I've made lots of bags of different types, I wouldn't say this was the easiest one I ever put together.  By the last few steps, you are sewing together so many layers that you can barely fit it under your presser foot.  Fortunately I have my heavy-duty mechanical Singers to do the job, but I imagine some lower end new machines couldn't hope to sew those thick seams.

I thought it was cool to find this pattern for a train case right before embarking on a real train trip.  Yeah, I could have bought a similar cosmetic case for $10 less, but then I wouldn't have had the fun of messing up my sewing room to make this!