Ack! It’s already time for the first detailed post from our Spring 2014 collection – the Whole Shebang!

First, we wanted to tell you where the name came from. This was the first bag we ever designed, so it has a special place in our hearts, and we also had many, many, many talks about what this bag should be able to do. Finally, we decided it should be able to do ANYTHING, and so the “Whole Shebang” concept was born. We have made Whole Shebangs that have served as gym bags, diaper bags, beach bags, market bags, and light overnight bags.

We also wanted to design a bag with so many customizable details that you could sew it over and over with completely different effects, and we think we achieved just that.

The Whole Shebang is a large multipurpose totebag with fully customizable outer and inner pockets, top or side straps, optional zipper closure, side ties or snaps, optional piping, and keychain clip. The finished size is about 14” x 20” x 10”.

Here’s a rundown of the fun choices you can make. You can choose a pieced band at the top, or straps that attach at the top of the bag:

Or a plain rectangular band at the top, or straps that attach on the side of the bag:

You can add ties on the side:

Or snaps on the side:

You can add a keychain inside the bag:

Or outside:

You can also choose to add a zipper panel (or not!):

Here’s a shot of what the interior with the fully customizable inner pockets might look like:

The outside pockets are all also fully customizable to hold whatever else you want quick and easy access to:

You can also add a sweet piping detail along the top of the outer pocket (shown above) and along the top of the bag:

The bottom of the bag and the lining feature a fun boxed detail, and the cardboard/mat board bottom makes it nice and sturdy:

And here’s what the Whole Shebang looks like in beautiful, shiny laminated cotton:

The possibilities with this pattern are truly endless. You can mix and match materials, patterns, and options to your heart’s content to make the perfect totebag for yourself or a loved one. The PDF pattern has 16 pages and over 40 color photos, and you can buy it via instant download in our Etsy shop or our Craftsy shop for only $9.

We hope you enjoy this versatile bag and pattern as much as we do. We have already successfully gifted several test versions to our family and friends – the ultimate test of a good bag, in our eyes!

As always, if you have any questions or comments about our patterns, we would be happy to hear from you. And please send us any pictures of your finished Whole Shebangs, because we would love to see and share them!