You can always sew a few fabrics together and make it into a bag. But you can dare and bring into the mix your own design. It's more fun, more special, and more yours. It feels really good when you make up your own design. So how you come about it?
Say you're afraid to make your own designs, and you're always using other's designs. I don't just mean the pattern, but the design itself, on paper or in your head. Whichever way you decide to lay it out, you will get the sense of bag designing.
I don't know how others do it, but like any other thing I write about in my blog, I share with you my methods, my way of work. You can either choose to follow my tips, or bring up ways of your own, which I would adore. Because that's what I want you to receive from my blog. The ability and courage to design your very own bag from scratch; from the design idea to the sewing itself. So this time, I'll share with you the process I do when I design my own bag.
First, I really recommend buying a notebook, or a block to sketch your designs. Not just the one design you're thinking about. This will be your permanent sketching book. It will include all your ideas. Not just the ones you're about to make, but also any inspiration you come up with. If you're in a store and seeing a bag you like, you can be inspired by it and draw your inspiration in that notebook. Keep it beside your bad, next to your computer, etc. everywhere you think you'll have design ideas. I have so many notebooks, it's crazy. Most of the designs in them, I didn't even make. It's an ideas notebook. Say you want to make a bag and can't find a design, it'll be easier if you have storage of those designs. I keep a notebook near me all the time, because I come up with designs all the time. Sketch even the designs you don't know how to do. You might come back to those designs after a while, even years, when you'll finally feel like you're able to make those designs you didn't know how to make then.
That's the first tip. Now for the designing itself.
Say you're blank right now, with no design ideas. Check out the tips posts for how to find inspiration for designs, I write a lot about that subject, which I think can be VERY helpful for you. But let's start from the blank paper. You can choose the order of aspects of your design. It's not set in stone. This is how I'd go about it:
First what I'd do is determine the shape. There are so many options, and I'd like you to play with them. Use your imagination. Find your inspirations.
Now I can decide which I want: one strap at both sides, or 2 handles, in the front and in the back. Here's also an open door to be creative. Like, you can add the handles rings. If you do, choose the best size, shape, color, etc. every little detail will contribute to the design. That's just an example, of course. Look at other bags to get some ideas, so the design will be more special. There are countless designs for each bag detail. Just step outside the box. Might take time, but I trust you'll do it in the end.
Now you have the start of the bag design. Remember, I talk on paper obviously. Before you even start creating the bag.
Now you can fill in the bag design – the front and the back, sometimes the sides, depends on you.
You can decide you want to add a pocket on the front. Again, use your imagination to find the most original way to make the pocket, because again, there are many kinds, shapes, with different closures, with decorative elements and more and more. Plan each details with details, know exactly what you want (of course you can regret and reconsider things in the middle of work, I do it. But it's good to have a sense of idea of what you want. Drawing it will be very helpful, so you could see and understand better what you want, and how it looks like).
I say, leave out the fabrics you want at the moment. I'll get to that later. But you may also start from the fabrics and build the design around it.
Now you can plan the other details. Like, are there rivets? Are there more decorative rings? Are there visible decorative seams? And so on.
You can think about lines, panels, cutting then sewing back, and the place they'll be in… say you want pleats, and usually it's better to make a strip piece at the top that hides the seams you make the pleats with… you can decide making the strip a little different – its shape, its location, size, etc. This is a very good chance to be creative and invent the wheel.
After deciding how the front design will look like, think (and draw next to it) about the back side of the bag. If it will be the same as the front, or different. If on front you want a pocket, maybe the back side won't have any.
And how will the sealing and dimensions look like? Is it gonna have boxing? (that case, you'll have to make the pattern with consideration of that). It is gonna have a gusset? Rounded base? And so on.
You'll have to decide on the bag's closure. Not any closure will fit any design. If it's a zipper, choose the right method for it (there are many methods for zippers tutorials in the blog!). Be aware of the fact that sometimes you wouldn't be able to add that kind of closure, because of the design itself (you'll understand once you figure out the design).
Decide how the lining will look like. Will it have pockets (and what kind)? String for keys? And so on.
Now that you get the design you want, you need to make sure you know (or WILL know) how to make it. Think about every stage (you can also write it down so you won't get confused or forget!), how you will make it, in what order. And of course make sure that you have or will buy all the elements you want in the bag.
When I started designing bags by myself, I wrote down a list next to the bag sketch. I listed the materials I'd need, the quantity of each piece I'd need to cut out, the order of work, and all the side comments I needed like the measurements. Now I can work without all that, now it's all in my head and very obvious to me, I work without thinking as much as I used to back then when I was making lists.
Make sure you have the right thread colors and enough of them. If it's a specific kind of fabric, make sure you're able to sew it at all. And of course make sure you won't have trouble doing something. If something is too thick, for example, you wouldn't be able to sew it without the right machine and equipment. Run everything through your head and be positive you have all the tools to make the bag you want. You wouldn't like it if you start a bag, then realize you can't do something and be stuck in the middle, or even have to throw everything away. That could be a huge waste of money, and you don't want that!
You can draw each detail that's important to you, and make sure you understand your drawing – i.e. what you mean by each thing you drew. You can draw darts to make it easier for you to understand. Write comments in the corner of the paper, like:
- "Magnetic closure",
- "Nickel rings"
- "Decorative seam"
- ""Red fabric"……
Even notes like: "This thing should be sewn to that place, and 5" under that thing".
Like that. Especially things that you can't draw or see in the sketch.
Now you can choose the fabrics. Make sure the combinations work (your choice only!), that the lining fit the exterior. You can pick the kind of fabric you want to use. Choose the threads you want to use. You can write this all down, so the picture will be clearer for you. Remember that it's for you only, so you're the only one who will need to understand. So make it clear FOR YOU to understand.
Don't forget to pick the fabric for the handles/straps too. And more obvious, make really really really sure you have enough of the fabric you want to use. You may write down the measurements of each piece and the bag itself. You may write every color or fabric you want to use, on the drawn pieces.
I also like breaking apart the pattern pieces I want to make. Their shape, the quantity I'll need to cut out of each, etc. All that I would include, to make life easier.
Now you can start planning the pattern and the pattern pieces. This is not the designing process, but it is the next phase. Then you can, of course, start cutting out the pieces, and putting it all together into a bag of your very own design. And this is how I do it. It's hard work, but less than you think. You just have to remember to include every detail whether it's on paper or in your head. You can buy tools and hardware by the designs you want. So it's best to start collecting those things, and make sure you always have them in your drawer, cabinet or wherever. If you have everything you need, not only for one particular design, you'll get a more free hand to design what you want, and being able to actually make it!
I recommend going through all my tutorials, tips, and articles to help you design your own bags better, with no fear of trying new things. So you will start making new bags and people will come to you for designs.
Start designing! 
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