Pattern Review: Beverly Beach Bag from Pickle Pudding

I don't make a ton of bags, mostly because I can't ever figure out what I'll do with them.  But Christine is so sweet and she said "hobo bag?" and I was like "me please?"  This was a good decision. 

Christine's story of the creation of this pattern made my eyes well.  The Beverly Beach Bag was named in honor of her mother. And as if making a gorgeous pattern in her honor wasn't a beautiful enough gesture, Christine is donating all proceeds from purchases for the first 48 hours to the American Diabetes Foundation.  

So not only do you get an amazing pattern, but you support a great foundation as well. 

The details:
Beverly's Beach bag is a hobo type bag where the straps are cut out of the same piece as the body. 
The pattern comes with four sizes: bitty, small, medium, and large
And two strap options: cross body or regular.
Multiple Pocket styles
Fully reversible
Inner and outer pocket

Sewing time:  about an hour from printing to filling with your stuff!


So first came the large, and it was the night before playgroup, so it was going to get tested rather rapidly. 

Picking fabrics is one of the BIGGEST struggles I have -- I want things to *pop* but not look awful together, and I think I went through 7 different combinations before I decided on this one.  For this first bag I did the cross-body strap -- it takes a little more fabric than it would to do the shorter strap, but I actually love the cross-body option for tossing all of the kids' stuff in for playgroup or the park.

I carry this one on Tuesdays and Fridays since that is when we go to playgroup at the Y and I pack snacks, drinks, change of clothes, diapers, etc...   For daily use though, its a little big for us...So on to the next two sizes.  Christine didn't say we had to do them all during testing, in fact, I *may* have been assigned a size and decided I really liked the pattern and kept going... 

I've been hoarding the fabric for this next one for months trying to decide what to use it for...

 And then Inara decided she needed one too ...

So after she took over an hour picking out fabrics ... (hmm... maybe it's genetic?)

Here is the Medium with rounded pocket option and short straps

And the Bitty with rounded pocket option and short straps. 

And here is what they look like when you flip them...


Inara has decided she likes the blue on the outside better... I'm still trying to decide with mine.

She also takes this purse everywhere... it's really the perfect size for a little girl.

Don't ask about the pose.  I have no idea.  It's her new go to pose.  Can you tell she dressed herself here too? 

And then last, but not least, I decided to whip her up a size small that she could take with her on days when she has more stuff to pack into her purse.  I wonder if I'm too old to rock a princess purse?

Here is the size small.  Perfect for longer trips with little girls, OR people who don't have a million things in their purse.  This one has the small rectangle pocket and short straps. 

I asked Justin to help us take some "action" shots... most of them are <facepalm> worthy, but this one is my favorite.  She was showing me the treasures she collected.

The pattern is available here in the Pickle Pudding Etsy Shop.. .and totally worth it for all the options that come with it.