The Dayna Pack
I’ve spent the last 2 months doing almost nothing but sewing masks, so when one of my mask customers asked if I made fanny packs, I jumped at the chance to make something different!
I gave my customer a few choices of fanny pack patterns, some I have made, and others I haven’t, but which seemed like they would be easy enough, from posts in the various Facebook sewing groups I’m a member of. He was most interested in the Dayna Pack, by Linds Handmade, so I purchased the pattern and was off running.
This pattern lends itself well to a variety of materials. My customer requested the bag out of solid black cotton, which was simple enough. The pattern offers advice on creating the bag out of any mix of cotton, leather, vinyl, or cork. Using all cotton, I opted to interface everything with Wovenfuse, a favorite interfacing of mine. The pattern didn’t call for it, but I also chose to add a layer of Thermolam for a little added structure. It’s still a very floppy bag, as intended, but the added fleece makes it feel like you can hold more than keys without it falling apart. For my next time making this bag, I’m thinking to try using some of my faux-leather for the exterior of the bag, and I imagine it will go together well.
The pattern description does not lie – it truly is a quick and forgiving sew. I spent more time cutting out the pieces than I spent sewing the project. I didn’t time myself, as sewing with a toddler around often causes disruptions, but I definitely feel like it took me under 2 hours from tracing the pieces onto my fabric to adding the final (optional) rivets to the finished bag. It’s a very straightforward sew, and I would imagine any confident beginner would do well making this bag.
As written, the pattern fits waists approx. 36″-52″, but the beauty of self-made items is that you can sew a shorter or longer adjustable strap based on your needs! The adjustable length also allows the pattern to be worn as a waist bag, or as a crossbody bag, as that’s one of the current trends for fanny packs these days.
The bag holds my cell phone, my keys, and a small card/coin pouch without issue. The pattern could easily be modified to add credit card slots to the inside of the bag itself. The pattern also includes information for how to print the pattern at a smaller size, if you’re interested in “mommy & me” style bags.
The true test of a bag pattern for me is how anxious I am to make my next one. The Dayna Pack pattern definitely gets high marks. It was a quick and easy sew, it uses materials I generally have on hand, the cost to make is reasonable, and lends itself to a price point which customers will hopefully also find reasonable. I have ideas for more of these bags, and I’m hopeful that I can sell them fairly quickly!