The Crutch Bag Project – Some Side Panels?

Now that the Front and the Back are cut out I ponder whether or not I need to add in a side panel. My instinct is telling me to do it but I’m not so sure. I don’t have enough bag experience to unequivocally say to myself “yes…you need a side panel…” but I have made a number of tote bags…and own another number of those Green grocery bags that get picked up every now and then. Those seem to have a side panel, at least the ones that open out wide enough to actually allow groceries into them!

And now that I think about the paper bag, I guess that has a little side panel folded in too. But I don’t need it to go all the way down do I? I’m thinking that the opening would be the most important. I can’t have it just straight across the top with no give, a water bottle certainly would not have enough room.

I roughly gauge the width of a side panel by holding it up against the crutch.

Then draw out the pattern. Since I’m thinking I want to taper in the side panels I rough that in as well.

Fold the pattern in half to make sure each side is the same, check it against the front/back pattern piece And cut the pattern out.I like this pink coordinate fabric. It is another Bari J. from the Full Bloom collection.