My friend Michelle plays in a staff bowling league at work, so when I found the Betty Bowler at Swoon Patterns, I knew it was meant to be. To make it extra special, my friend Mary Ann designed the flower fabric (see her work at Spoonflower), giving the bag a retro, groovy feel that I just love, and that plays right into Michelle’s esthetic. 

Since this is a more advanced bag than the ones I’ve been making, I decided to make a prototype first, using fabric I had at home. This helped me work out how I wanted to do the lining, plus how to get install the piping, something new for me. I use the prototype version as my carry-on when travelling. It fits perfectly beneath the airplane seat.

I added a zipper pocket and slip pockets to the interior. There are 2 exterior pockets on each side of the bag. The bag measures 17″ wide, 11″ tall, and 7″ deep, so it’s nice a roomy. Perfect for bowling shoes and accessories, but not strong enough for the ball.