Gladstone Doctor’s Bag

While attending a recent quilt fair, I stumbled across a pattern that would make the perfect office purse. The design was for a smaller modern doctor’s bag. This style of bag is actually called a ‘gladstone’ bag but became heavily associated with doctors and physicians who used them to carry all their medical supplies when they made house calls. The bag is known for the metal framing sewn inside that allows the bag to hold shape while open. Though traditionally made of high-quality leather, I decided to give it a contemporary twist by opting for textured fabric and adding a zipper, creating a professional yet updated look.

The pattern was by Byhands Hand Craft, and I found it to be user-friendly with detailed step-by-step instructions accompanied by helpful pictures. While the pattern only called for fabric, I decided to purchase leather online to incorporate into the bottom and top sections of the purse. Although this choice created some challenges during the sewing process, I liked the unique look it added to the overall design. I also purchased some lovely textured Korean fabric from Byhands Hand Craft, along with the metal frame required for the bag.

Although the pattern itself was not difficult to follow, I encountered some issues with my sewing machine while working with the leather, resulting in some not so straight stitches. Additionally, the pattern didn’t provide the zipper length, so I took a leap of faith and purchased an 18" zipper, which, thankfully, worked out well. I forgot to take photo, but I also added four brass feet to the bottom of the bag because I think they look nice and keep the bag cleaner for longer.

Despite some of the issues I faced, I am pretty happy with the bag. There are definitely some imperfections and I did take my photos from the ‘good’ side, but we’ll just say the flaws give the bag “character.” Onward to the next project!