Sneak Preview: A Bigger Small Bag

We love our tiny small bags, but sometimes we need a slightly larger bag, something big enough to carry a standard size (or larger) wallet, a smart phone, clunky keys, a sketchbook or notebook, a few pens, a calendar, a checkbook, a folded-up reusable grocery bag, a pack of gum, a few makeup items, a passport, and a small book, and a small set of watercolors.  Well.  Clearly a larger bag was needed!  So we've made a couple of prototypes.  This one measures 6 1/2" wide,  8 1/2" tall, 2" deep, and has a sturdy shoulder strap that works either cross-body or on one shoulder. 

I've been using this bag for a couple of weeks now, and have noted the following modifications that need to be made:  the small pocket on the front needs to be about an inch wider so that it's easier to retrieve the phone that slips in there;  the elastic band that closes the three layers of the bag needs to be of the heavier variety (the small one is stretching out very quickly as I am usually filling my bag to capacity and the opening is sometimes 3" wide) or perhaps longer.  Another possibility is to use a Velcro closing on the back inside pocket and use the elastic band and button to close off only the wide middle pocket and thin front inside pocket.

Fran has been carrying hers for a little longer, and she's noticed that the bottom part of the strap needs to be double (as it is on mine) for strength and security.  We've both gotten favorable comments on our bags, but we want to make sure they work well and last well before we put them on the market.

That said, if you would like to bespeak one to try out, email us at weRpiecework@gmail.com and tell us what materials and colors you would like and any special features you think might be good to have (the outside pocket on the back?  a second outside pocket on the back? bigger? smaller?).  We will probably sell these for $25 when we get the bugs out, but for now, if you want to be on the design team, we'll make yours for you for $18, and after you've tried it out for a month, we'll either make any changes you (or we) have deemed necessary, and send you the new (or revised) bag for free.

Act fast, though!  We can only offer a position on the design team to FIVE people, and it's on a first-come basis.  (We are also working on a carry bag for iPads as a separate R and D project.  We don't have a prototype for that yet, but when we get one, we'll let you know.)