Here's another of my sewing creations.  I made this one over the summer, and actually followed all the steps to the letter.  This is made using McCall's 6532 pattern.  (See http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m6532-products-16314.php?page_id=104).  I made version A.  My only deviation from the pattern was that I didn't use Peltex, only because I couldn't find it anywhere in Abbotsford!  Only recently did I find that it IS at Fabricland, but just isn't labeled with a name on it.  And as I didn't know what the stuff looked like, I didn't recognise it on the shelf.  Now I know it's there, for sale for $6 per metre.  That sounds a bit steep for an interfacing, but when it comes down to it, you will find that it actually goes a lot further than fabric, because it doesn't have a grain line.  Anyway, this one is made using fusible fleece as interfacing.

Things I'd do differently next time.....

a)  This thing needs "feet."
b)  The bottom is attached to the side panels in two pieces, and splits down the centre.  I'd rather do it as one piece, and attach it first to one side then the other.
c)  Add false bottom.  I think that'll just finish it off better.
d)  Make elasticised inside pockets.  These ones don't hold anything three-dimensional, without bulging the exterior of the bag, so kinda pointless.
e)  I'd serge the top of the bag and the top panel before inserting.  I had to leave the inside edges unfinished, because I just could not get my sewing machine to sew the bias tape around the inside edges.  (Think about it:  you're trying to sew a bulky bag, sewing through two layers of fusible fleece, two layers of fabric, two layers of piping tape, all in a cramped corner (i.e. the sides of the bag).  It's not so much a question of thickness, but of awkwardness).  That part of the pattern is badly designed.
f)  The side panels are presently formed by folding a section of the front and back to meet in the middle.  This sort of works with fusible fleece, but won't make a nice edge for Peltex.  If I were to do this again, I'd cut a piece out of the Peltex where the fold is to be, to get a crisper edge.  Or, maybe I'd cut separate side panels, without the split.  This will require more thought, though, and some major pattern redesign.
g)  The lining of the top section should really be done in the same fabric as the exterior, especially if the colours are contrasting, as you end up with a bit of a border around the zipper.  I don't think this is a question of neatness, but just a fact about how to create the "space" for the zipper.  Alternatively, I might put the peltex onto the lining, rather than the exterior, so that the "frame" is on the inside rather than the outside, though that might create some puckers on the outside.  Hmm....  some rethinking to be done here, obviously, before doing it again.
h)  Not sure what those tabs are on the outside beside the zipper ends.  Kinda pointless, if you're not attaching a strap to it.  I will eliminate those next time, unless I also include a "D" ring on each side so that a strap can be attached, though not sure why anybody would want a strap, with such long handles.

I found the fabric requirements to be WAY off on this one!!  There was nowhere near enough fabric for this bag, even though I followed the fabric requirements, and had to go back to get more to do the lining.  When I did, I could not find any more of either the exterior or the contrast (which I used for the handles and the bottom), so had to use something else in the interior.  I chose something that looks like sea sand, so it's still lovely.

I made this bag as a weekend away kind of bag.  Sometimes (in warmer weather!) I head off to Kelowna for a weekend, and my hand luggage sized suitcase seems like overkill for a couple of days, whereas the bag I use as a gym bag is a tad small.  This one does the trick, and holds a pair of shoes, too.  (Not winter boots, but will hold a couple of changes of clothes, cosmetics bag, and a pair of sandals).

There aren't many reviews for this bag online.  It's one of the most difficult projects I've ever taken on, and it's NOT a perfect pattern, either.

Would I make this bag again?  Not sure.  It was definitely a challenging project.  There are LOTS of pieces, something like 50 steps on the instructions, and the pattern isn't exactly perfect, either.  I also don't really have a use for two of these.  Maybe I'd make one for a gift?  Did I mention that this bag is also expensive to make?!  Surprisingly, if memory serves (again, I did this in the summer, so maybe I'm a bit off on these), I believe it took three metres of fabric, plus three metres of fusible fleece (should have been 1.5m of fusible fleece and 1.5 metres of Peltex), plus a zipper of irregular length (had to special order that one).  So, it's not exactly a cheap project to make out of remnants.

I DO actually plan on making a smaller version of this bag to be used as a cosmetics/toiletries bag for travelling.  Unfortunately, it seems I won't be able to match the fabric, which is rather unfortunate, as a matching set would have been rather nice.  Ah, well....  the style will be matching.
But I quite like the style for a cosmetics bag.  In that case, I'll use fusible vinyl to make it waterproof, plus include the variations I've listed above.