Sewing brief

Dj controllers vs bags

When carrying around Dj controllers, it is difficult to find a bag that accommodates the shape of the controller. Often the bag is too small to fit it in length ways, or the bag is too big, leaving risk for damaging the fragile elements of the controller. Moreover whilst controller bags do exist, they are not designed stylistically but rather focus on protecting the controller in unnecessary foam etc, like a camera bag. Therefore my goal for my sewing brief is to successfully design and construct my own shoulder bag, perfectly tailored to fit the controller inside.

The plan:

Stylistically speaking, I want my design to take inspiration from the travel and utility pouches that focus on a sleek yet practical design, drawing a perfect balance between utility and style. In doing so, I plan to feature a front pocket, that can be used to store cables and accessories like usb sticks, therefore leaning into the practical features of the design. However, unlike other bags made to house electronic items, I plan on the design to be extremely simplistic, making it easier to carry around and take out.

Main features:

Main body to house the controller
Front pocket for accessories and cables
Shoulder strap to attach to bag
Cream main body to maintain the simple design that detracts attention from itself.
Contrast black stitching to match the strap

The process

Once I had roughly created a template for my bag, I began to cut out my pocket.

First I had to create the pocket, seen here there are 2 panel with the top one being ironed in half to provide structure.

Once I had sewn together the inner pocket, I began attaching it the the main body, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance around the pocket.

I trimmed the pocket bag and was left with the simplistic pocket, that does not require a zip of button to keep closed, perfect for the minimalistic look.

I used black thread to contrast stitch the pocket, slowly hand embroidering around my stitches,

Next I placed the second panel onto the panel with the pocket, right sides facing, and with a ruler marked out the shape of the bag.

I trimmed the pocket bag and was left with the simplistic pocket, that does not require a zip of button to keep closed, perfect for the minimalistic look.

I used black thread to contrast stitch the pocket, slowly hand embroidering around my stitches,

Next I placed the second panel onto the panel with the pocket, right sides facing, and with a ruler marked out the shape of the bag, to sew together and complete the bag.

The finished bag

The completed bag fitted everything necessary with the controller itself fitting perfectly snug. The straps are from an old side bag, that was to be thrown away, therefore making use and recycling what was otherwise trash. When considering the design itself, I am pleased how it came out, achieving my goal of style with practicality with the simple neutral tones contrasting one another, whilst doing so inconspicuously. The pocket, was definitely the most difficulty design feature of the bag as my goal was to make it tight enough to exist without a closing mechanism, something I achieved through the 3 panel design. Another crucial element I had to consider when designing the bag was how to make sure it was strong enough to hold all of the equipment safely, more specifically reinforcing the loops in which the strap was attached to. This was achieved through using a button hole tool on the sewing machine that stitched out a hole, to reinforce it and prevent the fabric from ripping.

Overall I believe there are definite pros and cons of this design, and there are many learning curves that I can make use of next time I sew. Whilst I believe the design achieve the practicality aspect, the style on the other hand falls behind. Next time, I think a more thought out process and design would ultimately do better justice. However, I am definitely pleased as to how it came out on a whole, aside from several possible improvements.

Page updated

Report abuse