Hi everyone! I am excited to finally share my latest pattern, which has been in the works since the spring!

It took me a while to get everything just right. I always strive to develop new techniques, and for my Gena bag, it’s the 3D strap connectors! The exposed seams in the front and back of the bag meant that standard flat strap connectors were not going to work. After weeks of trial & error, I finally got it right. What do you think?

Love to have options?

So do my testers! They suggested I make the divider bag removable. More trial & error, and then the perfect solution. You can add the snaps OR fix the divider bag in place with rivets.

The options don’t stop there. You can make this out of vinyl/faux leather, cork, and even thin leather. The edges are folded so you don’t see the undersides. For thicker leathers, you can leave the edges raw and edge coat them. Directions are included for fabric, too!

For the strap, choose any of the methods in my Strap Guide, included with the pattern.

Make one outer bag and two divider bags. Or two outer bags and one divider bag. You really have endless options!

An Unusual Method

The outer bag goes together in an unusual way. The construction is similar to my Toby Essentials Sling and Clary/Clarita wallets. The divider bag uses the standard birthing method, but there is plenty of room to work with. No suffering hands!

What’s In a Name?

From the beginning, I named my patterns after friends and family. Gena is named after my father and father-in-law. It’s pronounced exactly the same as “Gina”, but I borrowed the “e” from Eugene.

I also happen to think this design has a few GEN-ius ideas!