I’m very excited to introduce our first new pattern of 2026… the Away Tote. On one of my regular trips to my local swimming lake for a cold water swim, I found myself doing the usual contortionist act of cramming a towel, flask, hat, gloves, a warm jumper and a dripping wetsuit into one small bag. Sometimes, it would even end up overflowing into a second tote which felt cumbersome and impractical.
I kept thinking: I really need one huge, roomy bag for all of this kit. Something with an open top and a generous interior. A bag that would sit open while I rummaged in and out, without flopping over or bursting at the seams. Enter the Away Tote.
How is it different to the Day Tote?
Having already released the Day Tote (one of our best-selling bag sewing patterns) last summer, I wanted to create something that felt like a natural continuation. Not just a bigger version, but a considered reimagining of a much-loved The Modern Sewing Co. design.
I spent a lot of time examining the existing Day Tote design to rethink the shape: I wanted a big, roomy base that narrowed on the side panels as it rose towards the top. I also altered the strap lengths to make carrying extra weight a little easier, and added generous side pockets alongside an interior patch pocket for keys and close-to-hand essentials.
As the bag grew in size, it started to feel less like a day bag and more like something you'd reach for on a weekend away. With mini breaks in mind, I added a zip-up lid option to make it feel secure for travel and crucially, kept the dimensions within carry-on cabin bag requirements for most airlines.
The Away Tote is, in short, the bag sewing pattern for when the Day Tote just isn't quite roomy enough for your adventures, big or small.
Where did you find the fabric for your Away Tote?
One of the best parts of launching a new pattern is hearing directly what our community thinks about it. Within minutes of going live, our Instagram comments and DMs were full of comments enquiring where we’d found the cloth for the totes. Curating fabric is one of the most enjoyable parts of the process for me, and it’s always validating to hear you like it as much as I do!
We sampled two different versions of the Away Tote in fabric from one of our favourite shops, the Rye-based Merchant & Mills. Here’s why…
The waxed cotton version
For the first sample, I chose an olive waxed cotton, which was made very much with my own cold-water swimming kit in mind. The fabric is heavy, but more importantly it's stiff. It holds its shape beautifully, which is exactly what you want from a bag you're going to throw everything into on-the-go. It's lined with a soft brown canvas, fused for extra strength. Navy webbing and piping add contrast that highlights the bag's structure, and a golden tone running through both ties in nicely with the lining colour.
The hessian version
Next, we sampled a heavy hessian fabric, rich in both texture and colour. Because the fabric itself is so characterful, we kept the other components minimal - matching the webbing, lining, piping and zip to the soft beige of the stripe. The result feels like the perfect weekend bag or an oversized family beach bag. Simple, striking and effortlessly put-together.
Both fabrics are functional in their own way and create a very different look and feel - the possibilities really are endless when it comes to your vision. As with the Day Tote, one of the real joys of this make is the creative freedom. The Away Tote pattern lets you combine up to five different components (the main fabric, lining, piping, webbing and zip) to build a colour palette and texture combination that feels entirely your own. 
I think both versions show just how different this bag sewing pattern can look depending on your fabric choices which is part of what makes it such a satisfying make. Top tip: you can find more of our favourite fabric stores alongside local recommendations from our community here.
Is the Away Tote suitable for beginners?
Yes! Skills-wise, this make is very similar to the Day Tote, so if you've already tackled that pattern, you'll feel right at home. If you're newer to bag making, don't let the size put you off. The construction is very approachable and we’ve designed the pattern to smoothly guide you through it.
We've created a new workshop bundle, The Bag Series, combining both the Away Tote and Day Tote patterns, along with the Day Tote Workshop. It brings together a video tutorial in bite-sized chapters, a step-by-step photo guide and all PDF patterns, so it’s ideal for any beginners or early sewers who'd like to sew both pieces with a bit of extra support.
It's a brilliant way to build your bag-making confidence and you'll end up with two incredibly versatile bags at the end of it.
This isn’t just for beginners, however. The Away Tote is a genuinely rewarding bag sewing project for anyone who wants to experiment with fabric combinations, explore working with waxed cotton or canvas, or learn how to add a zip closure to a large tote bag.
The Away Tote PDF pattern is available now in our shop. You can grab it as a standalone pattern, or pick up the workshop bundle with the Day Tote for the full bag-making experience.
PS: I’d love to see what you make. Remember to share your Away Totes with us on Instagram at @modern_sewing_co and you could feature in a future Inspiration Board.
