Friends of Smokey Bear – A Vintage Camping Inspired Duffle Bag

I’m thrilled to share my latest project, a vintage camping inspired duffle bag made for my son using the new Friends of Smokey Bear collection by Riley Blake Designs! I wanted to create something he could use for weekends at the cottage and family trips, with fabrics that feel timeless and full of character.

Hi makers, it’s Kathleen Hauschild-Brown from Brown Haus Stitchery located in Ottawa, Ontario, and I’m so excited to be guest blogging and share this project with you today!

The loveable Smokey Bear is an icon and a symbol of forest protection and conservation. This woodsy collection is packed with sweet illustrations of Smokey Bear and his forest friends, trees, his iconic hat, buffalo check prints, his famous sayings, and much more. Here are the prints I chose, along with the yardage used for this project:

• 1/2 yard Friends of Smokey Bear Main Forest – Patchwork body, interior binding
• 1/4 yard Friends of Smokey Bear Smokey Head Toss Forest – Patchwork body, side panels
• 1/4 yard Friends of Smokey Bear Trees Cream – Patchwork body, side panels
• 1/4 yard Friends of Smokey Bear Outlines Cream – Patchwork body, side panel
• 1/4 yard Friends of Smokey Bear Buffalo Check Sienna – Patchwork body, side panel
• 1/4 yard Friends of Smokey Bear Hat Toss Cream – Patchwork body, side panel
• 1/4 yard Friends of Smokey Bear Outlines Grass – Patchwork body, side panel, exterior binding
• 1 1/4 yards Friends of Smokey Bear Patches Multi – Lining

I used antique brass hardware, black webbing, and a black/brass zipper from Emmaline Bags, located in Spruce Grove, Alberta. For a decorative touch, I added a fun Made by Mom label designed by Sarah Hearts to one of the side panels.

I used the Patchwork Duffle pattern by Knot and Thread Design for this project. It’s a very spacious bag with a large zipper opening, and features an adjustable strap for easy carrying. For the patchwork body, I fussy cut around Smokey Bear and some of his friends, and had fun playing around with the layout of the blocks. Knowing this bag will likely be set on the ground, I avoided placing the lighter blocks on the bottom.

For some fun customization, one side panel is made up of 1.75″ strips of leftover fabric from the body for some visual interest. The other side features a foundation paper pieced block I designed in EQ8 of my son’s initials. I love that both sides feel cohesive with the rest of the bag while adding extra personality and detail! For the quilting, I chose a dark green thread that adds just the right amount of contrast against the earthy fabrics.

The lining of this bag is such a fun surprise. I used the Patches Multi print, and it really makes the interior feel just as special as the outside. The fabric is packed with colourful vintage-style Smokey Bear patches, and I love that it’s a non-directional print, making it really easy to work with!

I loved making this quilted duffle bag for my son, and I know he’ll get so much use out of it in the years to come. I can’t wait to see what you create with the Friends of Smokey Bear collection!