My Camera Bag Insert

When we bought our new camera a few months ago, we realized we needed to buy a bag for it also (brain washing!), but none of the generic black options at Best Buy really did it for us (well, me).  So we just bought our camera, and waited until we found a better option to purchase something.  I searched online for different options, and then I stumbled upon camera bag insert DIYs! Genius!  I found these options here, here, here and here, but basically just winged it.

Supplies Needed: A Bag, Fabric, Foam, Scissors, Needle/Thread, Tape Measure, Velcro

Step 1: Measure the inside of your bag + Foam for Insert Pieces

Step 2: Sew covers for all foam inserts + Sew on Velcro

Step 3: Attach Foam Pieces to Each other and Insert in Bag.
I'm still bummed I never used the floral fabric.

I took a Pendleton bag I thrifted randomly at the Goodwill over the summer, and then bought some fabric, foam, and velcro.  I measured inside my bag for the bottom piece of the insert, as well as the two side pieces.  I covered those with the denim fabric I purchased, sewing pockets similarly to how you would make a pillow case, and then glued on the velcro for the divider pieces - The glue didn't stick very well, so I ended up going back and sewing on the velcro.  For the side pieces, I left some extra fabric to sew the velcro to on the bottoms.

For the divider pieces, I cut one piece of foam long, to wrap around the lens, and another smaller one to fit between any other items I may want to add.  I then covered those with some scrap denim I had from old jeans using the same "pillow" technique as the other pieces.  For the long piece for the lens, I added on some extra length on each end for velcro to stick to the side inserts (these parts didn't have foam in them).  

Since creating this insert, I've moved the Pendleton insert into my everyday purse (an oversized satchel type bag from Urban Outfitters).  It fits quite nicely - I was tired of carrying two bags whenever I wanted to take my camera anywhere*.  I've had to cut down the other stuff I usually carry with me, but it's totally worth the sacrifice.

*I've since moved our camera back to the above bag due to an unfortunate rash of purse snatching in my neighborhood.  Why can't people just follow the rules?