Nautilla™ | Handmade Traveler Bag

Two sisters packed the whole shoreline into this one bag

This barrel-shaped traveler is covered in a coastal seascape built up in layers: a sandy cream base scattered with dimensional appliquéd shells — clam shells, whorled turbans, ribbed scallops, and elongated conch forms in warm tans, blush, and soft grey — anchored by two vivid orange-rust starfish, one large and boldly centered on the top wave band, one tucked lower on the body. Above the shells, a quilted wave panel runs the full circumference in teal, aqua, and pale blue, its rolling crests stitched in tight swirling lines that give the water real movement. The carry strap repeats the coastal print. Claire and Riley — two sisters running the Cape May shop their mother Margaret opened in 1978 — chose this piece because it looks exactly like the shoreline outside their door.

• Dimensional Shell Appliqué — Each shell sits slightly raised off the cream ground, so the bag has genuine texture you can feel when you reach for the handle.
• Details — 19" × 9" × 9", roomy enough for a long weekend and soft enough to squash into a car boot.
• Quilted Wave Band — A full-wrap panel of teal and aqua quilting runs the circumference of the bag, with dense swirl stitching that keeps the fabric structured and travel-ready.
• Barrel Shape with Matching Strap — The cylindrical silhouette stands upright on its own, and the wide carry strap repeats the coastal print all the way to your shoulder.
• The Last of This Run — We took what the workshop had left. Once these are gone we will not be getting them again.
• Looking After Her — Spot clean with a soft damp cloth and let her air dry. No tumble dryer — it flattens the quilting.

Picture sliding this off the baggage carousel in Charleston — the orange starfish catching the terminal light while everyone else drags past with plain black rollers.

⚠ Because every bag is made by hand, small differences in colour, stitching and placement will happen. That is not a fault — it is the proof a person made it.

This bag costs more than a nylon duffel from a big-box store, and we won't pretend otherwise. It's made for the woman who packs intentionally, travels at her own pace, and wants her carry-on to feel like something worth arriving with.

“We spotted it and thought of every shell we've ever picked up on the beach here.” — Claire & Riley, Cape May