The diagonal zip was a test run, the next time I plan to add a motif or an initial to dress it up.

It depends on the pattern. I have a couple of designs that do not sew the front and back together before adding the lining piece and that leaves an open seam on the OUTSIDE of the bag which then has to be sewed together by hand. To me that looks tacky. If the pattern is properly constructed then I like lined better. I have figured out if I go back and restitch one of the earlier steps I can alleviate this problem. But I feel sorry for someone who is a novice if they get a pattern like this on their first try. I don't want to say which bags have this problem but I know of at least two that do.