Hi Bag Makers!  Hope you are all doing well and haven't had much seam ripping lately....

It's about time I updated my Pattern Tester List so that I give more wonderful bag makers a chance to pattern test and have their photos shared too.  I love seeing all the different looks a bag can have with the different styles and fabric choices you all have.

If you think you would be able to sew up one of my bag designs, find my typos and goofs, and give me constructive criticism, I would be happy to have you sign up with me. Turn around is usually about 2-3 weeks, and you should be able to give me written edits and feedback, as well as a couple of quality photos by the deadline. I will issue you a feedback form with a few questions to answer if you are chosen to test a pattern.

Whenever I choose pattern testers, you will have the opportunity to see a picture of the pattern and review the required supplies before you commit, and I do realize that it's not always great timing so if you do have to decline, don't worry, it doesn't mean I won't offer it to you again. Please note, you will not be paid for this, except with my thanks and a free - completed - sewing pattern.

And as a thank you... a wee sale:


 

Scraptastic Basket Shown here in LARGE size.

My thread and fabric scraps are EVERYWHERE, how about yours? I never have enough thread catching baskets, or baskets of scraps and this one is great because it holds plenty. Also, it stands up on it's own even when empty.

This basket goes together very quickly, and is suitable for a beginner to advanced sewist. Instructions and a downloadable pattern piece are provided just below.

I've been spending the last couple of days working with some of the gorgeous prints from the Jungle Ave fabric collection that Sara Lawson from Sew Sweetness sent to me. This fabric is a new, limited edition, collection with Art Gallery Fabrics that will come out this June (2014), and I was lucky enough that Sara asked me to share it with you!

Jungle Ave Collection

I have to admit that Art Gallery Fabrics are hard to find way up here in the cold white North... and I'm hoping that will change soon, because these fabrics feel so good in your hand, and I just love working with these cottons.  It's beautiful stuff! I only used 3 prints out of 8, so make sure you check out the rest of the collection. (There are also 2 knits and 1 voile as well.)

I've got a new bag pattern that is soon to be released, and I thought it would be great to try it in Sara's fabric. The Totes Ma Tote bag is a trendy looking tote, featuring adjustable handbag straps, attached by buckles into 4 shiny grommets that just give the bag that professional look. I've also included instructions on how to add a nice shiny metal bag label of your own. These can be found on my website here. The best thing about this bag is - it's easy and fast to make with BIG results!


The tote pattern actually has a zipper opening, a zipper pocket, slip pockets and a large internal side pocket that will fit an e-reader, tablet, or even just your pesky bills. We need to keep them out of sight ;).   In this version, I just wanted to make it up quickly and tried it with a magnetic snap opening and it works wonderfully.  Stay tuned for the release of the Totes Ma Tote!



 The scraps from the Totes Ma Tote bag, were enough to make something else so I dug out an idea that has been wanting to be a free tutorial on here for quite some time, and finally put it together. It only has one pattern piece, took about 7 minutes to cut fabric, and about 10 minutes to sew, and now I have a great thread and/or scrap basket to take to sewing guild meetings with me, or just keep on my sewing desk. I'm calling it the Scraptastic Basket. Kind of a silly name, but no sillier than "Totes Ma Tote", so it will fit right in.

A few months ago (or more), I started a very, very easy strip quilt and I finally finished quilting and binding it during "Selfish Sewing Week".


This is just so basic, but the fabrics and colours in the "Simply Style" collection, designed by V & Co. for Moda, just make me so happy when I look at them... I really wanted to just let them be the focus. Plus, I wanted a quick finish ;).

Strips sewn together before quilting.

I just stitched the whole jelly roll together as it came off of the roll, but I did have to pull out a couple of the blues as there were just too many of those.


The end result is a very, very long lap quilt and the proportions are kind of odd.  My husband did wonder why it was so skinny, but I showed him how we, with our little boy in the middle, could all sit on the couch and read and all be covered, so then he decided it wasn't too bad!


It's a good couch quilt for us, however all of those bright colours don't really go with my teal and yellow accent colours right now so when I "throw" it for the day, I show the back side of it and not the front. I like the back side too!


Although... let me ask you this:  How long can you quilt with the wrong colour of thread in your bobbin before you notice?  I can use almost a whole bobbin before I find that I have a dark, dark (almost black) green thread in my bobbin case, when I am supposed to have cream.  Ya, I'm pretty good.  I didn't feel like ripping it out, so I just refilled the bobbin with the same colour and kept on going.  I was HUGELY disappointed, but I've gotten used to that terrible quilting on the back now and pretend that it's supposed to be like that. Ya, I meant to do that....

The backside, quilted with dark thread. BOOOO!

Thank you for reading!!
 

It's time for the the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day again!  I'm very excited to participate in the Giveaway Day and giveaway a 20$ store credit from my shop, emmalinebags.com. You use it for handbag hardware, sewing patterns and/or sewing supplies and interfacing.

If you have't heard about Giveaway Day - there are TWO pages of giveaways.  One of supplies and one of handmade items. Enter as many as you can!


The Details:
- Enter here by May 16 at 5 p.m. PST
- Winner will be notified by May 18th.
- International entries welcome!
- Good Luck!!

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Hi friends! A lot happening this week.  Besides being sick at home, with a child that has panic attacks over conjunctivitis, a lot has been happening. (Yes, he thought his eye would fall out and he would need a patch like the skinny pirate on the Pirates of the Caribbean.)

The May Pattern for The Bag of the Month Club is out, and I just love Anna's Poolside Tote!

You can still become a member of the club and receive all 5 previous patterns, plus the one coming out in June. There are tons and tons of fabric and pattern prizes when you enter photos of your completed bag in the flickr group. Don't forget to enter!  Read about that HERE.




As most of you know, I have sponsored some prizes in Imagine Gnats current Selfish Sewing Week, and if you haven't already entered to win prizes, see the post below and enter to win patterns.  I have also had the honour of having a pattern review during the week, and you can read about Jill's version of the Necessary Clutch Wallet HERE.  It turned out gorgeous!



This morning I woke up to a very nice email from Shelley from Sew Creative Supplies in Perth, to say that the Perth Craft & Quilt Fair, running from May 21-15th this year, has picked my NCW pattern to be the No. 1 Hot Product at the show, and it's even been printed in a little book that goes out to all of the members. Way cool!!


BAG ZIPPERS!!:  I've just put in a small order of zippers to YKK, that I think will be a great little addition to the shop. These zippers will be specific to bag making, and right now are just coming in black. When I get them in and have a good look at what I've got, I'll order some more colours.  Can't wait to get these zippers!

Here is a little sneak peek of a bag pattern that I've been working on for AGES.  I hope to have this done soon so that I can share the rest of it with you.


Have you had a look at my cute cathedral window pin cushions?  I might have shared this photo before, but I just love these.. had to share again.


ALSO... This week all of my shipped bag hardware, paper pattern, and sewing supplies orders that go out from my shop at Emmaline, will get a free zipper pull in the package.  A thank you gift for YOU!  Thank you for your support!

Metal Zipper Pulls for your bags and purses.