The book is available as a new release "bestseller" this month at CTPub.com in printed form or ebook, and January 14th on Amazon. I am also selling them on my website at emmalinebags.com (these are probably best to ship within Canada, because of the cost). Overseas International - try bookdepository.com or have your local quilt shop or sewing store get it from their distributor. Many shops will carry these books - please ask!

I'm very proud of the work that Lindsay and I, and all of our contributors, have done to make this book possible. It was a lot of hard work, and there were many hours spent editing, sewing, and illustrating. I'm so happy to be able to say that I had a part in it. I hope you love it too!

If I had my way, every page would be project photos. They were so gorgeous! There would be photos , and more photos. But… apparently an instructional book needs instructions - so I couldn't have my way.  But now, I'd love to share another peek inside the book and some of the projects that myself, and a couple of other friends have made. Check out these project photos!!

Airport Sling by Janelle MacKay
This is one of my patterns for the book and I've already used this particular bag quite a bit. The passport pocket is perfect for both passport and boarding pass, and I have my pen handy for the declaration cards upon arrival. But it's not just for traveling, when I get home, I put my passport in a safe place - and just keep on using it! Here's a bit of a secret that you would find out when making it - the front pocket is actually the cut out from the middle of the back panel! I've made this in decor weight cotton and it makes a sturdy shoulder bag or cross body bag with adjustable strap.




Airport Sling by Gwen Lockwood
Gwen was my pattern tester for this bag - and she's been asking to share it for about 1 year!! She did a stunning job in decor cotton, and the world map lining is perfect for this travel bag. She made a larger bag to match, and they have already had a nice trip together.




Laptop Keeper by Rachael Gander of Imagine Gnats
I couldn't wait to make this laptop keeper. My son's laptop (the minecraft laptop) fits perfectly in here and when we have to take off over night this gets thrown right in my bag - and I know the laptop will be safe. I made it in some gorgeous linen fabric and added some Soft & Stable to the back for added protection.




Two-Bottle Tote by Janelle MacKay
Yes, this is a wine tote - for those trips to the neighbour's house, but it's more than that because you can flip the divider to one side and pile it up with groceries or other items you need to cart around. When I first made this sample, I used leather for the strapping and it's quite pretty. I used fabric for the book sample though, because it's more readily available to everyone. It's pretty massive though, you can fit the BIG bottles in this one - but I was okay with that because that will make sure you can use it for so many purposes. How about some wine on one side and a stack of dip containers and bread on the other? Yes, I think so!


 

If you have been following along in the Emmaline Sewing Patterns Group, you are already familiar with my free Retreat Bag pattern… and you may already have your updated version - the Retreat Bag 2.0 - I hope so!  If not, I'll show you how to get that new download here, describe to you a couple of differences between the old pattern and the new, and give you a pointer or two to make it open and close nicely.

So here it is… the new Retreat Bag set! I've used some Art Gallery Fabrics for this set - Wonderland by Katarina Roccella. Such a beautiful collection.


You may be noticing that there are 2 sizes now. The smaller size has not changed, and still requires the same wire for the opening, except I'm now calling that wire - Style A. The newer, Large size is assembled in the same manner, has larger fabric pieces,  and requires a different wire frame - Style B.



Because the new frame has right angles on the corners, it opens up to more of a large rectangle than the smaller version, and the ends fold down neatly to the sides when closed. It can take a bit of steam and maneuvering to get that to open and close smoothly, and I'll mention that in just a bit.


Here are the dimensions of the bags when closed:

• Finished Size Small: Length: 8 1/2” Height: 5” Width: 4” 
• Finished Size Large: Length: 11" Height: 6 1/2" Width: 7 1/4"

When open, the larger size is actually 8" tall!  I think it would be cool to try it without the zipper too, and it would make a nice big tote for storage… I have to try that!



The Large version will use a large piece of fabric for each side: 18 1/2" x 12" - so you can really feature a beautiful print, but remember, some of that is going to be wrapped to the top, bottom, and sides of the bag. It's nice to position the pattern you want to feature, somewhere in the centre or just to the right or left of centre.

I promised you a tip on getting that large one to open and close nicely.  First, close your wire frame like you are going to zip it up, and use your finger tips to push up the areas that need to bend under the frame. Get you iron, and with full steam, hover over the pouch and steam it over the ends and sides of the bag.  Let it sit now, and cool to the shape you are wanting. After this, you can open and close it a few times, and really work those bends in. After it's been used a bit, or filled and kept close, it will work very well!





I can't wait to see all of your Retreat Bags, please use hashtag #retreatbag on instagram or #emmalinepatterns so I can check out your pics and have them show up on my website. I love to see your bags in the Facebook group too!

 

It's finally here! …and here is everything you need to know:

Pre-orders are now on sale for the Bag of the Month Club for 2016! This is the club's 3rd year, and each year our members have grown in numbers and the fun has accelerated! If you are not familiar with the club, please visit the Bag of the Month Club website to see past offerings for 2014 and 2015. This year we have a brand new beautiful website, which will make your experience more exciting than ever!

THE DETAILS

6 of the best bag sewing pattern designers in the business are teaming together to bring you a 6-month membership club. The club runs from January-June of 2016. Each month, you will receive an exclusive and brand-new pdf bag sewing pattern from that month’s designer, available on the Bag of the Month Club website by logging into your secure account. If you are familiar with even one of the designers, then you know that you can expect a high-quality and easy-to-understand sewing pattern each month! The bag designs will be a mystery until each pattern is revealed every month. We promise, they will definitely be worth the wait! The patterns will be exclusive to the club for the duration. Each pdf pattern will be available on the 1st of the month, and will include detailed instructions, illustrations/photos, and templates needed to make the bag pattern. If you join after the club begins, you will receive all patterns released to the club up until that point (for instance, if you join on February 14th, you will receive the patterns for January and February automatically).

 
We are all so excited for you to join us! The one-time fee for 6 months of Bag of the Month Club is $40, during which time you will receive 6 pdf bag sewing patterns. If you sign up during the month of December 2015, you will be eligible for our $35 early bird discounted rate! The club runs from January through June of 2016. The club is a great value; pdf bag sewing patterns usually cost around $10 each, and you will be receiving 6 patterns for only $40!

THE DESIGNERS

 

January – Betz White is a bag designer and textile artist, and she is the author of three books, most recently Present Perfect: 25 Gifts to Sew and Bestow. You can find her patterns available on-line in her pattern shop, as well as her video classes on Creative Bug and Craftsy.

February – Samantha from Sewing Patterns with Mrs. H. is a Welsh pattern designer with a group of pretty yet practical bags in her pattern library. Her site is full of helpful sewing tutorials and great articles as well!

March – Janelle of Emmaline Bags. Janelle has a thriving pattern business, where she also sells all the hardware, handles, and interfacing needed to make the bag patterns in her shop. Janelle’s first book is coming out January 2016 and is called On the Go Bags! Janelle's Craftsy class is also out in 2016. 

April – Sara of Sew Sweetness. Sara designs bag sewing patterns and her second book, Windy City Bags, is out now. Sara also has a helpful Craftsy class on bag interfacing called Building Better Bags: Interfacing and Structure.

May – Alicia of Swoon Patterns. Alicia has a large library of pdf and paper handbag sewing patterns, with great details and a selection that will appeal to all skill levels! She has a beloved Favorites Collection as well as a Vintage Collection Subscription.

June – Chris of Chris W. Designs is an Australian bag pattern designer, and Chris has sewing patterns available for various skill levels. Visit her website for a ton of helpful bag making tutorials.

HOW DO I JOIN?

Visit our new website at http://www.bagomc.com!

Upon arriving at the site, you can read through some of the helpful information we've put in place such as the FAQ section. If you'd like to sign up for the club, click the 'Join Now' button in the middle of your screen. You will be taken to a product page, and after putting the membership in your cart, directed to Paypal to make your one-time payment of $40 (or $35 if you sign up in December as part of our early-bird discount). You will be able to enter your e-mail address and password for the Bag of the Month Club website, which is important because you will need this information to access your new pattern on the 1st of the month! If you are purchasing the club membership for a friend, you will enter their e-mail address instead of yours, and set a password for them (the Paypal payment will be of course under your login information). You will need to let your friend know about their e-mail login and password, and direct them to this page so that they may sign up for the newsletter and join the Facebook group.

Very important: Please sign up for the Bag of the Month Club newsletter! This will be our primary contact to let you know when the new pattern is available on the 1st of each month! Also join us in our Facebook group to see questions, discussions, and photos of members' finished bags! We have some fun contests planned for each months' finished bags, and you can see more as it updates on the Bag of the Month Club website under the 'Competition' tab at the top of the site! On behalf of all of the Bag of the Month Club designers, we are so excited for what 2016 has in store and we can't wait to unveil our patterns!

Thank you, 
From the Bag of the Month Club designers of 2016!