Have you seen the new rage taking the bag world by storm? Metal corners! These add a special finishing touch which simply looks fabulous on lots of different bags....(Hint - Watch for my June Bag of the Month Club design to see how I have used them!) Krista They can be a little tricky to apply IF you are not familiar with a few simple tricks. So Krista, one of my pattern testers extraordinaire, is sharing her tips and tricks... Read more →

How many of you are like ME and have a TON of fabric scraps that you can't bear to part with BUT are just sitting idle in a monstrous pile? Well Samantha has a great tutorial showing us just how to turn those piling up scraps into something FANTASTIC....AND the good part is, she is sharing the tutorial here with us. PLUS don't miss her bag pattern bundles which she is currently offering in her Etsy shop, saving 25%! (Details... Read more →

I thought it would be FUN to be able to make my own customised metal labels...so I ordered some blank tags from an Etsy shop and set about experimenting to see what I could do with them! This is what I came up ....of course, this technique could be used to make an endless variety of different, unique tags and you are limited only by your imagination! This is how I made mine..... First....gather some supplies: You will need: *Blank... Read more →

Adjustable bag straps are simply FANTASTIC and really are so easy to make too! They are great when sometimes you would like to wear your bag on your shoulder and yet other times you want to wear it accross the body....just change the length to suit the need! They are fabulous for example, on messenger style bags, such as my Savannah Messenger. Or indeed for any bag that has one strap! So just what do you need and how do... Read more →

So just what IS piping? Piping is a trim that you sew into the seams of your bag or other project to give defination or provide contrast. Basically it is a cord wrapped in fabric! Here is an example of a bag with piping: A bag with Piping Trim! Can you see the contrasting plain purple stripes? Well…that’s the piping! Piping is easy to make once you know how! While there is commercial piping to be found, made and ready... Read more →

People often ask me about handbag feet! There seems to be a false belief out there that they are complicated or difficult to install. This can't be further from the truth! They are EASY PEASY, functional and look GREAT too, making your bag look more professional!....so there is no excuse why you too can't add some feet to your bags! All you need is some bag feet (Of course!)....these either come with washers or without. Plus a hole punch, an... Read more →

Updated Oct 2015! Grommets are SUPER FUN once you know how to install them! They are especially effective in bags! Use them for hook straps, like in my Bella II Bag: Or use them to attach the straps like in my Epiphany Bag: Or use them just for decoration! Grommets come in all sorts of sizes and also plastic as well as metal. You can even get coloured ones too! The main thing to bear in mind is that each... Read more →

BAG STRAPS....What would we do without them? Coming in all sorts of types, shapes and sizes, they are not only necessary and functional BUT they can be beautiful and really add that finishing touch to your bag! As there are numerous different types of straps, I thought it would be FUN to do a series on them! So.....I thought I would start the series with a strap that is one of the most basic and easiest to make! A closed... Read more →

Once you've started using Rivets and realise how wonderful and versatile they are, you will be rivetting all over the place! LOL! They are GREAT to use particularly when you are making straps for your bags and have too many layers for your sewing machine to handle....just reach for the rivets! Tools and requirements: *You will need Rivets (Of course!) and there are different types and sizes of rivets but the ones I am using here are commonly referred to... Read more →

Here is a simple but handy little tutorial for you! So you want to make some bias tape BUT you haven't got a bias tape maker? Well, here is an easy way to make your own tape in a pinch! Step 1) Cut your fabric! Bias tape is cut "on the bias" meaning diagonal to the selvedges of the fabric. First you will need to figure out how wide your fabric strips need to be. You will need your strips... Read more →

How to Install regular Magnetic Snaps Here I am going to show you how I installed a magnetic snap in my Evelyn Handbag! Of course you can install it in the same way to your choice of pattern! a) Taking my lining bag flap, on the right side of the flap I placed a back-plate from the magnetic snap set and using it as a template over the placement mark as per my pattern piece, I marked the two lines... Read more →

Sew-in magnetic snaps are a fabulous when you want a closure that is concealed! They are simply a pair of flat magnets that are enclosed inside a plastic sleeve. You can sew them in place directly onto your bag fabric, in which case your stitching is visible OR you can install them like I will show you here and make them completely invisible! Great for all sorts of bags and super dooper in wallets too! TIP: Remember that even though... Read more →