It's incredibly hard to get hold of handbag supplies and bag making equipment in the UK, so I gave up hunting and started stocking them myself, ordering in bulk to make sure I could sell at competative prices.

That's the main reason I have the triglides and buckles in my Etsy store, I figured if I was finding it hard to get hold of, I can't be the only one!

I had to de-activate all of my hardware listings while I was so ill with Hyperemesis Gravadarium because I was very keen to ensure that hardware was posted within 24 hours and I wasn't able to achieve that.

Now I'm able to get out and about a bit more I've gone through my stock and updated the levels and re-activated a lot of handbag making supplies! I didn't realise I had so much, you'll have to help me clear the decks a bit!

So now I've got swivel clips and clasps, round tongue locks (aka tuck catches) and flower magnetic snaps in stock...

Purse making supplies

...as well as my regular adjustable strap kits, triglides, buckles and rectangular rings.

Triglides & buckles for making adjustable purse straps

I've also listed some paper copies of my Rosie Patchwork bag pattern which come with full size pattern pieces printed on good quality 90gsm paper.

Paper copies of the Rosie patchwork bag sewing pattern

I'll also be listing sample bags and some bunting over the next little while so if that's your bag (so to speak!) keep an eye out for those!

Don't forget, because you're my favourite people there's a discount code for you to use on my Etsy store!


Please do feel free to 'contact seller' if there's some weird and wonderful combination of hardware that you want, I can probably pop them in together and save you on postage!

I don't know if anyone remembers, but around this time last year I went crazy making table runners ahead of the gospel choir visiting our church from Atlanta, Georgia. I went right up to the wire and didn't get them all finished. So of course the leftover fabric sat languishing in my WIP box.

The very same WIP box that is bugging me and I've suddenly started to see as something I must conquer before Elvis arrives. Yes, we're calling the baby Elvis....it's cute, right? (Not for real, just as a pet name to keep Len at church happy although I have a feeling it might stick no matter what we name her!)


Anyway, I dug into that WIP box and finally finished these table mats that have been waiting a year!! I couldn't bring myself not to finish them, the fabric was bought for table mats and I just had 7 flat type half rectangle triangle things left to use!


I made two table mats like this, I just sewed the triangles together then sewed the two rectangles together to make a sort of square. I put some cheap felt on the back and 'quilted' them. Then I sewed some navy backing fabric (ok, an old quilt cover) right sides together, turned right sides out and closed my turning gap before sewing around all four edges. Easy peasy, right?



I had three of the half rectangle triangle rectangles left and a couple of rows of patchwork (leftover from the runners last year) so I stitched those all together to make a longer runner type table mat. They're not quite as bright as the photos suggest, but there's no mistaking they're American themed!

This year we've got a lot on which I'll blog about in a little while so that if you're local you can plan to come and visit and see the choir, they're incredible!

For now though, I'm happy to be working through my WIP box....my big sister Lizzie suggested I might be entering the nesting phase, but I'm only 25 weeks, that's too early, isn't it?

As you can imagine, my next pattern is of course going to be a nappy (diaper) changing bag, but I need help!

I've got some lovely testers, however very few of them have access to a baby still in nappies. I'm looking for some competent new pattern testers who are willing and able to not only sew up the new pattern looking for errors and mistakes, but also to test the bag afterwards for a couple of weeks to check that it's suitable and appropriate as a changing bag.

The bag will be an intermediate to advanced pattern due to the amount of components involved with a nappy bag and some of the techniques, however there are lots of clear photos and step by step instructions so if you're not sure whether you're up to the skill level, you might as well give it a go and see....sometimes I'm surprised by how capable I am at things I've never tried before!

If you're interested in helping me to test this new pattern please fill out the following Google form including a link where I can see some examples of your work.

Because no blog post is complete without at least one photo, here's a pic of me when I was a few years younger. No, those sunglasses are not photo-shopped, they're really there!

If you've already contacted me about testing this pattern, don't worry I've already got your details, you don't need to fill in this form.

For my current/previous pattern testers, you'll be contacted shortly to see whether you'd like to test this pattern, you don't need to fill in this form.

Thanks!

Hello friends!

It's not too late to join the bag of the month club, you can join up til the end of June. Click here to visit Sew Sweetness and join.


All of the patterns have now been released so if you join this month you'll receive all 6 straight away (give or take 24 hours for admin purposes!)

The bonus of this is that after the club finishes each pattern will be available separately, for individual prices. Joining the club now means you receive all 6 patterns for the one off $40 fee. I can't say what price the individual patterns will be, but the club price puts them at just over $6 a pattern.

Don't forget also that you can link up photos of the bags you've made from the bag of the month club patterns until 15th July into the Flickr group to be entered to win one of the massively huge prizes. I'm very excited about the prizes, I think they're great!

It's been a great club and I think it'll be running again next year starting January so keep an eye open for that. For now though, I'm enjoying seeing all of the wonderful creations from '14's club!

If you want to join the bag of the month club and receive all six patterns shown above Click here to visit Sew Sweetness and sign up.