Bag Design and Pattern-Making Work-Along

Many years ago, I used to run weekly classes in bag design and patternmaking. It was popular with the locals, but people living interstate and overseas were always asking me to put it online, so that they could attend, too. 

AT LAST - Creativebug have done just that. These classes are the first stages of learning to design and make your own bag patterns, and will set you up to make a very broad range of designs..  

Even better, Creativebug are currently running a special (until 28 Nov 2016), where you can sign up for a 3 month subscription for $1! (after that, it's $4.95 USD per month). That's just in time for some serious holiday crafting. Alternatively, you can now buy individual classes.

The first class is all about learning the basic processes and terminology for patternmaking. It's about beginning to draft simple shapes, making basic patterns, and understanding the relationship between the 3-dimensional bag and the 2-d pattern.. The same processes are used as the designs become more complicated in Parts 2 and 3.

 Part 2 is all about the KEY to patternmaking - moving seamlines. This is how you change the design lines of the bag, create colour blocking, linings, pockets and facings.

And here I am, looking like an old lady peering over her glasses. (I hadn't realised how wrong the prescription was with these glasses until I couldn't see the cameraman - over or through the frames - with my middle-aged eyes...). There is some squinting to camera, but also lots of patternmaking and construction techniques for making the bags.

Part 3 is all the bells and whistles that jazz up the bag - pleats, gathers, etc.

When I taught Patternmaking for Bags in my studio, I ran it as two sets of four sessions - Beginners and Advanced - 8 weeks in total.  There is a lot more that you can learn, but these three sessions will set you up to make all the shapes that appear in my Beginners, Basic and most of the Intermediate range of patterns, as well as those in The Better Bag Maker, and many more besides.

The Creativebug work-along includes the sewing techniques for the overall shape construction, but if you want tips and tricks for things like using interfacings and hardware, inserting zips and pockets and getting a fine finish on your bag, check out my other classes on Creativebug and/or read my book The Better Bag Maker. 

Who knows, maybe we might follow up with another online work-along one day.

Teaching and Writing and Living and Dying

Yes - I'm still here...occasionally peeping out from behind the curtain of real life and the Facebook and Instagram rabbit hole. This year, I've been pretty well occupied and away from this slower, more considered form of communication.

When I received notification of my Weekender Bag project being a Top 10 hit over at Creativebug, it occurred to me that I hadn't actually mentioned that class in this space before.

It appears that since I was burgled recently, the new owners of my old computer now have all the images I had of this bag, so here's a screen capture of me in action... talking to a finished bag.

I use my original version of the bag for hauling student folios to and from my regular teaching job.

I do a lot of hauling of folios, and marking of folios, these days... and a lot of kid-free Friday nights look like this.

One looked like this... :(

I've also been teaching a Garment Construction class regularly at Kellie Wulfsohn's fabulous fabric shop Cutting Cloth in Fairfiled (Melbourne).

The classes are on the 3rd Sunday of every month and you can come and go month by month, doing pretty much as you please (although I start you off on an A-Line Skirt if you're a newbie) with lots of help and tips and tricks from me.

The rest of my time this year has been all about juggling the joys and sorrows (and Mum's taxi service) of family life, wholesale biz and working on a new book. Much of the last few months has looked like this...

And the crazy-wild-kid-free Friday night version looks a bit like this...

As I near the completion of the book project, there's a sort of freeing-up of mental bandwidth, and ideas are flowing again. I'm tying up loose ends, ticking off long-overdue to-do lists... and thinking about the way ahead from here.

I have plans... Stay tuned. 

Purse Frame Class and Bag of the Month

Over at CreativeBug, they're having a Bag of The Month year, with new bag classes every month. February sees my "Snap Clasp Purse" class ready to go.

 

 

I'm a bit concerned that the official image only gives a top-down view, when the purse is actually a bit more triangular than that.

 

 



 

These are a few snaps I took when I finished one of the samples. You can see that it has purse feet, magnetic snaps and d-rings in the straps. All that and a purse frame too means that there are LOADS of skills to learn in this one, along with all my tips and tricks for creating structure and a fine finish.

And if I ever get around to it, I'm going to make one with the straps on both sides. I think that would have a really natty 1940's utilitarian-glamour look...especially in a light wool or something like that. (I can never leave well-enough alone, me...)

 

 

  

 

This is the first sample I made while developing the pattern.  I think it looks cute in denim. I put an adjustable strap on it, so that I can use it hands-free. This was an easy modification, using snap hooks on the end of a long strap instead of joining the strap to the rings.

 

 

I've been watching all the classes coming up in the CreativeBug Facebook feed, and feel very inspired to make EVERYTHING. There are many free classes and for US$4.95 per month, you have access to 600+ more classes.  The free trial includes lifelong access to one class. 

 

You can see all the classes I teach on CreativeBug here.

 

 

In other great website news.  The lovely Ms Peppermint Penguin - a long-time follower and commenter on this little blog of mine, finally finished her website.  She's knitting and sewing and selling her wares. Go you, Ms Pengiun!!

 

 

Life As We Know It... and Another Online Class and Another Pattern

Hurrah! My next class at CreativeBug was released this week. 

It's a super-simple back-pack, that focuses on finishing techniques and strap-making that will improve all your general bag-making. You can see a little promo video of it here, with the other October Releases.

As promised, there are more of my classes to come on CreativeBug.  Watch this space and I'll keep you informed. 

In other bag-making news, my publishers have released a pattern for the Berlin Slouch, which was originally written as part of The Better Bag Maker, but was lost in The Great Word Count Disaster (ahem...along with 5 others). If you're in Australia, I know that it's available through Fishpond and Book Depository.

And yes... I know that it has been too long since I was in the blogosphere, and here I am, popping up and advertising classes and patterns.  There have been goings-on and craftiness of all kinds, and I haven't blogged any of it. The blog police (mostly one of the parents* at kiddie-yoga who reminds me each week) have certainly noticed that I don't update my blog or website much these days. (*Hello Shane, if you're reading this!).

The truth is, I miss it.  I miss the time I had before for considered diary posts on a regular basis.  I miss chronicling the creative development of both my work and that of my gorgeous girleen. I miss the connection with people who read and enjoy this little corner of my world.

The other day, the girleen and I scrolled through the blog archive I have of her early years.  We laughed and were surprised by the things I'd forgotten and the things she actually remembered.

Life goes on.  The girleen continues to amaze me...

And we still have crafty school holiday playdates...

There are other projects in the pipeline... 

 And a new spanner thrown into the works...

 I'm loving my teaching job.  Being back in the world of Fashion and garment making is inspiring and challenging in all the right proportions (and I get to hang out with these photogenic beauties all day).

But the juggle of life - parenting, work, business, writing projects, household management, garden maintenance and other commitments - means that it's easier for me to share on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  This is a shame, but it's the reality of how much one small person can manage and still have time for the people and things she enjoys.   

Lately, I've given up trying to live up to other people's expectations and am focusing on what's important to me - my girl, my home, my family and friends.  And in between, I work on things that I love. And occasionally, I even write a blog post!

I think I'm happier this way.

Online Classes are GO!

If you've ever wanted to come to one of my classes, but lived too far away or never quite got around to it, here's your chance.  Over the next few months, bag-making classes with me will be popping up on Creativebug.  The first one launched this week - The Hobo bag.   

 

I'm taking a break from teaching workshops until some time next year, so if you want to learn from me, this is where you'll find all my best tips and tricks and some new designs.

 

Right now, you can sign up for a 14 day free trial of Creativebug Premium membership (which is only US$4.95 per month if you choose to continue it) to do this and/or lots of other inspiring classes with instructors like me, Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, Kathy Doughty, Kaffe Fascett, Joel Dewberry, Leisl Gibson, Gretchen Hirsch, ... the list goes on.  (I am in VERY fine company, indeed!).

 

 

This Hobo is made in microfibre suede, but you could make it in denim or duckcloth or any medium-weight fabric. It has a pop of (Kaffe Fascett) colour on the inside of the flap and on the lining, and it has a fancy-schmantzy twist lock closure.

 

 

 Along with all my sewing tips, the Hobo class includes techniques for working with tricky fabrics like microsuede, using interfacing and hardware, making a neat adjustable strap and inserting a fully-lined exposed zipper pocket.

 

 

An added bonus is that you also get to feel very superior about how young and smooth and well-cared-for your hands look, when you see lots of close-ups of these old weather-beaten work tools of mine... (and no, that is not my young and smooth hand in the photo above), or else you can know that if you have "Old Crafter's" and/or gardener's hands, you are not alone.

 

You can watch a little video of me talking about this class, and have a look around the Creativebug site while you're there.  I'm sure you'll be as impressed as I am with it.  There are classes in everything creative - cooking, paper-crafts, drawing, knitting, crochet and all disciplines of sewing, just to name a few. There are lots of free classes that you can try there, too. 

 

And remember to stay tuned to Creativebug (also on Facebook and Twitter) and You Sew Girl for notification of my classes as they appear.