Hello Busy Bagmaker!
This month I launched my new, bi-monthly subscription box just for bagmakers and it's called The Busy Bagmaker! No more squirrelling around for all the supplies, or deciding what to make next. It's all right here in the box, so that you can get busy creating straight away! See what I did there?!
How it works
Every other month, you receive a themed box brimming with beautiful fabrics, a bag pattern, hardware, interfacings, a notion plus a surprise little gift just for you! The bag project will be either by me or my pattern designer friends. All you need is yourself, your sewing machine and you're set!
The first Busy Bagmaker box was the October box and I went with an autumnal theme, inspired by the delicate florals and rich tones of the Florence Collection by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics.
The bag project for the October Box was my Serena Saddle Bag pattern, updated to add a full width pleated pocket to the front of the bag.
As a bonus gift for signing up to my first Busy Bagmaker box, new members also received the Kalina Mini Wallet digital pattern by my sewing friend Damjana of AppleGreen Cottage Patterns along with the hardware to make one to match their new saddle bag. More on that later in a separate blog post!
What exactly went in the October Box?
I gave half a metre of both the peacock fabric "Affreschi Uffizi Oro" (Uffizi Frescoes in gold) and wildflower fabric "Primavera al Tramonto" (Spring at dusk) with a smaller piece of Damasco Terracotta for the pocket linings. Either option of the half metre cuts could be featured on the exterior of the bag, with the other print used for the lining.
The box included antique bronze metal hardware to make a detachable and adjustable shoulder strap, and a magnetic snap for the flap closure.
A zipper for the inner pocket and premade piping to give a professional finish to the curvy flap edge.
For added convenience, I gave all the required interfacings to provide added structure to the bag: a high quality, woven cotton interfacing, Style-VIL foam interfacing and Thermolam sew-in fleece.
The box contained a link to download the Serena Saddle Bag pattern and a full length video tutorial to sew the project along with me.
Finally, a surprise little gift that co-ordinated beautifully with this month's autumnal theme : a beautiful jotter pad inspired by Florentine stationery, designed by artist Grace Jackson in England.
With boxes fast running out after the initial launch, I introduced a second colour option in the peacock fabric "Affreschi Uffizi Ceruleo" (Uffizi Frescoes in sky blue) for those who prefer cooler colours.
...which makes an equally beautiful Serena saddle bag! Here is one that I made last year.
I hope you love the contents of my first Busy Bagmaker box! The next box is due for release in early December and I can't wait to show you the project and fabrics I've picked out for that one! Spaces will be limited, with sign up by the 28th November if you'd like to reserve the December box.
Check out my 'unboxing' video below for the October Box.
