U-handblog

U-Handbag Tutorial Polls!!

I must say, I feel very touched and a bit maternal (a little bit odd, I know) when you tell me that you use my tutorials.  You've been very kind in telling me that you like them, that they are clear, and that they are not difficult to follow.  So, thanks muchly!

I get quite a few emails and comments from you requesting certain tutorials so I thought rather than make a tutorial and hope you'll like it, I thought why not ask YOU what bag tutorial you want? 

There is no closing date for these polls.  I'll just leave this polling thingy here until I get a spare day (because it takes most of a day to design & write one of these things!) to make up the tutorial.  I'll then make up tutorial the with the most votes - simple eh?

 

Select the bag Tute you want, and then click on the 'Vote' button.

Each time after I've made the Tutorial that has the most votes, I'll make up a new poll which will be (kinda) based on your requests for bag tutes.  If you have any suggestions for further bag tutorials, you can comment on this here post.  If this tutorial polling thing works, I'll make it a permanent fixture on my blog!

NB: To vote in all future polls simply click on the pic of the cute sewing machine which is under under 'Get Involved with U-Handbag' in the right-hand side bar of my blog.

Grab my button.

For me, one of the best things about writing my blog is the way that you have all gotten involved with it.  It means bucket loads to me that you find my bag making garblings, and other 'Lisa' tid-bits interesting and/or useful. 

!!Gushy alert!! I feel so chuffed when you tell me how much you're enjoying yourselves making bags.  I love seeing your bag photos in Flickr, the gallery is looking so lovely.  I'm really happy that I happen to LOVE something that seems to make a lot of other people happy too :)

Some of you suggested I make up a U-Handblog Button.  Jeez you guys, that's very kind!!

Just copy and paste the code below to your site and you'll get this here button (thank you soo much!!!):

<a href="http://u-handbag.typepad.com/"><img src="http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandbagbutton.gif" /></a>

How to strengthen - reinforce - or beef up your handbags and purses

**UPDATE** I have written other other posts which complement this one.  They are called Interfacing De-mystified and another one is called Bag making Fabrics and Interfacing.

"Ahhh 'Grasshopper - bag makahhh' there are many weapons at our disposal in our eternal fight against the evil 'bag floppinesssss...'"  Anyone who isn't a child of the 70's and didn't watch Kung Fu starring David Carradine et al. will think I'm bonkers, then again even if you are a child of the 70's you could still think...ah well, never mind...

To figure out how we are going to strengthen our bags, we first have to decide what function/s we want the bag to perform (i.e. is the bag going to hold fragile stuff like a lap top, or are you making a stiff clutch purse?), or what features we the want the bag to posses (i.e. do we want the bag to stand up on it's own, or do we want a padded bag, or do we want a sort rigid-ish sort of bag).

What happens if we don't reinforce our bags?

• You'll get a flimsy bag.
• Your bag weakens prematurely with normal wear and tear.
• Things won't stand up like they should (for some bags this won't matter, but for other bags, well, if you don't lay down foundations before building your house...you'll end up with a house on your head!     

Figuring out and describing how to strengthen each and every bag would have me sat writing this post until I'm a little old bag maker!  So, to make things a little easier in explaining how bag strengthening product can make our bag making lives easier, I'll recommend strengthening techniques and products for made bags and purses I've made.  Does that make sense? Gibber Gibber!

Firstly, a look at some bag reinforcing products...

Interfacing & Interlining (also known as stabilizer).  I've already written a pretty heavy duty (and useful, I hope!) post on this stuff because it's one of the BEST things to for strengthening bags and purses.

 
Polyester Boning is super useful in bag making... Sew this stuff into the seam allowance of your bag sides, or bag openings to prevent them from falling in on themselves.  I use this stuff when I made this messenger style bag for my sister's Xmas Pressie. She said that it drives her insane when the main compartment of her bag flops in on itself.  So I sewed this stuff into the sides and top seams to form a sort of flexi - skeleton within the bag to give the bag a boxy structure...

**UPDATE** Here is a pic (as requested) of me sewing some Poly boning through both layers of the top edge seam allowance of a wristlet.  I usually sew with a 1cm allowance, so for me there's not much room for messin' about!  If you are going to use poly boning in your bags, you can make life easier for yourself by sewing with a 1.5cm (1/2") seam allowance.  You can either sew the boning into one seam allowance layer, or right through both layers, or even one piece of boning on each layer of your seam allowance.

Bag Bottoms are essential for flat bottomed bags.  It honestly isn't worth saving money by using cardboard because NO MATTER how thick the cardboard is at the beginning of it's life as a bag bottom, it will end bending, breaking, or perhaps getting wet through normal wear and tear - and there goes your hard work down the toilet!  Ideally, your bag bottom will be a little flexible (because that makes it so much easier to work with when making the bag), water proof, and break resistant (for obvious reasons).

Types of bags, and the ways in which I reinforced them:

• Embroidered silk tote made from heavy-ish silk with dupion silk lining:  Silk needs to be reinforced if it's going to stand up the rigors to being used as a bag.  I used med weight fusible interfacing on the exterior silk, then I used double-sided fleece on the interfaced silk on one side and muslin (or a fine weight cotton would also work) on the other side. I left the dupion silk lining as it was.

• Messenger bag made from furnishing weight velvet and quilt weight cotton and quilt weight cotton lining.  I inserted a Bag Bottom on the (err) bottom of the bag in between the lining and the exterior. I also stitched poly boning into the four side seams and the front and back top edge of the bag.  I used firm fusible interfacing on the exterior flap and gusset, then I used heavy sew-in in between the exterior and the lining on the flap.  I left the lining as it was.

• Pleated largish bag made from furnishing weight fabric and quilt weight cotton lining: I used heavy sew-in in between the exterior and the lining to make the bag feel soft and slightly padded.  I used firm fusible interfacing on the quilt weight cotton inserts.  I left the lining as it was.

• Semi rigid clutch with shoulder straps made from quilt weight cotton exterior and cotton lining:  I wanted this bag to have a firm boxy finish (that you could almost make a 'tapping' sound on).  I used firm fusible interfacing on the exterior cotton, then I combined the interfaced cotton with heavy sew-in, and on top of that I also used craft weight sew-in.  Craft weight sew-in is great for giving bag structure and making bags stand up on their own.  I left the lining as it was.

**UPDATE** I have written other other posts which complement this one.  They are called Interfacing De-mystified and another one is called Bag making Fabrics and Interfacing.

U-handbag on Flickr x 2

Are you Amy Butler fan (like, yeah!)?  Have you ever made one of her bags (tops, skirt etc.) from her patterns?  Yes! Great, then I'd love you to to enter our New Monthly Contest to win an Amy pattern (of your choice). 

Our new Flicker Handbag Pool (separate from our Amy Butler Pool) is filling up nicely.  There are some really yummo bags in there.  Thanks to everyone who has popped over to it, and shared their yummy bag pics on it (you rock!).  This gallery is for ANY & ALL OF YOU BAG MAKERS to admire and post your bag pics in (new, or old - customers, or not).  I'm hoping that this pool will grow and grow, and be a wonderful source of bag making inspiration for you, and for me. 

I'm hoping that Flickr will make my life easier.  As our happy family of bag makers grows I have less time to upload pics on my blog, so in asking you kind folks to upload you own pics to Flickr, (OK I'll stop that now, that's 3 identical links in one post, I'm sure you've gotten the point!) I'll have more time to write more tutorials, and answer your emails.  What is also great about our Flickr pool is that the pics will displayed in a lovely gallery for all to drool over, and you now won't have to browse thru my blog archives for bag pics. 

If really don't fancy doing the Flickr thing you can still email me your pics (because I still love to see them), but please forgive me if I'm a bit sluggish at uploading them...  It's worth giving Flickr a try though, it's Free, easy to use, and all you need is an email account and some pics!

As seen in, & Weds (bag) eye candy

Ohhh sooo excited!! U-handblog has been spotted with her scarf and Hollywood style glasses around Blog Town  in CraftZine and Home & Garden Television!!  Thanks heaps to Natalie and Camille for the mention :)  Do check both of these crafty DIY style sites out; they are absolutely jam packed with craftastic news and advice.

Yesterday whilst blog surfing working hard I spotted this gorgeousness...

 

An amazing handmade Lap Top bag by Akhila.  Ber-luddy ell!! It's just fabulous isn't it.  I'm lost for words...

Whilst packing Bernadette's order I thought to myself 'ohh pretty...'

...so I took a photo of her fabric order.   I am (amongst other things) a fabric perv and sometimes I just admire the way that pieces of fabric look so pretty together.  This can be a bit annoying because it distracts from actually cutting into it, and using it!  Do you do this as well, or is it just me?

From top left, clock wise: Paint by Nos. in Cherry;   My Room in Aqua;   Daisy Days in Warm Orange;  &  Paint by Nos. in Teal.

These shoes are the reason why an email buddy Jo has recently taken up Flamenco classes...

...who can blame her eh?  Especially if a spot of Flamenco will get my legs to look that that!

One phone conversation later...

I've just off the phone form talking to a very bright, and very lovely Kirsty.  'Ring ring' I pick up the phone; 'Hello, U-handbag" and a normal sounding woman's voice says 'Hello, can I speak to Lisa please?"  I say "Yes speaking" and then the same voice changes to what can only be described as the sound of a rainbow exploding at the other end of the phone says (I can't remember word for word, but it went like this) 'says WOW it's you! I'm Kirsty Wiseman, y'know from Crafty Blogs!!! (a UK craft blog directory - on which we are both ranked in the top 5.  It's not very important, but it is very nice to be ranked high, and we would have both known about the existence of each others blogs because of this...). 

Kirsty was calling to introduce herself after having just bought some bits from my shop, and to have a bit of chin wag.   We ended yakkitty yakked about alsorts.  I was really left with the warm fuzzies after our lovely chat.   Lovers (and lovers to be)  of photography, scrapping, and a good giggle do visit her amazing blog, she is just as warm, friendly and colourful on her blog as she is to talk to.   

I'm so lucky that  everyone I have spoken RE:U-Handbag matters either on the phone, or via my blog, or email is so so nice!  I want to thank you all for being so lovely and friendly.  It makes my job (not that I EVER view my work as a job!) really pleasurable (big cheesy grin on my face right now).

Amy Butler Sewing Patterns Monthly Contests

Closing Date is 30th November 08!!!

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Have you made any of these yummy designs (or any Amy Butler items from her sewing patterns), or are you going to?  Do you fancy winning your choice of an Amy Butler pattern?  YES!!! Well, read on...

.

Every month I (or you) will have the tough job of deciding which are the 3 nicest finished bags, skirts or tops, etc. made from Amy Butler's Sewing Patterns.  The 3 winners will receive an Amy Butler Pattern of their choice.

Post your photo/s on our Amy Butler Bag Pool on Flickr, and I will approve your pic before it can show up in the pool (I'll just be checking that you're an entrant to the monthly contest because this pool is only for contest entrants).

So folks, here are the rules (please stick to 'em):

1. There will be 3 pattern prize winners every month. 
   
2. Only one design per entrant, per month please. 
3. IMPORTANT: Before you skip over to our Amy Butler Bag Pool on Flickr to enter you need to first comment on this particular post with your Flickr username and which Amy pattern you've used.  If you forget to do this, I won't know that you're an entrant, and then you won't be able to win (Yeek!).
4. Please keep an eye on this blog for the Contest Winner Announcement to see if you have won.  I'm sorry I don't contact winners because I always have HEAPS of other stuff to do :(
5. FOLKS, PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS ONE NEW RULE IN THIS CONTEST. PLEASE INCLUDE A LINK TO THIS CONTEST IN YOUR PHOTO DESCRIPTION. DO NOT ADD ANY FULL-STOPS, COMMAS OR BRACKETS ETC. TO THE LINK, SIMPLY COPY & PASTE THE LINK BELOW:

http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2007/04/amy_butler_sewi.html

The closing date for this month's contest is the 30th November 08.  There is no theme this month any Amy B. pattern would be great, but (in your photo description) let us know who you are making your Amy Butler pattern for and why and your entry will receive extra attention. Simply comment on this post (as outlined in rule 4), then pop over to our Amy B. Flickr, and you're away!

Good luck folks and I can't wait to see your entries!

Sorry (in advance) if I don't reply to your comment for entering this contest (just soooo much to do all of the time!) don't worry though, as long as you can see your pic in the Amy Butler Bag Pool on Flickr, you can count yourself entered in the contest!

The sun has got his hat on...

Hi All!

I just want to tell you about the brand spanking new U-Handbag Flickr Pool.  Please visit it, fill it with your handmade handbag & purse loveliness, and be inpsired by your fellow bag makers.  Anyone can join, and anyone can drool over...thanks!

I'm so happy that you liked my Reusable Bag Tutorial.  Thank you so much for your lovely comments, they encourage me to carry on making up more of these tutorials :)  I'm also really impressed that you folks don't like plastic bags (and the rest - food packaging? Don't get me started!) either.

Last weekend in the UK was absolutely glorious.  In London where I live they held the London Marathon but being the lazy ass that I am I didn't run it, and I enjoyed a lovely bike ride along the Thames river instead.

Cycling along the Thames path I could see Canary Wharf in the distance...

I cycled this bike...isn't she REALLY GIRLY?

Beans was bushed from chasing after bicycles...

My garden was so pretty in the sun that I got snap happy...I don't really know what the names are of anything.  I just know that you need to weed, feed, prune, and get rid of bad bugs, and water stuff.  It seems to work most of the time...

This probably needs cutting back, but it's so pretty I'd feel bad!

In the evening I did a spot of bag making (you'll see the results early next week-I have high hopes for this baby!).  Whilst sewing I tried not to get choccy melty fingers - choccy on fabric is not a good look.  I was tucking into some Green & Black's Butterscotch Choccy, which I am sad to say is now all gone into my tummy and tastes WAY TOO NICE!!

What naughty but nice treats do you like to snack on whilst you're sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc?   What are the brand names - snacking is an v. important international pastime so it would be cool to know the brand names!

How to sew a curved bag gusset tutorial (aka reusable groceries bag with comfy bag handles ).

**UPDATE** If you'd like this tutorial (and any of my others) in PDF format click here.

Note: to view the PDF tutorial, you will need the latest Adobe Viewer program.  Get the latest version of the viewer absolutely free by clicking on the button below:

At the moment one of the media hot topic issues in the UK is the environment.  In the last week there's been a lot of coverage about plastic bags.

In many ways plastic bags are a pain in the butt, they clog up your kitchen draws (I've made a bag dispenser for my kitchen) and they are so wasteful.  Check out these placcy bag stats:

• Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute.
• In 2001 there was 1,678,900 tonnes of plastic packaging in the waste stream, an increase from 1,600,000 in 2000. Research conducted in September 2000 indicated that UK consumers used eight billion plastic carrier bags per year.   
• According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. (Estimated cost to retailers is $4 billion)
• Read more stats here and here:
• YIKES!!

The environmentally friendly thing to do is use reusable bags, but the ones supplied by the supermarket are plastic as well and you end doing some free advertising for the supermarket (grrr!).  Another thing, how many times have you decided to make an impromptu visit to the shops only to find you don't have one of those reusable bags on you, oh and those reusable bags aren't exactly pretty are they?

Enter the pretty, reusable, strong, and roomy groceries bag with comfy bag handles, and with it's own bag cosy (or stuff sack).  I have used cotton throughout, and the stuff sack has a strap and metal clip so you don't end up losing the sack (which is something that always happens to me).  This bag should take just over an hour to make, and your Mum and your buddies will love one...  I hope you like it, and I'd love to know what you think of this bag :)

::UPDATE:: To see just what this bag is capable of click here.

In this project you will pick up/apply these skills:

• Sew a fool-proof curved gusset - fool-proof because this easy method will prevent twisting and mis-aligning of the gusset (this always used make me very angry. Grrrr!!!).  This method works just as well for squared bag gussets. Gussets are a brilliant way of adding volume to your bags ('gusset' is such a daft word...).
• Sew a padded bag handle - handles cutting into fingers is not a good look.
• Sew a fabric strap - with a metal spring clip.

Click on any picture to enlarge it.

Pretty fabric and comfy bag handles will help make groceries shopping less of a pain in the bum.  Nice and roomy, longer lasting, those handles are soo comfy, and the bag is much much prettier than it's plastic cousin don'tcha think?

Clip the bag cosy to the handle and you won't be a ninny (like me) and loose it!

Bag within a bag.  This groceries bag has it's own bag cosy or stuff sack so you can pop the groceries bag into your handbag and never be without!

Here's How I Put It Together

Shopping list (as if you were buying from a shop, if not using stash fabrics)

• 1/2 yard of farm yard fabric for the exterior and matching thread  (50cm).
• 1/2 yard of stripy fabric for the gusset, handles and stuff sack and matching thread (50cm).
• 1/2 yard cotton lining fabric and matching thread (50cm).
• 1 x 44" x 4" strip of double sided fusible fleece (112cm x 10cm)
• 1 x 1/2" D-ring (13mm)
• 1 x 1/2" bolt snap (13mm)

NB all seam allowances are 1cm (3/8") unless otherwise stated.


1.  Make up your pattern - there is one pattern piece which is the main body.  This pattern is shown halved.  I have drawn a free hand curve between both of the points marked '9cm'.  The lines either end of this curve are straight lines (the side edge & the bottom edge).  Mark these 9cm marks on your pattern, they are important for later. 


Double your fabric over and place the pattern piece on the fold of the fabric before cutting out.

From the main pattern piece pattern cut; 2 x pieces Farmyard fabric, and 2 x pieces lining fabric.

2.   Cut the other fabric pieces - also cut:

• One piece each of 12cm x 112cm (4 6/8" x 44") stripy fabric, and lining fabric for the gusset.
• One piece of 20cm x 112cm (8" x 44") of stripy fabric for the bag handles.
• One piece of 22cm 30cm (8 5/8" x 12") of stripy fabric for the stuff sack.
• One piece of 16cm x 22cm (6 2/8" x 12") of stripy fabric for the stuff sack lid.
• One piece of 5cm x 30cm (2" x 12") of stripy fabric for the stuff sack fabric strap.

3.   Make the comfy bag handles - Take the long strip of stripy bag handle fabric and fold it in half length ways with the right side facing out, and press.

Then lay the strip of double sided fusible fleece down the centre of the fabric.  Fold the long edges of the fabric into the centre, and press - this will activate the adhesive in the fusible fleece and bond it to the fabric.  Fold the resulting strip in half length ways again.

Take the strip and divide it into 2 equal lengths.  Open up the strip again and fold the raw edges  down as shown in the photo, fold back in half again.  Top stitch the handle all around.

4.   Make bag cozy/stuff sack fabric straps - Make up the straps in the same was as for the bag handles as in Step 3. except there is no need for fusible fleece and do not divide the strap into two equal lengths. Instead, divide the strap into 20cm & 10cm (8" & 4") lengths. 

Take the longer (20cm) of the two straps open out, fold the short raw edge down 1cm, and  close up and top stitch the strap all around.  Thread the stitched end of the strap though the eye of the bolt snap.  Fold over the end and stitch to secure the clip.

Thread the D-ring through the short strap, fold in half and secure the D-ring to the centre of the strap by stitching.

5.  Make the bag cozy/stuff sack - take the stripy stuff sack fabric piece piece (wrong side up) and fold in one of the short edges 1cm, then fold in again another 1cm, and top stitch.  Repeat for the other short edge in half lengthways. 

Take the stuff sack lid fabric piece(wrong side out) and fold in half bringing the long edges together. Stitch the long edges together to form a tube.  Turn tube right side out and press.

Now lay the stuff sack lid onto the right side on one of the stitched short edges of the stuff sack pocket, pin and stitch lid to pocket.

Position the long fabric strap onto the right side of the stuff sack fabric 10 cm (4") down from the top edge, and position the short strap 12cm (4 6/8") down from the top edge  as shown in the pic.  The  pins in the pic are there so  you can more clearly see the position  of the straps.

Now fold the stuff sack fabric in half as shown in the pic, pin, and stitch the sides.  Then stitch the sides again with a zig zag stitch to prevent fraying.

One finished bag cozy/stuff sack with fold over flap and fabric strap.

6.   Sew exterior bag - Remember those 9cm marks that we made on our pattern?   These marks are going to help us sew a gusset that is nice, even and straight (and not twisted and rubbish!).

The blue dots represent the 9cm markings that are on our pattern (I have also used the central creaseline as a marker too, just to make damn sure!).  We have to transfer those markings onto both sides of the gusset, the front, and the back bag pieces so that they all correspond with each other when we pin and stitch everything together (this is super important; if the marks don't match you'll end up with yet another twisted gusset and feeling right p**sed off - it used to happen to me every time!)

Righty, pin the gusset to one of the bag pieces so that the right sides are touching each other.  Carefully match up the 9cm markings on the gusset and on the bag piece (as shown in the 1st pic) this will prevent 'Hair-rip-outtis' from sewing a twisted gusset!  You'll see in the pic that the gusset fabric is too long at the top edge this is because I always make them too long, just in case.  This way I can just trim off the excess fabric later. 

Be generous with the pins on the bag curves to make life easier for when you stitch them.  When you come to stitch the curved corners slow down as you make need to smooth fabric bumps with your fingers as you sew.

Pin the other bag piece to the gusset matching up the 9cm markings as before.  Pin and stitch on the bag fabric side  (not the gusset side) it's easier!  Press the seams open and turn the exterior bag right side out.   With  any luck you'll find that your bag gusset is nice and even, and you'll think to  yourself 'what a clever lady, or gent (Hi Ryan!) I am!'

7.   Sew lining - sew lining in the same as the exterior bag except you must leave a 15cm (6") gap in one bottom edge seams.

8.   Pin and stitch the exterior bag to the lining - Insert the exterior bag (right side out) in the lining bag (wrong side out). The right sides of the exterior and the lining bag should now be touching each other.  Pin the exterior bag to the lining bag at the top edge.




Pin the two bags together at the top edge.  For neatness match up the side seams on the lining, and exterior bag.


9.   Pull the exterior bag though the hole in the lining - this is always my fave bit.  Tease the exterior bag out through the gap and pop the lining into the exterior bag and smooth everything out.  Stitch the gap in the lining shut by tucking the raw edges into the hole and top stitching for a neat finish.


Out she comes...

Pop the raw edges of the gap in the lining into the hole and stitch shut.  Pop the lining into the bag and smooth every out and press.

10.   Finish making the bag - top stitch all around the top edge.  Stitch the bag handles to the bag - position each end of the bag handles by measuring in 12cm ( 5") from the bag side seams and stitch in place in a box-with-a-cross-inside formation for strength (It doesn't matter it you go over some of the lines to make this formation, the more the merrier (and stronger).


Top stitch all around the bag and then position the bag handle ends 12cm in from the bag side seam as shown by the blue dots.

Tah Dah one eco friendly, nice to look at, and pretty darn useful reusable groceries bag!!

This 'Bag with it's own cozy' tutorial is my April 07 Whiplash Challenge entry.

Sorry to late entrants to the Amy Butler Draw

This is just a  quick post to say sorry to the last 13 folks who entered the Amy Butler pattern draw. It looks like the late entrants (anybody after Jodi Renshaw) popped over to my blog as a result of being directed here by the Uber Wonderful Craftzine (you have to check out this brill site).

The lovely Natalie (thank you so much for your kind shout outs Natalie, I love what you do!) of Craftzine said that the final day of my draw was the 18th - when it was actually the 17th.  By the time she posted details of the draw on her site, I had already held the draw and announced the winners on mine, opps!

So sorry about that.  I will be holding more Amy Butler draws - especially as Amy really enjoyed reading your comments in this draw.  So hopefully you'll get lucky next time :)

And the winner(s) of a new Amy Butler pattern is (are)

Thanks to everybody who entered the draw for one of Amy's patterns.  It's great to hear from some lurkers (Hi there!) and the lovely regular readers.   I can't reply to comments in draws because (hopefully) there are so many, but it's really nice of you to drop in and take part, and I still really love seeing what you have to say :)

That little draw great fun!  Amy and I both LOVED reading your questions, it became quickly apparent that all of the questions were very well thought through.  So rather than give myself the headache of choosing the best ones to go into the draw, I just put them all in the draw!  I also decided to have 2 prize winners in this draw (instead of 1) because your questions were that good!

Right, down to business...

Beanie looks sad, but he's just dog-tired from playing in the park.  OK, 40 names in the bowl. 

The 1st winner is...

Lucy!!! Congrats!  Lucy's  entry was this:

My question for Amy would be: 'What advice would you give someone that wanted to sucessfully take their hobby (and passion!) i.e. all things fabric/sewing/bag making related, and make it their business?'. I dream about being able to take the leap and give up my job and focus on my creative side!

I love all of Amy's patterns but if I HAD to choose just one it would be the frenchy bag!

The 2nd winner is...

Anary!!! Congrats to you too!  Anary's entry was:

Tradition. How do you feel about taking part of the sewing revival? How important is keeping this tradition alive?

Feel free to edit...and thanks for the opportunity to " maybe" have this question dear to my heart asked to someone so gifted as Amy. By the way do you mind answering that too..? (Aw that's kind! Yup, I'll answer in another post sometime this week).   What was your fave new pattern, Anary?

Sorry to those who weren't lucky this time.  Maybe next time.  I will continue to hold more Amy Butler themed draws in the future (as this one went so well), perhaps votes on the nicest Amy Butler bags made from her patterns, or something like that :)

Thanks again everyone for taking part!  Look out for the interview with Amy which will appear in this very blog as soon as my order of her yummy new patterns arrives in the office...