U-handblog

Thanks to everyone who took part in the naming competition for this purse

 

The pattern and kit for it will be launched later today!

 

Thanks to Karen we have christened this purse 'The Popover Purse'.

 

Narrowing it down wasn't easy, but after a bit of mild squabbling we chose Karen H's suggestion.  Karen will you please get in touch with us to claim your prize. info[at]u-handbag.com

 

"Actually, I think you already found a great name, but to officially suggest it: "The Pop-over Bag". Or, you could get clever and call it, "Over The Pop Bag" 

 

Thanks for taking part everyone!  

Last Chance win my Craftsy Class (and a lot more!!)

See the first post on my Craftsy class here.  Sadly I've lost my SD card - which is laden with behind-the-scenes Craftsy action (and some pics of my mini-sweetheart - waaaaaaaaaahhh!!)  so I can't post any more of of those pics.  

Seeming as it's soooo wet and rainy here - thought I'd try to brighten up someone's sewing room by adding to the prize fund - AND get folks another 2 days extension to enter the draw!! 

 

WANT A CHANCE WIN MY CRAFTSY FILM???

CLICK THIS LINK http://www.craftsy.com/ext/LisaLam_Giveaway TO REGISTER AND YOU'LL BE ENTERED, BUT IF YOU ENTER VIA MY FACEBOOK PAGE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WIN A CUTE BAG AS WELL AS THE FILM!!   

(YOU HAVE UNTIL 24th JUNE TO ENTER). Good luck!

 

So to confirm, you can enter by clicking this link http://www.craftsy.com/ext/LisaLam_Giveaway or IF you enter via my Facebook Page (just follow the easy instructions on the first Facebook post) you can also win the EXTRA GOODIES listed here:

1. My soon to launch Craftsy film
2. One of my bags (me-made) which features in the film
3. £30.00 to spend in U_handbag.com
4. Your choice of 6 of my sewing patterns 

Nice eh?!

All coming soon to a Craftsy Class near you...  ;)

 

Name the bag and win the kit to make it!

Can't make your mind?  Well, with this bag you don't need to!  This purse is great for those who like to have cakes and eat them (that's prob a lot of us then!).  This purse frame bag is super-versatile as it can be worn in 3 ways.  This is because this purse is cleverly interlined in such as way as to make it soft and padded yet  it can be easily and neatly folded (minus any unsightly bunching up). 

You can wear it:

1. Unfolded with handle on top
2. Folded with handle on side seams
3. Folded and worn as a clutch

This means you could leave the house with the purse folded over and worn as a clutch and (whilst out) should you need the room to fill the bag with nice things you can unfold the bag and wear it hands free on your shoulder.  Cool eh?  

To accentuate the 'pop-over'-ness of this cute bag, I have made the main body from 2 contrasting fabrics - this looks nice when the bag is unfolded, but when the purse is folded over the 2 fabrics look super-swish layered onto each other. It took me a few goes to figure out exactly where seam between the 2 halves should go, but I think I've got it just right.  :)

Another nice feature is that this purse uses a sew-in frame which I hope will please the glue-phobics!    

You might be thinking, this purse versatility come at a 'skill-rating' price, but you need not worry.  This purse is not tricky and it can be made in 1- 2 evenings of (reasonably) uninterrupted sewing time.  Honest! 

Things we love:

• She's secure - the purse frames are great for security, snap it shut and run for the bus without worrying.
• She looks so professional - we think she has 'It Girl' looks!
• She's versatile - wear her 3 ways as described above. 
• She looks versatile - have fun chopping and changing your exterior and strap fabric options.
• She's roomy or she's neat - unfold or fold her according to your mood or occasion.

Finished size: 11in (H) x 10 5/8in (W) (28cm x 27cm)

 

This bag will be available as both as a Pattern Booklet and a Blank bag making kit.

 

Click on the pics to enlarge:

 

 Purse worn unfolded with strap at the purse top. You can make the the strap length whatever length you prefer: hand, shoulder or cross body, it's up to you.  

Purse worn folded over with strap at the sides. I love how the 2 different fabrics loook when layered together.  I also like how the frame straight edges contrast with the curves sides of the purse bottom half (all designed deliberately, of course!).  

No handle and purse is worn as clutch - very glam!

Just love how the metal purse frame elevates the whole look of the clutch - very grown-up and professional looking! 

 

So I hope you like my new fold-over purse design as much as we do. Thing is we can't start offering the pattern and kit until it has a name. Can you help?

 

Contest Details (please read carefully)

To one lucky winner we'll send a BLANK bag making kit (with pattern) for this bag. It will contain all you need except fabrics and threads.

To enter all you have to do is comment on THIS PARTICULAR POST by:

• Picking a name for this bag design. As a couple of pointers I tend NOT to name my items after girls names (such as 'Alice Purse' because IMHO that has little meaning...), instead I tend to lean towards names which in some way describe the item.
• Please DO NOT focus on the fabric of this bag as this is a pattern only. Ta!
• Enter as many times as you like.

 

Contest Official-ness :

1. We'll select the winning name end of next Weds 24th (GMT) and announce the winner the follwing day.
   
2. I'll need to ask the winner to make a donation for the postage (the kit will be sent as soon as the pattern is published). 
   
3. Sorry I can't notify winners, so please keep an eye for the winner announcement.  This is made easier for you if you subscribe to this blog so you don't have to keep checking back, although it's always great to have you pop-in for a read :0)
4. Prizes which are not claimed within 3 weeks of the winner announcement will be carried forward to the next draw.
5. Sorry I can't reply to contest/draw comments, but I do love reading every single one.  :)

Lights, Camera, Craftsy! Win my class!!

As some of you may already know, last month I spent an incredibly enjoyable week filming with Craftsy in Denver, Colorado.  Denver is as lovely to hang out in as it is high (1 mile above sea level to be exact), the folks are really friendly and chilled, the food was scrummy and AND there were shops with lots of clothes for petite ladies (a choice of stylish clothes for shrimpettes??!!! Talk about a rabbit in the headlights!!).  And everyone I spoke to in Craftsy was so nice - it was a joy to surrounded with folks who are treated well and who love their jobs  :)

 

WANT A CHANCE WIN MY CRAFTSY FILM???

CLICK THIS LINK http://www.craftsy.com/ext/LisaLam_Giveaway TO REGISTER AND YOU'LL BE ENTERED, BUT IF YOU ENTER VIA MY FACEBOOK PAGE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WIN A CUTE BAG AS WELL AS THE FILM!!   

(YOU HAVE UNTIL 22ND JUNE TO ENTER). Good luck!

 

Happy people work in a happy place.  Craftsy HQ is big, airy and fun fun fun!  Amongst the glitter, unicorns and blow-up dinosaurs folks are busy creating Craftsy eye-candy films. What a cool place to work! 

 

And the real reason I accepted Craftsy's invite to film with them?  The clincher was I got a hair a makeup artist as part of the gig!!!!  Heh heh!  Yeah, for the first time in my 40+ years I had curly hair (which I always assumed should defy the laws of physics) but no, it turns out that the amazing Danica (Craftsy's hair and make up artist) was a physics wizard!  

Here's Danica beating my wire hair into submission!

 

Woop! Star for week!

 

 

Look Mum, look Husband I have curly hair!   Thanks Danica.  

 

Curly hair in situ (with my awesome producer, Krisi). 

 

My top-notch filming crew (left to right): Brad (camera genius); Krisi, (producer genius) Me (curly hair lady); Geoff (editor genius). 

 

 

We were here to film this!!!   More about that in my next Craftsy blog post....

 

STAY TUNED FOR MORE PICS AND REVEALS (AND SEEMING AS IT'S MY BIRTHDAY MONTH I'LL MOST LIKELY ADD TO THE PRIZE FUND TOO, CHECK BACK TO SEE WHAT I'LL CHUCK-IN...).  See you soon!  X