Inspired Naturally – Kate MacAndrew, artist and school workshop leader based in Derbyshire

Here is my latest design of bag – it was inspired by my love of the seaside and particularly memories I have of my childhood family holidays to the beautiful Pembrokeshire Coast in Wales. It has applique images on both sides, a lovely button to close it, a large pocket on the back and an illustrated lining.

I am working towards having my designs ready for the British Craft Trade Fair but if you would like to enquire about purchasing one of these bags when they will become available (or the Poppy bag I posted about a few weeks ago) please get in touch!

Hello! It’s been pretty busy over here lately. I’m juggling working through 2 e-courses: The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design and Hello Soul Hello Business (which I am absolutely loving and learning SO much) and preparing for April’s BCTF in Harrogate.

I have also been designing a new range of bags, one of which I have just completed and can be seen below:

This poppy bag is made from a lovely faux felt and lined with a thick cotton with one of my poppy patterns. I was inspired by the colour of the material and wanted to try something different. The applique poppies are made from a charcoal grey faux felt and the bag closes with a cute little ladybird button.

I have another design of bag ready to be made so I’ll sign off and get making! Happy Tuesday

Last month I mentioned that I was beginning to design and source material for my new bags. I have been on the search for the outer material for all three of my designs and I have finally found them! So yesterday, after the weather reporters got it soooo wrong and it rained most of the day, I decided to begin cutting out my bag pieces and also give this a whirl…

… my free machining foot – I am a complete newbie to free machining but I would like to incorporate this on my bags. I won’t give away too much yet but here’s a little peek at the beginning of one of my bags.

I’m really enjoying experimanting with different techniques and I hope to get one of my bags complete very soon. I’ve got a very busy week ahead, including 3 school workshops but I’ll see what I can fit in!

You can see the first bag I’ve ever made in this post here and here. 

Have a great Monday everybody!

I can’t believe it’s been 5 days since my last post! I have been very busy though, here’s a sneek peak at what I’ve been working on…

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am planning on creating bags using my own designs with a view to launch a new range. I am still in the middle of sourcing various materials to do this but have managed to prepare the fabric I have got so far. I will keep you updated with my progress! 

As I mentioned in my last post I was deciding on how I would like my bag to fasten. I settled on magnetic clasps and decorative heart buttons (which you may have noticed in the original materials photo). I ordered the clasps on Sunday evening and they arrived on Tuesday and by that evening I had the clasps and buttons on…

I carefully measured where the magnetic clasps should be placed and once sewn on I added 2 heart buttons onto the front of the bag’s flap.

I am really pleased with the final result and I am looking forward to experimenting with my own printed fabric and designs. 

If you follow me on Twitter you might have read I went shopping for fabric to make my very first lined bag over the weekend. I am happy to announce after 4 and a half hours of hard work and the occasional head scratching I managed to make this little beauty:

I wanted to share this first attempt with you so I have photos of me at the various stages of making so you can see how the bag developed.

Materials I used:

Bag pattern pieces traced and cut out from pattern sheet (taken from this book)

Felt (for the outside of the bag)

Patterned fabric (for the lining)

Iron-on interfacing

Matching threads

Step 1. From the felt and lining fabric cut 2 bag pieces, 2 straps and 1 flap. Using a chalk pencil transfer the strap and flap positions to the wrong side of each felt piece. Cut 2 straps and 1 flap from the interfacing. Staystitch the top edges of the felt bag and flap pieces and short ends of the straps.

Step 2. Trace the topstitching lines onto one of the felt pieces (this also shows the flap and strap positions) using carbon paper. Using a complimentary cotton colour stitch the pattern lines onto one felt piece.

Step 3. With right sides together pin and then stitch the sides and lower edge of the felt pieces together. Work a second row of stitching over the first for extra strength. Notch around the corners and turn the bag right side out.

Step 4. Repeat step 3 with the 2 bag linings, but leave a 5 inch opening at the bottom at the lower edge to allow the bag to be turned right side out later.

Step 5. Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the lining flap and then right sides together pin and stitch the lining flap and felt flap together. Notch the curves. Turn flap right side out, press seams flat and stitch the raw edges together.

Step 6. Repeat step 5 with the lining straps (stitching down the long edges only).

Step 7. Machine stitch one short end of each strap and then use a wooden spoon or similar to turn it right side out. Unpick the short end and press straps flat.

Step 8. With the bag the right way round, pin the flaps and handles aligned to the marks on the bag. Stitch in place.

Step 9. With right sides together place bag inside the lining. Keeping the raw edges level pin and then stitch around the top edge sandwiching the straps and flap in between. Repeat stitch to strengthen.

Step 10. Turn the bag right side out through the opening in the lower lining. Slip stitch the opening together. Push the lining into the bag. Pin the bag and lining together around the top edge and stitch through all layers of fabric.

In the book it suggests you make 2 buttonholes and add 2 buttons to allow the bag to be closed. I am still deciding what I will use – I am considering using a vintage button for decoration in the centre and using magnetic clasps to close the flap securely.

I will share photos when I have this done!