My latest book, Sewing Stylish Handbags & Totes, was released in the past few days, so I’m happy to say that it’s now available for you all to buy! I’m a bit of a bagophile myself, so I was very excited to take on this project, creating 18 interesting and varied bag designs that will suit every taste. My goal in writing this book was definitely to make a collection of bags that would make a wide variety of people happy. In addition to that, I wanted to design classic bags with an interesting twist.

For instance there’s a tried-and-true shopping tote, but it has a zippered wallet attached for folding the bag up and zipping it shut when you don’t need it! There’s also a messenger bag, but it has an expandable bottom section that nearly doubles the size of the bag when you need to carry the big stuff. Nearly every bag has options for embellishment, including appliqué designs and templates that work perfectly for fabric paint stencils. The designs range from techie to mod, kawaii to ornate. You’ll see a lot of my kawaii style in some of the options, so keep in mind if that’s not really your aesthetic, the variations are completely optional. I think you’ll find the bare bones patterns to be very classic and casual designs. You can read about the whole dish if you’re interested in how the book came together ^-^

One of the main things that makes me proud of the book though, are the huge tutorial sections that explain how to implement bag hardware, which can really make a handbag look special. I’ll show you how to install zippers, snaps, buckles, eyelets, strap adjusters, metal rings, turn lock closures, magnetic snaps, and many many more things. If you’re like me, seeing the hardware transform your bag from handmade to high-end will really get you excited to whip out your machine.

I hope you’ll give my book a look with the see inside feature, so you can see if the bags are your style, then please give it a try if you have a bag addiction like me!