Apologies for my latest to this party, but day jobs have rather overwhelmed both Nikki and I in the last couple of weeks. I do have a reward though, for all those patiently waiting, so read on to the end to find out what it is!
Nikki and I ‘met’ online when I discovered the online sewing community through Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day 3 years ago. I didn’t win her prize, but I stuck around anyway, after all, she is a fellow bag maker! This is actually her second book, and covers all kinds of tips and tricks to make professional looking bags – I saw a lot of people flipping through it at Market, so hopefully you can find it on a shelf near you now. Occasionally in her blog posts there’s a glimpse into what has lead Nikki to the point she’s at now, so rather shamelessly I decided I’d just be nosy and interview her so I could find out more.
You knit and make clothes as well as bags, what made you focus on bag making?
I’ve been obsessed with sewing since I was a pre-schooler, and learned to use a sewing machine around the same time as I was learning to read and write. It’s a part of me.
I studied to be a Fashion Designer, and worked in that field for several years, but was always frustrated by the lack of sculptural and creative possibilities in mainstream garment production. I moved into the area of accessories – hats and bags, and a brief foray into boutique/art home furnishings. The ability to make abstract shapes as functional objects grabbed me, and I specialised in this area.
As an adult, I’ve worked professionally in leatherwork (making bags and purses) and have returned to knitting and crochet as a hobby. I’ve also developed an obsession with knitting machines, a niggly desire to make more quilts, and have a deep yearning to learn more about felting, machine embroidery and all sorts of textile dyeing techniques.
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| From the book launch in Melbourne |
Wow, sewing since pre-school? Who taught you?
My beginnings were at the knee of my eldest sister, who left home when I started school, and showed me how to use the sewing machine so that I could continue sewing in her absence. I was then self-taught, using books and magazines as resources. By the time I was at high school, I was making all of my own clothes. I was formally trained at RMIT (Fashion degree) and then worked in various parts of the fashion and crafts industries in Australia, England and Ireland. I’ve been teaching for over 10 years, and in that time, new products and resources are emerging all of the time. I constantly experiment with new techniques and I’m still learning.
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| Original Lahti Flight Bag from the book |
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Everywhere. I see design lines and shapes and embellishments and textures everywhere. I use Pinterest these days, to record some of the visuals I see online, but mostly things get stored in the over-stuffed, unsorted filing system in my brain.
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| Original Convertible Tote/Backpack from the book |
One of the limitations I find with quilts is that you can’t really go to town on all the different kinds of fabric available, but bag making opens up many more options, what are your favourites?
I like natural fibres – cotton, linen, wool, silk… I love their tactile qualities they tend to do what they’re told when they’re being sewn. I’ve worked with all sorts of non-conventional materials (billboard fabric, metal, rubber, rip-stop nylon) to make all sorts of strange things, and often the finished effect is worth the pain or difficulty in manipulating them around the sewing machine….. although I’ll never put foam rubber through my overlocker again.
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| Original Barcelona Satchel from the book |
You teach both local classes, and now at the Fashion College in Melbourne, do you have any advice for beginners?
Don’t expect perfection or judge your work against that of people with more experience. We all had to start somewhere, and we’ve all made mistakes that teach us the best way to do things next time. I always assure beginners that the biggest difference between them and people with more sewing experience, is the attitude toward unpicking. The more experience we have with sewing, the more accepting we are of the fact that we’ll make mistakes that need unpicking… we don’t see it as failure, just part of the process.
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| Shopping tote from the book |
Any final tips?
Tip 1: Use quality interfacings. Good quality fabric can be spoiled by cheap interfacing and cheap fabric can be improved with the right interfacing.
Tip 2: Get to know your sewing machine and all its feet and accessories. There is often a gadget to make a task simpler, but you’ll never know unless you read the manual and experiment with what the machine can do.
Tip 3: Fabric gluesticks and fusible tape can often do the work of pins, only much better than pins can do it. You can stick things together exactly where they need to be sewn, and then focus on sewing neatly.
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| Drawstring bag from the book |
Onto the goodies:
Oh I do love someone that loves their glue stick as much as I do! Anyway, I promised you a reward earlier for sticking with us, and here it is. You can win a copy of the Better Bag Maker (hard copy in the US, digital version for the rest of the world)
Here’s what you have to do:
- Leave a comment telling me one thing that you wish you could do better in bag making, or even why you’re too scared to start!
Optional extras:
- Pop over to Nikki’s blog and follow her, or tell me if you already do
- Follow me, or tell me if you already do
Think that should do it for now, entries close at midnight on Friday 4th July BST, and the winner will be announced next Saturday.
I've never made a proper bag because of all the bits and bobs needed to be sourced . I'd like to try one day though. Nikki sounds lovely, good interview!
I wish I knew more about different interfacing. The bags look so fabulous!
I follow your blog on Bloglovin
Sometimes I just need the patience to deal with the really complicated and time consuming patterns…
I wish to try a bag with leather. I'm still a bit chicken about it.
I follow via bloglovin. Thx.
Hello from a fellow Glaswegian, my last bag was made with pet mesh(placemat)and coloured vinyl bought from the Cotton Print at 50 pence a metre 28inches wide. Well worth a visit for the price. Not sure how to attach a photo Anne from Glasgow
From a fellow Glaswegian, my last bag was made with pet mesh(placemat)and coloured vinyl from the Cotton Print at 50 pence a metre. Well worth a visit for 50 pence. Unable to post photo
Anne from Glasgow
What could I do better? Follow the instructions.
Why does bag making scare me? I'm afraid some of the necessary materials aren't available here, and while I might find something similar the difference might be crucial. There are too many "mights" in that sentence, and might might never happen. I have to be brave and try!
I follow you on Google Friend Connect.
I follow Nicole on Google Friend Connect.
So far I have only tried very simple bags. I want to try some more involved projects. My biggest issue so far has been getting the ends of zippers to look neat, without lumps or gaps. I still have plenty to learn!
I follow you via GFC.
I just signed up to follow Nikki's blog via GFC. It's new to me and it looks great.
I would like to learn how to give my bags a more professional finish.
Everything? I am making my second basic tote right now and it's a mess! It will be useable, but I'm not happy with it.
Awesome bags! Overall, my sewing and finishing skills must improve.
I wish I was better at zippers.
(I can do them, I just have a lot of trouble with them spatially.)
I have not attempted making a bag yet but this book looks amazing! Thanks for the chance to win.
Her bags look very stylish.
I haven't made a real bag, just tote bags and zipper pouches. I'm afraid of sewing all those layers!
I follow you.
I've made some bags but some I'm scared of. I'm worried that they won't look properly finished. I love the original Lahti Flight Bag from the book. I'm afraid my seams, zippers and handles wouldn't look as professionally done.
I have made a few bags and love making them but always have trouble with sewing the zips!
I follow you chica!:)
Yep…I want to understand interfacings better. Or how to sew thick seams!
I follow your blog.
Follower.
I have not made any bags, although I have a nifty old one that I want to reproduce.
I wish I could get the corners nicer when there is piping. I am sure the book could help me with many things, I do hope I win.
I had an awful time adding groments to the last bag I made.
I follow you via Bloglovin'
I bought a whole pack of rivets, but I haven't tried to use them yet. >_<
I follow you! 😀
I wish I knew more about choosing interfacing. I find my attempts are too soft or too stiff but never just right.
Follow on Bloglovin.
I am one of your followers!
I'd like to try putting 'feet' on the bottom of a bag.
As the above lady posted about bag feet, that was exactly what I was going to mention. I have put bag feet on the last bag I made but I had to second guess their placement as it wasn't mentioned in the actual pattern
Have made several bags but yet to include piping.
Follower on Bloglovin.
I stick to totes because I find them easy, but I'd love to make a grown up bag one day!
I'm a Katy stalker ( I mean follower )
Not knowing what kind of interfacing to use or the difference between interfacing and stabilizer has kept me from sewing bags that I really want to sew.
Put zippers in more neatly! I need more practice or this bag book, probably both 🙂
I follow you!
rivets… i want a rivet thingummy and time to learn how to use it and make more bags..
I love bag making, instant gratification, ironing and cutting the fabric take more time than the sewing does, I wish I could do better at piping, my last bag had piping on it, I used a zipper foot, but it still wasn't close enough, any help would be great, Thanks for the giveaway.
I loved hearing about Nicole's thoughts on bag making and how she started.
The whole bag thing terrifies me though – I always manage to get the inside outside and as for zips – forget it!
I want desperately to make a bag, but I've never sewn a zipper, and am afraid!
Topstitching makes a bag look so professional, I would like to get better.
I have some purse frames but I haven't gotten up the nerve to try them in case I ruin them
I follow Katy in my rss reader
Getting the layers of a bag with flaps, handles, etc through the machine neatly is my bugbear, I suspect my sewing machine would say the same 🙂
I follow you on Bloglovin!
Love your bags. I don't know why I don't make them except I don't like all the fiddly things you have to do instead of sewing long seams like sashings. But I've taken a few purse classes and loved the end product. I like your comment about the difference between a beginning and experienced sewer. So true. Thanks.
I follow on email. Thanks.
I just bought the perfect fabric for a bag but didn't have a pattern – now I know where to get the perfect pattern!
I follow through emails and Bloglovin'.
I would like to be able to produce professional looking handles rather than just turned tubes. Thanks for the chance!
Following you both on twitter, facebook, or pinterest. Thanks again!
I just started bag/tote making and am enjoying it but I"d like to learn more about handles and straps…and making them look more professional. Thanks for the advice!
I went over to Niki's and follow her with Google Friends. I am looking forward to learning alot from you both!
I am following you on Blog Lovin….thanks for the helps!
I don't do anything but basic shopping totes but would love to broaden my skill set.
I have made a few simple Totes…mostly "made up" design with my daughter's help! We'd love to know how to make a real Bag tho..with stabilizers etc. Would love to make my own…am sooo "addicted" to Bags/Totes…
I am following you thru Bloglovin! 🙂
I'm afraid that I wouldn't like the results. I know enough about sewing to do basic shopping bag, but what I really want to be able is to make a proper bag / purse, and I don't even know where to start with it. (I should probably try the library!)
I now follow you sew girl.
And I now follow you on bloglovin
I am confused about interfacings to use. sarah@forrussia.org
I follow via bloglovin. sarah@forrussia.org
I am not good at the layering portion – having the thicker corners lay just right. My finished products need more polish – probably more practice!!
I wish I could work more with leathers.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com
I would love to add those magnetic closures to my bags but I am afraid to try.
kdavis1@centurytel.net
I've never tried to make a bag, but I do make simple tote bags to donate to senior in a care facility.
Thanks,
Peggy
peggy_verdongibbs@att.net
I'm a new Bloglovin follower.
Thanks,
Peggy
peggy_verdongibbs@att.net
I liked You Sew Girl on FB.
Thanks,
Peggy
peggy_verdongibbs@att.net
wow, these bags are fabulous!! I'd like to be able to sew my bags to be sturdier but still lightweight. I schlep a lot of junk around!!
following you on gfc
following nikki on gfc
I've made a few bags and so far they've all turned out. I'd like to make more though. I don't think of it often enough. Thank you for the giveaway.
I follow you on Bloglovin.
Ok, I've only made a couple of bags but I'm intrigued and want to make more! pbstrand@msn.com (And, I feel like I need a little confidence boost!)
The only 'proper' bag I made with you practically holding my hand! Otherwise I sew square fold-fabric-in-half-and-sew bags with the kiddies. They use them to carry things all around the flat, out of the door, into the woods… And I follow you like a true believer! xx JJ
I would people to say "Where on earth did you find that gorgeous bag (whatever)?" when they see my work.
I follow you on Bloglovin'.
I make some bags, but mostly the easier, tote bag, type. I need to improve my skills and start working with hardware and the more complicated bags.
I loved the interview. Why am I afraid to make bags? I think mainly because the weight of the fabric, and worry about doing it "wrong". I know I should not compare to others with more experience then myself but I am a perfectionist when it comes to sewing, like you I started at a very young age. I follow you through twitter by the way and also Pintrest!
I have only done very basic bags for my kids. I would love to start making more bags! I'm nervous to start because I'm somewhat new to regular sewing, but I love it! I'm also a perfectionist and I Need to let that go.
I'd like to learn how to insert recessed zips
GFC follower!
I'm now following Nikki !
I'd love to make better handles!
I need to work on my corners. I just cant get them pointy enough!
I don't like zips or set in bag bottoms but do make a lot of simpler bags
I struggle with the multiple layers around zippers, but I can't say I'm scared of them. Practice is a good thing! Thanks for the chance to win!
I'm following you on Facebook. Thanks for the inspiration!
I'm following You Sew Girl on Bloglovin. Thanks again!
I'd like to have a better knowledge of interfacing. I guess I just need more experience!
diannc@aol.com