HELLO MARIA…

Now, I’m guessing you are from Denmark…correct?
Completely.  Born and raised, and I’ve never lived anywhere else.  I want to, though, at some point. 

I was born in Copenhagen and have lived there most of my life, but 8 years ago we moved to the countryside a good 45 minutes away from central Copenhagen. The kids were small then, and it was great getting a house where they could play in the garden. Now that they are big (both are teenagers) we’d love to go back to the city!

How long have you been sewing and who taught you?
I remember borrowing sewing magazines and books from the library when I was 10 and reading them while dreaming of all the wonderful creations I could make, but unfortunately we didn’t own a sewing machine, and I had to wait until I was 15, when I finally got my hands on a very old and used Husqvarna machine.

I did have sewing in school (we have an obligatory subject called textile crafts in grade 4 and 5) but the teacher was very old-fashioned and wanted us to take ages to make a pillowcase (doing hand-basting etc). She killed any creativity and joy there might have been in class.

So in conclusion. Nobody really taught me (and it showed!).
I began real garment sewing in my early twenties but didn’t really get into it until I began finding sewing sites on the Internet (late ‘90s).

What are the things you remember most clearly about your early days of sewing?
I know this is a strange answer, but when I read this question this is what comes to mind: An image of me cursing and fiddling, trying to get set-in-sleeves to behave. This was a t-shirt and yet the sleeve cap had way too much ease, and the instructions told me to set them in in the round. It was a nightmare. (This was, of course, before I knew about setting sleeves in flat). Also I didn’t know what to do because I thought you had to follow the instructions completely.

Like many of us, you have been sewing for many years – in that time how has the sewing world changed?
Obviously – the online sewing community (which didn’t exists at all when I started out). I remember finding PatternReview and being so happy that I could chat with other people interested in sewing. No one around here (that I knew, anyway) was sewing. Finding friends (actually, one of my closest friends – Tini – I met through PatternReview) and having somewhere to learn about sewing and somewhere to ask questions was brilliant!
Since then, with all the sewing blogs being there, it has become more of an inspirational tour to go online. And also – if my sewing mojo is low, just looking through the blog reader will get it right back.

Sewing patterns have changed a lot, too, I think. First of all, it seems like we have many more independent designers – maybe they were always there, but we didn’t know about them. And in the last couple of years, we have seen more and more PDF patterns coming out. Which I like for the same reason I love getting e-books – it’s instant gratification! (I’m not a very patient person!)

What do you think are the good things about those changes?
Well, all of it, but obviously, the market for .pdf patterns opening up is a big deal for me.
Five years ago, if I’d wanted to start out as a sewing pattern designer, I would have had to get a bank loan of at least 50.000 Euro – just to start out. Today you just need to buy a program in which to draw the patterns – and that’s more like 2000 Euro, which is so much more reachable.

What are your favourite fabrics to work with?
I love my stretch knit fabrics. I really do. I like the relatively easy fitting, the fun styles, the easy wear. But whenever I get a chance to work with a woven cotton or a nice wool, I’m always so thrilled about how easy they are to handle, sew and press.

Over the years what have been the things you are most proud of (or loved the most)?
My first trousers, definitely. Or should I say, the first trousers that fit me well. I went through Pants for Real People (by Palmer/Pletch) and fitted my pattern all alone – only with the help of a camera, the book and all the lovely ladies at PatternReview.

I’m also very proud of the bridesmaids’ dresses I made for my wedding (well, Tini actually made one of them!). We made one for my stepdaughter (who was 10 at the time and plus sized) and for my sister (who was a skinny 15-year-old) using the same pattern. And they turned out very nice, I think.

The one thing that has been loved the most was a pair of camouflage elastic waist trousers I made for my son when he was little. He wore them for years and grabbed them as soon as they came down from the clothes line. First he wore them with the cuffs turned up, then he wore them like normal trousers. He grew, and the trousers became knee shorts and shorts, until he finally couldn’t fit them anymore.

Are there any fabrics, techniques or styles that you are still trying to master?
Oh, yes.  Many. I’ve still to sew a boned corset, and I would love to sew a real old fashioned tailored menswear suit jacket some day. Actually, I’m planning to take a tailoring-a-suit class next spring…

When did you make the move from being a stitcher to being a designer?
I began drafting for myself a couple of years ago, and then realised that I didn’t really know what I was doing. So I took a couple of classes at a community college and then suddenly I realised that I’ve always wanted to design sewing patterns that teach sewing. That was a year ago.

You are one of the designers behind shopOnion – can you tell us a little bit more about that?
Actually. I’m the founder and owner of ShopONION.com, which is a webshop, that sells Danish sewing patterns with instructions in English. It began a bit by accident, when I was sewing and reviewing ONION patterns on PatternReview (See? PatternReview and the online community has meant a lot to me!) Soon other members asked me to help them get the Danish patterns I used. And shortly after I made an exclusive translation agreement with the designer of the ONION sewing patterns and Dennis (my husband) began programming a shop. And ShopONION was born. Two years ago I was approached by the designer of the MiniKrea patterns (which makes lovely kids patterns) and I started translating and selling for them as well.

What inspired you start MariaDenmark?
The realisation that is was possible for me to publish sewing patterns (with out the gigantic loan) and the idea to make them with detailed illustrated (with photos) instructions (which is possible with pdf patterns, but tough with printed patterns, as there is always the cost of printing more pages and pictures are so expensive to print) made me want to follow my dream. The name MariaDenmark was my online user name from the beginning, so I thought I would start a transition from Shoponion (which implies that I only sell Onion patterns) to MariaDenmark.com.

What’s your design philosophy and what inspires your designs?
I want to design patterns for everyday wear with simple lines (much in the Danish design tradition) and a great fit. I want the patterns to have detailed illustrated instructions, to make them easy to sew and fit for everybody – even complete beginners. Basically I want to create patterns that I’ve always needed.

Right now, I’m inspired by what I wear and what I need to add to my wardrobe. I also get very inspired by current fashion – especially the Danish designers (I love Gestuz, Karen by Simonsen and Malene Birger) and blogs.

So what’s up next for MariaDenmark?
I have a skirt pattern coming out next week. So right now I’m working to get everything pulled together and ready. I have one more pattern planned for this year, but since I still have my full-time elementary school teaching job, I’ll need be careful not to over work myself.[SewBusyLizzy: and my blog/twitter followers think I’m busy!]

What are your long-term plans for MariaDenmark (or will we have to wait to find out)?
Well. I have actually quit my full time teaching job (but still have a couple of months left) and then I’ll begin my full time sewing career! The details will be revealed at a later time – but there will be a lot of new patterns and also I’ll still be teaching!

I’m sure you can do more than sew and design sewing patterns – what other things do you create?
I crochet and knit and also love to make old-fashioned soap. But right now it is mostly about the sewing.

So when you are not creating, sewing, designing – what do you do?
Teach. And plan lessons. I podcast with Tini (The Twin Needle Podcast) and I also enjoy running (I know, I never thought I would say that I actually enjoy it!) and being with friends and family. 

I have an ecological kitchen garden (which has suffered a lot this year) and 5 chickens as well. I don’t watch much TV, but I read a lot of fiction. I also need to sleep 8 hours per day and I cook and eat occasionally… I don’t clean very often, though.

Any final tips, hints or thoughts you would like to share with the online stitching community?
I’m so thrilled with everything that’s happening right now in my life. Thank you online stitching community for making it possible!

Thank you so much, Maria, and I certainly look forward to more of your designs!

Thank you, Lizzy! This was so much fun!

We thank LizJaneB for letting us reprint this interview with Maria Denmark, a piece which originally appeared on her blog.

See Maria Denmark’s patterns on PatternReview, including the free 101 Kirsten Kimono Tee download.

We profiled LizJaneB here.

Visit LizJaneB’s blog, Sew Busy Lizzy.

Your PR Name: LizJaneB

Member Since: 2012

Your Full Name: Elizabeth Brennan

Your Blog: http://sewbusylizzy.wordpress.com/

I was taught to sew by my mother. First came hand-stitching, cross-stitch, knitting, embroidery and, then as a teenager, I learnt patchwork and the basics of dressmaking.

When I was young, I was never terribly interested in making my own clothes - perhaps because my mother was so competent at it, there was no need! I was a prolific cross-stitcher for many years and dabbled in embroidery and knitting.

Just before I graduated university, I landed a job as an assistant editor (I had worked since I left high school while attending university, in human resources, administration and corporate publishing) at an Australian craft magazine called “Australian Country Craft & Decorating.” Before long, I was editor, and my job involved sourcing craftspeople to profile, attending photo shoots, editing patchwork, folk art, embroidery, cross-stitch, teddy bear and all many of other craft patterns. I took it upon myself to learn as many crafts as possible in this time. Patchwork became my passion - our publishing house was home to many, many craft magazines and I was surrounded by talented women.  We spent our lunch breaks stitching,  and most of my weekends and free time were dedicated to visiting craft fairs and doing craft!

After I married, I moved out of the city and closer to my family and in-laws who live on the east coast of Australia. I now work in the local cultural centre which is home to an art gallery, theatre, heritage displays and tourism information centre. I manage a website, marketing and public relations for the centre. It's busy and very demanding - but I'm surrounded by creative people and beautiful art in an architecturally beautiful building!

In 2012 I was looking for a creative outlet. I stumbled across the Colette Patterns sewing book on Amazon and then found PatternReview - and have not stopping sewing since. I love making my clothes!  As none of my friends sew, I decided to needed to find some like-minded stitchers and my blog SewBusyLizzy was born. I now can't imagine my life without the sewing blogisphere - it is one of the most inspiring and connected experience of my life - it truly has changed my life! Meeting people like Maria of MariaDenmark and connecting with people across Australia and the world has been amazing. I really can't imagine my daily life without my blog, other sewing blogs and Twitter!

I have a long list of 'sewing ambitions' and think that this creative journey is going to be a lifelong and fulfilling one.

Thank you, LizJaneB!

Do you rack your brains every fall trying to decide what to be this Halloween?  Inspiration sometimes fails us when we're looking for that unique costume idea, but we can become inspired by looking at costumes by other PatternReview members.

We sewists have two choices when it comes to costumes: out of the box or not out of the box.  That is, we can sew an already designed costume from an established pattern or we can use patterns to create our own take on a costume.

Free-form inspiration can come from anywhere.  History is a rich resource.  couturemom wrote that she was inspired by the TV series "The Tudors" and posted some links to the garb worn by the actors in the series. 

TJN66 went on one step further.  She also wanted to make a Tudor-inspired costume and asked for PR members' opinions on her choices, which were Simplicity 3809, Simplicity 4940, Simplicity 9891, and Simplicity 2573.  She was also thinking about sewing undergarments pattern Simplicity 2890 and topping the whole look off with the Simplicity 5794 Misses Cape.

Another source of inspiration is comic books (whose characters seem inevitably to turn up in movies).  Mountainlove's DS wanted an Iron Man costume, so she asked for advice from PR members on how to put one together.   

CollegeHanPan had her heart set on being Harley Quinn, a villainous character from DC Comics.   She had a very clear idea of how she wanted the costume to look, but she turned to PR members for recommendations on vintage harlequin patterns.  beauturbo suggested looking at vintage on-line catalogs (an idea which is great for anyone who needs inspiration).  Here is link to one, another and a third.

Left: Harley Quinn in the comics.  Right, as imagined by CollegeHanPan

Steampunk is still a wide-open, relatively new costume genre that mixes old and new costume styles, so once you get a feel for it, you can let your imagination run wild.  As with any costume choice, there can be technical glitches, such as "How do you keep your gaiters up?", asked by Sewandwrite.

If you don't have the time to design an original look for you or a family member, there are many existing patterns you can use, such as Simplicity 4139 Wizard of Oz Costumes.  And if you're wondering how young is too young for Halloween costumes, you may want to join this discussion.

Whether you design your own costume, sew vintage or sew contemporary, the point is to have fun, right?  Sew true!

Looking for inspiration?

Look at costume patterns.

Visit the Vintage Sewing Forum.

Look at last year's Costume Contest entries.

Need some motivation to sew a costume? 

Join the 2012 Costume Contest on PatternReview! Starts October 1st!

Digital (or downloadable) patterns are becoming so popular for several reasons. 

One, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home to get that pattern you want right now.  Two, they’re usually less expensive than traditional paper patterns.  And three, designers often provide free downloadable patterns for their faithful customers.  There are more good reasons to buy digital patterns, of course, but we'll let you discover those for yourself.

Here are a few new digital patterns available on PR (and there are some freebies!).  Try them and see how you like them.  They're sure to become a new favorite way to buy patterns!

From Maria Denmark...

Maria Denmark 201 Yasmin Yoke Skirt Downloadable Pattern

Cute A-line shaped yoke skirt in two lengths, with curved front pockets. This skirt is perfect for everyday wear. The skirt is designed to sit at the belly button and the yoke keeps any tummy fluff in.

The shorter length, which ends just above the knees (47 cm in size 38), is designed to look great to wear with flat shoes, such as ballet flats or boots - great for a day at the market, for shopping or for chasing the kids around.

The longer length that ends just below the knees (54 cm in size 38) looks great with heels. It's a true staple for a day at the office or for going out for lunch.

The skirt closes at centre back with an invisible zipper.

Free, from Maria Denmark:

Free Pattern! Maria Denmark 101 Kirsten Kimono Tee Downloadable Pattern

See more patterns from the Maria Denmark catalog!

Now, from Sis Boom...

Sis Boom Rebecca Dress Downloadable Pattern

This Misses' Dress with notched neckline, dropped waist, semi-fitted skirt and princess seam bodice is perfect for so many occasions.

Sis Boom Tommy Boxers Downloadable Pattern

Sew these Misses’ or Men’s Boxer Shorts with single piece seat construction in a fun fabric!

Free Pattern! Sis Boom Bosco Bowtie Downloadable Pattern

Free Pattern! Sis Boom Frayed Rosette Downloadable Pattern

See more patterns from the Sis Boom Catalog!

See all the downloadable patterns on PR!

With jacket classes and new Fall patterns, jackets have really been on our minds lately!

And along comes the jacket contest!  Well, good things come in threes!

The competition was pretty stiff in this contest.  58 members participated!  It must have been a real labor, because some parts of the PR world were enjoying the last hot days of summer, and who wants to work on a lined jacket when it’s 90 degrees F outside?  Oh, well, PR sewers are very hardy!

And yes, there were rules…  But the most important one was…the jacket must be lined!

In spite of the hot weather and the necessary rules, contestants did their best to sew their finest lined jackets.

Whew! It must have been hard to decide this one with so many great entries.  Congratulations to everyone who entered!  

First Prize (by Member Vote):  MaryDB for Jean Hardy: 630 Misses' Riding Jacket

MaryDB sewed this riding jacket for DD, who rides horses and participates in mock foxhunts (they don't actually hunt foxes in this version).  The jackets are made in England and very expensive, so MaryDB thought she give it a shot.  She had made one before from wool, but it was too hot to wear and she wasn’t very happy with the fit.  She says, “My goal for this jacket was to make a good-looking tailored jacket with great fit, as close as possible to a Saville Row bespoke hunt coat.”

She used an OOP pattern from 1974 to make this jacket, which has a waistline seam, center back vent, and pleats.  The pattern was poorly drafted, and she had to rely on some hard copy resources to complete the project the way she wanted to.  There were not enough notches, some notches were incomplete, and the sizing was lacking.

Nonetheless, she was able complete the coat using a very fine lightweight Pendleton wool twill she purchased for $3.59 a yard from the Pendleton Mill outlet.  She fully interfaced it with Palmer/Pletsch PerfectFuse Light polyester weft, lined it with Bemberg Ambiance rayon, and added other fabric touches.  She purchased the buttons (with a fox face) from the UK.

She estimates that this jacket cost her $65 to make, about 1/10 of the cost of purchasing a ready made.

She says, “This is one area where sewing your own really pays off…”

Read more details about her contest entry in MaryDB’s review.

Congratulations, MaryDB!

Second Prize (by Member Vote):  Nancy2001 for Self Drafted Pattern: 45793-1015 Homage to Yves Saint Laurent

Congratulations to all our contestants for raising the bar with these great garments!

 We thank Coats & Clark for sponsoring this contest.

We thank PR member Aroura for managing this contest.

Chat with other members about this contest.

Look at all the contest entries.

Never entered a contest before? It's easy! Our contest tutorial will show you how to enter.

Check out the current contests.

Going on now:

Why not enter?

One of the fun parts of every new clothing season is seeing what pattern companies have lined up for us to sew.  Noelle Mac has picked a few from New Look’s latest patterns for me to preview.

And here they are!

New Look 6143 Misses' Dress

This is a fun dress for parties or even everyday wear.  You might need a little jacket though, if you wear it on cool days.

Description:  Misses' dress with pleated flared skirt has round bias-bound neckline, tie belt or back tie options and can be made sleeveless or with cap or 3/4 length sleeves. Dresses D and E have contrast front yoke.

Fabric: Designed A,C,D,E Dress and B Underdress and Binding in Cotton and Cotton Blends, Sateen, Silks and Silk Types, Crepe, Crepe Back Satin, Brocade, Satin, Shantung,  Soft Lightweight Linen and Linen Blends.  B Overlay and Sleeves in Lace. D,E Contrast also in Lace, Chiffon, Novelty Sheer Fabrics.

Sizes: Seven sizes in one: 10-22

New Look 6153 Misses' Coat

Time for some of us to add a little layer of toastiness, and this jacket fits the bill!

Description:  Misses' relaxed fit coat in two lengths has notched collar, patch pockets and drop-shoulder sleeves with or without cuffs.

Fabric: Denim, Corduroy, Twill, Wool and Wool Blends, Wool and Wool Blend Coatings, Double Knits.

Sizes: Seven sizes in one: 10-22

New Look 6157 Misses' Skirts

The peplum on this skirt gives it a jaunty flair!  This skirt comes in several lengths to satisfy whatever mood you’re in!

(Want to read more about peplums?  We talked about them in a recent Tracings.)

Description:  Misses' pencil skirt in three lengths has front princess seams. Knee length A and B have back slit; view A has peplum and optional trim. Mini length C and mid-calf length D have side front slit.

Fabric: Cotton and Cotton Blends, Sateen, Lightweight Wool and Wool Blends, Silks and Silk Types, Crepe, Jacquards, Satin, Shantung.  A, B also in Lightweight Denim.

Sizes: Seven sizes in one: 4-16

New Look 6141 Misses’ Dress

This cute little dress from Project Runway features ultra-wide pleats for a different look.  Choose puffed or cap sleeves to change it up!

Description:  New Look Workroom from Project Runway. Misses' drop waist dress with pleated skirt has rounded or V-neckline and cap or elbow-length puffed sleeves gathered to cuffs.

Fabric: Cotton and Cotton Blends, Lightweight Wool and Wool Blends, Silks and Silk Types, Crepe, Jacquards, Brocade, Satin, Shantung, Taffeta, Soft Lightweight Linen and Linen Blends.

Sizes: Seven sizes in one: 4-16

Curious about what else is in this collection?

See all the new New Looks!

Butterick has released its new Fall collection, and we can see it’s time to put away our summer wear! 

What strikes us the most (with thoughts of brrrrr weather) are the new coats and jackets, so we thought we’d feature them for you.

Butterick 5819 Misses' Wrap and Cape

Is it a cape?  Is a jacket?  Get the best of both worlds with this pattern!

Description:  Very loose-fitting, single-layer (wrong side shows) wrap or cape has collar variations or self-lined hood, flat-fell seams, shaped hemline, and unfinished edges.

Fabric: Designed for heavy weight non-fraying fabrics.   Fleece, Boiled Wool, Berber Fleece.

Sizes: XSM-M, LRG-XXL

Rating:  Easy

Butterick 5824 Misses' Coat

Shades of the 40’s and  50’s!  Celebrate the retro look with this Patterns by Gertie piece.

Description:  Semi-fitted, lined, double-breasted coat has front extending into collar, skirt side front and side back seams, and side pockets.

Fabric:  Designed for medium weight woven fabric and light weight soft woven fabrics.  Coat: Wool Blend, Flannels.  Lining: Crepe De Chine.

Sizes: 6-14, 14-22

Rating:  Easy

Butterick 5828 Misses'/Women's Jacket

Belted or unbelted, with or without scarf, this Connie Crawford jacket will complement any wardrobe!

Description:  Loose-fitting, unlined jacket has lined pockets, sleeves with stitched hems, topstitching, and asymmetrical snap closing.

Fabric: Designed for medium weight woven fabrics.  Pre-quilted Fabrics, Woolens.

Sizes: XSM-XLG, XXL-6X

Difficulty:  Easy

Butterick 5809 Children's/Girls' Coat and Detachable Hood and Capelet

This one’s for the little girl in your life!  Here is a coat that gives her so many looks: coat with or without capelet, coat with or without hood, or capelet alone!  So sweet!

Description:  Lined coat has side pockets and topstitching. A: Contrast lined, upper front and back cut-in-one with sleeve, pleated lower section, fold-back cuffs, and detachable lined hood with buttons and elastic loops. Lined capelet has collar, button trim, and hook & eye closing. Coat and capelet

Fabric: Designed for lightweight woven fabrics. Wool Blends, Velveteen, Broadcloth. Lining A: Broadcloth, Satin.

Sizes: 2-5, 6-8

Difficulty:  Easy

Now, don’t you feel warmer?

Want to see more than Butterick coats and jackets?  See tops, slacks and the rest now!

Post a comment and tell us what you think of this collection!

Despite the past few seasons of skinny jeans, slim-fitting jackets, and form-fitting dresses, you might be a little surprised to see one of the new trends taking main stage on the fall runways.  The key word is "oversized" - not to be mistaken with "super-sized" - although these new silhouettes are a little more forgiving than a few of the recent trends. 

This trend is not just focusing on one garment type, because we are also seeing blocky sweaters, wide leg, pleated pants, and boxy jackets.   Feel like you are having a flashback to the 80's?  Well, you kind of are.  If you are only going to add one of these trendy items to your sewing list, a jacket or coat will have to be top on the list.  The simple, boxy styles mean you won't need to deal with many fitting issues, a plus which makes these jackets very easy to sew.

Designers:  Balenciaga (top left), Proenza Schouler (top right), Celine (bottom left), Jil Sander (bottom right).    Photos from the runway.

You can't miss the Louis Vuitton ad in the front of all the fashion magazines this season (see photos below.  Here is the link to their fall fashion show).  Oversized jackets and pants, wild printed fabric, wide collars, but even more interesting, check out the buttons and bound buttonholes!  I think I will pass on the "Cat in the Hat", but I do plan on sewing up a jacket similar to this style.  I am going to tone it down a little with black cashmere for the outer jacket fabric, needle felt a design as trim, and add wild print for the lining.  So my new mission is to find (or make) some of these awesome oversized buttons, and I will share any resources I find in next month's column.  If you have any ideas creative ideas, let me know.

Designer:  Louis Vuitton.  Photos from the Louis Vuitton Runway Show.

Here are some ideas for adding some unique design to your oversized jacket:

Fabric Ideas:

• Cashmere
• Felted Wool
• Double Faced Wool
• Silk Brocade
• Add spice to a basic color with a printed lining

Styling Ideas:

• Change the sleeve length to 3/4" and add long leather gloves
• Alter the pattern pieces and color block
• Embellish with oversized beads, rhinestones, and buttons
• Add unique trim
• Needle felt designs into the fabric

Pattern Ideas:

Vogue 8754 would be a perfect pattern to start with.  Add embellishing and you will be right on trend.  Embellishing ideas: beading or trim on the pockets, large buttons and bound button holes, cut up the large pattern pieces and color block.

McCall's 6445  This would be a great style to wear with long leather gloves.

Burda 7275  - View A would be a great choice out of a felted wool.

Check back next month for tips on wearing the new oversized pants, along with other pants trends for fall.  I will also be adding fall trends to my pinterest board if you want a closer look. 

xoxo Angela

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, or follow my blog for more sewing tips. :)

Angela Wolf is the designer and founder behind ABO Apparel, Angela Wolf Ready-to-Wear and ABO Sport. An A-list clientele has given Angela more than fifteen years of experience dressing and fitting many diverse women and has enabled her to understand the different styles that compliment each individual woman.

Join Angela on Facebook, Twitter and her blog.

Missed Angela's previous columns? You can still read them!

Sheer Madness
Mixed Media
The Classic Skirts
The Top Fashion Trends for Fall/Winter 2012
Pantone's Color of the Year... Tangerine Tango!
Accessorize With the Scarf For Any Season
Fabrics for the Holiday Season
Faux Fur
A Few Fall 2011 Fashion Trends
The 70's
White, it's Everywhere... How to Wear It
How Will the Royal Wedding Affect Fashion?
A Touch of Glamour
The Love/Hate Relationship With the Popular Trends...Wide Leg Pant and the Skinny Jean!
Fashion Tips & Trends with Angela Wolf

We all love our handbags.  You can never have too many!  If you can sew a handbag, you’re in luck…you’ll have a steady supply of new looks for every season.

And our Handbag Contest participants are ready for any season with all their entries in the Handbag Contest.  Wouldn’t you love to shop in this store?

The rules were not many.  The handbags had to have linings.  They could have commercially-made handles.  Here are a few more rules.

There were so many colors and styles of handbags entered, so many that it was hard to pick the winners, wasn’t it? 

But you did, and here they are!

First Prize (by Member Vote): arianamaniacs for Amy Butler: AB025FB Frenchy Bags

arianamaniacs picked this Best Pattern of 2007 to create her two-toned handbag, but she was inspired to change many of the details to make what she calls her “Frankenfrenchy” bag. 

She started with cotton duck left over from another project, a Harry Potter Champion tent curtain valance for her sewing room.  She also used red buttons that she found at a flea market and heavy red satin left over from a cocktail dress.

To make this bag her own, she added topstitching details with bits of leather and devised the handles using lengths of trim.  She also lengthened the straps, removed the middle divider,  hand-stitched a large snap inside, and added red piping.  To keep the black and white pattern intact, she removed the front pleat.

She recommends trying this Amy Butler handbag pattern if you’ve never made a handbag before because the instructions are, in her words, “very explicit and descriptive.” 

She says, “I've sewn a few, and it's a nice practical handbag. I often give these as gifts to friends. Everyone has been kind enough to pretend like they like them too, lol.”

Congratulations, arianamaniacs!

Second Prize (by Member Vote): Lynn WA for Self Drafted Pattern: 173224-1000 Designer Handbags

Congratulations to all our contestants for inspiring us all with their great handbags!

We thank Threads for sponsoring this contest.

We thank PR member SheBear0320 for managing this contest.

Chat with other members about this contest.

Look at all the contest entries.

Never entered a contest before? It's easy! Our contest tutorial will show you how to enter.

Check out the current contests.

Going on now:

Why not enter?

The Lined Jacket contestants have finished sewing (just in time for Fall!) and now it’s up to you to vote!   The contestants are depending on you!

The general rules are that the jacket must be wearable by a person, and must be lined, without exposed interior seams. And the jacket must have sewn-in sleeves. 

For more does and don’ts in this contest (like “capes not allowed”), see the complete list of rules (don’t worry…there aren’t many!  We know you’re anxious to vote!).

Here are some tips to help you with voting:

1. How well does the item fit the criteria stated in the contest rules? How well does it fit the spirit of the rules?
2. Are the construction methods, including but not limited to seam finishes, lining techniques, etc, well-suited to the design? To the fabric?
3. Is the fabric choice well suited to the design? Are the lining and interfacing choices appropriate?
4. Is the review complete and well-written?
5. Creative points. You may choose to give extra credit here for an entry that reflects additional creativity (embellishment, fabric choice, etc.) while staying within the nature of the original pattern.
6. Complexity of the project. Relate this to the skill level of the participant. If a participant is a beginner, then a princess seam may get the same complexity level as an underarm gusset gets for an advanced.

We know you want to get started, so go to the Contest Gallery first.

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