The ultimate expression of my obsession with customization, begins with a beautiful, simple everyday bag.  Each bag in my book, Sew Bags: The Practical Guide to Making Purses, Totes, Clutches & More was designed with this in mind. The clean lines and thoughtful details invite you, the reader, to be the designer. While you can certainly make a bag exactly as the pattern directs, if you can manage a little extra time, in addition to a small stroke of creativity, the ability to make handbags totally your own could be a serious game changer.

The fun begins when you start to break the design down to the component parts.  Fabric, hardware, handles, straps and decorative accessories can be mixed and matched to create a bag that’s uniquely yours.

Perfect design is a matter of personal expression and preference. What would your dream handbag look like? For me, it is almost always some kind of tote-style bag. I carry a lot of stuff around and need a sturdy bag that looks great but is also comfortable to carry and functional. Often times though when I see a great bag that I love, it is missing some essential requirement. More often than not, it doesn’t have enough pockets or the strap length is just not right. Since my overall goal is to encourage you to be a part of the design process, I intentionally left out interior pockets in the bags. This allows you, as the designer to make those decisions yourself.

I encourage you as you work through a pattern to consider the overall size and function of the project as well as the fabric and color. (Being involved in the design process can be just as fulfilling as actually cutting and sewing your bag.) To that end, you can look forward to future posts that will help to enrich your experience. First up- Straps and Handles.

XO, Hilarie