Support us on Patreon! Love to Sew Podcast

Support us on Apple Podcasts! Love to Sew Podcast

Follow Helen! Blog: Helen’s  Closet Patterns, Cedar Quilt Co., Instagram: @helens__closet, @cedarquiltco

Follow Caroline! Shop: Blackbird Fabrics, Instagram: @blackbirdfabrics, @bfpatterns

Follow the Podcast! Instagram: @lovetosew.podcast, Facebook: /LovetoSewPod

Leave us a voicemail with your questions, comments, and feedback: 1-844-SEW-WHAT (1-844-739-9428)

E-mail us: hello@lovetosewpodcast.com

Sign up for our newsletter to get weekly episode updates, special news, and even some exclusive content that you won’t find anywhere else.

Leave us a review! It will help other sewists discover us.

---

Transcript:

Caroline: We are recording today on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Musqueam, and K’ómoks first nations.

Hello, and welcome to Love to Sew. I’m Caroline, the owner of Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns.

Helen: And I’m Helen, the designer behind Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co.

Caroline: We’re two sewing buds who love to sew, and it’s basically all we know how to talk about.

Helen: Today we’re diving deep into bag making. We’re talking about the best fabrics to use, how to give your bags structure, how to make a bag that’s both functional and stylish. Plus, we demystify bag hardware and share some great indie bag patterns.

Caroline: If you love to sew… bags… then, this is your show!

Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi, Caroline.

Caroline: How are you?

Helen: I’m doing well, thanks. How are you?

Caroline: I’m good. I’m good. I’m excited to talk about bags today.

Helen: Oh. Me, too. I have really been on a bag sewing kick lately, and I feel like the community is on board because I’ve been seeing quite a few bags popping up, bag sewing happening. I mean, I know there’s a lot of diehard bag sewers out there, too, that just love to sew bags, and I’m beginning to understand why. It’s a lot of fun.

Caroline: It’s a lot of fun, and it’s one of those things actually that gets a lot of wear for me personally. I wear a bag every day to work, and it’s great. And when you have a handmade bag, it feels amazing because often I don’t have handmade bags, so now that I do, I wear them with pride.

Helen: Right? You can really complete your head to toe handmade look with accessories, and you can make bags in literally any style. There’s so many different ways to approach this to get the look that you want, so if you’re picturing a certain kind of handmade bag look, you might be surprised at what you can achieve adding some hardware, some different materials, and just choosing a pattern that really suits your needs.

Caroline: Absolutely. There are so many options out there, and I feel like there’s a misconception that handmade bags don’t look necessarily like store bought bags, but I don’t think that’s true. You can really achieve a store bought look sewing your bag at home.

Helen: Totally. And you don’t have, like, someone else’s logo on you, which is great.

Caroline: Exactly. You can add a little cute label and make it your own, and it’s so cute. I love bags.

Helen: Okay. Let’s start this episode off with a couple of listener questions before we get to the bag sewing. This first one is from Archana: “I have some FOMO over wanting my own group of sewing besties, and I’m curious to know additional tips on finding local sewing people! I found some local shops where I’m thinking of taking classes to meet people, and I haven’t had much luck with Instagram hashtags. Do you have any other thoughts?”

Caroline: Ooh, okay. Hello. This is a great question. I think this is a situation that a lot of sewists are in, and we do have a couple of episodes about the ways you can use social media to meet online friends. So episode five, we’re reaching into the vault with that one, it’s called How to Sewcialize, S-E-W Sewcialize, and episode 79 is Sewcializing 2.0. But it’s so true that having in person sewing friends really bumps things up a notch, so we do have some ideas for meeting people in person.

Helen: First of all, I would like to recommend finding out if any of your current friends or family members are interested in sewing, and if they are, you can have some sewing days where maybe you teach them or you learn together doing projects, and they just might get hooked like you. This happened to our former guest, Simone Nelson, of Intensely Distracted with her sister. Love seeing her sister’s makes.

And also to me, with several members of my family, my cousin’s wife, my mother-in-law. My own mom has gotten back into sewing in a big way. And it’s been so fun to see everyone’s journeys. And you’d be surprised a lot of people really wish they could sew, and if you give them the opportunity, they might just take you up on that.

Caroline: I feel like your love of sewing is infectious, Helen, because people around you pick up sewing like I’ve never seen before.

Helen: Spreading like a disease.

Caroline: Classes are also a great idea because you’re going to be in the same space with the same sewing-interested people. So don’t be afraid to ask for their phone numbers or social media handles or extend the fun and go out for drinks after class. You’ll bond over sewing. Yeah, totally.

Helen: Yes, it’s so true. I recommend taking a multi-day class or, like, maybe once a week on Thursday nights kind of class so that you have multiple days with those people. You start to form a stronger bond. If you just do a short little class sometimes it doesn’t quite stick so you need to, like, you know, get in people’s face over and over again.

Caroline: Totally.

Helen: Meetup is a great resource. Our assistant Lisa has met sewing friends through a Meetup stitching group that’s mostly geared towards knitting and crochet. There’s a lot of crossover with crafty people So if you go to things like knit nights, crochet nights, that kind of stuff, you’re likely to meet other fibre arts enthusiasts and that does include sewers.

Caroline: Yes. A couple of the most popular online sewing communities are the sewing subreddit and the pattern review forums. There are also a lot of sewing groups on Facebook. I know Curvy Sewing Collective has a very active one. Online communities are a good way to interact with other sewists, but it’s less likely to net you an in-person friend unless you’re intentional about it. You can make a post asking if there are any sewists in your area and meet people that way. Of course, use caution when meeting people this way. Meet up in a public area, and don’t give out personal information unless you get to know someone.

Helen: Yeah, when I met Caroline, I made sure it was in a coffee shop just in case she was a murderer.

Caroline: Yeah, totally. And somehow I still met up with you even though you told me that you had a dream about me, so… I don’t really know what we were thinking there.

Helen: It was still early days, you know, social media was just a baby. You can check out your local fabric shop’s event schedules. Small businesses especially tend to have some great meetups and classes, open sew nights, things like that. Make sure to google whether there’s a Frocktails near you or in a nearby city that you could go to. New York recently had one, and all the Instagram photos were making me so jealous. Caroline, we have to go to New York Frocktails.

Caroline: Okay, Helen, you don’t even know. When I was watching all those pictures come in and people travelling to New York to go to Frocktails, I was like, why am I not there? I want to be there. We got to do it. I love New York so much and going to New York for Frocktails would be, like, next level ultimate goals.

Helen: It would be amazing. And just any Frocktails really is an incredible experience. I’ve only had the pleasure once, but it was such a night to remember. It was so much fun. And I know you mentioned that you’re struggling to meet people online, and it is challenging to really build those connections.

Like, you know, you like each other’s photos, you leave comments, but everything gets lost in the shuffle, and it’s hard to keep track of who’s who and really make those stronger connections, potentially take them to an in-person or Zoom hangout level. But we did meet each other on Instagram, so it can be done.

And when you’re about to follow a sewing account on Instagram, maybe check their profile to see, see if they list their location, if they’re in your area, shoot them a personal message to see if they’d be open to meeting up or just to introduce yourself and say, hey, we’re in the same area. Just started following you. I really love what you’re working on. The worst that can happen is that, you know, they don’t respond or they’re not interested in meeting up. And the best that can happen is that you have a new sewing buddy and maybe a podcast partner and friend for life.

Caroline: Yeah. You might get lucky.

Helen: We did start those, um, city hashtags.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Well, I don’t know if we started them, but we were encouraging people to use them on the early days of the podcast. So if you live in a more major city, you could try #VancouverSews or #DenverSews. Those kinds of hashtags do help you to meet people in your area and find local sewing groups.

Caroline: Yeah, absolutely. Give it a shot. Let us know how it goes. Okay, our next question is from Kristie: “Every time I make a mistake and have to unpick seams, when sitting there picking each individual thread from the fabric by hand, I always wonder if there’s a better way to remove the little short threads. Do you have any tips on how this can be done better and quicker? Is there a tool to help with removing the threads more efficiently?”

Helen: Hi, Kristie! I do know a great hack for this. You can use a lint roller or some low tack tape, like painter’s tape or masking tape, to remove those threads. It’s a lot faster than picking them out by hand. I’ve also seen little silicone , like, thread erasers, I think they’re called, that you rub over the seam to, kind of, pull out all the threads and gather them together. Those work pretty well, but tape is cheaper, and you have it already.

Caroline: This made me think of the other day, when I was speed sewing my Halloween costume and doing a million gathers and then having to pull out the long gathering stitches, and I had so many tiny pieces of thread on my floor after that project. And then I just, like, walked out of there like, oh, I’m done, not realising that I was tracking so many tiny threads through my house. And I woke up the next morning and I was like, what have I done? There’s little pieces of thread everywhere. I don’t know if anyone else can relate to that, but I find after I get done a sewing project, I find threads everywhere. All over the place.

Helen: Oh, yeah. All over the place. They’re always on my clothes. They’re always on Sam’s clothes or in my hair. It’s, yeah, it’s a lifestyle.

Caroline: Alright, it’s time to get to the show, and we’re going to be talking about bags today. For a lot of us, every outfit involves a bag. They’re accessories, but they’re also necessities. How else are you going to sneak candy into the movie theatre? I don’t know. I have some ideas. There… pockets are great for that, too, but I think bags, bags are probably more convenient.

Helen: The number of times I’ve, like, snuck my full water bottle, just with water in it, because you know, like, you go to events, and they’re like, you can’t bring in your own water. You have to, like, bring an empty bottle and then fill it up. Like, I don’t want to do that just, like, shoving it up my shirt and being like, I dare you to ask me what’s under here. I dare you.

Caroline: Wait, Helen, what’s the, like, craziest food item that you’ve brought into a movie theatre?

Helen: Ooh. I can’t think of one for me personally, but I went to a movie with some friends recently, and one of my friends brought grapes. And we had all brought snacks, and we were, like, passing them up and down our row. And then when, like, the Tupperware container full of grapes got to me, I was like, what? Who brings grapes to a movie theatre? But it was so nice.

Caroline: Yeah. No, a nice, like, refreshing crunch of a grape. I could see that. A little relief from all the popcorn.

Helen: It’s pretty clean. It doesn’t, like…

Caroline: Pretty clean. Yeah.

Helen: …get on your fingers.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. When I was, I want to say I was a teenager at this point, in Montréal, would go to this movie theatre that was right next to this amazing Greek restaurant. And one time I brought in, like, an entire Greek chicken souvlaki pita and, like, French fries.

Helen: Oh, my gosh!

Caroline: And, like, you know, Greek food is, like, quite fragrant. Yeah, you can smell the garlic and the yogurt and the, like, the roasted meats and stuff.

Helen: Yeah, that is, like, a bit rude.

Caroline: You better believe the whole theatre smelled like souvlaki, and I was super embarrassed, but it was delicious.

Helen: Oh, my gosh.

Caroline: Don’t actually know how I managed to get into the theatre with that because it was quite a bulky package but you know, probably had a great bag.

Helen: In my experience, the, like, 15 year olds working at the movie theatre do not care what you’re taking into the movie theatre. I go through a lot of lengths to hide things, and they never seem…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …to care at all.

Caroline: It’s true.

Helen: Okay, let’s get back to bags. You want a good bag to be functional and stylish. So functional meaning that it works for your needs. A clutch isn’t going to be functional if you’re running errands with an eight month old baby, and a canvas tote isn’t going to be functional for a formal event. So obviously, when you’re thinking about what bag to make, you want to think about what you want it for, what you want it to hold, and how you plan to wear it.

Caroline: Stylish meaning it goes with your personal style. So think about the colours and styles you already have in your closet and what would go with them. The most versatile bag is probably sturdy in a neutral colour, but statement bags are so much fun. Who knows? If you get into bag making, you can make a different bag for every outfit and occasion.

Helen: I love having variety in my bag so I can match them with my outfits. It’s so much fun.

Caroline: Oh, me too! I have a cream coloured Bestie Bag, and then I also have, like, a faux leather black one. So those two work really hard, but then I also have a fun statement checkerboard block print one that I actually love and reach for a lot because the colours in the checkerboard match a lot of the clothes that I wear. They’re, kind of, like, autumnal pinky brown colours, and I just love a bag that is gonna, like, add some interest to an outfit.

Helen: Yeah, totally. I think a lot of sewists are a bit intimidated by bags. They sometimes require special hardware, thick interfacing that you’ve never used in your life, and unusual fabrics. And we do have a few things to say about that.

First of all, not all bags are tricky. There are totally beginner level bags that look amazing. And if you’re not ready to tackle something that’s super structured, there are bag styles out there that are more loosey goosey that are totally going to work for you.

Caroline: Second of all, it’s not as scary as it sounds. With a few tips and a couple tools under your belt, you can make a gorgeous bag. And we have all of that information for you today.

Helen: Yes, and last but certainly not least, bag making is a great way to flex your sewing muscles and take a break from sewing garments. There is little to no sizing and fitting, the pieces are small and manageable, and the construction offers new and exciting techniques that are really gonna push the boundaries of your sewing practice.

Caroline: Yeah, so we hope that after you finish listening today, you feel ready to try something new. Or if you’re a seasoned bag sewist, I hope you take away a few tips for your next project.

Helen: Before we start sharing all the info, maybe let’s talk a bit about our own bag sewing journey. I have released a few bags over the years under the Helen’s Closet label. The very first pattern that we did was a little book bag with a front flap. It’s called the Granger Bag. It’s no longer available in our shop.

So if you have that pattern, it’s, like, a little Helen’s Closet sewing gem that only exists. It’s on a few people’s computers. I’ve thought about re-releasing it because it is a good pattern. It just didn’t fit the vibe, like, where I was going with the pattern line, so we discontinued it, but I had a lot of fun designing that pattern, and it was a good way to get started on my pattern development journey.

And then we have the Costa Tote, which was designed by my former employee, Chloe. Shout out to Chloe. Really cute little book bag, tote bag, kind of, thing with, uh, exterior pockets all around and holds tons of stuff, so that’s a really great one for beginners.

And I’ve recently started developing a new bag pattern for the Helen’s Closet collection. I’ve been teasing it quite a bit. So you may have seen it out there. It’s a circular bag with a quilted star on the front. A bit of a crossover between my garment sewing loves and my quilting loves coming together to create this bag baby. So I’m very excited to share that. It’s going to be available quite soon. Probably not when this episode comes out, but keep your eyes peeled because it is coming your way.

Caroline: Ooh, it’s so cute. I love that there is, like, infinite scrap busting ability with this bag.

Helen: Totally.

Caroline: You can piece together scraps on the front, and it’s, like, a nice small size that you could even use scraps for probably the whole bag, right?

Helen: Yeah, that’s definitely the intention. We’re doing yardage requirements as well for people who want to get supplies, but it’s definitely designed with scraps in mind, and also a great project if you’re curious about quilting, quilting curious.

Caroline: Quilt curious. Yeah. Yeah. I am. I am.

Helen: Caroline, how about you? I know you’re into bags in a big way these days.

Caroline: Ooh, okay. Yeah. So my bag journey, I mean, honestly, before we designed a bag at BF patterns, I had not sewn that many bags, just, like, totes and really simple stuff. But then we had the idea for the Bestie Bag, and then, we dove deep into bag making, and I am honestly so in love with the kind of craft of bag making. It feels different enough from regular sewing that it gives you a break from the garment of it all, like we already mentioned, and it’s also just, like, really, really satisfying. Small pieces, comes together fairly quickly. So, yeah, I just, I’m just selling bag making again, but I love it.

So yes, I’ve made many Bestie Bags. Our Bestie Bag is, like, a crossbody, sort of, banana-shaped bag with a few different strap options and a couple size options. And we’re also getting ready to release a little expansion pack for this pattern. As soon as it was released, we had some requests for a smaller size, which we totally agreed with. We actually wanted to add a smaller size, but we just didn’t have enough time, and we wanted to release the pattern.

So we’re gonna add on this little expansion, and we’re calling it the Baby Bestie, and it’s very cute. It’s, kind of, like, a little satchel, like, fanny pack size bag, but it’s in that same style as the Bestie. So it’s, like, a crossbody, kind of, banana-shape and it’s so cute and small. It’s just big enough to fit, like, your keys, your cards, maybe a little reusable Baggu, your cell phone, but not much more. It’s really, like, a grab and go situation. Love it.

Helen: Cute. I can’t wait. It sounds adorable. I have had the Bestie Bag on my list, of course, since it has been released. And I do think that pattern is just so handy, especially the large size. You can fit so much stuff in there. Like, that’s the bag you want when you need your laptop and your sweater and your water bottle and your extra pair of sandals and, you know, like, you could just fill it, and it’s just, like, got everything you need, and you throw it over your shoulder, you’re good to go.

Caroline: And confirmed that a cat fits in it because we’ve had some customers try that out. And so if you’re wondering, you can put your cat in your Bestie Bag.

Helen: Oh, that’s cute. It does, kind of, have, like, a baby carrier shape. Like, don’t put your baby in there, but…

Caroline: No, don’t put your baby in there. Only your fur baby.

Helen: Yeah. Okay, let’s kick things off talking about materials since shopping for them is one of your very first steps. So, how do you choose the main fabric for your bag? I think this depends a lot on the pattern or the application, but we have some tips for you.

Caroline: Yeah, so most bags call for a heavier weight main fabric. Structure helps the bag hold its shape even when it’s holding a bunch of stuff. So first up canvas and bull denim. These are both really nice options. They have good structure, and they’re washable.

Helen: Also, waxed canvas has water resistance and even more structure than regular canvas. You can’t wash it, but you can wipe it down, and it has that rustic creased look. I think waxed canvas bags are quite popular these days in ready to wear. So if you’re looking for a modern look for your bag, this is a great option.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. I love the way wax canvas wears, and then, you can always add more wax to, sort of, refinish it again if, if the wax rubs off a lot over time, so it’s a pretty durable fabric that would work really well. Leather and faux leather are super common in ready to wear bags. Most faux leather can be sewn on a home sewing machine. Some softer leathers can be, but leather working is usually a separate hobby using specialised sewing machines or hand tools. We have a bunch of info about it in Episode 175 Leatherwork with Treasure from Nikki and Mallory. And if you want to use leather for a project that’s not designed specifically for leather and you want to use your machine at home, use leather that’s three ounces or less in weight.

Helen: Yeah, you want to make sure you can actually get it through your machine. If you’re looking at faux leather, it’s usually made of polyurethane, that’s PU, or polyvinyl chloride, PVC, that is bonded to a backing fabric. It comes in different weights, and some faux leathers have some stretch to them. They usually have a vinyl layer on the right side and a fabric layer on the wrong side. Sometimes there’s a padding layer. Sometimes the fabric layer is a different colour. Sometimes it blends with the main fabric to look more like leather.

This can affect whether or not you’re going to leave those edges raw. Faux leather doesn’t fray, but it can look weird if the backing fabric is showing a lot. You can use leather edge paint or even some simple matching Sharpie marker to colour the raw edges. Test on a scrap first, but there’s a lot you can do with faux leather. Um, and there’s amazing faux leather out there that is pretty indistinguishable from the real deal.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. So true. And if you absolutely need to press, press on a low setting on the wrong side of the fabric, use a press cloth, and do not use steam. Steam can loosen the bond between the fabric and vinyl layers.

Helen: And vinyl can really stick to your presser foot, so if you’re having an issue with this, you could try a Teflon foot or a roller foot. You could also try putting some scotch tape on the bottom of your presser foot or laying tissue paper over top of your fabric. You can tear away the paper after you press the seam. And another option is to lower your presser foot pressure or lower your feed dogs and feed the fabric through manually. Obviously, just testing is going to be your best friend here.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. And remember that holes in vinyl are forever, so take your time. And this is true for real leather, too. Once you sew it and you unpick it, those holes will stay there forever. So slow down your machine speed if you need to really take your time, and good luck.

Helen: And there are other vinyls that are not faux leather, for example clear vinyl. And clear purses are so adorable.

Caroline: So cool.

Helen: I really love the idea of sewing a clear bag. I mean once all my junk is in there, it doesn’t look as cute but…

Caroline: I know. I was going to say I feel like a clear bag can’t be an everyday bag because I don’t think it would have the same charm if you have, like, crumpled up receipts at the bottom, you know?

Helen: It’s so true. My bag is so messy. I am one of those people that if you dumped it out, you would be absolutely horrified.

Caroline: That’s fascinating. I definitely try to keep a clean bag because it really stresses me out if I have too much stuff in my bag.

Helen: I just have a lot of, like, gum wrappers and receipts and, like, candies and, like, loose chocolates and…

Caroline: Loose chocolates. Oh, my gosh.

Helen: I know!

Caroline: Like, out of the wrapper?

Helen: And I have so many bags, and I use them all randomly. Like, one time I found an old orange in the bottom of one of my bags that I’d taken out and just forgot to put back.

Caroline: Wow.

Helen: Sorry, that was way, that was TMI. I apologise.

Caroline: No, no, it’s very interesting.

Helen: Hopefully, relatable.

Caroline: Yeah, I’m sure it is. Yeah.

Decor fabrics, the kinds that are usually used for upholstery or heavy curtains, work great for bags as well. And for those of us who don’t head into the decorator fabric section often, it can be really fun to imagine all the amazing velveteen tapestry and printed canvas bags to make. Many of these fabrics are spot clean only though, so keep that in mind and always check the label for the care directions.

Helen: Yes, great tip, but there’s so many fun fabrics, lots of like, little, metallic accents and things. Oh, I love it. Sometimes you can use lighter weight fabrics for your bag making, too. For example, the Fold-Up Market Tote by Purl Soho is intended to be a reusable shopping bag that you can fold up nice and small, and I think it would actually make a great everyday bag, kind of, tote in a nice linen or heavier weight fabric, too. Light or medium weight non-stretch fabrics would be best for bags like this. And I would avoid things like rayon because it would probably stretch out too much, and the weight of whatever the bag is holding might cause the seams to rip open. So you want to go with something that’s quite stable in this case.

Caroline: Yeah, I definitely go with, like, cotton or linen for bag fabrics for the most part, or synthetic like a, something like a nylon or, or a polyester.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: If you interface a lighter weight fabric, you can use it for a more structured bag, too, so definitely don’t sleep on something lighter weight if you really love it, because yeah, adding structure, which we’re going to talk about next, can really, stretch a fabric. Or I guess not stretch a fabric.

Helen: To make a fabric not stretch.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: There are a few ways to add structure to a bag. Interfacing is one way, and it’s great because it can add body and stability to a lighter weight fabric or just beef up something that’s not quite there. If your fabric stretches, like a stretch woven or knit, you could add iron on interfacing to make it non-stretch.

Although, make sure not to use stretch fabrics for a bag without interfacing them, because again, the weight of the stuff is just going to pull the bag, and it’s going to end up much closer to the ground than you intended and all bent out of shape.

Caroline: Yeah. By the way, we did a whole episode all about interfacing. This is episode 78. So if you’d like to go back and listen, check that out. But for interfacing a bag, you want to use a woven or bonded iron on interfacing. The type that you use is going to depend on the starting weight of your fabric and how heavy or stiff you want it to end up.

So if you have a stash of interfacing, you can test different kinds or go with what the bag designer is suggesting because they’ve probably tested a few types of interfacing. I know we definitely tested a bunch of interfacing with our Bestie Bag, and we have suggestions for the best ones that we think work best.

Helen: Yeah. It’s so true. A lot of times that, it is a process to go through all that trial and error. So there’s usually a recommended interfacing in the pattern instructions for you. For a more structured bag, you’ll want heavier interfacings than we would normally use for garments. Fusible fleece, flex foam, and stiff woven interfacing are common. Some bag patterns even combine these to create a super interfacing. Damjana from AppleGreen Cottage layers fusible fleece and woven interfacing in her Teya Crossbody pattern so that the bag has both body and stability. And one is fused to the outer layer, and one is fused to the lining layer, so that’s how they end up together.

Caroline: Oh, cool. And here’s another trick from Damjana. Sometimes if you use a stiff interfacing, the bag can show creases when you turn it right side out. So to avoid this, layer a softer, more pliable interfacing first, and then apply the stiff interfacing.

Helen: Ooh, great tip. Foam is another type of interfacing that will give your bag a lot of body. It’s also nice and springy. There are fusible and non-fusible versions. If you’re using a fusible version, cut away the seam allowance from the pieces before you sew it. The seams can get really bulky if you’re sewing the foam in there. And if you’re using sew-in foam, you can baste it by sewing a straight stitch just inside the seam allowance and then trimming away the foam close to the stitch line.

Caroline: At Blackbird we love our medium weight weft interfacing. This is something we already use for garment sewing, and we tested a lot of interfacings and really even though this one’s meant for garment sewing it worked the best especially with the fabrics that we were recommending for the bag. It adds just the right amount of body to a bottom weight fabric without making it too crisp or, like, crunchy feeling.

Another thing I noticed when we were testing interfacings is sometimes when you use certain types of interfacing. It creates almost, like, a bubble effect in the bag where it fills with air and it doesn’t, like, sit as close to the body. And I don’t know why it does that, but some interfacings do that. And we didn’t love that, so we tried to pick something that would, sort of, have, like, a more natural fall, I guess, or drape to the fabric and the bag. But if that doesn’t bother you, then there are even more options out there for you.

Helen: Yeah, or if you’re making a bag that’s meant to sit, like, a perfect rectangle or square when it’s, like, sitting on a table, then you’re definitely going to need something like foam to make it stand up.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: If you’re using a thicker vinyl, faux leather, or real leather, you can often skip the interfacing or, pretty much always, you skip the interfacing because you’re not going to be able to fuse it on there anyways.

Caroline: Yeah, and fusible interfacing is not the only way to add structure, so you can also use an underlining or stabiliser. This works well if you want to avoid ironing your fabric like with faux leather or suede, velvet, or corduroy.

Helen: So to do this, you’re going to cut the pattern pieces the same as your main fabric and then baste them together along the edges. You can do this by machine or by hand, and then, you just treat your pieces as if they were one single layer.

Caroline: And you can underline with a cotton muslin for light structure, but for more structure you can also use canvas or buckram. You can buy specialty stabilisers in stores, but you don’t need to. This is actually a great time to use what you have. If you have some scraps of, like, canvas or denim from a previous project, you can use them to add structure to your bag.

Helen: Oh, so smart. I always have those little bits of leftover denim from making things like jeans.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: A cool way to add structure to your bags is to quilt your fabric. Ask me how I know. This creates a really cool puffy textured look. We’re seeing a lot of quilted bags around lately and loving them. You can even use pr- quilted fabric if you don’t want to quilt your own, but it’s such a small area typically with a bag that I say go for it and have some fun with the quilting. Try it out.

Caroline: Yeah, and if you want to quilt your own bag you have two options. You could quilt large lengths of fabric and then cut your pattern pieces out, kind of, like block quilting. Or you could precut your pattern pieces and then quilt them. If you do this just be sure to add around an extra inch of fabric all around the pieces because they’re going to shrink when you add your quilting stitches, and then, you’re going to go in afterwards and trim them to the correct size of the pattern pieces.

Helen: Yeah, this is the method that we’re using with the star purse that we’re working on because it’s just easier to do each piece individually, and then you get out your pattern pieces and you cut them down. And that way you also don’t have to worry about getting everything perfect because you’re gonna be trimming it down at the end anyway, so if things got a little wonky, no worries. You don’t have to backstitch with your quilting. It’s just a bit of an easier process that way.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: If your bag is lined, you don’t need a backing for your quilted pieces. You can just have two layers. You’ve got your main fabric and your batting, and then you’re quilting that. If your bag is not lined, so, for example, it’s finished with a binding on the inside or serger. You’re going to want to add a backing to your quilted pieces, so there’ll be three layers and then, yeah, you don’t actually have to sew a lining because the lining is included.

Caroline: You can use foam instead of batting if you’d like your quilted pieces to have an even higher level of structure. And you might decide to quilt some pieces and not others. I am loving the look of quilted straps on a bag. I’ve seen a few Bestie Bags like this. It’s a great way to use your main fabric for a strap but add some interest, some texture, and even some stability.

Helen: If you want to get really quilty, you could piece a quilt top, quilt it, and then use that for a bag. So it’s not just plain fabric that you’ve quilted, it’s actually got some patchwork involved. This would be an amazing way to use up scraps as well.

Caroline: Yes! Okay, it’s time for a break. We’ll be back.

Love to Sew is made possible by listeners like you. We are so grateful for the support of our amazing patrons and subscribers. If you love Love to Sew and you want to help support the pod, we have a new option for you.

Helen: You can now become a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Subscribers get access to our monthly bonus episodes, and it’s so convenient. If you already use Apple Podcasts, the episodes are right there in your feed.

Caroline: So what are the bonus episodes? Well, we do a chatty catch-up on what’s been happening in our lives, share about the realities of running a small business, discuss new indie pattern releases, and talk about what we’re sewing right now.

Many of our subscribers say these fun bonus episodes are their favourite. And if you subscribe, you get access to the full back catalogue. That’s over 75 hours of Love to Sew. We also do a mini episode that deep dives into a specific topic. We get to discuss so many fun sewing techniques and answer specific subscriber questions about sewing.

Helen: And we are still on Patreon. If you subscribe over there, you can get access to the bonus episodes, behind the scenes photos, and a special 15% off discount code at our super fan patron tier. That discount applies at Helen’s Closet, Cedar Quilt Co., Blackbird Fabrics, and BF Patterns. If you shop with us regularly, it basically pays for itself. Head to patreon.com/LoveToSew to see all the perks and options.

Caroline: If you’d like to try out Patreon or Apple podcast subscriptions and check out our bonus content, you can sign up for a free seven-day trial. And, of course, you can help support the show by listening just like you are right now.

You can also leave a review. Reviews really help our show get discovered by new listeners. We know that financial support isn’t always possible. And we want you to know that we love you for listening.

Helen: Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew or visit our show’s page in the Apple podcast app to become a paid subscriber. Thank you to all our listeners, patrons, and subscribers. You’re the best.

And we’re back! Let’s talk about lining next. Many bag patterns include a lining. And good news, lining a bag is a lot simpler than lining a garment.

Caroline: With a bag lining you don’t have to worry about bunching the same way you would with a garment lining, so you don’t have to worry about choosing super smooth fabrics. You have a lot of options.

Helen: You might want to think about how bulky your lining will be. The heaviest weight I would recommend would be, like, a quilting cotton.

Caroline: And this means a lot of garment fabrics would make great linings. So cotton poplin or lawn, rayon bemberg, challis, or twill, silky poly fabrics, lighter linens. These are all good options. Bag linings are a great place for scrap busting as well. So look through your stash first. It’s always fun to choose a print for a lining, add a little bit of interest, pop of colour.

Helen: Ooh, totally, or just use, like, a bunch of different pieces because it’s on the inside, and it will just be, like, a fun surprise.

Caroline: I love that.

Helen: If you want to finish your bag without a lining, that’s totally an option, too. You can use binding to enclose the raw edges on the inside. If you’re going around curves, you want to cut that binding on the bias. If it’s just straight edges, you’ll be fine with straight grain or cross grain binding. You could also try using a woven tape like twill tape. Another option would be to simply serge or sew a tight zigzag or overcast stitch over the raw edges. I mean, it’s the inside. You’re never going to see it. It’s fine.

Caroline: So true. Some fabrics like vinyls or faux leathers don’t need finishing because they won’t unravel. You could bind them just for a neater look, or you could put on some edge paint, or you could just leave them as is. Again, it’s on the inside.

Helen: It’s on the inside. You can totally make bags without needing any special kind of hardware. By hardware we’re talking about zippers and rings and clips and belt adjusters/sliders and all that kind of stuff. But if you love the professional look that the hardware gives, don’t be afraid of it. It’s so much fun to play with these kinds of things. Here are some of the special hardware and notions of the bag making world.

Caroline: D rings and O rings are connectors that are attached to the tabs at the ends of straps, handles, and the corners of bags, so these are really common.

Helen: Yeah. And swivel hooks, also known as swivel clasps or clips, are clasps that are attached to a D ring. They can swivel around so the bag strap doesn’t get twisted. They also give you the option to switch out your bag strap for a different size. I love the idea of being able to switch between a crossbody strap and a shorter handle.

Caroline: Yeah. Or just remove it if you don’t want to have a strap and maybe you already have a handle built in.

Helen: Oh, yeah.

Caroline: That’d be cool. Mm-hmm. Strap sliders are what make bag straps adjustable. Having an adjustable strap is really handy if you want to switch between wearing your bag on your shoulder or across your body. It’s also good if you’re giving a bag as a gift and you don’t know the giftee’s perfect strap length, which I’ve learned is very personal. Some people like wearing their bags low. Some people like wearing their bags right under their armpits. It’s very personal.

Helen: It’s so true. And these kinds of things, D rings, O rings, strap sliders, they come in all different widths, all different colours, all different finishes. So you can find what you’re looking for. Just make sure you’re paying attention to how wide that strap is.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Zippers are a great closure for bags for both the main closure and any outer or inner pockets. The nice thing about bags is that you can usually sew the zipper in flat, which is way easier than inserting it into a garment. For the main closure of your bag, go for a number five or heavier. If you have other metal hardware, a matching metal zipper is always a really nice touch.

Caroline: Yeah, I love that when you can tie in the metals from the different finishes on the bag.

Helen: Yeah, I think a metal zipper really takes a handmade bag to a more ready to wear looking place. Whereas the typical plastic sewing zipper tends to make it look a little bit more homemade, but that’s just my interpretation.

Caroline: Mm-hmm. No, it’s so true. I think if you have a plastic zipper with the plastic hardware and a matching strap, I feel like it can look pretty cool. But it’s more of, for sure more of, a casual look as well, like, kind of, more of an everyday look. Magnetic snaps are nice because they’re super easy to open and close. They’re not too hard to insert either, but it’s really handy to have a pair of pliers so that you can get the prongs to lay flat. And make sure to use scraps of interfacing to reinforce the area where you insert the snaps. Melissa from Polka Dot Chair swears by using plastic canvas to reinforce her snaps and sometimes even her bag bottoms, the kind of canvas used for needlepoint with yarn.

Helen: Ooh, that’s really smart because it would, like, never fall apart.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: Brilliant. You can also use regular metal snaps as closures. Often, you have to hammer these on. The snaps you buy should come with a little kit and instructions and you’ll just need a hammer and a hard surface to attach them.

Caroline: Grommets are another kind of hardware you’ll need to hammer. You can use them for bags with drawstrings. And cording can add a lot of definition to structured bags. Using a cording foot or a zipper foot can get your stitching right up close. Do a lot of clipping to hold everything in place, and take it slow with your stitching for a nice finish. Don’t forget to clip those curves.

Helen: Cording does look so cool on bags. It’s that really nice extra touch. Webbing is another thing you’ll come across, and this is great for straps. It’s sturdy. It doesn’t stretch. It also comes in lots of colours and widths. There’s a lot of cool bag patterns that have webbing as a strap option, including the BF patterns Bestie Bag and any duffel bag worth its salt, of course.

You can also cover webbing with fabric for strong straps with no fusing. With bags, the stronger the straps the better, and it’s, kind of, nice to just use webbing because then you don’t have to cut a long strip of fabric and interface it and fold it and sew it and all that stuff. You can just, like, unroll the webbing, and you’re good to go.

Caroline: And I do think it gives a really nice professional finish when you use webbing, it’s just, like, one of those extra touches. So where do you get these special bag making supplies? We do have a little list for you.

I’m going to plug my business Blackbird because we sell Bestie Bag hardware kits in the shop right now. So you can get your webbing, zipper, and slider in the correct measurements all at once, and you can choose the colours. And we also have some more Bestie Bag fabric kits coming out in a few weeks after this episode comes out, so check that out.

Helen: Noodlehead has a really nice selection of high quality hardware and notions including drawstrings, cords, leather patches, and metal zippers. I would definitely trust Anna Graham to know what counts for good hardware.

Caroline: Klum House has a ton of good stuff, including leather straps, tabs, and zipper pulls. Plus, they have full kits to make their patterns, as well as smaller leather and hardware kits.

Helen: The old standbys like Wawak and Etsy have big selections of bag making supplies to choose from. Make sure to check the measurements of the stuff you’re buying. You need your webbing width to match your slider width, for example.

Caroline: Okay, now it’s time for some bag sewing tips. We’re gonna run through these for y’all. There’s some really good tips in here. So, first up, you want to use a heavier thread if the bag has a lot of structure and will be used for holding heavy items, like a cat…

Helen: Like a cat.

Caroline: Like some cats, actually. Maybe my only, my cat is really heavy.

Helen: I think there’s a fair amount of heavy cats out there.

Caroline: I’m, like, cats are really heavy. Sometimes I lift another person’s cat, like, pick up another person’s cat. And I’m like, oh, my God. My cat is so large.

Helen: Yeah, but you have a really fluffy cat, so the fluff really makes it appear heavy. And also probably weighs a ton.

Caroline: He is, yeah, he’s, like, 18, 19 pounds. So I don’t know if it’s all fluff. I don’t know if we can attribute all of that to the fur.

Helen: I need a dog bag for Emma. She’s only 80 pounds.

Caroline: Oh, yeah. You’re gonna need some really heavy thread for that bag.

Helen: Yeah, really heavy. If you’re using heavy thread and thicker fabric, you want to use a heavyweight needle or a denim needle. That’s going to help you get through all those layers. And you might need multiple needles because you’re probably going to be breaking some. That’s just what happens when you sew with thick fabrics.

Caroline: You want to use a hump jumper tool or slide some cardboard under the back of your machine’s foot to level it out when you’re starting seams or going over thick parts like where seams meet. If your machine has a black button, you can use that to level out the foot, too.

Helen: Oh yeah, some machines on the foot, like, if you look at the foot, kind of, sideways, there’s a little button. Sometimes it’s black, and, I think, sometimes it’s red, but my machine doesn’t have one. But you push it in, and it basically stops the foot from tilting front to back…

Caroline: Oh!

Helen: …so it stays perfectly straight. And that basically is, like, a built-in hump jumper.

Caroline: Can you believe almost 250 episodes and I’ve never heard of this?

Helen: I, I like, didn’t know about it either because my machine doesn’t have one. And then I think I saw a reel about it a month ago, so…

Caroline: So cool.

Helen: …my mind was blown.

Caroline: Yeah, I need to go check my machine for that.

Helen: Lengthen your stitch length and go slowly. You’ll need a longer stitch to get through thick layers of fabric, and if you’re using faux leather, you’ll want longer stitches to get the look of a leather bag anyways.

Caroline: Yeah, Wonder Clips are really helpful for sewing bags. Some fabrics will get permanent holes if you use pins, and it can be difficult to even get pins through the thick layers, so Wonder Clips are your friend.

Helen: Yeah, I heard that on Wawak you can get, like, a bag of these clips for an affordable price.

Caroline: That’s a good tip because they are pretty pricey.

Helen: They are. Yeah

Caroline: You don’t get that many in a package.

Helen: No, you get, like, 10 in a pack. Yeah, I think you can buy, like, 100 of them at a time if you, if you look for different sources.

Caroline: Ooh. Okay, okay.

Helen: When you’re interfacing your handles, err on the side of too much rather than not enough. Handles get a lot of wear, and they will soften as you use them, so it’s better for them to be too stiff than not stiff enough.

Caroline: And when we say handles, we also mean straps if you’re using, like, a self fabric strap. And speaking of straps, when attaching straps, handles, or loops with D rings, use a box stitch, like a box X stitch. It looks like a square with an X in it, and it’s super strong. We’re going to link a tutorial for it in the show notes, but I’m sure you can visualise it. It’s just a big box with an X going through to the four corners.

Helen: I love sewing box Z stitches. They’re so satisfying just going around, and like, you know, I’m going this way, and now I’m going this way, and now I’m going this way.

Sometimes, when you’re attaching straps or handles you have to sandwich them between layers of the bag fabric, and it’s not easy to use pins for this. And sometimes the handles can shift even with the clips holding them down, so instead use regular old scotch tape to hold them in position. Just pull the tape off once you’ve sewn them down. I mean really anything you can think of to hold those layers together while you get them sewn together. You can get creative.

Caroline: Yeah, and if you’re not making an adjustable strap, you want to try the bag on before you stitch the strap down. Baste or pin the strap down and let the bag hang on your shoulder, in your hand, or across your body, and make sure that the bag is hitting you in the right place. Adjust the length of the strap or handles until it looks just right for you.

Helen: Customise your pocket. A bag is super purse-onal. Get it? Purse-onal.

Caroline: Okay.

Helen: But seriously think about the stuff you carry around every day. What do you want to reach for often? What are you usually searching in your bag for? Design a pocket situation that will be most useful for you. You can add or remove pockets to the lining or outer shell and customise where they are, how they’re shaped. I definitely recommend making a pocket that, like, snugly fits your cell phone because it’s annoying when it falls out, and it’s annoying when it’s too tight, so you want it to just be like, like a little mm, like a little hug.

Caroline: Yeah, isn’t that so satisfying when a pocket, like, perfectly fits an object that you want to put into it?

Helen: Exactly. You have that power.

Caroline: Slides right in. If you want your lining to fit perfectly inside your bag, you can reduce the pattern pieces slightly for the lining pieces. This is a great tip.

Helen: Yes, and you can use your iron to shape your bag. Use steam and the hottest iron setting your fabric can handle. You can insert a sleeve roll into your bag to help with shaping. This is something that I have noticed making, um, some bag samples, is that when you first finish them, sometimes they look a little bit like…

Like, like, they need to relax, they need to be used a little bit. They can look a little bit too structured, almost, or like they haven’t quite fully turned right side out all the way. And that will happen with time, but you can also get in there with your iron and your steam and really help it out.

Caroline: Yeah, and it’s especially important to trim seams and clip curves before you turn a bag out. Those layers can be really bulky, so that’s going to make a difference with how your bag hangs.

Helen: Totally. Okay. Before we finish this episode, we want to share a few of the great bag patterns out there and a few bag pattern companies that we know of.

Caroline: Noodlehead is one of the best places to go for bag patterns. Their designs have a rustic utility style, and most of their samples are in canvas with some leather accents. I love the Making Backpack. It’s a boxy backpack with handles similar to the Fjallraven Kanken.

Helen: Totally. I really love this bag. I just love everything that she does. Her bags are so beautiful and have so many gorgeous details, and we have a whole episode with her, so check that out, too. Tytka, I’m hoping I’m saying that correctly, could be Tytka Studio has really interesting bags. They’re, kind of, origami-esque. I love the Noodle Bag, which is a quilted slouchy tote that has a thick folded handle and pleats radiating from the opening. And also the Flower Shaped Bag is amazing. It’s a little small circle bag with petals all around it. So it looks just like a daisy. Is it too early for spring sewing? I want to make this.

Caroline: It’s so cute. This company has so many bag patterns, and they make all of their samples in this, like, creamy colour, and it’s very aesthetically pleasing to browse their patterns because it’s almost like you’re looking at a blank canvas, and you’re only just seeing the shape and details of the bags, but you can imagine all of the fun fabric and colour combinations that you could do.

Helen: Oh, totally.

Caroline: Merchant Mills has a few bag patterns as well. The Francli Day Pack is a really cool roll top backpack that’s designed with hiking in mind.

Helen: Yeah, it’s even got a little water bottle pocket and, like, those crisscross-y strap details that you see on hiking bags. Love it. The Fennel Fanny Pack by Sarah Kirsten is super popular in the sewing community and for good reason. This boxy style belt bag is so stylish and so functional.

Caroline: Lavender and Twine has really chic purse patterns. The Janine Clutch is an envelope bag with two inner compartments, a zippered pocket, and card slots. I can totally see this as a special occasion bag.

Helen: I really want to make a few clutches to use for special occasions because every time I have a wedding to go to, like this past summer where I had a bunch, I just, like, could not find a bag in a store that I liked. Like, they were all too much. I want something a lot simpler, and I feel like making your own just, like, neutral clutch, you would use that all the time.

Caroline: Yeah, this one is really cute. It has a very ready to wear vibe, and I could see it working in so many different fabrics. I love how the straps have these little ties on the end that hold them in place in some of the views. It’s just really cute.

Helen: Yeah. Another classic in the sewing community, the Portside Travel Set by Grainline Studio. This includes a duffel bag, a dopp kit, and a travel pouch. So thoughtfully designed with covered zippers, nice hardware, sturdy straps. I would feel so proud using me made luggage on a weekend away and having it all matching. It’s, like, a little, like, Russian doll. Like, open one bag, you’re like, and inside is another matching bag and then another matching bag. You could go real small.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh, You really could. Grainline also has the new Town Bag, which is ideal for knitters. Wink, wink, Helen.

Helen: It is so cute. This is such a great project bag. We mentioned this company earlier in the episode, but Apple Green Cottage has nice bag patterns that are designed for quilting cottons as the outer fabric, so you can get so many fun combinations. They have some great soft structure thanks to the layers of interfacing. And I think they would also look amazing in yummy linen solids. Like, all those leftover linen scraps you have. It would be so cute.

Caroline: Oh, that would be so cute. Ooh. I also wanted to mention Kylie and the Machine has a couple of cool patterns. They have a Mule Tote, which is this, like, really oversized tote bag that we actually used as a sample for our custom, printed cotton twill collection, and it sewed up so nicely. Just a really fun extra large bag that could fit so many things, and they also have a clutch. It’s called the Arch Clutch. So some really, really cute patterns from, coming out from Kylie and the Machine.

Helen: I wanted to mention a couple of quilt pattern designers that I love who have recently released really cool bag patterns. The Blanket Statement, Erin over at the Blanket Statement, has the Emerson Crossbody bag and the Pembina Backpack. Both are so cute. I’m especially enthralled with this backpack, Caroline.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Helen: It’s absolutely adorable. It looks like the perfect size, too. And, of course, they’re full of all that quilty goodness, which I love. Ma Tante Quilting, Shelly over there, has the Doable Duffle. Very doable, I think.

Caroline: Oh.

Helen: And that’s another great travel that has some good structure because of the quilting, can fit tons of stuff, and I think she has hardware kits available for that as well. So all those patterns are quilted and designed to use up quilted fabric or existing quilts that maybe you never got around to finishing, and all three of these are definitely on my to-make list.

Caroline: So cute. Okay, and then of course the Bestie Bag from BF Patterns. This one is versatile, and it has different sizes and strap options and an optional lining. I personally think everyone needs one of these in their bag collection. I have three, so… yeah.

Helen: I mean, uh, I want one in every size, honestly, because I can see so much potential for just how useful this bag would be in my life.

Caroline: I’ve seen some really cool quilted versions of the Bestie Bag too, which I wouldn’t have, like, thought would work, but it works so well, especially the large size looks so cool. It’s, like, a big pillow that you can wear.

Helen: Yeah, totally. I mean, I’m all for adding quilting to everything.

Caroline: Speaking of which…

Helen: Yes. Stay tuned for my Star Bag pattern. It’s coming your way soon. Caroline, do you want to know what it’s called?

Caroline: What is it called?

Helen: We’re calling it The Orbit bag.

Caroline: Oh, that’s perfect.

Helen: It’s cute, right?

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. You nailed it with that name.

Helen: I know I was so happy when it finally came to me. It’s like a little star or like a little planet because you can also make it without the star. You can make a plain version that orbits your body on the strap.

Caroline: I love it.

Helen: So cute.

Caroline: So cute. I can’t wait for this one to come out. I’m definitely gonna make one with, like, some denim scraps or even just, like, a solid one in, like, a creamy colour I think would work really well with all of my clothes. Love dreaming of bags.

Helen: You can never have too many purses with stars on them, in my opinion. I have four, and I rotate through them, so they all have different garbage inside.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh, Helen. Next time I come over, I’m going to have a bag intervention with you.

Helen: Yeah, you should get me to empty one out. You will be amazed.

Caroline: Oh, my gosh. Alright, that’s another episode in the bag.

Helen: Purse-onally, I learned a lot today, and…

Caroline: Oh, no, not another purse-onally,

Helen: Purse-onally.

Caroline: Purse-onally. Oh, thank you so much for listening, y’all. Bye.

Helen: That’s it for today’s episode of Love to Sew. You can find me Helen at Helen’s Closet Patterns and Cedar Quilt Co and Caroline at Blackbird Fabrics and BF Patterns. We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada

Caroline: You can support Love to Sew and get access to bonus content by subscribing on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. You even get access to the back catalogue of bonus episodes when you subscribe. That is over 75 hours of Love to Sew. Go to patreon.com/LoveToSew or check out our podcast page on Apple Podcasts for more info.

Helen: You can head to LoveToSewPodcast.com to find our show notes. They’re filled with links and pictures from this episode. And if you’d like to get in touch with us, leave us a message at 1-844-SEW-WHAT. That’s 1-844-739-9428. Please call us. No one ever calls us, Caroline. Why don’t they call us?

Caroline: I know. Call us!

Helen: Call us! We want to hear your voice! Or…

Caroline: Oh, it’s the best.

Helen: …send us an email at hello@LoveToSewPodcast.com.

Caroline: Thank you to our amazing podcast team. Lisa Ruiz is our creative assistant. Jordan Moore of the PodCabin is our editor. And Margaret Wakelee is our transcriber. And thank you all for listening. We will talk to you next week.

Helen: Buh-bye.

Caroline: Bye.

Related Episodes