I made this Mini Market Tote with my beginners in mind. When I was planning out projects to teach in class, that Trader Joe’s tote was everywhere—and the markup on it? I couldn’t believe it. So I took that general idea and created my own version. I wanted something with a classic shape that would be beginner-friendly, but still give my students a chance to learn real bag-making techniques. It needed to fit into a 3-hour class block, but still cover things like boxing corners,

This year, I’ve placed a much stronger focus on bag making. We’re still in the first quarter, and I’ve already made more than sixteen bags, many of them in preparation for the bag-making classes I teach at a local sewing school. It was a bit of a realization as I was planning out my classes. If I hadn’t already made the bag I planned to teach, I probably should. Not only to have photos and examples of what my students will aspire to create, but also to ensure I can troublesho

If you had told me a year ago that I’d be hosting my own sewing events — with people sipping wine, cheering each other on, and proudly holding up bags they made with their own hands — I would’ve laughed and said, “Yeah, okay… maybe one day.” It's definitely been something I've wondered about, but actually seeing it come to fruition was beautiful. Hosting this event had been on my heart for a long time. I’ve always wanted to teach bag making — not just because I love it, but

If you’re new to bag making or just want to sew without spending a dime, this one’s for you.

You Don’t Need an Industrial Machine to Sew Better Bags, you just need the right techniques.