Wow! Thanks for the great response to my first ever giveaway! Through the magic of random.org, Fiona has won the $25 Gift certificate to Stitch in the Ditch. 

Nulagh left a comment on the blog, surprising me with some extra fun:

Woo! Great comments! Ladies sign up on the www.stitchintheditch.com website and send a mail telling us you are from this great blog and you will receive a gift certificate to use with your next purchase.


So for everyone else, go sign up for the newsletter, set up an account, and then send them an email letting them know you came from here, to get yourself a gift certificate too! The gift certificates will be good for a month. You can email them here: info@stitchintheditch.com

Update: Nulagh wanted me to thank everyone for signing up, and she's decided instead of gift certificates to activate a discount code reece6 to save $5 off any order, since this makes a bit less administrative work for her.

One of my favourite online shops now has their own website! Until now, Funky Monkey Fabrics has only been on Facebook, which made it hard for users to see everything available. Now that there is a dedicated website, with full search function, we can see all the wonderful items for sale. The new website can be found at www.funkymonkeyfabrics.com and to celebrate the launch of the website, Melissa is offering 15% off your total order with promo code ILOVEFMF until February 1st.

There are many licensed cotton prints.

There are also some really pretty fabrics, like this Andrea Victoria from Riley Blake.

Be sure to check out the Notions section, where you'll find webbing, zippers, and even Kamsnaps and pliers, and then the Batting and Stabilizers section has a great selection, including fusible fleece.

If you haven't already, make sure you like the Funky Monkey Fabrics Facebook page, because you'll still see any sales going on posted there, and all the gorgeous fabrics coming in.

We've been getting so many grey and cloudy (and wet) days lately, so I was happy to work with this Beyond the Backyard collection from Camelot Fabrics, that I got from Stay Home Fabrics.  I love the little bees in the tossed Tiny Blossoms print, and the Daisy Mosaic on white was the perfect pop for the lining. This Orange leaves print is different than my usual style, but I'm glad I ventured out of my comfort zone. All of these gorgeous springtime lovelies are available (on sale) from Stay Home Fabrics right now. 

This bag is Swoon Sewing Patterns' January pattern, and her name is Vivian. I have the Swoon subscription and it is such a great value. It's so much fun waiting to find out each month what the next pattern will be. 

I also made Vivian some matching accessories: a cup cozy, a couple key fobs, and a glasses case. 

Now is your chance to get a great price on these fabrics from Stay Home Fabrics, as they are having a "Going out of Business Sale." Lindsay has really enjoyed interacting with everyone with her shop and loved the work, but her and her family have made the decision to pursue other life dreams. The store will officially close at the end of February. All stock will be marked down, so head on over and take advantage of the sale to build your stash. She still has a great selection of quilting cottons, Essex linen, and fleece. Here are a few from collections I love. 

Update: The store will have a new owner, which means it will stay open, yay! It also means sale prices will end January 30, 2015 in preparation for the new owner, so stay tuned to see what's in store.

Nulagh also mentioned one of her tips to a "professional looking bag" is to use Shape flex, also one of my favourites. I use Pellon Shape Flex 101 in nearly every bag I make. Stitch in the Ditch offers it in many different quantites, from yard to bolt! In addition to Shape-flex, they also carry a vast selection of interfacing and fleece.

On my last post, I introduced my "Everything Else" series, and this post is the next instalment and there's a giveaway! 

Nulagh at Stitch in the Ditch offers so many bag making supplies in the online Canadian shop. Remember when viewing the site, prices are listed in Canadian currency! I asked her if she had some favourite supplies and she listed a few great ones. I'd love to try this Zippers by the Yard kit, to make my own zippers any length I want. The site offers many options, but this By Annie one with the multi-coloured pulls looks like a must-have.

Some other goodies pointed out were the covered buttons, for adding a unique touch to bags, webbing for handles, and leather handles. 

I'm very excited to see so many essential supplies from one shop. Check out the hardware section too! So many options in many different finishes.  

Now for the giveaway: Nulagh has generously offered up a $25 gift certificate for me to give away! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post, telling me what you'd spend your $25 on from Stitch in the Ditch. Contest closes at 11:59 pm PST on January 28, 2015. 
Bonus entries for following me on 
Instagram or Pinterest 
Just be sure to leave separate comments letting me know you've done so for the entries to count.

Many of the recent bags I've been making have been calling for Soft and Stable, which is a really great product that adds shape to bags, but it's not very easy to find. Connecting Threads carries it though,  and they even have it on black or white!

Today I'm very excited to start a series here that I've decided to call the "Everything Else" Series. The typical scenario I see amongst fellow sewists goes something like this: 
"I found the perfect fabric to make this purse I have a pattern for!" 
*Runs off to look at pattern again, only to discover the fabric itself is actually just a small part of the bag*
"huh...where I do I find everything else?"

I buy almost all of my fabric from Canadian online shops; there are actually many really great ones, like Stay Home Fabrics and Fabricspark.com, and many more featured in Thread Riding Hood's series found here. So, finding fabric in Canada is getting a lot easier, but I find that locating everything else can still be a challenge.  I hope this series, featuring shops that carry some of these harder to find items, will help ease the challenge.

The series will actually start with an American online shop, Connecting Threads, and I'm featuring them because unlike many American shops that ship to Canada, this shop actually has the items shipped from Canada, so you aren't hit with any surprise custom/duty fees. They even offer free shipping to Canada with orders over a certain amount from time to time (like, right now actually) 

In addition to their high quality, affordable thread, Connecting Threads carries a large variety of items.

When working with Soft and Stable, I find that Wonder Clips are much nicer to use than pins. Connecting Threads has a big selection of notions, including Wonder Clips. They're even on sale right now. Have a look through their tools section for lots of fun tools that make the job easier.

In addition to all the great tools, thread and other extras, they have a pretty great selection of fabric too! I picked up some of the new Cotton + Steel Tokyo Train Ride.

Are there any really great Canadian shops I should know about? Send me an email, or let me know in the comments. 

Just a quick post to let you know about a great sale from one of my favourite places to shop. Stay Home Fabrics is having a Buy More Save More sale. You can save up to 20% off plus free shipping! Check out the site for more details. There's a wonderful selection of top quality quilting cottons, plus some fleece, minky, and even Essex Linen! Essex Linen is a staple in many of my bags; such a nice weight to it. Here are some of my favourites from the site. Which ones are yours?

They travelled all the way from China, from the only distributor we could find worldwide, and nearly a month later, after being held up in customs for a bit, my bag frames came! If you'll remember from my last post, I've joined the Bag of the Month Club, and January's bag pattern uses these great frames. I could have used similar pinch frames, but since the hinges are exposed, Mrs. H suggested these finger-friendly frames. The pattern offers 2 sizes, and I couldn't decide which one to make, so I ordered one frame for each size! I also ordered a pair of vinyl handles, since the pattern calls for those as well. If you know of any North American distributors of these frames, I'd love to hear; either leave me a comment or send me an email.

Here's the laminated Dottie, pattern by Swoon, in Tula Pink's squirrels. It's just the right size for a cosmetic case, and perfect to take along on a tropical vacation.

I had a request for a custom insulated lunch bag with a zippered outer pocket, for cutlery and napkin. I love how it turned out, and so did she! These prints are part of Joel Dewberry's Aviary 2 collection.

I've been working on a few things already this year, and today I got some wonderful "happy mail," as I call it, from Stay Home Fabrics and Fabricspark.com. Aren't they gorgeous?! I can't wait to get started with these beauties.

I'm working on a Swoon Patterns Dottie Vintage Handbag, made with laminated Tula Pink. I'm using laminated cotton so it can be used as a cosmetic/toiletries bag. 

I'm almost finished an insulated lunch bag in Joel Dewberry Aviary 2. 

Up next is something I'm very excited to start: I was lucky enough to be gifted a membership to the Bag of the Month Club. It goes for 6 months and each month is a new bag pattern by a different designer. The first month's pattern has now been released and it's a style I've never done before. The Companion Carpet bag, by Mrs. H, and it takes a hinged frame, so will be a unique bag for sure! I've selected Joel Dewberry Birch Farm for this bag, because this large print demands a large bag. It's not too late to join! 

The last project I have on the go right now is a tutorial I'm writing up, to offer right here on the blog. Keep an eye out for it over the next few weeks.

What are you working on right now? Let me know in the comments below!

Welcome to my new blog! Here are the last few bags I made in 2014. I really love making bags and working with beautiful fabrics. 

All 3 bags pictured are made from Swoon Sewing Patterns, and are Bonnie, Glenda and Dallas. 

Bonnie, made with some adorable Andover chickadees from fabricspark.com was made for a friend in exchange for an amazingly soft wool cowl she crocheted for me.

This Glenda Convertible Clutch, made in Tula Pink's Moonshine collection, featuring Deer Me in the Strawberry colourway, came together really nicely, if I do say so myself. I used an antique brass hardware and I think it makes a nice finishing touch. 

Finally, this Dallas Duffel bag was a Christmas gift for my Dad. It was my first time using this pattern and also my first time working with Echino linen blend, also from fabricspark.com. The piping and lining are made with Free Spirit Solid in Eggplant, which match the helicopters perfectly, thanks to Daryl of Fabricspark for helping me with the colour code!


I look forward to another year full of great sewing projects and more beautiful fabric!