I hope this Blogger does better tonight than last night and that these pictures show up.I've been looking for a sewing project to make some money and believe I've finally found it. While my clothes were washing in the laundromat today, I wandered across the parking lot to Hobby Lobby, my favorite place for patterns and fabrics. Since I've done mostly quilting projects for the past eight years or so, I haven't browsed through a sewing pattern catalog in a long time.
It looks like tote bags, laptop cases, handbags, and all kinds of other miscellaneous bags are all the rage right now. Simplicity Patterns has page after page of various kinds, so many it was very hard to choose. These are the ones I decided to use.
Don't those bags and cases look a lot more interesting than this one?
I bought one just like it because I needed something to protect my laptop on a plane trip. However, it looked just like every other one I saw at the airport. Effective but boring.
In searching for the pictures for this blog, I discovered a wonderful site for people who sew, PatternReview.com Here is a partial list of its features. I thought the reviews of patterns by people who had used those patterns very helpful.
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1. A Newsletter which will keep you informed of the latest happenings on the
PatternReview community and more. In each newsletter you will also find a
helpful article written by a PatternReview member! To read all the past
newsletters, click on 'Newsletter Archive' from the Navigation bar.
2. Sewing contests: Participate in sewing contests to earn prizes and cash!
These contests will motivate you to sew more and maintain a sewing journal.
To find out more about the contest currently running, click on 'Enter a Contest'
or 'Contest Report'.
3. Interactive Discussion Groups: Feel like chatting with other members or have
a question? Participate in the Discussion Boards at PatternReview.com by clicking
on the Message Board tab at the top of the site.
4. Get Organized, maintain your Pattern Catalog online! Add your favorite
patterns to your 'Wish List' in one click, when you read a review.
5. Buy and Sell: Trade patterns and more, on PatternReview Classifieds!
6. Expert Chats: Periodically I invite sewing experts to chat on our site and
answer the questions of the chat participants. The chat schedule is available
from the left navigation bar. You can also read all the past chat transcripts
from the 'Chat Transcripts' link.
7. Searching for a review is very simple, just type the pattern number in the
search box on top right corner of any page or try the Advanced search from
the menu.
8. Calendar: Never miss a store sale or a sewing conference! This online
calendar keeps track of all your upcoming events.
(http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/calendar.pl)
9. Interactive Online Sewing Classes: Learn new skills in an easy to understand
online format.
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If you're interested in one of my first bags or cases, please let me know. This looks like a very fun project.
Chris
5 comments:
Those are great and should make you some money quickly. If you take them to a craft fair try to get a table close to the door. Folks will buy them to put their other purchases in too!
I am definitely interested. My problem is that my laptop has a 17" monitor and I can not find any case to fit it.
Misfit in Paradise,
I just sent you an email about a possibility - the birdcage-print case at the bottom of the second photo.
Here is an idea. Most of the RV parks have embroidered polo shirts for their employees to wear and those are easily available in most areas.
I've had conversations with several RV parks in the SE, namely Florida, about a vest for their employees to wear instead of the embroidered polo shirt. They'd wear it over a 100% cotton Tee-Shirt for example
It's tough to source vests as it turns out, and they'd be a piece of cake to sew. They'd be ordered in some quantity, like a dozen, and the fabric could be purchased at most Walmart stores. In areas of wet weather you could make them out of a lightweight canvas.
I get odd requests from time to time when I'm out selling advertising specialties that I can't source, or the minimum quantities are too large.
Chuck
Chuck, that's a great idea! I've done vests in quantity before (denim) for a church in Coquille, Oregon. Easy to make and looked good. If you want to use me as a source, please feel free.
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