The new book More Sewing to Sell by Virginia Lindsay (of Gingercake Patterns) is out and ready to satisfy your maker curiosity about all things handmade business. It's the companion book to Sewing to Sell Virginia wrote a few years ago. Our husbands are college friends and she is one of the few sewists I've known since before I started sewing for the internet. Way back before SweetKM was a thing, I went on a beach trip with Virginia and her family and she told me all about her Etsy pattern business (this was back when you had to manually email the PDF to the customer, remember that!). Less than a year later I started selling my own knitting patterns on Etsy. She was so generous with her experience then, and it makes perfect sense that she should share it in this book series now.
Virginia is giving away a copy of her book to 5 lucky winners. Be sure to enter the at the bottom of this post!
Every so often I wonder if I should try doing a craft fair, or maybe beef up my Etsy shop. Selling your handmade wares is a logical way to expand your hobby into a small business. I always end up wondering, but what would I make? Virginia's beautiful book has 16 open license patterns that you can use to start or expand your handmade shop offerings (examples are above). They are quick simple designs with lots of of fabric mixing (or not) possibilities to let you match your brand aesthetic. Each pattern gives you guidelines for sewing multiples.
My favorite part about the book is the interviews with 8 women who run their own handmade businesses. When you're working from home it can sometimes feel isolating and you may be wondering what the heck everyone else is doing behind those glossy websites and pristine instagram feeds. Now you'll know.
I made the Market Bag from More Sewing to Sell. It's big, boxy and lightweight. I could see using it as a tote bag or stuffing it inside you purse to use when out shopping. I usually throw my wallet into my reusable shopping bag for the walk to the grocery store, and this is certainly an upgrade from that ratty old thing.
I made it totally from stashed fabric in a single evening. The exterior is Robert Kaufman herringbone linen from Fabric.com*. It looks like they don't make that fabric anymore but the Essex Yarn Dyed Linen would have a similar effect. The interior is a Liberty London fabric I've been hoarding for a few years. I love the soft blue with the purples of the print, and the ribbon closure makes it almost too sweet for any self respecting city girl to carry through urban grit. But I will. My SIL just got an embroidery machine and I'm tempted to send it to her for a quick monogram for the front.
Because I made it completely from stash supplies I had to change one tiny detail. The original design has an elastic gather at the short ends. I didn't have the right kind of elastic so I adapted it to be a drawstring. I just added two buttonholes in the middle of the short sides, then inserted and sewed ribbed exactly like I would have done the elastic, except that I cut two pieces and the ends are sticking through the buttonholes. It's a small change but I think it's kind of cute and adds a little something to my plain exterior fabric.
Details:
Bag Pattern: Market Bag from More Sewing to Sell by Virginia Lindsay (Gingercake Patterns)
Bag Fabric Main: Robert Kaufman Herringbone Linen (similar) from Fabric .com*
Bag Fabric Lining: Liberty London from my stash
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*Fabric.com links are affiliate links.
More Sewing to Sell GIVEAWAY
Five winners will get a copy of Virginia's new book More Sewing to Sell! U.S winners will receive a physical copy of the book, international winners will receive a digital copy of the book. Visit the other makers on the book tour for more chances to win!a Rafflecopter giveaway
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