Members Marching on

Wow! Can you believe this team isn't even a year old and we've already got over 200 members - and it's not all girls either. William from Third Willow and Binx from Studio One are proof that men make some awesome bags, too!

This summer the team has taken on two challenges. We're making quilts for Project Linus and selling Freedom bags made by quite a few members in our team shop to fund the filling and shipment of heroboxes to our adopted marine and her unit serving in Iraq. We're planning our next challenge as well and discussing bamaking techniques and ways to better run your business in our private NING group.

If you want to join, it's easy! We welcome bag makers of any skill level as long as you have an online shop. To join us, just scroll down to "Want to Join Carried Away?" and follow the instructions.

Before I introduce today's new team mates, did you enter our Red, White and Boom! Giveaway? Kim from OverallBeauty.com donated some BB Couture Nail polish and TM's Krystal from Solsisters and April from April's Originals put up more prizes. Just help us spread the word about our team shop to enter.

And now.. let's all say Ni hao to Jane from Singapore. Jane's shop, Projects by Jane, is new to etsy, but her skill has been time proven in the Red Dot Design Museum's Market for Artists and Designers in Singapore. Jane's intricate hand stitching on this bag is a delight to behold. Visit Jane's flickr stream for more photos.

Red Embroidered Shoulder Bag by Projects by Jane

Okay, we all know I am a sucker for orange and this is just one of the lovely custom bags from Celeta of ABK Customs out of Texas, who creates an array of made-to-order styles of drapery, bedding, pillows and bags. See more on her facebook page.


I owe our next new member, Meg of Meg's Expressions, a huge apology. Her request to join the team got buried in my inbox in February! But she's here now with her cute recycled handbags - all made from repurposed clothing.

Medium Jo-Bean Purse made from recycled clothes by Meg Expressions

Using recycled clothing not only reduced the cost of making a purse, but the designs remained vibrant and colorful. I am careful with choosing clothing that is machine washable, and I use thicker fabrics such as jeans and corduroy for the base of the purses. Also, it is fun to pick t-shirts that have catchy logos, or children’s clothing with cartoon characters such as The Little Mermaid or Strawberry Shortcake. I have found that many of my clients—generally women in their 20s and 30s—enjoy these characters since they bring back memories of their childhood.