Embellished Bag of the Week - Zippered Pouch by sewartsy

Hi, my name is Katherine and I am so excited to be a new contributor to the Carried Away Etsy Bag Maker Team Blog.  Just a little about me and then on to the good stuff. 

I have been sewing for as long as I can remember.  I started in high school and instantly fell in love.  I didn’t really take up sewing though until I had my children and began sewing for them.  One thing led to another and before long I was making handbags.  I loved it so much and all my friends wanted one so now I  have a shop on Etsy, Katy D’s Handmade. 

So, when I was looking around Etsy for a bag to feature here I wanted to find something unique for my first post.  I have to tell you it wasn’t easy.  There are so many great bags and great bag makers that it was really hard to decide.  But I narrowed down my selections and decided on this Zippered Pouch by sewartsy.  I really liked Amy’s creative use of the zipper and beautiful fabric peeking through the solid (plainer) fabric.  I asked Amy about her little “zipper” bag and what inspired her…

“So I love fabric, obviously, but I'm also enamored with little embellishments and making my bags into artsy creations with buttons and crystals and appliques and the like. When I started playing around with this design it was because I was thinking those little zipper teeth are so adorable - not just functional. I'd seen those great little pouches that look like the teeth of an animal or a monster, and came up with the idea of creating an artistic "unveiling" of a beautiful or interesting print - kind of like drawing back a curtain! The inside is a regular, fully functioning zippered pouch, but the outside will make you smile!”

And it does make me smile Amy.  It’s almost as if a secret is being revealed.  Amy has other great bags in her shop too so be sure to check them all out. 

Thank you so much for reading my first post here on Carried Away.  I hope to post a new featured bag every Tuesday.  Please leave a comment and let me know what you think and if you would like to be featured here please contact me and let me know.  The link to my shop is above, just send me a convo.  You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter.  I would love to talk to you about your bags.

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.