Everyday Handbags e-course

A handbag is about more than just getting your stuff from one place to another.  It’s about completing your look, feeling comfortable away from home, knowing you have all the right tools close at hand, and being free to go about your business no matter what kind of day you may be having.  No lady has a single handbag, and no handbag can suit every situation or meet every need–but I think the four included in this online class can get pretty close!

Everyday Handbags is a four-week e-course that covers the basics of handbag construction using four original Whipstitch patterns.  The goal is to complete the class with four fabulous bags, and along the way to polish up some core sewing skills and work with some unfamiliar notions and equipment, making you that much more of a confident stitcher!

Making handbags is a skill that takes your basic sewing and asks you to work with new materials and supplies.  But it isn’t rocket surgery!  You’ll love learning to use interfacings in new ways–and discovering which interfacing is best for which application–and figuring out where to get bag hardware and how to attach it.  Plus, with four ORIGINAL patterns to download and keep forever, you’ll have new bag patterns that can be expanded and used again and again!

The four bags we’ll be sewing up in the course are designed specifically to teach you particular skills–like making a zipped interior pocket or attaching a magnetic snap–but also to be your go-to bags in your wardrobe.  We’ll be making each of the following:

The Summer Tote

This bag is large enough to accomodate a trip to the beach or pool or just the right size for catting about town in style.  I love the pass-through handles and the firmness of the construction, giving this bag shape and structure enough to stand up on its own.  Fully lined and with an interior pocket for your phone, it is a simple project to stitch and really satisfying to carry. See more details in the showcase!

The Asymmetrical Clutch

I love a good clutch, and there are a lot of them out there.  This asymmetrical design appeals to me because it’s both functional and beautiful, and because the fabric selection so completely changes the overall tone of the bag.  In a cotton or linen, it’s a day bag with some flair.  In a sparkle fabric or a silk, it’s an evening bag to be reckoned with.  Complete with inset zipper and using fusible fleece to get structure and shape, it helps you nail down your core skills while looking sharp.  See more details in the showcase!

The Circular Pocket Bag

A great shaped bag is something you can carry every day.  I love this circular shape, and the criss-crossing pockets that give it just enough of an edge to keep it really light-hearted and fun.  With a split fabric strap, it’s comfortable to carry and gives so many options for combining fabrics you love!  Complete with two interior pockets and a key fob, it has plenty of space for your daily needs, but not so much that it’s cumbersome.  See more photos and revel in those functional piped exterior pockets!

The Subtle Classic Shoulder Bag

Time after time, we all come back to the classic shoulder bag.  This one uses clean hardware and a chic shape to mask the inner zip compartment.  Using hardware that’s easy to find at any fabric shop, you’ll make straps that look like they walked out of a designer’s showroom.  A mag snap holds everything in place, and the body of the bag fits neatly under your arm for comfortable toting all around town.

As you sew these fabulous bags, you’ll cement skills and concepts that will apply to ALL of your sewing!  And for those of you planning to join the Summer Dresses or Fall Wardrobe e-courses later this year, these bags will coordinate perfectly with those ensembles for a complete Look that suits you just right.

The Everyday Handbags e-course begins Monday, April 29, 2013 and continues through Friday, May 24, 2013. ALL content will remain available to participants through the end of July 2013–three months–for you to review and complete as your schedule permits.  Registration fee of $109 includes four weeks of daily instruction Monday through Friday; four complete patterns in PDF format for you to download and print; two scheduled live chats with the instructor and class; video, audio, and/or PDF content with every lesson; email contact with me throughout the course; and a boatload of can-do attitude. Students from any part of the globe are welcome to register!

Questions about registration?  Email me by writing deborah@whipstitchfabrics.com