‘My First Handbag’ Pattern in Homespun Magazine!

Hi there! My gosh, I didn’t realise it had been so long since I last wrote a blog post! What with the school holidays here recently, a wonderful 3-week visit from my parents (who live in New Zealand), and surgery on my hands (bilateral median nerve release, also known as carpal tunnel), things just haven’t stopped!

However, things are starting to settle down now and I’m able to catch up on a few things including the sharing of this super exciting moment that happened late last week!!!

Several months ago, I was approached by the wonderful editor, Susan Hurley, from Homespun Magazine, an Australian publication that is SUPER huge here in Australia and growing more and more as each monthly issue is released. She had seen my Creative’s Tote in the recent Quilters Companion Magazine and was interested to know if I would consider designing a kids bag pattern for her October kids special issue!

Eek!!!

Um, yes! Yes I was most definitely interested!!

(And if you are far too excited to read through to the end of the blog post, you can find Homespun Magazine in all good newsagents and quilting shops throughout Australia, as well as online by clicking here!).

We started chatting and instantly connected – like me, she is another amazingly organised person who loves deadlines and is super efficient! She totally spoke to my heartstrings (probably without even realising it! Haha).

The brief was that she was after a handbag pattern mums could make for their young daughters, so they had their very own first handbag to use when heading out and about (I know both of mine LOVE taking a bag filled with goodies with them when we go out!).

I started prototyping and was really enjoying playing around with fabric piecing and embellishments…. (Hmm… Seems I am STILL playing around with fabric piecing!). After a few prototypes, the ‘My First Handbag’ design was created!

I can’t help but absolutely LOVE the styling in the photo below!!!

The pattern features pieced outer front and outer back panels, with additional instructions included to add embellishments such as lace, ribbon, buttons etc. It has an adjustable cross body strap, a recessed zipper closure and an inner zipper pocket as well.

Throughout the article there are several tips from me, all framed beautifully using an image of the gusset fabric (I was super impressed to see that extra touch!!).

And of course, there’s a short interview at the end so you can get to know me a little better as well! (And truth me told, I even read it myself as it seems like SUCH a long time ago I wrote it!!).

I simply couldn’t resist including this photo below…. How gorgeous is their little model!!!! Cute!!!

This issue is absolutely amazing and all the different projects in it make it well worth the money (not that I’m biased or anything of course, haha). A girlfriend of mine has already been eyeing up the Hedgehog Quilt by Rachael Hyde, and I’m thinking about making a set of the Nesting Puppets by Allison Dey Malacaria from Sweater Doll in the next school holidays with my girls!

If you’d like to purchase your own copy of the magazine, you can do so by clicking here (worldwide) or by visiting your local newsagent or quilting shop (within Australia)!

Thanks for reading and sharing in my excitement!!

Lisa x

10 thoughts on “‘My First Handbag’ Pattern in Homespun Magazine!

  1. Allison Dey says:

    You’re handbag pattern is really so lovely. I just found you here and wanted to than you so much for linking to me. I’m so glad you liked the nesting dolls.

Leave a Reply to Michelle Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *