Project Bags and the Joy of Making Your Own

It seems like everyone and their momma was making beautiful handmade bags, and every time I opened Etsy or Instagram, I found another one to add to my wish list.

One of the first shops I completely fell in love with was Little Skein in the Big Wool. Anne's project bags and yarn kits were absolutely stunning. I still remember kicking myself for not ordering her Where the Wild Things Are collection. Every time I saw someone knitting from one of those kits, I wondered why I had talked myself out of it. Around this time she was also releasing her Anne of Green Gables collection, which was just as beautiful.

Little Skein in the Big Wool:
https://www.littleskein.com/

Another favorite was Awesome Grannie. Her fabric choices were always so much fun, especially the fox prints and the deer designs. More than once, I found myself filling an Etsy cart with bags that would sit there until I had a little extra spending money.

Update: I eventually purchased several bags from Awesome Grannie, and they have become some of my favorite project bags.

Like most knitters, I wanted all the beautiful bags, but my budget had other plans. 

I always looked at it this way. I could buy a project bag, or I could buy yarn, patterns, a haircut, or something else I needed. The struggle was very real.

That never stopped me from admiring the incredible work these makers were doing. I followed them on social media, admired every new fabric release, and cheered them on from afar.

The only professionally made project bag I owned at the time was one I purchased from Erin Lane Bags at Stitches South. It was beautifully made, and Erin always seemed to find the most fun fabrics.

Erin Lane Bags: https://erinlanebags.com/

Update: Over the years, I have made quite a few of my own project bags. While I still appreciate Erin Lane's work, Awesome Grannie remains my favorite.

Since buying bags was not always an option, I decided to learn to sew my own. 

Were they as polished as the professionally made bags? Not at first.

But every bag taught me something new, and I found that I really enjoyed sitting down at the sewing machine. My skills slowly improved, and before long, I had built quite a collection of handmade project bags.

At the time I wrote this post, I had already sewn fourteen bags for myself, two as gifts, and was experimenting with new patterns.

Looking back, I realize those homemade bags became just as meaningful as the ones I dreamed of buying. Everyone reminds me of a project, a season, or a new skill I was learning.

If you have been thinking about sewing your own project bags, I encourage you to give it a try. You might surprise yourself.

Happy Yarning... and Sewing!

Kim