I wonder how many kids would enjoy wearing homemade bags and clothes if their moms improved their sewing. My parents could afford to buy clothes for us, but my mother would not have it. She would find the fabric, buy the pattern and burn the midnight oil until she created what she considered a masterpiece. Our outfits were rich with her love but as we grew up, we realized that sewing was her passion; a passion that did not develop quality-wise for outerwear, a least not for public use.
I Overdosed on Homemade Clothing
I remember a light blue two thousand percent polyester three-piece skirt suit she made for me to wear at boarding school in the 70’s. The lapels were so wide I thought I would fly if a gust of wind got behind them. Although I was somewhat creative, I did not have a love affair with the sewing machine as Mummy did. Being the benefactor of homespun puckered clothing while family and friends wore professionally made store bought clothes turned me off of handmade clothing.
What was incredibly amazing was my desire decades later to purchase a sewing machine and begin sewing tee shirts and handbags. That desire became so overwhelming that it overrode my previous conclusions that sewing was not my cup of tea. I had tried it in high school and was dreadful at it. Well, to be honest, I began to see sewing as a means to an end. You see, I’m a textile artist specializing in fabric painting and creating artsy couture handbags. I loved to paint on fabrics or anything that would sit still. Simply because I needed a surface to display my art on, I began creating wearable art. I painted shoes, clothing, and bags.
Sewing Became More of a Necessity than a Thrill
I thought I would get around the sewing part by hiring people to sew for me but that was a washout. The more I ran from sewing the more I ran into it. Soon both my husband and I were helping to sew tops and bottoms for our garment manufacturing company to display my artistry. I wanted to achieve more, my interests were sewing custom hand painted handbags. Initially, I hired others to sew for me but pretty soon my purse ideas and dreams overtook what my sewing contractors were able to produce.
Like my mom, I was burning the midnight oil. I was sewing more bags than I had need of. It was an exciting, exhilarating, and an emotionally rewarding venture, but my bags were wonky. You know, twisted, imbalanced and if you took a closer look you would see the stitching was horrendous. Wrong threading led to bungled stitches, re-stitching led to perforated chipboard… They weren’t the quality bags you could expect to get return sales with.
The problem was you only know what you know. If I wanted a better product I realized I needed to improve my sewing skills as well as my purse materials. My wonky chipboard purses lost their shape and eventually tore free of the handles. I was done trying to wing-it by trying to make handbags without any real sewing insights. My sewing level was definitely a hindrance to my goals.
Purse Makers Can Make U-turns
Taking classes was next on my agenda. I knew the value of investing in skill development if I wanted to enhance my product. The problem was finding people who were willing and able to share their purse making secrets with me. I needed to make a u-turn and make it quick if rebuilding my foundation was more than a fleeting fancy.
I took a few classes but they were hysterical. The dear lady who first tried to teach her class knew how to sew handbags but she didn’t have what it took to impart the information in a helpful way. When I asked how to sew a particular item she looked at me in outrage before telling me, “in, out, in, out—that’s how you sew!” The second class was an even greater disaster. I completed neither. My longtime sewing machine mechanic knew my machine like the back of his hand, his helpful tips took my handbags to higher heights with one or two glances. That’s the beauty of rubbing shoulders with the well-informed who know how to impart their wisdom.
So Is Purse Making Easy?
What I’ve found on my journey to create beautiful artsy couture handbags is you can make anything you want to. Sure there are skill levels but if you are willing to learn, have a heart for excellence and have an instructor who is prepared to share the tricks of the trade without holding back on key elements, then you are well on your way.
My purse making journey has taken me from lows to highs. My custom handbags were comfortable in airport kiosks and high-end boutiques. From not being able to sell bags to selling to A-list clientele in the entertainment industry, government officials, as well as business professionals.
How High Are You Willing to Grow
What is thrilling to me is I can now be proud of the handbags I produced over the years, knowing that they were not just beautiful but well made. I no longer have to squirm or wish I could retrieve all the poorly made handbags I made before they were ready to be launched.
Are you a purse designer or do you aspire to be one? What is propelling your passion? Or better yet, can your present skills take you where you need to grow? What learning opportunities are you investigating to take your sewing to the next level?
Don’t allow yourself to become overwhelmed by the challenges you face in pursuing your dream. Simply stated, it’s not just the information you know that will cause your products to soar; it’s the techniques you apply. Your journey to better products can begin today!