Lots of April Sewing Goodness!

Happy April!! There will be no fooling today because of all the wonderful things going on here.  At home, the sun is actually shining outside and the snow is melting like crazy! Having moved here around Thanksgiving, there has been snow on the ground pretty much everyday covering the grounds.  Well today I was actually outside without my parka and winter boots. I was able to see that we actually have a nice lawn and landscaping around the house.  Walking into Target this morning I saw that it was 45 degrees and it felt WARM! Is Spring here? I don’t want to jinx us, so I’ll enjoy the “warm” weather we’re having this week.

In my studio, April brings a new block in the Stichery Dickory Dock 2014 Sugar Block Club. This month’s theme is being Present. Amy has such a wonderful message and I enjoy reading her blog (Plus the yummy recipes each month!). It’s not too late to join up!

Today is also release day for the Bag of the Month – April – Pattern :  The Midtown Messenger Bag by Betz White

The Bag of the Month runs from January – June and for $40 you will receive a downloadable brand new pattern from 6 fantastic pattern designers! I am loving the new patterns and this month’s pattern is extra special because I was asked to be a tester for The Midtown Messenger Bag!! Betz is a super- talented designer and her patterns are top-notch. Beautiful, detailed graphics and instructions make her bags easy to construct.  Click on the links above to purchase her new April release and/or purchase the 6-month series. You won’t be sorry!

I truly enjoyed testing the messenger bag because it gave me the opportunity to work with materials that were new to me. The grey fabric you see on the exterior part of my bag is Waxed Canvas. The stuff is awesome to work with.  It is basically a canvas that has been impregnated with wax to create a waterproof/weatherproof surface.  It is not easy to find, nor is it cheap. I found mine on Etsy where you can find yardage or scraps.  I also ran across a few tutorial on how to make it yourself. That’s on my summer t0-do list!

The interior (as well as the exterior) of the messenger bag has plenty of pocket options as well as a zip-closure to keep your goodies safe. I’m a sucker for pockets, so if you are too you’ll be a happy camper this month! The second new item I was able to work with were thumb catches or tuck locks.  Again, I found them on Etsy and they took only a few minutes to install. Super easy!

Finally, Betz added a super long strap to allow for your messenger to be carried  many ways. I will use mine like you see above, but I could easily see this in leather with a shorter strap for a man or student.

Well, I’m back to my studio to work. Thanks for reading and be sure to check out the links for some new sewing goodness.  Enjoy your day!  Cindy