Thanks to the lovely ladies here on Macmillan, my stock of bags is vastly depleted. I say vastly because I really didn't have that many to start with and selling 10 has posed me with a rather nice challenge; I'd better make some more damn quickly!
When I started making the bags I had no intention of selling them, it was purely to see what I could do with some rather nice material and maybe I'd give them away to friends If they liked them. Well I did give quite a few away but I daren't now as I don't have the time to replace them. Am I complaining? Hell no, this is saving my sanity. I'm not joking. I have good days where I can deal with the insomnia and then there are days like yesterday that leave me in a crumpled heap and unable to focus my mind on anything more than doing practical things. That's okay, I got the gardening done and hoovered the shed.
With a clean and tidy shed, I sat looking at the fabric stash wondering where to start. There are so many gorgeous fabrics that I have trouble chosing which one to use next. Last weekend it was easier as I had a specific brief for a custom order, when I'm improvising I can't help but be eclectic, pulling colours from one pile and textures from another. In short I make an unholy mess.
Rather than make a mess, I designed a new bag. A few months ago I wouldn't have had a clue where to start, now with a tiny bit of experience I love doing it. What's best of all is when someone else loves the bag I've created too. I was absolutely stunned when I sold my two most challenging bags first. That someone I didn't know would want to pay money for something I made in my shed was incredible and the positive feedback has lifted my spirits like nothing else could.
It's a bank holiday this weekend, it's going to rain. I'm lucky, there's a forest right outside my back door and no need for me to travel to find somewhere nice to walk when I'm all sewn out, between the inevitable showers. This weekend I'm planning a shedathon. From Saturday to Monday I'm locking myself away. I'm not cooking, I'm not cleaning, I don't even care if my hair is a mess. I am the bag lady of the forest.
