I had a chance to make Thread Riding Hood’s Cat-Eye Pouch, a free pattern I featured in this post. I used Cotton + Steel from Fabric Spark and Fishskin Fabrics, and a nice zipper with a gold pull from Emmaline Bags. It came together so nicely, and you should definitely give it a try. I made this pouch as a prize to celebrate over 500 ‘likes’ on my Facebook page.
Update: Thanks to everyone who entered; the giveaway is now over.

Remember when I posted about testing this pattern? Well the pattern has been released and is now available for purchase from Delinda Boutique, you can get it on Craftsy or Etsy. 
I did find the pattern to be very detailed, and it’s definitely one you won’t want to be printing. Each step is extremely detailed, and the pattern is loaded with pictures. With most PDFs, I simply print just the pattern pieces and read the instructions from my tablet. The designer wanted this pattern to be detailed enough for a beginner, and I would say she hit the mark on that one. If you’re experienced with bag making, you will probably be able to quickly scan some of the instructions for the simpler steps. Either way, you’ll end up with a beautiful, unique bag!

I love a good deal, and I love sharing them too, so I thought I’d remind you all about the discounts exclusive to Happy Okapi readers right now.
Blue Calla Sewing Patterns, is offering 10% off patterns from the shop, with code OKAPI10. 
Flare Fabrics is offering 15% off with code HAPPYOKAPI until the end of March. 

In continuing with my Everything Else series, featuring different sources to get “everything else” needed for bag making, I have another shop to share with you. I’ve received my first order from PacCana and I’ve been waiting to receive the items before sharing with you all. I’m so impressed! They have a GINORMOUS selection of supplies. Everything from interfacing to zippers to canvas and webbing, and pretty much everything else you’ll need for bag making besides fabric.  For my first order, I wanted to try a variety of items. 

Their interfacing selection is quite large, and I got some of the woven fusible, which seems to be a great slightly cheaper alternative to what I normally use; it’s more per yard, but it’s 46″ wide compared to 20″. I also requested a sample of the medium weight non-woven fusible interfacing, which they carry in white and black. I’ve had a chance to try out the woven interfacing, and I find it’s comparable to the name brand stuff I usually use. It fused easily and didn’t wrinkle on the finished product.

They have a pretty impressive hardware selection too. I ordered a box of 100 magnetic snaps for cheaper than some places would sell me 20 for, and the quality is comparable to what I often buy. If you don’t need 100, you can order smaller quantities for a higher per piece price, but still very affordable. They also carry O rings, D rings, snap hooks, buckles, and more, in a variety of sizes.

You can also find carry rotary cutters, replacement blades, and cutting mats. They have a couple brands, so I tried one of the cheaper blades, and so far, so good! 

You do need an account to access prices and order, but it was really quick for me; I just filled out the form, and received an email the following morning with my account info. So don’t let needing an account deter you. I also needed to call and ask some questions, and I was able to get help by phone, hassle free. 

I found the shipping rates really reasonable too! Free shipping on orders over $200, and low shipping rates on orders below $200, for quick reliable shipping.

I absolutely must share my latest happy mail. I found this really neat Victoria, BC based company, Stamplifier, that makes custom stamps. Their Etsy shop has lots of fun stamps for sale, plus listings for custom stamps. I ordered one with my logo and I’m so thrilled with it! The packaging is upcycled and comes with a really funny Warning/Instruction sheet for your new stamp. They offer free shipping in Canada too!

When I first started making bags, I only used free tutorials I found on Pinterest. Since then, I’ve accumulated dozens of purchased PDFs, but there are still some gems out there for free. The great thing about these free patterns, is it gives you a chance to test out a designer’s style of instruction before buying another one of their patterns. Here is a small round up of free patterns from some of my favourite designers; I’ve chosen a few that have a some different techniques to try out.

Don’t forget the discount at the bottom of this post! 

The Retreat bag features a long zipper, and uses wire frames to hold the bag open wide. You can also make use of the new metal zipper ends available on www.emmalinebags.com instead of fabric zipper ends if you prefer.

The Baker Street Bag, by Sara Lawson of Sew Sweetness is a free PDF with one pattern piece and full instructions. I think it would make a good first project for someone who is comfortable with sewing, but hasn’t made bags yet. The bag features a recessed zipper, but if that scares you, you can use a magnetic snap instead.

The Ramona Mini Hipster is Swoon’s latest free pattern, and it features some fun hardware and a zipper. I love the design feature on the front of the bag: so much freedom to make it unique. 

Anna of Noodlehead has many free tutorials and patterns listed on her site, here’s the Snappy Manicure Wallet I made with the pattern. It was a lot of fun to make because it uses an elastic pocket, a zipper, and snaps. I also think it’s a great pattern to use if you have several prints you’re wanting to showcase. It makes a great gift too!

This last pattern is a brand new freebie from Thread Riding Hood. I just love the unique area for a fussy cut featured on the front of the pouch. I can think of many precious scraps I’ve hung on to that will be perfect for this project. Take your zippered pouches to the next level!

Note: Please refer to original posts for the individual designers’ rules around selling bags made with these patterns. 

Celine over at Blue Calla Sewing Patterns has been busy creating even more patterns, and has generously offered a discount for my readers. Use code OKAPI10 at checkout to save 10% on any bag patterns in her Etsy Shop.

I had the opportunity to test a new pattern for Delinda Boutique, the Liliane Buckle Hobo bag. The pattern is still in testing, but due to be released soon. The pattern is for an elegant pleated hobo bag, with a unique exterior front pocket and a decorative buckle magnetic snap tab closure. 

I really love the details in this bag. The pleats on the front and back add a really nice touch to the bag and turn a typically casual style into a nicer bag. The buckle from my bag and most of the other testers’ bags were upcycled from old belts; I love upcycling, but that story’s for another day. Actually, the pattern comes with a couple options, and Maria, the pattern designer, upcycled an old sweater for one of her bags. The unique pocket on the front of the bag with 2 open sides is such a neat design feature, and makes a great place for chapstick, notepad, pen and other quick access items.

The pattern includes instructions for interior zippered pocket and slip pocket. The technique to add this zippered pocket was a new way for me, and was a bit longer to do, but the results were worth it. It made for a very neat pocket, with no exposed zipper tape on the inside. I used my By Annie’s Zipper by the Yard with mutli-coloured zipper pulls, and was able to match the pull to my top panel and handle.

I chose the latest Cotton + Steel collection Tokyo Train Ride from Sarah Watts as the feature print on the front pocket. I used Charley Harper Feathers from the Nurture line for Birch and Cotton + Steel Basics xoxo in Night Owl both from Fabricspark.com as accent fabrics to pick up the navy and coral in the main print. The lining of the bag and front pocket is in a Free Spirit solid. 

If you’re looking for a new pattern for a special bag, consider the Liliane! I think this bag is best suited for an intermediate sewist, but a confident beginner could tackle it as well, since the instructions are very detailed.
Update: see my review of the final pattern and links to purchase here. 

I love happy coincidences, and I have one to share with you now! I was searching Etsy (I forget what I was looking for) and found a purse made with a pattern I didn’t recognize, so I did some more searching and discovered the Blue Calla Sewing Patterns shop. I was so pleased with what I found. So many great patterns! The bonus is that Celine of Blue Calla is in Canada, so her shop fits perfectly with my goal to share Canadian sewing sources; of course, these are PDFs, so anyone worldwide can easily purchase the patterns. I immediately was drawn to the Zinnia Zippered Panel Bag and had to sew one up myself. Here’s mine:

I knew immediately which fabrics I would use for the bag. The centre panel is perfect for a FQ of a special print you want to showcase. I chose Utopia by Frances Newcombe from Art Gallery Fabrics; the centre is Paradise Dwellers in Vivid, fromStay Home Fabrics, and the coordinating print is Orni Incandescence, from Fabric Spark. I decided to try vinyl for the first time with this bag, and I like the finished look, but it was certainly not as easy to work with as natural fibres. I was also happy to have my By Annie’s Zippers by the Yard from Stitch in the Ditch so I could choose the perfect colour for the zipper pull. The pattern includes interfacing suggestions, but I just used what I had on hand, so my bag has craft fuse and fusible fleece on the lining, and for the pleated panels, I used Shapeflex 101, and finally craft fuse on the centre panel.  The Zinnia pattern has a recessed zippered closure, and a zippered interior pocket, plus a large interior slip pocket. The pattern also has a few options: you can do a longer single cross body strap, or 2 shorter handles, with detailed instructions for both options. The other option available is that you can have the main panels of the bag continue to the bottom, without a separate contrasting strip like the option I chose. As in the listing description, this particular pattern is not recommended for beginners, and I would agree. I even had a few questions, but I was very impressed that Celine responded right away, and even made a couple changes to the pattern to clarify the points I brought up. With all the different options in this PDF pattern, it’s a great value.  I really love the functionality of this bag, with its great size and zippered top, and the pleats add such an elegant touch. 

Each pattern has the recommended sewing experience level in the listing. Here are some more great patterns:

Celine has generously offered a free pattern to one lucky reader: any pattern in her shop, winner’s choice! To enter, all you have to do is comment below with which pattern is your favourite. Check out Blue Calla Sewing Patterns to see them all. Good luck! Contest closes Friday March 6, 2015 at 1:00 pm 

Bonus entries for following me on Instagram and Pinterest, just leave a separate comment for each letting me know.

 I’ve had a lot of questions about the name for this blog. I first learned about this animal from my oldest son, when he was about 3. We often play a game we invented called “guess an animal” and it’s a great dinner time game that every family member can participate in. The rules are simple: come up with an animal and give hints until someone guesses correctly, we also answer questions like, does it have 4 legs, would you find one on a farm, does it have spots, etc. 
So imagine my confusion when my son was giving hints about an animal that had stripes on its legs and a head like a giraffe; we all thought he was making it up. What animal is like a cross between a giraffe and a zebra? Apparently an okapi is. Thankfully Wikipedia backed him up, and we came up with the perfect animal to stump any dinner guests in the future.
What an okapi reminds me of is that there is always something new to be learned, and sometimes, from the most unlikely places. I think that’s a wonderful lesson to keep in mind when sewing and trying new skills.
Technically, okapi doesn’t rhyme with happy, but that’s how I say it in my head, so I’m taking some artistic liberty with it, because, who doesn’t like being happy?

I just wanted to take a quick moment to welcome Lisa, the new owner of Stay Home Fabrics. She’s already got the shop back into full swing with many amazing new collections and more on the way.

I would also like to welcome Satin Moon Quilted Garden, the Victoria, BC shop I mentioned that helps my Dad pick out some great fabric for my bags. The shop is another reason to make a trip out to Victoria, with their modern quilting collections, including Art Gallery Fabrics, and many patterns and books. If you can’t make it to the shop, check out their website, or even give them a call to see if they have what you’re looking for.

I often like to make coordinating items for my bags, sometimes a cup cozy or a key fob, but what really seems to get the most attention is when I pair it with a glasses case. I found this free pattern and tutorial from Thread Riding Hood last year and have loved it ever since. The tutorial offers a few different options, but I’ve always used a magnetic snap closure on mine. Sherri at Thread Riding Hood has made the pattern available for free, and offers a seller’s license, which I just love. I made 2 before I bought the seller’s license, to test it out, and really loved the result, so bought the license and sold some right away. 

I often like to piece the exterior of the case to have a feature on the flap, or if you have directional fabric, then piecing helps too. 

They make great gifts too! I’ve made some as teacher gifts and for stocking stuffers. They also work as gifts for men, which is great because I find it hard to come up with things to sew for men.

They’re great, quick, little projects! Once you’ve made a few, you can do them in under an hour from start to finish. I usually make a few at a time, which makes them go a bit quicker too. 

I follow the pattern and tutorial exactly, and occasionally I add interfacing to the exterior panel. Go check it out yourself and make a few! 

True Story: My Dad is my biggest fan, and for Christmas he gave me some beautiful fabric. He walks by a certain quilt shop near his work and one day he ventured in and spoke to the friendly ladies in the shop. He has no shame when it comes to showing off my work, and took out his phone to show them pictures of my purses. They were so kind to indulge him in his proud moment and helped him select some lovely fabric for my gift. He has seen the fabric I use and knows I like bright, colourful designs, and also knows I love both birds and fish. I think they did a pretty great job coming up with these picks. If you’re ever in Victoria, go check them out: Satin Moon Quilted Garden on Fort Street.  Of course I had to use my Dad’s picks and make them into bags.

The first one is the Super Tote by Noodlehead, which I beefed up with a layer of fusible fleece. The Super Tote is a really versatile bag with a large exterior pocket, a recessed zipper for the main opening, and large elasticized pockets inside.  I really love the side pleat for an elegant touch. I paired the colourful birds with a yellow Essex Linen. I used Kira by Stof from Fabric Spark for the top band and handles, and some crisp blue Kona Cotton from Funky Monkey Fabrics for the lining. I think it’s the perfect pattern to showcase this busy print. 

The next bag I chose is the Bonnie Bucket Bag by Swoon, which you can get individually or as part of the new Swoon Favorites Collection. I used Essex Linen again, this time in a bright red. Bonnie sews up pretty quickly and the double welt pocket on the front is a unique feature; this bag also contains a recessed zipper closure.  I got to use my Make-a-zipper from Stitch in the Ditch and chose a pretty red pull to go with it. I also used gold rectangle rings to highlight the metallic in the print.

Thanks Dad! I hope you like them! 

Don’t forget about the discounts going on right now, which you can use for supplies to make your own beautiful bags.

Emmaline Bags

Flare Fabrics

Stitch in the Ditch

Today I’m sharing a new Pattern from Noodlehead:the Caravan Tote, which comes with a bonus pattern for a matching zippered pouch.  There is a large exterior front zippered pocket, and the main tote has a magnetic snap closure. The pattern has quite a few options to make it a perfect knitting tote. You can make the front pocket into a needle pocket, and there are instructions to add grommets for yarn guides into the interior slip pocket. I don’t knit, so I didn’t use those options, but I might use them on my next tote as a gift for a friend who knits, making it the perfect project tote. The zippered pouch included with the pattern is a great size, you can pair it with the project tote to carry smaller supplies, or use it on its own as a clutch. 

The pattern calls for fabrics heavier than quilting cotton, so I used some Echino linen blend and Essex linen blend. I think denim would be a great weight for this project too. If you have quilting cotton you really love for it, the pattern includes extra interfacing instructions for that as well. 

I really love the front pocket with flap, and Anna of Noodlehead’s way of attaching it is my new favourite. I left the snap off my zippered pouch flap, but I may add it later. 

This was my first project using metal zippers, and I really love the professional look they give. The white with gold is pretty unique as well. The way the bags are put together doesn’t have you sewing over the zipper teeth, making them pretty safe for your sewing machine to install.

My very first purchased PDF pattern was by Noodlehead, and she continues to wow me with great patterns! 

Here are a few more pictures of mine.

Don’t forget there are some active discounts right now to get yourself some supplies to get started on your own. 

If you haven’t heard of Emmaline Bags, you’re going to thank me for introducing you to these patterns and a great online shop. If you have heard of it, you’re going to be happy to learn I have a discount to share with you today! Janelle of Emmaline is a Canadian pattern designer, offering both PDF and paper paper patterns in her online shop, www.emmalinebags.com 

You have to check out the Necessary Clutch Wallet, affectionately known as the NCW, which even has a facebook group dedicated to it. 

There are some other really great patterns available, including the Butterfly Sling and the Spring Sling purses.

Have you noticed those pretty turn locks? Emmaline carries those too! The hardware selection is impressive and the quality is unparalleled. You can even get hardware kits specific to the pattern you want to make. There is also a selection of pretty bling, like these “handmade” zipper pulls, and some really beautiful zippers, personally I like the white with gold.

Now what about the interfacing for these gorgeous bags? Emmaline Bags has that too! You can buy them separately or as interfacing kits for the NCW and the Quarter Note Clutch. You can also pick up some other sewing supplies, like Fray Check, Wonder Tape, pins and Wonder Clips.

I have a wonderful example of amazing customer service to share with you. A friend ordered some hardware from Emmaline and very quickly received an email informing her that her order had been shipped to the address listed in her Paypal account. Only, my friend realized that she forgot to update her Paypal account with her new address since she moved. She quickly sent Janelle an email, explaining the situation. Janelle actually retrieved the package from the post office and corrected the address before it was too late! To me, that is true customer service, and yet another reason to shop with Janelle at Emmaline Bags.

Now for the discount: The code is OKAPI15 and is good for 15% off your order, site wide, when you buy 2 or more items, code expires in one week. 

Happy shopping and happy sewing! I’d love to hear what you decide on, let me know in the comments.