A Project Bag Parade!
Whether you are the type of cross stitcher who has many projects on the go, or you are loyal to one at a time - you should have a project bag! They make life so much easier to have a small tote to carry your projects in. You can use them to easily bring all your stitching items from room to room, or even more so to bring with you when you go on outings where you want to bring your stitching with you. You'll find that project bags (sometimes referred to as project sleeves) are made in many different ways which makes them as unique as the projects they carry. They can be found in many different sizes but generally they can fit a pattern (or magazine), fabric, threads, needles, needle minders and sometimes even a hoop or q-snap.
Today I am going to go over my project bags and highlight some of my favourite Etsy shops where you can find other gorgeous handmade ones.
Stitch Wit
All of my project bags are made the exact same way. Every month I design a pattern and have it printed on 100% polyester textured canvas. I may be an avid cross stitcher but I cannot sew for the life of me, so I work with a Canadian manufacturer who sews the printed canvas into project bags for me. Each bag has a denim lining, which provides a soft interior that won't damage anything inside:
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They are all 16" wide and 12" high so can easily hold all of your cross stitching supplies including up to a 10" hoop or 8" x 8" q-snap. They also close easily with a vegan leather side tab and nickel zipper. These project bags are thick enough to even handle small spills without damaging their contents, plus they are easy to care for as they are machine washable!
Now let's take a peek at some of my favourite Etsy shops that make and carry project bags. I should note, this blog post is in no way an advertisement and I am not being compensated in any way for this article. I simply just want to share some of my favourite products and shops, and I really just love supporting other small businesses - especially in the current times we are living in! I am a strong believer that every dollar spent at a small business goes so much further than any dollar spent at a large corporation. All of these shop owners are much more talented than me as their bags are all handmade!
Gammas Treasure Shop
Here you will find a wide array of handmade project bags and "sew" much more! Owned by Dawn from Ontario, Canada her bags with vinyl fronts are available in so many beautiful fabrics. The vinyl fronts allow you to see what is inside, and feature a front zipper. She has many available in her shop, but here are some of my favourites:
The Hillside Owlery
Located in California, USA you'll find Miriam with her project bags and other handmade goodies. Bonus - all orders over $35 ship free! She's also having a Halloween sale right now and all of her Halloween project bags are 20% off until October 31st. Here are two of my favourites:
Trick or Treat Vinyl Project Bag
Mickey's Halloween Night Vinyl Project Bag
Nicole's Needleworks
Last, but definitely not least, I bring you Nicole's Etsy shop. Carrying a large selection of project bags, you're sure to find one you will love. She has two different styles of bags too! Some have vinyl fronts and others are more of a pouch featuring a velcro closure. Here are two of my favourites:
Handmade Pretty Tea Shop and Bakery/Pastry Themed Fabric Cross Stitch Project Bag
Handmade Adorable Winter Snowman with Red Background Cross Stitch Project Bag
I hope you have enjoyed my little project bag parade, find something you like and support a small business! Do you use project bags? Let me know in the comments below!