Sew Brit Bag Camp

Its almost here, the event of my year. To say I'm excited is an understatement. BAG CAMP fever has struck my world and I'm all of a dither trying to get myself organised.

 So.........for those of you who are reading this and scratching your head wondering what on earth I'm on about....... Bag Camp............in simple terms its a bunch of ladies who like sewing bags, or who would like to learn more about sewing bags, gathering together to do exactly that! sounds boring? I imagine it might to someone who doesn't sew bags........for me???.........its like Christmas has come in March, without the need to buy hundreds of gifts for people I don't necessarily want to be bothered with.  Two and a bit days of uninterrupted sewing, with people who understand........ it doesn't get better than that! Bag camp is being held in Derbyshire.....3.5 hours away from me, but do I care....oh no......im going to enjoy the journey, singing at the top of my lungs no doubt.....this is where ill be heading too...

http://www.somersalcottages.co.uk/coach-house.asp

So let me give you the run down, what I know thus far of bag camp..........we will be given a goody bag, camp has been sponsored by several different companies......so goodie bags will have a selection of bits and bobs, fabrics, threads and goodness knows what else......until we arrive we wont know but the list of sponsors is impressive.

We have a bag pattern that's been written especially for us, although we know what the bag looks like, we thus far have only have the pattern pieces, allowing us to prep some of the fabrics beforehand........the bag is a biggy........two versions, one for the mainstream group and another a little more complex for the advanced group.

almost four hours of cutting and adding interfacing and I'm not nearly done......

We have three instructors.......Samantha......from https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SewingPatternsbyMrsH

all the way from welsh Wales.......

Liz, our pleather queen from http://liz-moments.blogspot.co.uk/

all the way from Germany (I need to be careful with this one or I'll be sacked as one of her testers.....lol)

and Katy from http://www.the-littlest-thistle.com/

coming from deepest darkest Glasgow.(assuming she isn't snowed in as can sometimes happen north of the border)

Then we have the other campers........ladies who mostly have never met, but many of whom communicate through Facebook about camp, bags, life in general.  We all come from different backgrounds, different areas of the country, we have different skill levels and different likes and dislikes, but we are all drawn together by our love of sewing, a passion for fabric and a wish to learn more........so we know we will have something in common. I'm looking forward to meeting them all, hearing about them, sharing stories.......and yes.....we are an all female camp..........not that camp was exclusively aimed at women...........but not many men sew handbags!

zz

Husbands all over the country are being given lists of things to do with the children, lists of instructions for the washing machine, timetables for kids activities so nobody arrives late for anything. Its only one weekend but by golly it takes some organising when its not just your own stuff you have to get sorted, but everyone else in the house too........lol

Packing has started........not clothes......FABRICS.........much more important than clothes at this point....

Fabrics, pleathers, glitter vinyl and interfacing/stabilisers various......my faithful machine has been cleaned and oiled...........and I'm getting there with all the other bits and bobs.....assisted by the fab trolley my husband unwittingly brought me for mothers day......ooppps, was that your amazon account I signed into dear??? sorry.....lol

sat nav is charged, alcohol brought ......or should I say fermented.......all home made........cakes on the agenda for Thursday...... then I'll pack my clothes........and my new wash bag.....yes I made my own.....a fine and dandy from moments (nothing like sucking up to the teacher eh?)

So I'm almost ready.........well I think I'm as ready as I can be with two days to go........panic packing will start Thursday evening no doubt.

This will be my first sewing retreat, but if I enjoy it, I'm sure it wont be my last........and maybe one day, when I have a little more experience under my belt.......I'll be able to be one of the instructors.......who knows

I will let you know after how it goes!