Sew!
After a very dangerous trip to John Lewis on Oxford street (dangerous for my purse that is) I acquired Cath Kidston’s ‘Sew!’ This book is filled with lots of  little sewing projects that are great as a starting step to get into sewing and comes with the fabric to make your very own Cath Kidston shoulder bag.
Perhaps it wasn’t the greatest idea to learn how to sew by using designer fabric but I hope that no one will look too closely at the stitching. Through making this bag I learned that rather than sewing being a serene experience it mostly comprised of me swearing at myself, the sewing machine and the pin I just pricked my finger with. Actual blood and probably sweat went into the making of this bag.
One major flaw in ‘Sew!’ is that in Cathy’s eagerness to delight the reader with glossy pictures of her vintage inspired creations the descriptions of sewing techniques are particularly brief. I discovered this when trying to work out from just one sentence and a very small diagram how exactly I could create a ‘T-junction’ that allows the bag to have a rectangular bottom.
Searching online I discovered that many others were suffering from the exact same problem which was a relief that it wasn’t just me. From the sewing forum.co.uk I shall always be in gratitude for ‘queeniegoth’ for posting the solution. After having finished creating the bag I realised I had no use for another Cath Kidston bag and began to use it to hold all the things I used to create it – and so the circle is complete.
Cath Kidston Shoulder bag
Lessons Learned:
Lesson 1: Cath Kidston’s book Sew! has lots of fun ideas but is not great when it comes to explaining how to produce it – leading the ‘!’ to be one of exasperation.
Lesson 2: Never underestimate the kindness of the interweb community – they will save you from any craft related problem. (And also that Goths like floral too I suppose?)
Well done for struggling through the CK instructions. I always knew our Cath was all mouth and no trousers. Who needs Ms Kidston when you’ve got a florally inspired goth to consult.
Smashing effort!
This is the exact same thing I am stuck on at the moment! There are no pictures in the book to help either. Thank you!
Thanks for the comment – I hope you managed to finish the bag alright!
Hi! I was wondering if anyone knew if there were any instructions to make this bag online as I am struggling to find some!
Hi Joanie, I haven’t found any instructions online I’m afraid – this blog is quite helpful though http://cottonkiwi.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/cath-kidston-sew-bag-sewalong.html Maddy
my problem is the facings, I have been sewing for years but I just can not get my head around the top of this bag I must be missing something fundamentally simple, no matter how many times I try I cannot get it to fit and the U at the seams sides remain unfinished Please Help!!!
Hi Isobel – the instructions are so confusing!
Hope you figured it out in the end. Maybe they’ll reprint the book with clearer instructions? Maddy xx
Hi Isobel I am having trouble with the top of the seams too as the instructions are just sooo confusing. I also think that part of the problem that your having is that the u shapes on the side of your seam were suppose to be at the bottom for the t junction. The fabric it gives you has the t junction bits cut out already. I hope you found this at least partially useful? Even though this is two months later. But anyway I hope you figure it out eventually. Mina XX
Thank you for posting the above.
I have a sewing machine that I want to teach myself to use. A friend, who is also new to sewing gave me her spare copy of “sew!” (she was given two as presents)told me she made the bag and it was really easy.
This morning I laid the parts out then read and re-read the instructions and now am searching the net for a tutorial. I now feel comforted that its not just me.
Instructions are very vauge and lacking in picture guidence.
Another friend gave me some skirt patterns and practice fabric as a Christmas present I might try that first.
The book definatley states it is useful for beginners or experienced stitchers. But I have to disagree. The book is very confusing, brief and uses too many a deviations (Not good for beginners).
After some swearing, buying a new sewing machine, asking my mother in law for advice and using some common sense, I finally managed to finish the bag. I have now made my second bag in one day so can’t be bad.
I do like this book, but may need to use my own way to put it all together. The pattern sheet is very useful.
Really glad I wasn’t the only one to have trouble, but if you perservere, it will turn out ok in the end xx
Totally agree Cazzlar! Good luck with the other projects. xxx
While I love all of your posts, this one is my favorite in a long time. It truly is about the llitte things and just doing things together. From the obvious love between you and your husband to the joy on your kids’ faces on the swings, this post is so sweet, warm, and real. Looks like you had a wonderful day.
[...] Making a Cath Kidston shoulder bag [...]
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I must admit that I love your cake more than the other one. I was wondering, wheehtr you would be able to put up a tutorial on how to make those lovely roses please??