It’s been years since I properly sat down at the sewing machine. I used to sew quite often, but somehow life moved on, the machine got tucked away, and stitching fell by the wayside. Recently though, the idea of making something with my handwoven fabric kept tugging at me—especially the idea of a simple bag. Something practical. Something handmade, start to finish.

I’ve always found inserting zips a bit nerve-wracking, but somehow this time it all came together. They all seem pretty good to me, and that in itself feels like a little miracle.

A big part of that success, I think, was down to the pattern. I used one by Emma Redfern, and it was genuinely easy to follow. The included stitch-along videos made such a difference—clear, calm, and encouraging. It felt like having someone in the room guiding me through and making sure the project got finished.