Great Big Leather Tote from Sewing to Sell

My blogging bud Virginia from Gingercake Patterns just wrote a book called Sewing to Sell, and it’s about exactly that… helping you to launch or improve your handmade business. I took a look at this book, and I made one of the projects to share with you.
I was super impressed as I went through this book. Virginia has covered pretty much everything from A to Z in regards to starting a handmade business. Not only that, she has included 16 projects that you can make and sell at craft fairs or in your own shop.

I made the Great Big Tote, but I put my own spin on it. The basic look is the same, but I decided to use leather, and I didn’t have enough to make it as “great big” as the project in the book. So I made a Medium Big Tote. ;)

The projects in the book also include tips for sewing a bunch of them at once and for highlighting your product to sell. If you need a few more tried and true handmade goods to add to your inventory, you have a wide variety to choose from a few different categories: useful items, best use of materials, and great sellers. There are projects for kids, babies, women, or the home, covering a range of customers.

Even though I don’t have any plans to sell my handmade goods, there are so many great tips in this book, about photography, finding your personal style, even having the right sewing equipment. I learned a lot, and plan on going through the book again to glean some more of Virginia’s wisdom. :)

Plus, Sewing to Sell covers the business side of selling handmade, which is an invaluable resource. You basically have everything you need in this one book!

I think one of my favorite parts of the book, though, are the interviews with bloggers/handmade shop owners. I love reading through the experiences of others and hearing what has or hasn’t worked for them.

I love how this tote worked with the leather, and you know my love for bags, big and small. All of the projects in this book are perfect to customize to your own style. The book is available in hard copy or as an e-book, and I get to give away a hard copy of this book to one of my lucky readers! Yay!!

 Click here to enter the giveaway!

(open to US residents only, sorry!)

Make sure you check out all the other fantastic bloggers on the book review tour!

Disclosure: I received an e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.