Product in Focus: Kids Back Pack from My Obsession Designs

Let's kick start 2012 with a product that fits nicely with the beautiful summer weather that a lot of Australia is currently experiencing!  This Q&A session is courtesy of Tracey from My Obsession Designs.

1. Name of product: Kids Back Pack
2. What is the purpose of the product: My kids back packs are lined with a waterproof fabric, which makes it ideal for kids to carry to swimming lessons or a trip to the beach.  Equally as great for a trip to the park or an overnight stay at the Grandparent's place.
3. Who can use this product? The back pack is designed "kids-size" but can easily be used by an adult also.
4. What is the product made from? The outside of the bag is made from 100% quilting cotton - lightweight by durable.  They are lined with waterproof PUL (which is the same product used in MCN's to keep baby dry).
5. Where is the product created? The back packs are created by me, in my home with my kids playing under my feet.
6. How is the product created? They are sewn entirely with my trusty sewing machine.
7. How did the product idea come about? My children attend swimming lessons weekly.  With all three of them in the pool (as well as me for the younger ones), I was a bit like a pack-horse heading out every Wednesday morning.  I wanted a back pack that the kids would wear themselves, something fun and colourful, lightweight but big enough to hold their towel, swimwear, drink bottle and a snack.  Something that didn't weigh them down.
8. Where can customers buy this product and what is the RRP? Customers can purchase my kids back packs from my Online Store at www.ozhandmade.com.au/store/myobsessiondesigns or in person at The Mummy Tree Markets on the Gold Coast (every second month).  I also attend other markets around Brisbane, visit my Facebook Page for updates on where you can find me.  The back pack retails at $30 (AUD).
9. Do you have a special offer for our blog followers? Mention seeing my back packs on The Sewing Sisterhood Blog and you will receive $5 off!

TSS Photo Challenge - Week 1

Welcome to The Sewing Sisterhood's weekly Wednesday Photo Challenge. Photo challenges are really popular online right now - there are weekly challenges for the less adventurous, photo-a-day challenges for a single month for those who want to stretch themselves a bit, and Project 365(+1) for those dedicated to taking a photo a day for a whole year.

The Sisters have committed to weekly photos to a set theme. This week, to kick things off we are showcasing our machines. There's a huge variety of sewing machines represented in the Sisterhood, but the clear favourite of the overlockers is the Janome Mylock 644D.

You can catch a glimpse of some of the Sister's creative spaces in the photos too - you'll see more detail of those in future Photo Challenge weeks. 

1. Jo - 5 Giraffes & a Cheeky Monkey  2. Gem  - Musings of a Crafty Mind 

 3. Melanie - MelliMoo Creations  4. Sarah - Skip Chasey 

5. Sabrina - Crambster Creations

1. Holly - Or Elsie  2. Naomi - Made for Myah 

3. Tanya - Pumpkin Snitch Designs  4. Leigh - Sakurako 

5. Lynda - Stoked Creations

1. Belinda - Little Sew & Sews  2. Jane - Lil Pip

3. Linda - Independent crafter  4. Mel - Handmade by 3 Little B's

5. Jodie - Zahley Rose

1. Tracey - My Obsession Designs  2. Gill - Frilly's Designs

3. Kylie - Independent crafter  4. Michelle - M's Cute Bottoms

5. Sharon - Lil Moo & Mee

Next weeks theme is "Favourite room in your house" and I'm expecting lots of gorgeous spaces to drool over. See you then!

Back to Business

Monday. Today is the day that many hubby's go back to work (do I hear a collective hurrah from some of you?). If you are like me, it's been wonderful having them around, but I yearn to get some order back into my day! So for many of The Sewing Sisterhood, this is the first day of our working New Year! And this is what is going on around the Sisterhood this week:

Easter is in the Bag at Little Sew & Sews!

Little Sew & Sews has started releasing the 2012 Easter product range, with the hugely popular Easter Bunny Drawstring bags making a revamped come-back this year! With TWO sizes and a variety of colours and fabric combinations, the bags are perfect for egg hunting or even use them as gift bags! Available to order now - Large $25 each or Small $16 each. Email Little Sew & Sews to place an order or head to our website for ready-made and ready-to-post Easter Bunny bags.

Sweet, Soft, Summer-time frills. This week at Handmade By 3 Little B’s I am enjoying creating beautiful and unique variations on my latest dress release – Sweet Summery Frills. This style of dress features a soft frilled neckline, contrasting hem or frilled ruffles, and a sweet little pocket for collecting treasures (as all girls like to do). For your chance to take one of these little beauties home, make sure you are a fan of my face-book page as these dresses (and much more) will be available towards the end of this month as part of my “Summer Delights Sale.” Thanks for reading, Mel (Mumma B) xox

School shoes, check. School lunch box, check. School library bag???
Search no longer. Skip Chasey will be loading a limited number of library bags and tiggy tags at the end of the week. The Library bags are very limited and only $15. Made from sturdy thick denim and a contrasting fabric these library bags are built to last. Tiggy tags are available for $9 and ensure your child can spot their bag in the sea of school bags. Head on over to Skip Chasey and say Hi. Sarah

With only five weeks to go until the first market of 2012, I am very busy playing with fabrics and new patterns here at Zahley Rose. I think what I am most excited about right now is the new teether taggie. After being repeatedly asked for mini taggies at markets I think I've finally come up with something that every baby will love. Even Miss 3 has given her approval by attempting to steal them from the sewing room.

There is a hive of activity over at My Obsession Designs. Back to school items are piling up ready for the next online market later this month. Pencil Cases, Library Bags and Bag Tags are all on the pile ready to go! I am also working on a few *new* product ideas - so keep your eye out over the coming weeks. Until next week! The Sewing Sisters

Hold onto your Hats!

Happy New Year!

The sisters have had a little time off over Christmas and New Year. We have revitalised our souls and are ready to hop back to it!

The year is racing away already - many of us will be seeing our babies (some our first ones, some our last) off to school for the first time in a couple of weeks (eek!).

This year we have big things planned for our humble little blog.

Each Monday you can catch up on what is happening for the week ahead in the sewing sisterhood - be up-to-date with any markets (online or IRL), sales and other events that are happening across our pages.

We also have some other fun blog topics to share with you - including reviews of tutorials and other gorgeous things pinned by our sisters on Pintrest, Marketing tips from our resident Marketing Guru - Jane from Lil Pip, get to know our products via product reviews and get to know our sisters with our Sister in Focus blogs. Jodie from Zahley Rose is our resident pattern queen and she is going to review some of her fav's for us over the year. Throw in a yummy recipe, a book or blog review here and there - and pretty much anything else that takes our fancy!

We hope that you will stick around to see what 2012 has in store for us - we've got big plans! So tell us, what are your plans for 2012?