{Crafter Interview} Emma of Emkie Designs

Today were are interviewing Emma from Emkie Designs. So settle in with a cuppa and have a read!

When did you start crafting?

I have always “crafted”, one of my earliest memories is of making paper cows and other farm animals with my babysitter when I was about 3 or 4. Over the years I have dabbled in paper craft, painting, drawing, scrapbooking, mosaics, photography, jewellery making, and my all time favourite SEWING! 🙂

If you could only pick one craft to do for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Sewing - complete no brainer there 😉

What is your crafting “style”?

I always find it difficult to define my style, I feel like it’s constantly changing and evolving!

What is the main source of inspiration?

Well as I design handbag sewing patterns, the main inspiration I get is from walking down the street, I eye off every one’s bags - they probably think I’m crazy or wondering how I’m going to go about robbing them or something - lol - but I just like looking at people’s bags and looking at the different features I like and thinking about how I would make them my own 🙂

What is the best advice someone gave you about crafting?

When I was thinking about writing my 1st pattern, I had a fantastic group of ladies behind me and encouraging me to go for it. I also had a few people who were already successful pattern designers to bounce ideas off. I can’t remember a specific piece of advice any of them gave me, but knowing they were behind me was the push I needed to get that 1st pattern published and jump in feet first so to speak.

What tips would you give a beginner?

If you’re new to bag making (or any craft really…), don’t let it scare you!

Everyone has to start learning somewhere, and if you’re interested in it go for it!

In terms of bags…don’t be scared of them, they are easy, promise! It is clothes making I’m fearful of - lol 🙂 Bags come in one (or sometimes two) sizes, there are no Full Bust Adjustments to be done, and although zips look scary they really aren’t that hard with a little practice 🙂

What is your must have crafting tool?

For bag making I love my walking foot! And for anything that involves binding (my archenemy), I LOVE my binding attachment that I got with my JUKI TL-98P - I no longer hate binding, unless i have to do it by hand, then we are still enemies 😉

Where do you craft? Dining table, own dedicated craft space?

Until last year I had a corner of our family room. Once I purchased my JUKI TL-98P last year, I needed more space away from little fingers, so I took over 1/2 of our “+” room - you know the room I’m talking about…when real estate agents say “3+ bedrooms”? Yeah, I have 1/2 of our “+” room, its really small, 2 steps and I’m on the other side of the room to where I started 😉 But I love it because its mine!

How many WIPs do you have on the go right now?

Gosh…this is embarrassing…I don’t actually know? lol

I have one new pattern (a new design of mine) that I currently have half cut out, I have another bag (not my design) that the front panel is made for, but I still haven’t cut the rest out…I have 4 or 5 quilts - not sure if or when I will ever get to those to finish them…and I think that is it? but I’m not 100% sure - I’m too scared to look in my WIPs box!

What would be on your crafty bucket list?

One day I would love to try resin jewellery making 🙂

Do you listen to music when you craft?

No I either listen to podcasts, watch Netflix or a movie 🙂

Tea or Coffee – which do you prefer?

Neither - hot chocolate all the way!

Favourite TV show?

Another tough one! I really like crime shows, CSI, Law & Order: SVU, NCIS, Chicago Fire…and all the superhero ones, The Flash, Supergirl, Jessica Jones just to name a few 🙂

What non-crafting related item can’t you live without? Why?

My phone! It’s how I connect with my friends from all over the country and even the world 🙂 It’s my camera, my memory (hello calendar appointments and alerts ;P ) and my notebook 🙂

Do you have any news that you would like to share with our readers?

I have a heap of news to share 🙂

Currently I have a pattern that has been published in Issue 10 of One Thimble e-zine - The Adventure Case, it is a vintage style insulated lunch tote.

I will be teaching at a bag making sewing retreat (the Bag Fanatics Retreat) in September and I’m super excited about that!

I hope to do some other teaching this year too - I’m a teacher by trade and have really missed it, so opportunities like the sewing retreat, or any others that come my way are too hard to pass up!

And lastly I should have a new pattern coming out this month/early next month so am super excited about that too!

If you want to follow me or find out about new patterns or where I might be teaching you can join my newsletter (http://eepurl.com/bs2zMr) or follow my blog www.emkiedesigns.com, Facebook Page www.facebook.com/emkiedesigns or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/emkiedesigns/ 🙂

Actually Amy (1162 Posts)

When Amy is not blogging here on And Sew We Craft you can find her over at Actually Amy where she blogs about her life and other things.