Look What is Back in My Online Shop!

I have a wonderful friend here in West Clare. (Actually I have many wonderful friends, but today I’m talking about this lady specifically). She is a bundle of positive energy and fun.  I often meet her when I’m in Miltown Malbay calling to the post office.  She roars at me across the street “SALLYYYYYYAAAAAANNN!, making me jump.

The other day she rang me to say she had some fabric for me.  This lady is very specific in what she likes, and she has her own bag design.  Much to my son’s dismay, we arranged for the fabric to be transported by him on the school bus – my friend’s son and Jimmy are in the same year at school.

I never know what type of fabric I’ll get – she has an eye for bright colours and she’s mad about chickens, so it can be pretty exciting to see what will be on the roll.  But I wasn’t expecting to see an old favourite turning up on the roll!

My First, Ever, Sallyann Bag

It was Campervan fabric!!

My first ever bag was made from my husband’s jeans and some gorgeous Campervan fabric. That’s it in the picture. I still use that bag at every market I attend.

When I started the business, Campervan fabric was one of my initial bestsellers.  People love those VW Campervans, and they loved the tote bags and little Amy Small Zip Top Handbags I made out of the fabric.  Those were my two main designs at the time.

And then the fabric disappeared. Rumours suggested it had been withdrawn for legal reasons, or that the designer had decided to stop it. Aliens had beamed all of the remaining fabric and taken it to Alpha Centauri. But it didn’t matter.  It was gone.  People have continued to ask me over the years “Do you ever do the Campervan fabric?”, to which I always had to say no.

Now there are even two different colour ways

So as I took the roll of fabric from my son, I could barely contain my excitement.  Not only was it Campervan fabric, but it was in a new colour way I had never seen before.  A multicoloured version with oranges, turquoises and blues.  So I rang my friend and asked her where she got it.  And the very next day I bought up Ennistymon’s remaining supply of that fabric.  And I found the original Blue version in another shop in Ennis, and bought some of that too.

It’s interesting.  The design has changed, very slightly.  In my original bag, you can see the badge of the camper vans is a heart.  In the new fabrics, the badge is clearly a VW sign.  But that’s the only change I can see.

Makers gonna make….

So I couldn’t wait to get cutting and sewing.  Since I first started making bags I’ve expanded my range to include 3 different sorts zip top bag, two sorts of messenger style flap closure bags, a tote bag and a backpack. I immediately wanted to see what the Multicoloured Campervan fabric would look like as a Marie Backpack.

It’s a long time since I sewed with this sort of oilcloth fabric, and I had to relearn as I went along.

I think it worked out well?

And then I made an Amy Small Zip Top Handbag in the Blue Campervan fabric…

By this stage I was getting back into the groove of working with the fabric.  The zip was fun to do, matching the van across the zip, and including a wheel as one of the tabs.

Snap Them Up!

I’ve listed these two beauties in my online shop and as I make them I will list others.  I think I’ll try a couple of reversible tote bags next, for old times’ sake. What do you think?

I have very limited amounts of this fabric and I cannot guarantee that it is back for good, so if you like either of these colour ways, don’t hang about!

Don’t forget…..

Nominations for possible recipients of an Amy Small Zip Top Handbag in a fabric of their choice, to be given away on Random Act of Kindness Day 17th February 2022 close on 16th February.  So get your nomination in soon!  Best way is to email me at salshandmadebags@gmail.com.