The Bag Making Masterclass

Join us for a fun and creative day where you can choose to make either the Bestie Bag or The Range Backpack - your new everyday sidekick! This practical session introduces you to bag making skills needed to create your very own professional useful bag.

Working step-by-step with expert guidance, you’ll learn key measuring, cutting, and construction techniques, giving you the confidence to complete your bag.

Choose Your Project

Option One: The Bestie bag – with daily errands to exciting adventures, this banana-shaped carry-all is stylish, practical, and full of options. With four different views to choose from, you can tailor the size, straps, and pockets to suit your style and sewing confidence.

If every day wear is your goal, Views A & B are ideal: medium-sized with an optional flat or pleated front. For adventures that require extra room, Views C & D offer a larger bag with space for all your on-the-go essentials (and more!).
Whichever option you choose, your Bestie Bag can be worn cross-body or over the shoulder using sturdy webbing or fabric straps, with or without hardware. A secure zip enclosure keeps everything safe while looking fabulous.

Option Two: The Range Backpack - Although the bag looks impressively polished, the process is surprisingly achievable once you get going. This workshop is perfect for adventurous beginners and confident sewists wanting to develop new skills. With a perfect size to fit all your everyday plus your lunch and a few extras, this is an everyday backpack.

Throughout the workshop, Tessa will guide you step-by-step through the full construction process—from cutting and assembling your pieces to inserting the zip and adding a lining. You’ll finish the day with a unique, beautifully made bag and plenty of new sewing skills under your belt.

We will be sending you your pattern two weeks before the class so you can get prepped and ready with your pattern pinned onto your fabric, we advise not to cut your fabric out just so Tessa can check over your placement, but this gives you the best chance of finishing the bag in the allocated time.

What You Will Learn

• Understanding pattern pieces
• Cutting and preparing fabric & lining
• Constructing a shaped bag
• Inserting a zip
• Adding lining
• Working with webbing (optional)
• Bag finishing techniques

What You Need to Bring

• Sewing machine threaded and working
  (If you need to use one of ours, please let us know at the time of booking—numbers are limited.)
• Basic sewing kit: scissors, pins, unpicker etc.
  (You may use our shared kit if you don’t have your own.)
• Fabric & Lining: a full list will be sent once you book.
• A zip
• Optional: interfacing, webbing
• A full checklist will be emailed to you after booking

What We Provide

• The Bestie Bag pattern or The Range Backpack pattern
• Full instruction and guidance throughout the day
• Expert help with fabric choices and techniques

Sewing Level

Confident Beginner — you must know how to use a sewing machine and have sewn something before, whether it’s a cushion, tote bag or garment, a little knowledge of a sewing machine is needed.  

Duration

6.5 hours, including a 30-minute lunch break

Tutor

Tessa

Testimonial

“I’d been looking for a new backpack, and as a beginner sewer, the Backpack Workshop provided a superb chance to learn new skills (and to create a bag that I actually wanted!).

Choosing fabrics, working with oilwax, new needles, longer stitches, and zips all felt quite new, but Lizzy was brilliant with fabric advice beforehand and Sarah was an exceptionally patient and reassuring teacher.

The workshop is completely accessible for a reasonably new beginner. The learning curve seems steep, but the sewing itself isn’t difficult—especially with help on hand. I came away with a backpack I’m incredibly proud of and new skills under my belt.

Many thanks for a super day!”
— Dawn Meredith-Davies, Nov 2023