Mystic-Rain Creations was started in the fall of 2011 after I had spent much of the summer sewing bags with my new sewing machine. I had been without one for a while and it didn’t take me long to realize how much I enjoyed sewing bags, which was something I had never made before. The first bag I learned how to make was the metal frame bag. It was an easy bag to sew but it seemed kind of plain to me so I figured out how to add a few of my own touches, such as a pocket and button on the front, to it to make it more appealing.

The first bag I made!

From there, I continued experimenting with different fabrics and finding supplies to match. I enjoy working with color and it’s exciting for me when I can find trim and buttons to match the colors in fabric as if they were made to go together.

I decided to open up a shop on Etsy since I was getting quite the collection of bags and I didn’t know what to do with them all. That way I could keep making bags and not have to worry about what I was going to do with them, plus I could earn some money to buy more fabric and supplies.

Eventually I decided to try making some different bag styles for variety and to see what else I could do. I prefer using simple patterns that involved cutting squares and rectangles of various sizes rather than having an actual paper pattern that I needed to cut out (Which also saved me the hassle of trying to fold the paper patterns back up to fit into the envelope!). I also made sure that whatever bag pattern I did use, it would allow me to add some of my own touches to it.

I had a lot of ideas about what types of bags I wanted to make but I started to have trouble finding patterns that I liked and that weren’t overly complicated. As I learned more about how bags were pieced together, I began sketching some of my own designs and started making patterns for them so I could create a bag to look exactly like how I wanted it to. Once I learned how to do this, the possibilities seemed endless and it was very exciting for me.

One thing that really helped me with creating bags is that I’ve always been able to visualize things really well so I can actually see the finished bag in my head, right down to the last detail, before it’s even made. The patterns that I write are simply measurements with a sketch to go with them. From there I go by with how I visualize the bag to look and make it a reality. It’s a great feeling for me to have a design in my head and then to be able to see the finished product come out exactly the way I pictured it. I do hope to eventually expand into selling my own patterns in addition to the finished pieces.

I’m constantly working on coming up with new ideas and designs since there’s always room for improvement! I love figuring out new techniques and how to incorporate them to make a beautiful yet functional bag. One of my favorite things about creating bags is all the small details that I can add to them be it the trim, a matching button, embroidery, or even a zipper pull with beads that compliment the colors in the bag. Each and every one of them is really a piece of art to me and has been made with care.

-Stephanie