Studio Kat Designs

PPC35: A Prototype, My 2nd Try

Kat — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:45:58 +0000

So...

I can't remember the last time I've had to make more than one prototype for a design... but... this is truly a completely different bag design than any that have come before it! (which is kind of exciting!)

And for that reason, if no other... it's worth working EXTRA hard to straighten the "bugs" out of this design, because I feel it in my bones, that this design will be totally worth the extra effort!

The Bag Front features 2 pockets. The lower pocket will be a great place to store smaller items safely and securely while keeping them within easy reach. The upper pocket unzips to reveal a VERY large storage area where anything & everything can be stored.

Your iPad?- NO SWEAT!
Your everyday items?, wallet, brush, glasses case, cosmetic case- ABSOLUTELY!
A lightweight sweater? GO AHEAD!

Here's a closer look at the Bag Back area which includes a large circular pocket... large enough to accomodate the largest cell phone on the market today. (This would also be the perfect place for a passport... close to your body, whether wearing on your chest, or your back.)

I'm also including a Strap that can be configured as a "sling strap", OR, as backpack straps, depending on how you arrange the snap hooks.

I've included these pictures to give you some idea of the size of this bag,
and how it looks when its being worn as a Sling Bag, and also as a BackPack!

And here's a closeup of the Water Bottle Pouch. For years folks have requested I add this feature to a design, but I hesitated to do so until I could think of a way to make it part of the overall exterior design and I'm actually pretty happy with this feature.

I'm planning on making this pocket a bit taller (by request from customers, but that alteration will likely appear further along in this process!)

So how do you like the channel we've added
for a cord lock to hold the bottle in place securely?

I decided to reuse some extra fabric I had leftover from a previous prototype (the Expand-o-Matic), since I enjoyed using it, and I liked the resulting finished look! I wish I had used my black/gold zippers though instead of these tan & white mini-striped ones!

This fabric is called "I Dream in Color" and its by Jason Yenter for In the Beginning Fabrics.

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

I'd love to know what you think of this design thus far. Does this bag seem like one you might enjoy carrying? If so... please stay tuned for the next post in this series.

And if you have comments you'd like to share, suggestions you'd like to make, or questions you'd like to ask about this design in general or this sample in specific, please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

Check out the best sewing pins with me on Pinterest, join in on discussions or show off your work in our FaceBook Group, or get your daily sewing fix on our Facebook Business Page or the behind the scenes scoops on Instagram! And don't forget to check out our video tips & tricks on our You Tube Channel and be the 1st to know about new patterns, discount codes and sample sales by signing up for "Bag Making is Fun", our bi-monthly newsletter.

The post PPC35: A Prototype, My 2nd Try appeared first on Studio Kat Designs.

PPC35: A Prototype, My 1st Try

Kat — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:15:36 +0000

So....

it's that time again...

I'm starting over once again with a brand new design!

And if you've been following our process for any length of time, then you know that I always start with a basic sketch. (Emphasis on the "basic", because as you can see, I'm really no sketch artist, but in my case that's OK, because I'm just looking for a basic shape and a few key design details.)

Above left: Here's the Bag Front. It's my intention that this be a new convertible bag. As you can see, there are two zippered compartments. The smaller compartment is for smaller items.I intend to place some pen holders in there and maybe a credit card holder. The larger zipper leads to a very large main compartment. And on the left side of the bag there's a very roomy bottle holder (I intend to secure the bottle in place w/a cord lock. It'll be effective AND it'll add a fun design element.)

Above right: Here's the Bag Back. There's a pretty good sized zippered pocket back here as well. It's plenty large enough for a cell phone & anything else you might kept secured & close to your body.

The photos above demonstrate the two ways this bag can be carried. You might remember that I've utilized this zippered Strap idea before, first in the addendum we wrote for the Sling Along pattern, and more recently for the OutBreaker pattern.

When both strap snaphooks are clipped into ONE of the two side D-links, then this bag can be carried as a one-armed sling bag and can be worn as a chest bag or as a back pack.

But when the strap snaphooks are clipped into separate side D-links, then the zipper can be unzipped, providing two individual straps and can be worn as a back pack.

So what was the verdict on this prototype?

First of all-- this design is unlike anything I've done before, so it's no surprise that I was very conservative with this prototype. There's no lining inside for example and there are definitely things that need to be changed, or worked out. so here goes...

I want to add a cord lock to the bottle Pouch. It could be tightened or loosened depending on the size of the bottle, AND... it would add an interesting touch to the final look of the bag!
I thought I'd like to go with 1" wide snaphook straps, but this will force the Zip Panels to be too wide, so I think I'll drop back to the 5/8" wide straps.
And the big thing is... the Bag bottom area needs some serious change. The base needs to be smaller to allow the side and front edges to be rounded.

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

I'd love to know what you think of this design thus far. Does this bag seem like one you might enjoy carrying? And if you have comments you'd like to share, suggestions you'd like to make, or questions you'd like to ask about this design in general or this sample in specific, please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

So I hope you'll stick around to see what our next sample looks like. It'll actually be a 2nd prototype, due to the amount of changes that need to be made to this design! And remember, we love reading your comments and answering your questions too, so please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

The post PPC35: A Prototype, My 1st Try appeared first on Studio Kat Designs.

the April ’26 Eye Candy Showcase

Kat — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:20:30 +0000

So... now that Spring is here, and with Winter officially gone for a long, LONG time, (maybe until 2027), it's time to share with you, our Eye Candy Showcase for April 2026!

So... #mamajay55 finished this Sling Along just in time for her son's birthday! She's had this 80's punk fabric for some time, and has saved it for him, since he's an 80's kid.

What a wonderful combination of fabric & design! This Quattro created by Christine Tantine is really special!

WOW! What a GREAT fabric combo, right? This was Sara Mallory's very 1st Sling Along. PLUS---She said she's learned a LOT & really enjoys carrying it!

Elvira Quintos used Japanese fabric to fashion this Sling Along! And I loved that she shared this picture with me at the Road2Ca show!

And if you're a fan of Laurel Burch fabric designs, then you're gonna flip for this Go-Go Compact by Tracy Williams! SO cute!

Debbie Harris says that after making bags for others for years, she's FINALLY keeping one of her creations for herself! (I can really identify with this!) Because who could blame her? I could never have given this incredible Sling Along away either!

And last but not least... Jeanette Jay said that she's SO excited to finish this Cignet Phone Pal because it's been cut out for months!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

Did you feel inspired by any of these beauties?And would you like to see one of YOUR creations on display here for everyone to admire & aspire to? If so…that can happen in either of these two ways.

Attach picture(s) of your SKD creation to an email & send it to me here- info@studiokatdesigns.com
Join our FaceBook Sewing Group HERE, and post picture(s) of your SKD creation there (with the extra added benefit of getting some well-deserved applause from our members).

And remember, we love reading your comments and answering your questions too, so please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

The post the April ’26 Eye Candy Showcase appeared first on Studio Kat Designs.

MAQF ’26: the Recap

Kat — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:58:20 +0000

So...

now that the 2026 edition of the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival is in the books, it's time to take a look back & give you our recap of the show! And the truth is... I really like Hampton, VA!

It's a military town... you can almost smell the sea salt in the air... & then there's the sound of those big jets overhead!

As an Air Force Brat...it just feels GOOD being there!

And the thing is... I was more than just a little bit nervous about this show, since it wasn't that long since my back surgery (on January 7th). My doctor had OK'd my vending at this show, as long as I stuck to only picking up items that were 20lbs or less...
So I purposely packed our flip-top crates lighter, and left our booth lights & video cameras home, in order to keep me off the step ladder & I honestly have to say... I didnt miss either!

Overall... it was a good show, but not great one... slightly better than last year. But you know, ALL of the shows have been a bit low of late. I'm not sure what to blame it on... the economy... the tariffs... or maybe the war in Iran, considering that we were in a bigtime military town & that the USA attacked Iran on Day 3 of the show?

Who knows. It was good to catch up with our "show friends". Over the course of the last 20+ years of doing these shows we've developed some very meaningful relationships and I know in my heart, that when we stop doing shows, we will most likely never seen these folks again. This is a bigger and bigger deal to me, because some time in the not too distant future, we'll need to discontinue these shows, due to my husband's degenerating neurological situation.

In the meantime, we're looking forward to our next & only remaining show for 2026, that would be AQS Paducah!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

Do you travel locally (or distantly) to Quilt Shows? And if so... which one(s) are your favorites? And remember, we love reading your comments and answering your questions too, so please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

The post MAQF ’26: the Recap appeared first on Studio Kat Designs.

MAQF ’26: the Quilts

Kat — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:22:45 +0000

So… the competition quilts at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival ’26 were a lot of fun to see, and below you will find “My Favorite Seven”! Here they are, in NO particular order of preference except for the LAST entry, (which is ultra special and just happens to have won "Best of Show"!)!

"Quilter's Avatar" by Laurel Jean Anderson & Krisztina Szutor of Roseville, CA
this quilt garnered an Honorable Mention in the Innovative category

The creators imagined that a quilter would make an interesting game avatar!
She would have fabric & sewing tools to battle the darkness of this world.

"Ann's Arbory", created by Ann Fahl of Mt. Pleasant, WI
this quilt featured machine piecing, plus hand & machine applique

"Starburst", created by Kirsten Deitrick of Newport News, VA
Kirsten said that she moved three times in the process of working
on this project intermittently over the the course of nearly a decade
Congratulations Kirsten, on securing a 2nd place finish in the Baby Lock Best Sewing Workmanship category

"Leaving", created by Robyn Gragg of Lee's Summit, MO
who says this quilt was made during the time of her mom's last illness.
Congratulations Robin, on placing 1st place in the Innovative category!

"Tie-ing, Patients with Patience"", (probably the sentimental favorite of the show),
was created by Cheryl See of Dayton, MD, a dental hygienist, who created this quilt from ties collected from patients, family & friends for more than 2 years!
DO check out the closeout of this incredible quilt below!
Congratulations Cheryl, for not only winning 1st place in the Traditional Category, but for ALSO winning the "Viewers Choice" award!

"Painting Myself into Six Corners", was created by Nikki Hill of St Augustine, FL
Nikki said she created this quilt for the QuiltFest Jax challenge.
Congratulations Nikki, for winning 1st place in the Baby Lock Best Sewing Machine Workmanship award!

And last, but absolutely not least, here's "Crossing the Mkuze River",
created by Sandra Mollon of Lincoln, CA, who based this quilt on a photograph by Beverly Thain. Congratulations Sandra, this quilt is the grand prize winner of "Best in Show"!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

Which one of these amazing creations "speaks" to you? And remember, we love reading your comments and answering your questions too, so please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

The post MAQF ’26: the Quilts appeared first on Studio Kat Designs.

MAQF’26- the Wearables

Kat — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:15:28 +0000

So... one of the things that sets the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival apart from other quilt shows is that they have a full-on Fashion Show, and I love this feature! And I actually think they have have had the most entries into this event EVER this year!

But here's the deal...I always try to find the "looks" that I myself, would be likely to wear. Many of the entries, while meticulously made and impressive to behold, strike me as a little too much like wearing a quilt, as opposed to making a fashion statement.

So the entries I'm highlighting are those that I could actually see myself wearing, if only for a special occasion!

So... with that in mind, I loved this coat at left which is called, "Moths in Moonlight" and it was created by Patricia Ann Marshall.

And as longtime lover of all things black-and-white, I found this impressive coat/cape was (created by Marianne Watada), to be especially compelling. She named it, "Zebra Crossing".

I loved the subtle simplicity of this jacket by Emma Allen and take a moment to appreciate the matching SHOES! She named this ensemble, "Wild".

And finally, while I cannot say for for sure that I would actually wear this coat anywhere, I definitely admire the intricacy of the landscape scheme on the bodice. It was absolutely amazing.

This beauty was created by Roberta Morgan and she named it, "Landscape".

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

Did you think you'd be inspired to wear any of these beauties when you go out for a night on the town? If so, which one?

And remember, we love reading your comments and answering your questions too, so please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

The post MAQF’26- the Wearables appeared first on Studio Kat Designs.

MAQF’26: Seen at Show

Kat — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:15:06 +0000

So... even though I've been in business for 21+ years, I STILL get a big kick out of seeing our customers carrying bags they've made from our patterns! And what better place to "spy" these customers than at a retail trade show, right?

And you know what? I spied ELEVEN of our bags "walking the floor" with their creators at the Hampton Roads Convention Center at this year's MAQF'26! The variety of bags we saw "walking" at this show was pretty impressive, but one thing is for sure... they were ALL absolutely AMAZING!

And here they are, in no particular order!

Here's Diane Galinaitis and her very sophisticative Sling Along! This bag was absolutely ready for primetime!

Jan Humphreys also brought her Sling Along with her to the show and I loved the vibrant colors!

Kathy Baker come back to our booth year after year an always with something spectacular to share with us... this time... am amazing Carolinian!

And here's Vix Plante with her one-of-a-kind Sling Along! I LOVE the turquoise zipper Vix chose to use with her bag!

And Tammy Smith is easily one of the most enthusiastic sewers I've known and every years she tops her efforts from the last year! This Gemini Flightbag was out-of this-world!

And what do ya know??? Kathy Baker came back on day 2 with yet another beauty.... an impossibly creative Flaptastic! She actually handstitched metal chain onto that Flap!

And how about this slick Double Take? How in the world I let this gal get away without getting her name is beyond me, but if you know her, or if you ARE her, please let me know so i can credit her!

And here's Sylvia Molina & her beautiful daughter Samantha. They're each proudly sporting the Carolinian's they created which were both totally AMAZING!

And Kathy Harman was so pysched to show us the creative Side Slinger she created for herself which was partially corked! Look how proud of it she is (with good reason)!

And finally, it wouldn't be a MAQF without a new bag created by Charlene Samanich! This one is a Bella BiFold featuring Charlene's "Triangle Frenzy" embellishment!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

Do you have a favorite amongst these beauties? And if you have comments you'd like to share, or questions you'd like to ask about these samples in specific, please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

The post MAQF’26: Seen at Show appeared first on Studio Kat Designs.

And NOW…an Instant Download Option!

Kat — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:30:50 +0000

So... the BIG NEWS around here is...

We're FINALLY adding pdf patterns
to our pattern catalog!

Now you might be wondering why in the world this is such a big deal, because after all, don't most pattern designers offer their patterns this way now, (even if they also sell them in hardcopy format in addition)?

But here's the deal... I've been "kicking this can down the road" for almost 12 years now and I've written about our decision to NOT publish our patterns in pdf format on at least THREE different occasions, including in
April 2014,
June 2015
and also August of 2019!

So why now!

What's changed? Well actually... quite a LOT has changed in 12 years!

A MASSIVE increase in international shipping fees! - after years of having a vibrant overseas following, the shipping fees for international deliveries has risen to the point where it exceeds the cost of the pattern by a whopping 25-30%! INCREDIBLE!
An incredible change in the way international VAT charges are assessed. - a couple of years ago, the EU instituted a new way of assessing VAT charges. It meant that the seller would pay the VAT charges up front and then be responsible for sending the fees to each individual country. CRAZY!
A seeming collapse in the wholesale show circuit. -Especially since COVID, the amount of foot traffic at these very important wholesale shows has continued to decline, making it increasingly difficult to market our products to retail stores. (As a matter of fact, it's been announced that there will no longer be a Fall or a Spring Quilt Market.)
Printing costs have risen considerably! - the continued collapse of what seems like ALL printed media has meant that printers have had to increase their prices, which in turn has significantly increased our costs & lowered our profit margins.
Family health concerns are limiting our ability to travel. As much as we love to connect directly with our customers , my husband has continued to battle a degenerative neurological disorder that makes it more & more difficult for us to travel and vend at these shows which have been a mainstay of our bottom line since 2008.

so all of this means that...

For us, something HAD to change!

So... we've decided to gradually convert our product catalog to offer instant downloads as well as hardcopy patterns!

So far... we've added the patterns pictured above as instant downloads in addition to our hardcopy offerings, and we'll continue to add a few more each month until all of our patterns are available in both ways!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

If you have comments you'd like to share, suggestions you'd like to make, or questions you'd like to ask about our decision to start offering our patterns in both Hard Copy & Instant Download, please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

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the March 2026 Eye Candy Showcase

Kat — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:45:32 +0000

So... now that February is waning, and with winter pretty much in our rear view mirror, (I hope, I hope) it's time to share with you, our Eye candy Showcase for March 2026, which features two of the very first "customer-created" Expand-o-Matics!

So, let's get started!

We'll kick off this month's Eye Candy with a gorgeous Double Take created by Jeanette Jay! The Double take is a small, compact bag that holds a SURPRISING amount of stuff! Jeanette says this design is one of her favorites & love how this one turned out!

And I "spied" this colorful Go-Go Compact on Instagram, having been posted by #StoffartPatchwork. What a fun ffabric choice for this versatile little bag, & how beautifully it photographed in the sunlight!

This sultry Flaptastic was created by Christine Tantine and I LOVE the fabric she chose! Is it velvet? Is it velour? I'm not sure but the result is oh-so-pretty!

And here's the 1st Expand-o-Matic to grace our Eye Candy Showcase! Thie eye-popping beauty was created by prolific contributor, Karen Heger! Great job, Karen!

And Charlene Samanich has given us "two for the show" with an incredible Expand-o-Matic with a matching Easy Go Wallet! And not only that, Charlene actually created her Expand-o-Matic with a quilted exterior! Amazing work!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

Did you feel inspired by any of these beauties? And would you like to see one of YOUR creations on display here for everyone to admire & aspire to? If so…that can happen in either of these two ways.

Attach picture(s) of your SKD creation to an email & send it to me here- info@studiokatdesigns.com
Join our FaceBook Sewing Group HERE, and post picture(s) of your SKD creation there (with the extra added benefit of getting some well-deserved applause from our members).

And remember, we love reading your comments and answering your questions too, so please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

The post the March 2026 Eye Candy Showcase appeared first on Studio Kat Designs.

PPC34: Windswept- A Bag for ME!

Kat — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:30:31 +0000

So... most of you know that its my habit to always carry a new bag design for a few weeks to see if it functions correctly, if it holds its shape under usage, and in general to see if I like it. I affectionately call this period of time, the "Gorilla Phase".

Because one thing is for certain, if there's stuff about it that bugs me, or isn't functioning as it should (like magnets that don't hold, or pockets that are in inconvenient locations, etc.) it's sure to bug you as well, & many times these are things I wouldn't have know without actually carrying that design for a bit!

Bag front

Bag back

But here's the thing... this time, during the "Gorilla Phase", (so named because of these fun commercials that used to air on TV when I was a kid), something happened in the 22 years that I've been designing bag patterns!

I fell in LOVE with this bag!

That's not to say that there weren't things that needed to be tweeked or resized or re-thought out, because of course there were!

But I have actually carried that 1st sample since late September, until just now, when I completed this sample, and that's NEVER happened before.

What was it about this bag that I liked so much?

The size suited me perfectly, since I really prefer a bag with a smaller profile, but then there's this expandable feature, so on the unusual day when I need a larger bag, its so convenient to just open that wraparound zipper to increase the size of my bag, rather than having to change bags!

I also like and make use of the 2 zippered pockets and I enjoy placing my phone in the drop-in pocket on the bag back!

And it sure was fun to pick out fabric that "speaks to me", because in general, the fabric I use for my Gorilla samples is older and not always to my own personal liking!

And speaking of fabric, this beautiful exterior fabric is called "Windswept" & by Sally Kelly for Windham Fabrics. I used a fun turquoise print that I had in my stash for the contrast, but it would be so easy to come up with a suitable contrast, given the variety of colors to choose from, right?

If you like this "Windswept" fabric, we've added it to our Fabric page and you can pick up some for yourself or just find out more by clicking HERE.

And now it's YOUR turn...

If you have comments you'd like to share, or questions you'd like to ask about this design in general or this sample in specific, please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

And remember, we love reading your comments and answering your questions too, so please feel free to leave either or both in the space provided below.

The post PPC34: Windswept- A Bag for ME! appeared first on Studio Kat Designs.

Studio Kat Designs

PPC35: A Prototype, My 2nd Try

So how do you like the channel we've added for a cord lock to hold the bottle in place securely?

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

PPC35: A Prototype, My 1st Try

So....

it's that time again...

I'm starting over once again with a brand new design!

So what was the verdict on this prototype?

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

the April ’26 Eye Candy Showcase

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

MAQF ’26: the Recap

So...

As an Air Force Brat...it just feels GOOD being there!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

MAQF ’26: the Quilts

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

MAQF’26- the Wearables

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

MAQF’26: Seen at Show

And here they are, in no particular order!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

And NOW…an Instant Download Option!

So... the BIG NEWS around here is...

We're FINALLY adding pdf patterns to our pattern catalog!

So why now!

What's changed? Well actually... quite a LOT has changed in 12 years!

so all of this means that...

For us, something HAD to change!

So... we've decided to gradually convert our product catalog to offer instant downloads as well as hardcopy patterns!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

the March 2026 Eye Candy Showcase

So, let's get started!

And now.... it's YOUR turn!

PPC34: Windswept- A Bag for ME!

I fell in LOVE with this bag!

And now it's YOUR turn...

So how do you like the channel we've added
for a cord lock to hold the bottle in place securely?

We're FINALLY adding pdf patterns
to our pattern catalog!