Hello Monday!

Happy New Year everyone. Apologies for lack of a blog over Christmas and New Year. For a change I have chosen Monday this week but will be back to Fridays after today. As we start to sober up from the festivities and merriment of Christmas and take our first steps into 2024, we can’t help but look back at 2023 - and what a year it was! Our knot bags were a huge success both with old and new customers. We created our very first kits which were mini rag wreaths. These proved popular and Claire is working on new ones for different seasons. We introduced Infinity Scarves and started to make homeware. Our most popular bags often had cats on them and of course you continue to love our Japanese prints. And finally, before we throw ourselves into all that 2024 has to offer, we’d like to say a big thank you! We love what we do and sharing our makes with you. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2024 - cheers x Suzanne

Which prints do you like best?

Cats were one of the most popular prints in 2023

Hello Friday!

Our mini rag wreath in red, green & tartan

This kit makes a lovely gift or if you don’t want to give it away would be great in your home

Hello everyone. I hope you have had a lovely week. Everywhere is gearing up for Christmas. The Christmas lights are on and everywhere is starting to look so festive. When do you put up your decorations? Are you a beginning of December person or just before the main event person? I am hoping to do mine next week. That’s when I start feeling Christmassy. I love seeing all the houses and gardens lit up with Christmas decorations.

We have a few Christmas Wreaths left and if you fancy having a go there are our mini rag wreath kits which also make a lovely stocking filler for the crafter in your life. The mini wreaths look lovely on a mantelpiece or as a table centre piece with a battery operated candle in the middle. You can get them on our website Sister Makes. If you live locally we can deliver and will refund the postage - what a bargain. We have also put together an infinity scarf gift set on the website for you. You can choose a scarf, rice or drawstring bag and three pieces of jewellery that are listed on the gift page in our shop. This weekend we are in Kidwelly on Saturday and on Sunday we will be at The Gower Dough Co pop-up Christmas Market. I have got my Christmas Jumpers ready to go. Have a lovely week x Suzanne

Our pink & gold rag wreath kit

We have a few different colour options for you

Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. This week I am still dog sitting but this time a lovely retriever called Benji. He is lovely and has a fab temperament. Luckily the weather has been dry so Rhod & I have been able to take him out for longer walks. I can’t believe how quickly Christmas is approaching. We have got a few Christmas Markets coming up. As well as being able to showcase our makes, these markets give us a chance to buy our Christmas presents from local crafters and small businesses and the gifts are unique and quirky.

Christmas Markets:

Sunday 26th November - RSPCA Lays Nini, Penllergaer

Saturday 2nd December - Kidwelly Pop-up Market, Sunday 3rd December - The Gower Dough Co Crafty Pop-up Market

Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th December - The Vintage & Makers Market at The Maritime Museum Swansea

Hello Friday!

Hello I hope you have had a lovely week even with all this rain. Have you ever had a week where you haven’t stopped but don’t really know what you have done? This has been me. I went to Devon with Rhod for a week then came straight back into dog sitting. I have been looking after two cockerpoos called Ethel and Gwen. They are beautiful and so loving. I have enjoyed looking after them but must confess that I have not done any sewing. I have got a busy week next week. Claire & I also did a lovely Christmas Fair at Dunvant Rugby Club the Sunday I came back. What a lovely community spirit they have. Next Sunday I am at a Christmas Fair in Llys Nini RSPCA cafe in Penllergaer. Come and say hello. See you all next Friday x Suzanne

Hello Friday

Hello everyone and happy Friday!

Its been a busy week with prep for the next upcoming Christmas Fair in Dunvant Rugby Club which is on Sunday 12th November 10-2.

There was also a visit to Cowbridge to swap over some makes at the Cowbridge Craft Hub. If you haven’t been there yet then please do go - its full of beautiful hand crafted gifts and the very talented Jenny Lambert art features upstairs. Have a look at the Facebook link below for a peek at the shop. Its looking very festive as more and more Christmas makes are being put on the shelves.

Cowbridge Craft Hub Facebook

Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. I hope you have had a good week. My partner Rhod & I went to Cardiff to see the amazing Ludovico Einaudi. He is a modern classic composer. His music is beautiful and full of feeling. Check out his website or have a listen to his latest album ‘Underwater”. We enjoyed looking around the shops in Cardiff.

Claire and I have been busy getting ready for the Autumn Vintage & Makers Market at the National Wool Museum, Drefach Felindre. It is run by the lovely Cow & Ghost Vintage Team. This is a first for us and we are looking forward to being at such a lovely venue. We have made our Christmas present shopping lists so can’t wait to see the other stalls.

Celebrate Halloween in style

A Red & Black Skull & Roses Japanese Knot Bag

Do you celebrate Halloween? We still have some lovely Halloween wreaths and knot bags on our website Sister Makes. We are also back on The Big Local Christmas Market which is online on Facebook. There are lots of lovely crafters, makers and traders offering great ideas for presents. Have a look and support local.

Ready for Christmas?

This lovely Red, Green & Tartan Christmas Rag Wreath makes a great addition to your Christmas decor

Have a lovely week and see you next week x Suzanne

Happy Happy Friday…

Friday again - where is time going?

Sue and I had a fantastic evening last week watching the Flamenco. We had wonderful pizzas at Hoogah (Hoogah - Bar & Kitchen (hoogah-swansea.com) not to mention a very divine cocktail each…

Mini Rag Wreath Kit

We are very excited to show you a little project we have been working on - our mini rag wreath kits. These kits contain everything you need to make a mini 6” rag wreath. Easy to do and in several different colour ways we hope you will love making these as much as we love making the large versions.

Still in the process of getting the kits ready for sale they are not going on to our website quite yet. We are planning to have them all ready to showcase at our next Fair which is on 28th October in the National Wool Museum, Drefach Felindre. If you are interested though and not able to visit us at the Fair pop us a message - we can always put one aside for you.

Happy Friday!

Hello everyone hope your week has been good. Claire and I have been busy with some commissions. We are off tonight to The Brangwyn Hall to see the amazing Daniel Martinez Flamenco Group. We saw them last year and had a blast. Last Saturday we were at Kidwelly Market as guest traders. Everyone was very welcoming and friendly. Next week Claire is finishing making her Christmas rag wreaths. She’s got a few new ideas. More about that in the next newsletter. Have a lovely weekend and see you next Friday x Suzanne

Japanese Knot Bag with a beautiful butterfly print

Happy Friday!

Hello everyone. I hope you have had a good week. I can’t believe our second newsletter is going out this evening. This month I delve into the history of the handbag and look at trying to live more sustainably. I hope our subscribers enjoy it and to say thank you we are offering 10% off our Halloween Wreaths and Knot Bags. Don’t forget to pop on to our website Sister Makes and click on subscribe at the bottom of our homepage if you would like to receive a newsletter. This is the time when we are gearing up for Halloween and also Bonfire Night. The nights are drawing in and the air is autumnal.

Claire’s been busy making Halloween Rag Wreaths

Have a look at our website for more options

Claire & I are busy gearing up for the Kidwelly Market on October 7th. We are looking forward to this as it is a new market for us. There are lots of amazing stalls selling all sorts of food and crafts. We always get a buzz from seeing people’s joy when they look at our lovely makes. We recently went to Cowbridge to restock at Cortile Coffee and The Cowbridge Craft Hub. It was so exciting to see our stock in the windows.

It’s International Coffee Day on October 1st

Cortile Coffee do a great selection of coffee and also coffee makers and accessories

You can visit them in Cowbridege and Pontypridd and also buy online

See you all next week x Suzanne

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday lovely readers! I hope you have had a good week and are looking forward to the weekend. This week I have made a crossbody bag for myself using gorgeous fabric given to me by my neighbour Mako. This leads me on to a subject which is very dear to my heart.

My Own Crossbody Handbag

Made from fabric from my lovely neighbour Mako….the strap is a belt from a pair of trousers

September is all about ethics and the environment as it is Secondhand September and also Organic September. Claire & I love to reuse fabric & haberdashery given to us by friends who have no further use for them. We turn it into makes such as rag wreaths and fabric art pictures. We also love to make patchwork fabric which we then turn into bags and homeware. This means zero waste and no landfill plus all the items are unique. Some of our makes are below….

Secondhand September began as a campaign by Oxfam as a way of getting people to donate, reuse or rewear their clothing. A frightening statistic from The Ethical Consumer is that around 360,000 tonnes of clothes are thrown away every year. The Ethical Consumer does say that over the last few years this figure has been improving with more people (of all ages) stating they are buying more secondhand clothes or supporting small businesses and buying handmade.

Organic September is the UK’s largest campaign for the organic market. This year celebrates the 50th anniversary of the organic certification in the UK. In Wales there are more and more companies encompassing the organic ethos. In Swansea we have the amazing FarmCo who celebrate both organic food & drink and local businesses. Check out their website as they showcase different farmers and growers every week.

This week they are highlighting grass fed beef produced by the Douglas family in Penmaen, Gower, Swansea

Have a look at their website (link above) for opening hours and even recipes

Thank you for reading and I will see you next Friday. This will also be the day our second newsletter goes out. We have had lovely feedback from our subscribers. For October we will be looking at sustainability and also starting a series looking at the history of the handbag x Suzanne

Hello Friday!

Hello and happy Friday. I hope you’ve had a good week. Claire & I were at The Vintage & Makers Market in the National Waterfront Museum Swansea last weekend. It is run by the lovely Kevin & John of Cow & Ghost Vintage. As usual it was a busy weekend. We met lots of new people as well as some of our regular customers.

I’ve been away for a few days this week staying in Llangennith. It has been fab waking up to the sound of the sea and being able to see it through our window. Even though it’s only half an hour drive from home I feel like I’m a million miles away. I love walking barefoot on the beach and watching the waves. It blows away the cobwebs and clears my mind.

We’ve got a busy few weeks ahead preparing for some new markets. October 7th we have a guest spot at Kidwelly Market. This is a lovely market with lots of interesting vendors. We are then at The National Wool Museum in Drefach Felindre on October 28th. This is a Vintage and Makes Market hosted by Cow & Ghost Vintage. We are excited to be part of these markets. It’s always great to meet new people…vendors and customers alike.

Have a great week and see you next Friday x Suzanne

Hello Friday!

New crossbody handbag

Loving this new style

It has a detachable adjustable strap and a zipper closure with an outer zipped pocket and inner slip pocket

Well hello everyone on this gorgeous sunny Friday. How has your week been? We’ve been busy at Sister Makes. We were at The Heart of the Valley Show in Pontardawe last Saturday. It was a really lovely show. There was something for all the family plus the weather was great. It was a lovely start to September. We debuted our integrity scarves which were well received. Everyone loved the different colours.

This week we have been busy sewing for The Vintage and Makers Market at the Swansea Maritime Museum. We are there for the Saturday and Sunday. It is always a great weekend with many stalls full of antiques, vintage items and different crafts. Support your small local businesses. They have beautiful and unique gift ideas. There is a lot going on outside with a food festival in the museum square for the weekend and the Marina Outdoor Market on the Sunday.

We look forward to seeing you

It is free to get in

We have lots of bags including some new handbags as well as our signature rice and knot bags. They are all individual and quirky. Claire & I do love a bit of colour. We are showcasing our new handbags at the market this weekend but they are also on our website Sister Makes. Let us know what you think of them.

I know the children have gone back to school but hopefully you will get a chance to get out this weekend and in the evenings and enjoy the fabulous weather. Even a short walk in the evening is good for the soul. Have a lovely week and see you next Friday x Suzanne

Crossbody Handbags

Again these are great everyday bags which will get loads of use. The main body closes with a magnetic clasp on the flap and has a zipped outside pocket and an inside slip pocket.

Hello Friday!

Always a lovely market with lots to see and buy

Come and say hello

Hello everyone it’s very exciting our newsletter is launching this evening. I hope all our subscribers enjoy it. I had fun putting it together and am looking forward to writing the next one. For our first newsletter we are offering all our subscribers 10% off anything on our website over the next month. We have been busy this week sewing for our next fair which is on Saturday 2nd September. We will be at The Heart of the Valley Show in Pontardawe. This is a new show for us and it looks fantastic with lots of activities and stalls. There is something for all the family.

The following weekend 9th & 10th September we are at The Waterfront Vintage & Makers Market held at the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Lots going on. I can’t believe that September is almost on us. I hope you all get to enjoy the Bank Holiday Weekend. Hopefully we will get some sunshine. I would love to visit one of our lovely beaches and dip my toes in the sea! Have a lovely week x Suzanne

My cutting table….my favourite space

Prepping some patchwork place mats ready for The Heart of the Valley Show

Happy Friday!

Isn’t this gorgeous

I am biased as I make what I love - the colours and metallics in the fabric are so vibrant especially against the black.

Hello everyone hope you’ve all had a good week. What a mixed bag of weather….some sunshine at last but today is like winter! We’ve been busy in our sewing rooms cutting and preparing fabric ready to sew up a storm! On the title page of my blog is a sneak preview of one of the new cushions that I have made. I love the vibrant reds, pinks & oranges against the black. Claire & I love to make what we would like to buy ourselves so it is a wrench when they go but it also gives us joy to see someone else love them as much as us. I will be putting the cushion on the website www.sistermakes.co.uk after finishing this blog.

We are branching out with some new accessories and also homeware which we will be launching in our newsletter which goes out next week. Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already. I have put a teaser on here with a commission that I recently made. It is a waist bag often called a bum bag or fanny pack if you are in the USA. It is funny how fashion will often repeat itself. I remember these in the eighties….yes I am old enough to remember them and wear them. They are great for when you are out walking, running, travelling….the list is endless. Ann who I made the bag for finds it great for taking the pressure off her neck & shoulders. I found mine great for running. We will be adding these to our website next week so keep an eye out. We also now have a shop on Facebook which is great as you can use the Shop Now Button at the top of our Sister Makes Page.

This is a waist/bum bag made for the lovely Ann

Love how the patchwork has turned out and how it looks paired with the denim

We love what we do and sharing our passion with you all. Thank you for supporting us. We also try to support local where possible especially independent cafes, coffee shops and markets. It is so important to keep our community going. Thank you for following us on Facebook and Instagram. It means so much when you like our posts and give us positive feedback and reviews. Have a fab week and see you next Friday x Suzanne

Happy Friday!

A treasure from The Festival of Quilts.

One of the winners…isn’t it amazing! This is my favourite.

Hello Claire & I were away at The Festival of Quilts last week which is held every year in the NEC. We always stay for a few days and is our way of chilling and decompressing. We are always in awe of the skill of the quilters who exhibit and come away feeling inspired. Mind you we always come away with lots of fabric and a lighter bank balance as there is lots of amazing shopping as well! We can’t wait for next year already!

Now that we are back we are gearing up for The Heart of the Valley Show at Pontardawe on Saturday 2nd September. This is the first time that we have had a stand at this show and can’t wait to be part of it as there is so much going on throughout the day. It is being held at Pontardawe Sports & Recreation Ground and starts at 10am. Have a look at their website theheartofthevalleyshow.com for more information or follow them on Facebook. We are making lots of rice & knot bags in beautiful Japanese fabrics and some new stock. More information on these to come at the end of the month when we will be launching our first newsletter. Make sure you subscribe on our website Sister Makes to ensure you receive a copy. Have a lovely week with some sunshine fingers crossed x Suzanne

Quilting & patchwork doesn’t have to be only quilts.

Look at the beautiful choice of fabrics that have gone together to make this patchwork kimono dressing gown. I know I’m biased with my love of Japanese fabrics but it is gorgeous!

Happy Friday!

Can you believe it’s Friday already! School holidays are under way and yes it’s still raining. Mind you I give thanks that we do not have the heat and wildfires in Europe & America. If you are doing a staycation there are so many lovely places to visit in the UK including our very own Swansea and The Gower. The Gower Show is on Sunday 6th August from 9-5 and is a brilliant day out for all the family. Claire and I are off to The Festival of Quilts held in the NEC. It is an amazing show full of quilts from vintage to contemporary, mini to giant. They are a feast for the eye. As a lot of you might know we love quilting and for me it is a form of art.

My first big quilt…it brings me so much joy

What a lovely photo from BBC News

Asmaa was amazing throughout but all the contestants were great…will miss my Wednesday night fix

Did anyone watch the Great British Sewing Bee Final on Wednesday night? It was great. Did you think the right person won? Loved them all but I thought that Asmaa was a worthy winner. Her dress at the end was pure genius. I already can’t wait for the next series. Have a lovely weekend and I will catch up with you next Friday.

Our latest commission.

Love the colours that the lovely Carole chose.

It’s The School Holidays!

Hello and happy Friday! It’s been a busy week at Sister Makes. We’ve been working on commissions and Claire is working on something new. More on that in our new newsletter out in August! We have also been stewarding at The Quilters Guild of the British Isles, Region 12 Mid & South Wales Quilt Exhibition called ‘Wales Wide Whispers’. It is being held at the Baywood Community Centre, West Cross, Swansea and is on for one more week 10am-4pm. Entry and parking are free. It is a lovely way to pass some time especially if you are dodging the showers!

Exhibition of Wales Wide Whispers

Well worth a visit

The school holidays are here - hooray! Now we just need the sunshine. If you are going on holiday our small knot bags are perfect to take with you as they are light and easy to pack - a bonus if you are going abroad. Even better they are reversible so you have two looks which are great for co-ordinating with your holiday outfits. There are lots of colours and designs so you are bound to find the perfect bag for you. Have a look at our website. Happy holidays Suzanne and Claire.

Japanese Knot Bag

Ideal for your holiday outfits - home or abroad

How Time Flies!

Turquoise and pink Rice Bag

A beautiful gift for all occasions

Happy Friday everyone. Can you believe we are nearly at the end of the school year! It’s hard to believe with all this rain that it’s the middle of July. Now is the perfect time to show the teachers in your life some appreciation for their dedication and hard work. Our knot bags and rice bags make the perfect gift. They are fully reversible so you have two bags for the price of one…and are even better with some chocolates in them! They are sure to make every teacher feel they are valued and appreciated. You can see our designs here - just click on Sister Makes. Our bags are also a great way to support Plastic Free July. Buying one of our bags is a great way to help the planet and also to shop locally. Have a fabulous weekend hopefully with some sunshine!

Small red & green floral knot bag

I love the vibrancy of the colours in this knot bag.

Hurray! It’s Friday!

One of my favourite Japanese fabrics - love the colours on these parasols

Hello hope everyone is ready for the weekend whether you are out and about or just chilling and relaxing. I know the weather forecast isn’t brilliant but hopefully the sun will come out. What are your plans? Claire is going to a Quilters Guild open day on Saturday. I’m hoping to get some walks in. I’ve got my waterproofs ready just in case! Lots of sewing planned for next week. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter. You can do this on our website www.sistermakes.co.uk. We will be rolling out our first newsletter in August. Claire & I are really looking forward to sharing our love of all things sewing & fashion especially bags. We would love to hear what you would like to be included in our newsletters. Have a lovely weekend from me & Claire x

The Joy of a Crossbody Bag!

Our crossbody handbag…

This is a great size. It may only be small but it is great for your everyday needs. Just ask Claire! This is her’s and she uses it all the time. We can make them in all colours and to suit you.

What’s your perfect everyday bag? Claire & I love a crossbody bag! These bags go across your torso keeping all your belongings safe, close and easy to hand. They are great for your everyday life but are really useful for all sorts of adventures. Crossbody bags come in all shapes and sizes - from handbag to messenger bag. At Sister Makes we love to make our favourite bags but especially the crossbody style.

This is an example of our messenger bags…

This was made for a lovely lady who wanted a bag to take on her travels to Australia. It needed to hold her iPad, phone and all her documentation safely. I used five different fabrics to make the flap and pockets in patchwork. It has a patch pocket under the flap, a zip pocket in the back, a patch pocket inside and another zipped pocket inside making it an ideal bag for travel or work.

We love to make our bags using beautiful Japanese fabrics but we also love patchwork and quilting. The world is your oyster! We can make a bag in your colour and style. For more ideas have a look at our gallery on our website www.sistermakes.co.uk. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook. If you haven’t already please sign up for our newsletter. We will be starting the newsletters from August and there will be 10% off crossbody bags for newsletter subscribers.