I am a work at home mum living in Canberra, Australia and I love to make things for my label Red Instead. Red Instead started five years ago with a children's wear line but after a time I wanted to try my hand at a few new things so I got busy making a variety of things. I like the practical nature of the handbag - it's something we all need and use every day - and saw the potential to make quality bags in a variety of colors and styles.   One of my favorite things to make are handbags and I have been making them for about three years now. I enjoy choosing the fabrics and matching strong solids with gorgeous prints and turning flat fabric into something practical yet eye-catching. My line is always evolving as I enjoy exploring new patterns and working on a range of styles.

I love to use designer prints, borrowing from quilting cottons and home decorated fabrics and pairing them with bold solids in canvas or heavy cotton. I enjoy making fun and beautiful handbags for women in the 20 to 50 age bracket, and I'm continually inspired by pattern and prints - there is no shortage of beautiful fabrics in the marketplace to choose from. My bags are lined with a coordinating plain or patterned cotton and feature magnetic snaps or zipper closure. I like to use metal rings as a part of my handles sometimes too. My handbags always have an inside pocket for your keys and mobile phone as I know that these always get buried at the bottom of a bag!

Sometimes things don't quite work out the way I want them to (or not without a bit of finessing) but I can't think of any design nightmares. I like to refine and define the paper pattern before I make the first bag so that even if something does need a bit of tweaking (shorter handle, change in design lines) that first bag is always a good handbag - even if it's only for me or a lucky friend!  However, I still smile to think that there are people from all over using my bags to hold their everyday stuff, slinging a Red Instead handbag over their shoulder and heading out for the day. That's a great feeling and it makes it all worthwhile.