Behind the Seams Blog
New Asian fabrics in stock, the classics: bamboo, cranes, koi and maneki-neko. What do they symbolize?
Japanese fabrics have been popular with my customers since the early years of my business. When I first started making bags it was great to be able to use fabrics that weren’t solid colors. During all the years I worked in factories making backpacks and bike gear, I mostly sewed black fabrics, with the occasional…
Read MorePurses for lovers of fairies, dragonflies, and doves
Fairy on a dragonfly. The Dove purse on a string. If you’ve seen some of my previous posts, or my “about” page you will know I was born in England. The fae folk were very much a part of everyday life. We knew they lived at the bottom of the garden and any sign of…
Read MoreHappy New Year!
Happy New Year! May 2019 be a great one for us all. I am so grateful for my customers who keep returning to buy more bags, and for those who are finding me for the first time.
Read MoreJapanese dragon and peonies symbolism on a messenger bag
Having grown up in England dragons are a familiar image. The patron saint of England is Saint George, famous slayer of a dragon. The flag of Wales has borne a red dragon since 1959. I like this representation of a dragon much more than the Saint George version. When I began making bags…
Read MoreThe staff at Zoe’s Bag Boutique, I feel like I am doing all the work
Let me introduce you to the staff Name: Annie AKA: Anniekins, the Kins, Kinsey, Wiggles Macbarky Job: Self appointed cookie tester. Me: Annie I don’t make dog cookies, I make bags. Annie: That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be testing cookies, hand one over. Name: Tubs AKA: Tubbsie, Tubbsie-Toodles Job: Self appointed nap supervisor and…
Read MoreWelcome to Zoe’s Bag Boutique, here’s a little background.
I’m Karen, owner of Zoe Designs Ltd. Sewing is in my DNA! My grandparents worked in a sewing factory that made men’s suits just down the block from where we lived in my small home town of Nantwich in Cheshire, England. My mom always sewed when I was a kid, often making my clothes as…
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