About eight years ago my lovely boyfriend husband bought me a sewing machine for Christmas. I loved it instantly, but after I’d made a few cushions and a disastrous attempt at a shirt I put it away.

And then about three years ago I decided to make a bag. It would be a messenger bag, big enough for A4, with a flap and pockets. I bought fabric and cut it out and had interfacing and everything. And then I couldn’t figure out how to put it together. I put it away again.

In March 2006 I came across U-handbag, a website devoted to handbag supplies. There were instructions on how to make a bag, and it looked fairly simple. ‘I could adapt that to carry A4’ I thought. And so I did. And then I concentrated really hard and finished the messenger bag.

And that, as they say, was that.

Small biographical notes
Age: 35
Born: North-East England
Lives: South-East London
Married: Yes! See here
Children: none
Cats: one