Calling all New-ish bag makers...
Learn to make this beautiful and PRACTICAL duffel bag without any tears or overwhelm, using the sewing skills you already have.
(Yes, you really can do this!)
I know that learning something new (like bag making) can be scary.
When I asked my audience what was holding them back from making their first (or their next) bag, here’s what they told me:
Zippers are intimidating! I've never sewn one and I'm afraid that I'll break a needle!
I don’t want my bag to look “homemade” instead of “handmade”.
I’m not sure where to buy the hardware!
What if I choose the wrong fabrics and it doesn’t turn out cute?
This is all new - I’m worried I won’t understand the terminology.
I’d rather do it with a group - I need encouragement from others or I’ll never make one!
I get it...
Not everyone is a “leap and the net will appear” kind of sewist. Some people want need extra support and guidance when learning a new skill.
Which begs the question....
If there was a step-by-step online course that showed you EXACTLY how to sew a duffel bag...
With easy-to-follow (maybe even fun?) instructions for each new skill...
Showing you shortcuts and tips for a professional-looking finish...
And the support of a group of other learners...
With opportunities to get your questions answered LIVE...
And the world’s biggest hype person (me) cheering you on…
Would this be the time you learned how to sew a duffel bag?
Have we met yet?
Hi, I’m Shelly!
As a quilter-turned-bag-maker, I want to share my (Labrador-retriever-level) enthusiasm for duffel bags. They’re so fun to make, and you feel like a BOSS when you finish one.
When I learned to sew bags I was at a retreat, surrounded by 15 other sewists who had a TONNE of experience making all kinds of bags.
If I had a question there was someone (or 10 someones) that I could ask for advice. If I needed a skill demonstrated for me, I could easily stand behind someone as they showed me how to do it (attaching zippers, anyone?)
I want you to feel that same level of support when learning how to make bags.
I want you to show you each step in detail so you can see it’s not scary.
I want you to know that you can ask for help if you need it!
That's why I created...
Duffel Master is the five-week program for up-and-coming bag makers who want to create a professional-looking duffel bag with their own hands.
Today's price = $47 USD
After five weeks of being bag buddies, here’s what you’ll learn:
All the terminology and components of a bag. You’ll be shopping with confidence when you saunter into your local shop and ask for a 1 ½" Swivel Snap Hook in Rose Gold finish.
My recommendations for choosing quality components that will make your life easier (like nylon-teeth zippers and pre-made webbing).
Different options for the exterior fabric, interfacing, and stabilizer. Don’t know what those words mean? Don’t worry - I’ll teach you! The point is: whether you want a floppy, sturdy, or a scrappy bag, you’ll know how to choose your materials to get exactly the result you want. 🙂
Two different methods of inserting a zipper. Fear not - if you can sew a straight line, you can install a zipper. Promise! You’ll feel so proud when you slide those pulls back and forth across the teeth with a satisfying “ziiiiiiiip”.
All my shortcuts and time-saving tips to get your bag finished faster and more professionally (like when to bother changing thread colours, and how to make your final seams “POP” instead of sagging in on themselves)
The ability to say “Thanks, I made it!” when people compliment you on your fabulous duffel bag!
Here’s the plan once you step inside Duffel Master…
00
Pre-course Module: Gather Supplies
As soon as you sign up, you’ll receive access to:
- Your copy of the Doable Duffel pattern (included in the course price)
- A welcome video
- Class schedule (including dates for our LIVE meetings)
- A shopping list with only the essentials
- Suggestions for tools that might make your life easier
- Videos showing the difference between stabilizers, exterior fabric choices, and hardware options, and the benefits of each.
Walk away feeling: Stocked up on your supplies and ready to start SEWING!
01
Module 1: Quilting and Cutting
In this module you’ll learn:
- The pros and cons of sending your fabric to be longarmed vs quilting it yourself
- Different ways to stabilize your quilt sandwich
- Several quilting designs that you can sew on your own domestic machine
- Tips for cutting out large pieces of quilted fabric using an acrylic ruler and rotary cutter.
Walk away with: A stack of quilted pieces of fabric all labeled and organized, ready to be sewn together.
02
Module 2: Binding Badass
Get ready to:
- Learn how to cut, combine, and prepare bias binding for your bag (it’s not hard!)
- Interface your pocket fabrics in order to make them more sturdy
- Attach the straight binding to various quilted pieces
Walk away with: A pile of pretty bias binding, and some professional-looking quilted pieces with binding attached!
03
Module 3: Zipper Town
Here’s where you’ll tackle:
- Turning two zippers into three (it’s not magic, I promise)
- Zipper insertion using two different (but fun and easy) techniques
Walk away with: New knowledge and the pride of having learned an incredibly useful skill!
04
Module 4: Bag Bones
Preparations will be underway for:
- The Gusset. Don’t know what a gusset is? That’s fine, I’ll show you! Plus, it’s kind of fun to say. Gusset gusset gusset.
- The Bag Front and Bag Back. Sounds official, hey?
Walk away with: Some pieces that are actually starting to look like a bag! Feel free to sling the Bag Front and Bag Back over your arm and saunter around the room with them.
05
Module 5: Assembly
The rubber meets the road when you:
- Learn how to attach bias binding using my tears-free method
- Sew the remaining three pieces together to make a real life duffel bag
- Whip up a carrying strap in under 10 minutes
- Perform some shockingly-simple steps to make your finished bag look SUPES PROFESH.
Walk away with: A completed Doable Duffel that you can show off to everyone you know (and maybe some strangers? I would support that.)
We’ll also be hanging out online!
- Throughout the duration of the course, we’ll have three different Zoom calls so we can hang out, show off our progress, and get questions answered.
- Afraid you won’t be able to make the live calls? Don’t worry! They’ll also be recorded so you can catch them later.
Speaking of those live calls...
If you want to join us and participate along with your new bag-besties, you’ll want to sign up by Monday April 24th 2023.
That will give you time to gather your supplies and get ready before the first Module drops on May 2.
"Love It or Leave It" Guarantee
Worried about the investment? Fear not, I’ve got you covered!
I created this course to help you move from concerned to confident. If the materials don’t help you with your journey, then you deserve your money back.
If you purchase Duffel Master and are not happy with the content, you can request a full refund within 14 days of your purchase. The money will be refunded without any hassle or arguing.
Easy peasy!
Meet The Duffel Duchess
I’ve been quilting for 15 years and was introduced to bag making when I attended a retreat with sewing friends. By the end of the weekend I had completed a complicated bag and learned a TONNE of new skills.
Making that bag BLEW. MY. MIND.
I couldn’t believe how similar it was to quilting… There was cutting, sewing through layers of fabric, ¼" seams, and many of the tools I was used to using.
BUT! There were also fun new additions like hardware, webbing, and zippers. It was so much fun and I was immediately HOOKED!
Since then I’ve made piles and piles of bags, and always found myself tweaking the assembly instructions in order to make the end product faster, more efficient, and more professional-looking.
When my partner Ian asked me if I could make him a duffel bag with some zippered pockets, I designed the popular Doable Duffel.
Wanting to share my enthusiasm, excitement, and experience with new bag makers, I created the Duffel Master course, where I teach you alllllll of my secrets to help you become as obsessed with bag making as I am!
Oh, and did I mention that I have over 10 years’ experience teaching adults from a previous career supporting the Canadian military? That’s a story for another day, but I can tell you that education is my JAM.
I love to see the transformation when someone learns a new skill and has that “AHA!” moment.
I’m articulate, organized, and know how to construct a course so you’ll get the results you’re after.
Stick with me and we’ll have you making bags in NO TIME! Well, in five weeks!
Frequently Asked Questions
I've kept things short and sweet with this course, with all video lessons under 15 minutes.
This will make it super easy for you to find exactly the right content you're looking for, without having to sit through extra content.
Module 1 goes live on Tuesday May 2 2023. I hope to see you there!
Shoot, I wish you could make it, but it’s okay if you can’t. We’ll record the calls and make them available inside the course dashboard. You’ll be able to watch them at your own pace on your own time.
We’re going to get our Zoom on three times during the course. You can catch us live at 10:00 am Central Daylight Time on the following Mondays: May 8, May 22, and June 5.
No ma’am, no ham, no strawberry jam! The price of Duffel Master includes your pattern of the Doable Duffel. As soon as you purchase the course, I’ll email you a copy of the pattern so you can dive in and get excited.
Absolutely! If you can sew, you can make this bag! It just looks complicated because you haven’t made one… yet!
Hmmm… You might want to circle back to this course when you have a bit more experience sewing. While this is a beginner bag making course, it assumes that you are comfortable with your machine.
Love this question!
In order to make the course process as easy as possible, I've created an online shop where you can buy everything you need to make the Doable Duffel. You might want to check out the The Doable Duffel Bundle (so you can pick up all the supplies with one click of a button).
All of the lessons are pre-recorded, which means that you can watch them at your leisure, whenever you want.
When you purchase Duffel Master, you’ll immediately be granted access to the course site, and you’ll find some welcome information waiting for you. After that, the modules will be delivered to you weekly on Tuesdays, starting on May 2 2023.
Forever and ever! Okay, I don’t actually know if the course will still be on the Internet 35 years from now, but I have absolutely no intention of removing your access to the course.
Sign up for Duffel Master and I’ll show you step by step how to make the popular Doable Duffel pattern. It’s supes cute and practical!
We’re smart and good looking, so I’m sure we can figure this out. How about you send an email to me at hello at matantequilting dot com explaining the situation and I’ll send you a coupon code to reduce the cost of the course? Yeah, that’ll work!
Oooh, I love this question!
You can expect a friendly, inclusive, and supportive environment where the emphasis is always on PROGRESS over perfection.
Also, lots of excitement and encouragement.
YOU CAN DOOOOOOO IT!!!! 
Here’s the truth: we’re going to be sewing through some thick layers of fabric. It’s possible that a starter-model sewing machine will struggle.
I’ll share all of my tips to make the process easier, but your machine may be the limiting factor in the equation.
You don’t need the world’s most expensive sewing machine, but you will need a sturdy one.
I sew almost all my bags using my Juki TL 2010Q and it’s a BEAST that can handle anything I throw at it.
If you feel confident about your sewing skills and are ready to make the pattern without the course, I support you!
You can pick up the pdf pattern in my online shop (you can also find all the accessories you'll need in the same spot).
A final note...
It’s in my bones to want to convert everyone I know into a bag maker.
Bags are fun, interesting, and practical as all get-out. If you don’t need a duffel bag, I’m sure someone in your life would LOVE one as a gift!
Plus, I KNOW you can do this.
If you don’t believe in yourself, let me.
There's a reason I'm my friend group's hype woman... I’ll cheer you on every step of the way, until you prove to yourself that you can do it.
Ready to hop on the bag making train??
Today's price = $47 USD
© 2023, Ma Tante Quilting