Book Review + Giveaway: Bags in Bloom

Yarncraft

Bookheader Bagsinbloom

I love sewing, especially bags and the new book, Bags in Bloom by Susan Cariello takes it one crafty step further by adding floral embroidery to the mix. Learn how to create twenty unique floral bags showcased in sections organized by the four seasons. To start, the book begins with the Stitch Gallery, teaching you all the basic embroidery techniques. You’ll also learn how to assemble the bags based on their size and style (i.e. bag with base and top pleats). All the pattern templates for the bags are in the back of the book. One of my favorites is a Summer Les Roses tote with soft pale pink organza ribbon roses that reminds me of a crafty day in Paris. As the seasons move to colder weather the fabric and colors get darker and richer. I love the Winter Garden tote featuring wool yarn embroidery on thick black wool fabric. Dreamy! Cariello also sparkles up the embroidery by bringing in beads, buttons, and sequins to bags (as seen on the cover bag above). For sewers, this is a great book to show you how to incorporate embroidery into your craft. For embroidery lovers, it’s a great way to show off your love of needlework with a bag you can make yourself!
Book Giveaway Time!
Three lucky CRAFT readers will win a copy of Bags in Bloom. Just tell us why you would like this book in the comments. All comments will be closed by Noon PST on Monday, August 30, 2010. The lucky winners will be chosen randomly and announced later on the site. Good luck!
This giveaway is now closed.

120 thoughts on “Book Review + Giveaway: Bags in Bloom

  1. goodwolve says:

    I am a fashion misfit, but I know and love bags. This would be the perfect compliment to my love of all things bags and my burgeoning love of embroidery… two worlds collide!

  2. staarchick says:

    I am learning embroidery right now from my grandma. I would love to be able to put that to use by making a killer bag!

  3. Emili says:

    I would love this book! Sewing and embroidery are my two favorite things. I always love to try new ideas and patterns.

  4. sherb says:

    I would love to have this book!!I love to sew and make purse’s and I like to embroidery..I would like to have new patterns to try ..I also like the flowers that you have on the bag they are pretty …

  5. Whatthefog.wordpress.com says:

    i will be soon nesting waiting for my baby to arrive. i need some inspiration and projects to keep me busy and happy at home!

  6. Bonney says:

    Wouldn’t these make the most fabulous gifts to give for the holidays? The next best thing to receiving one would be making someone else delighted with such a special gift!

  7. Stephanie C. says:

    I love bags, esp one of a kind ones!

  8. Merveilleuse says:

    This book is perfect for me! For the past couple of months I have been making bags to give as gifts and swap on craftster.org. I have just got back into cross stitching and have been wanting to learn how to embroider. this is the perfect blend of my two current loves.

  9. Betsy says:

    I love to make bags of different types. And wow — I haven’t embroidered in years, but this looks like fun!!

  10. selysia_1 says:

    Although I love to sew and have done some cross stitch before, I’ve never tried embroidery – I’d love to learn how. And the bag on the cover of the book is positively drool-worthy!

  11. kc says:

    Embroidery and bags and pink, oh my! What a lovely book! I hope I win!!

  12. Stacey S. says:

    I really like the bag on the cover and want to make it!

  13. Alicia Kachmar says:

    Embroidery is one of those things I learned as a kid, but never quite mastered–this looks like a fun way of doing so!

  14. Sursi says:

    I want to make all of those flowers. Amazing.

  15. ecj0320 says:

    Love the look of this bag! Would love some new inspirations for a great bag!

  16. UnicornChow says:

    Ummm…who wouldn’t want this book? I LOVE purses and I’m just starting to get into embroidery, so it would be a perfect fit. :)

  17. BettyJean says:

    This book will help me take my beginner embroidery skills to the next level, and make some beautiful holiday gifts.

  18. LisaMarie says:

    What a beautiful bag! I can’t wait to see what’s inside this book. I’ve been loving embroidery lately. I just feel compelled to embroider everything that I see. Thank you so much for the give-away!

  19. Natalie Zee Drieu says:

    Entering in for Vanessa Brooks:
    “I LOVE purses and I love making them for friends and family and would LOVE to try to win this book.”

  20. Kabira says:

    I am ‘healing’ from a childhood misconception that I can not embroider worth a damn! and I’m a bag-o-holic.

  21. solipasolim.wordpress.com says:

    There are just 3 reasons why I would be happy to get this book: 1) I love to embroider! 2) I adore embroidered flowers! 3) I’m crazy about all shape and sized bags and purses! So I hope I win :)

  22. fishesandloaves.wordpress.com says:

    embroidery, bags, purses, sewing, patterns, how toos, this is my kind of book!!
    thanks for making this sew much fun. :)

  23. Rita Carvalho says:

    I’ve been meaning to learn how to make pretty bags and these are wonderful!

  24. Lyn449 says:

    I’ve just started getting back into embroidery after a long hiatus- I’d love to win this book!

  25. Just-in says:

    for a bagoholic like me :D

  26. papelhilo says:

    i love embroidery and just started to learn by myself, but tha bag on the cover is really all i love ! i would love to make it !

  27. Jen says:

    Beautiful and inspirational! I would love it!

  28. Katie N says:

    This would be a fabulous book to win. I have recently started embroidering but I am at a loss as to what to do with it.

  29. Larkin says:

    I just began embroidery, so this book would be perfect for me!

  30. loura says:

    I love to sew and do embroidery and I love to make my own purses. Heaven !!!

  31. Scarlettred41816 says:

    Wow oh wow! I have a new sewing machine and have been teaching myself how to make bags and purses! And I love to embroider! I would have so much fun combining the two! That book would find a nice loving home with me!!

  32. Whitney says:

    I would love to have this book in my crafting library, because I knit and crochet, and have been wanting to add embroidery to my needlecraft hobbies! I’ve seen Jenny’s books in the bookstore, and her designs are new and fresh.

  33. desphynx says:

    Lately, I’ve been thinking about the sewing book my mum bought me when I was 8. It had pages with lines I could sew onto directly for different embroidery designs. I really enjoyed the process and the results. I want to build on what I learned as a child and “Bags in Bloom” looks like a book I would enjoy. The flowers on the pink bag are so beautiful and inspiring!

  34. Anna says:

    Well, I’m only 14, but I love crafting. This summer I’ve made a list of craft projects to accomplish, and so far have 3 more things to do in 3 days. There were about 30 projects total, and I had a blast doing all of them. Most of them I got from ideas on this website and my Craft:magazine. While project searching, I found lots of embroidery projects that I fell in LOVE with. I would love to have this book, because it seems like just the instructions that I need to jumpstart my embroidery craze, and I love the purse on the cover, plus simple sewing is all I really know, so it seems almost like it was made for me. And, I hate to say it, but free is a good fit for my budget. Thank you for reading this! :^)

  35. MA says:

    I’ve just borrowed this book from the local library and I don’t want to return it!! It’s certainly one that’s on my wish list. Thanks so much for a chance to win a copy!!

  36. Michelle at Scribbit says:

    My old purse just died and I was looking for a new pattern–this would be perfect!

  37. mgaleas says:

    I like bags
    I like flowers
    I like bags that give me super-powers
    Can I have this book?? Really!!! Thanks!!! :D

  38. Crystal Allen says:

    The bag in the photo reminds me of a purse that my mom made for herself in the seventies. It has been loved and worn to bits. My mom’s eyes aren’t as good as they used to be but she loves sewing with her sewing machine. What a fun project it would be to surprise her with this book, let her sew the purse and I would embroider it for her. Or even better yet I could make the purse start to finish for her and surprise her with it for her birthday!
    Thank you for offering this wonderful giveaway!

  39. Gina says:

    I love bags – they’re such a manageable project and so useful! And I love, love, love floral embroidery. I don’t have much of a green thumb in the real garden, but I can create beautiful ones on fabric.
    Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of this lovely book.

  40. JMM says:

    I have been embroidering for years, but it has been a long, long time since I’ve used a sewing machine. I have my Mom’s sewing maching now, though, so what a perfect way to ease back into sewing and honor her memory. She was the one who taught me to embroider, sew — and be a bagaholic. Perfect!

  41. l.short.1230 says:

    Thanks for the give away!
    I would like this book because it is unbelievably adorable!

  42. 3 to get ready says:

    I desperately need a new purse, but can never find one that’s exactly what I want. Also I love embroidery!! It really lets you make something your own. Thanks for a great giveaway!

  43. CraftyAnna says:

    I went to my first sewing machine lesson today, and learnt how to make a simple bag – I really enjoyed it! I am so excited to make more bags!

  44. Beckysews says:

    Thanks for the chance to win! I learned to embroider before I learned to sew some 40+ years ago. Recently I picked up embroidering again. I’d love to win this and make these bags!!

  45. Beckysews says:

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    I learned to embroider before I was taught to sew some 40+ years ago. I recently began to embroider again and this book would be wonderful to own.

  46. jonskifarms.wordpress.com says:

    I’d really like the book because flowers are some of my favorite things to embroider, and it sounds like this book has a wide variety of them.

  47. fireygoddess says:

    HI there,
    I’m an art therapist in Canada with limited sewing skills.. just learning. I’d love to use your book with many different womyn through their healing process. The book would get super well worn and advertised!
    I honestly have never one anything online before!
    thanks
    MAKE SOMETHING EVERYDAY

  48. carrie says:

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    I’ve vowed to make Christmas presents for my family members this year, these embroidered purses would be perfect gifts for my mom and sisters!

  49. Tracy says:

    I love making handmade gifts for family members for holidays and their birthdays! I’d love to have this one :D

  50. pastrykristin says:

    I would love this book! The cover is so beautiful, I would display it attractively on a surface, like it were a vase of non-embroidered flowers.

  51. Meghan Thimjon says:

    Love all the embroidery on the bag. I haven’t embroidered for years but maybe if I were to win the book I would be motivated.

  52. Lou says:

    While looking at mags at the bookstore yesterday, I sent the name Susan Cariello and embroidered bags to myself, via my phone, to see if I could find info online later on when I was at home. I opened this today and here is an article about Susan and her embroidery! I really want to try to make one of these beautiful bags!!

  53. packrat400 says:

    Three of my interests combined in one book! Bags-never too many. Sewing-love it. Embroidery-trying it out again after a long break.

  54. Kristina says:

    I love making bags and would love to learn to embroider.

  55. lmleb says:

    oh my! I am ADDICTED to handbags and embroidery! What a wonderful way to combine my two loves…happy, happy, joy, joy!

  56. katieb says:

    This book looks wonderful. I have been embroidering for about a year now, and last winter I made my first purse. I’d love to combine the two and make an embroidered purse for myself.

  57. Natalie Zee Drieu says:

    Entering in Kelly Mckie

  58. Natalya says:

    Love this book!!!

  59. emilydawnwright.wordpress.com says:

    I have been looking for a great pattern to make a bag out of this perfect fabric that I have. This might fulfill my goal! Plus I love embroidery!

  60. Ramona Burke says:

    I’m always working on improving my bag stash, and that pink one is sooooo cute!

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