Carol Wilson grew up on a farm in South Dakota
and learned to sew from her Mom, Grandma and thru 4-H projects.
After high school she relocated to the San Diego area and attended
community college while living with an aunt and uncle.
The aunt was a dressmaker and shared her knowledge and skills. Several years later, Carol
was a young bride and mother who sewed for her daughters. After many years in the
real estate industry in Los Angeles, the Wilson’s relocated to
Arizona.
Carol started “Custom Made by Carol” in 2008, a label she had had
for 40+ years. She
designs purses and totes, works with vintage linens and enjoys
being her own boss.
The philosophy of her
purses and totes started with being practical. The base and handles
need to be a dark color, because they are on the floor and hands
aren’t always clean. The
lining needs to be a light color, so we can find our stuff. The rest….well it
needs to be fun, the brighter the better on the exterior. And the pockets on the
inside are bright too, keeping all our stuff organized. There is a loop in the
opposing pen pockets to hook the clip of your pen over, so you
don’t lose the pen when you take out your wallet. The large pocket in
the tote is for your laptop or net book. The tote is also
a good size to travel with, fitting under the airline seat ahead
of your feet.
The fabrics are
quality 100% cotton quilt fabric, interfacing is polyester, and
the base is reinforced with a plastic mesh for stability. The totes, purses, and
eye glass cases can be washed in the washing machine, I suggest
air drying. If the
item seems limp, use the iron with spray starch and you should
be good to go.
These design elements are from the College of Hard Knocks, nothing like experience for a designer. I hope you enjoy the purses, cell phone pockets and tote, they were fun to make. Carol can be reached at: email: email: Carol@sewdakgirl.com or on her cell phone 480-620-2802. (less)