Losana B

29/04/2026

Still alive? I am indeed 😀 though sometimes it takes blood boiling moments like this to remind me I am 😂

Go watch the show, it’s on the BBC website/iplayer and is called Make it to Market, series 3 episode 11 I think, the description says it’s about a textile revolution so you can’t miss it!

As a friend said “was this made 15 years ago?” Sadly no, it was made in 2025.

And all my textile upcycling friends please let’s join this new revolution that we had completely missed and abandon the one we started over 15 years go!

And let’s face it. There was one before ours too no doubt.

27/02/2026

Considering making the bags patterns available so you could make your own but do I assume in the instructions that the maker is upcycling? Or do I work out what they’d need if buying new?

The bag shown in the new group header image was one of my most popular designs when I was regularly making and selling bags. I am still doing the bags but not in the quantities I was these days since my health just won’t allow it 😢 so I am considering making the patterns for my bags available instead, the thinking being that then people can buy the pattern and make their own or can order a finished bag.

The patterns would come with written instructions as well as video demonstrations and anyone who is a subscribed member of the club will also have access to myself for help with making them.

The question I am not sure of yet though is whether I should write these as I made them for up-cycling so using materials lists of ideas rather than specifics or should I work out materials and quantities of materials that would need to be purchased if using all new?

Which would you prefer?

26/05/2025

Back when sewing club was a baby of Losana B, before it grew and found its own feet, and now it’s growing wings! The Big Bloomin’ Easy English Sewing Club Group.

A throwback to 5 years ago and the first version of what became The Big Bloomin’ Easy English Sewing club.

I was housebound on chemotherapy, the world was in pandemic mode, my markets for Losana B products had stopped, I couldn’t have alterations clients in my home or go to their homes, nor could I go out and do my private sewing lessons and all the sewing groups had shut down too.

So I switched teaching to online and used zoom and Facebook rooms (one of the best things Facebook ever had but which, as with everything good, vanished 😢), figuring it all out as we went.

What I hadn’t expected was for it to take me 2 years after the end of treatment to get back to anything even close enough to normal to be able to get back to work and definitely not that I’d never be in full health again nor that after I’d reached maximum recovery other issues would come up.

I lost count of how many times I promised myself it would be better next month, I’d be back on my feet next month, I’d be able to work a full day next month, I’d stop feeling like this next month . . . . and of course next month never actually came!

But here we are 5 years later and health wise things are much better, I know how to manage my conditions now, when to take the tablets and when to stop and let my body heal itself, I have aids around the house to help me do what I used to take for granted, there are still ongoing investigations and monitoring for physical conditions but the biggest hurdle has been more or less overcome - I feel as if I can do it! I believe in me again!

At least I do at time of typing this. And I do at least 80%, possibly more, of the time. And that’s a 100% turn around from 5 years ago!

24/02/2025

A new Losana B bag created for one very particular customer. I have a vision of this one being made in many pieces of different fabrics so I’ll be trying that soon.

18/02/2025

Oh dear, how sad. Sad for anyone who falls for these ridiculous messages that is of course.

I won't fall for it but it was a timely reminder that I have horrendously neglected the social media of Losana B. Still here though, still alive and not too far off my 5 years and hopefully the all clear. Still bag making and textile upcycling.

And not infringing on anyone's intellectual property or falling for stupid scams.

08/09/2024

Popped up on my memories, 8 years and this one is still in use 😀

I've had one if those "if it can go wrong it will!" days today. I wanted to get this back pack finished but at least I've got all the component parts constructed so I can just put it all together on Monday.

28/05/2024

Quick repair of a Losana B back pack today. This backpack is around 6 years old and was in constant use at school for 4 of those years and is still in lovely condition but with all the weight it carried one of the straps has torn away. The one that is always used to pick it up, carry it around and swing it to where it was wanted. Such wear is inevitable but easy to fix and I added some extra reinforcing stitches too 😀

03/05/2024

Remembering the day the workroom moved to another dimension.

Thankfully it did come back 😀

Wow, what a way to make me ponder all kinds of weird physicsy things. I am sat in my workroom right now and wondering when it moved so far away from me and since it apparently has how am I still in it?

30/04/2024

Yep, still alive! 😀

Very busy weekend of local markets where I restocked my local wines (Hanwell Wine Estate romance rose is apparently running out but the white is lovely 😃), picked up some bits from Knit Nottingham (separate post to come) and checked out the Ay Up market in the city Center where I got chatting to Sarah who runs Shop Zero Nottingham (wonderful place up Friar Lane, do pop in) about shoe laces.

Why shoelaces?

Well, Shop Zero stocks cords and ropes that I’ve bought before to use as bag handles and draw cords (can’t find the photo on this but the last batch of rope handled Losana B beach bags were made with rope from Shop Zero) and we got talking about good it would be for shoelaces but neither of us could remember what the end pieces were called. I knew I had some but they were in a box without a label 😀. Good old google to the rescue and we now have a name for them - aglets!

(Photo shows a handful of aglets and one popped onto the end of a strip of scrap fabric which is how many drawstrings are made for Losana B bags.)

04/01/2024

I am still alive! 😀