Looking for your new patterns? Check the My Downloadable Products tab in your account.
About The Bag of the Month Club
How much is the Club?
Membership to the Bag of the Month Club costs $20 USD. This is a one-off fee for each season of the Club and will not auto-renew. Although you only need to create one account on our website, each season's subscription is opt-in and must be purchased separately. This means that you can pick and choose which seasons you would like to take part in, and easily skip a season should you wish.
We usually offer an early bird discount before the Club begins - for the January - March 2022 season, you can join the Club for $17 USD if you sign up before the end of December 31st 2021.
How can I join the Bag of the Month Club?
I don't have a PayPal account - can I pay another way?
You don't need a PayPal account - click the Pay by Debit Card / Credit Card option when prompted on the payment screen.
What is included in the joining fee?
You'll receive 3 mystery PDF bag sewing patterns, one a month for each of the 3 months for one single membership fee. Each PDF pattern is a surprise before you receive it, and the patterns are exclusive to Club members for 3 months from their release date - so you won't find them anywhere else!
Can I purchase a club membership as a Christmas or birthday gift?
Yes you can! Many friends or family members have purchased memberships for loved ones in the past and they make great gifts! Just choose the Gift Subscription listing!
How can I pay for my Club subscription using a gift card?
How does the Club work?
You can join the current season of the Club at any time during the Club's season for a one-off membership fee. If you join before the Club begins, you can take advantage of our early bird discount. Then, on the 1st of each month (usually at around 9-10 a.m. UK time) your mystery PDF bag sewing pattern for that month will go live in the Downloads area of your account. You will need to log in to your account in order to download your sewing pattern. If you subscribe after the Club has begun, all patterns released to that point will become available in the Downloads area of your account, and you will receive any remaining patterns on their release date. So, for example, if you subscribe before the start of the club then your patterns will be available on the 1st of each month. If you sign up midway through the first month, you will have immediate access to the first PDF pattern then each remaining pattern will become available on the 1st of each month. If you sign up on the final day of the Club season, then you will receive immediate access to all three PDF bag sewing patterns right away.
How long is the club open for?
The current season of our Club runs from January 1st 2022 to March 31st 2022. You can buy early bird subscriptions two weeks before the next Club begins, and each Club's sales will end on the last day of the Club season.
Will you email the pattern to me?
No. Your PDF bag sewing patterns are stored securely in the Downloads area of your Bag of the Month Club account so that you can download them to any device as needed.
Who are the designers? Do they change?
For January to March 2022 our designers are Imaz Zaman from ImazzPatterns, Namrata Shroff from Bagstock Designs, and Erica-Lee Helgerson from Lavender & Twine. Find out more about the designers here: Meet the Designers page
Do the patterns come with videos?
The Bag of the Month Club is a PDF bag sewing pattern subscription club. However, the designers for January - March 2022 will be providing videos to accompany their patterns. For January, you'll find a link at the beginning of each step of your sewing pattern that leads to Imaz' matching video tutorial, making it easy to keep track of where you are while sewing along. January's video tutorials have been offered by the designer as a bonus for our Club members. Please do not share the embedded links publicly. Thank you.
Can I get a printed copy of the pattern?
Not from the Bag of the Month Club. The Bag of the Month Club is a PDF bag sewing pattern subscription club. After the end of the Club, if the designers choose to release their patterns separately, then they may produce a physical paper format. We would advise you to contact the designer of the pattern that interests you to ask them about this. Please bear in mind that each PDF bag sewing pattern is exclusive to the Bag of the Month Club for 3 months from its release date, so the designer may not be able to assist you right away.
What hardware will I need?
Please see the Hardware page for the requirements for the upcoming patterns. Remember the patterns are a secret, but the hardware is not!
Where can I buy the hardware I will need?
We have a list of recommended hardware suppliers on our Hardware page.
Do I need a special sewing machine?
No. You should be able to sew any of our bag designs on a standard domestic machine, and many of our testers only use domestic machines. However, please do take note of the designer's recommendations for fabric types as some domestic machines can struggle with thicker fabrics where there are multiple layers.
Why can't I download all the club patterns when the club starts?
The patterns are a secret until the 1st of each month, so you will not be able to download them until the month begins and they are released. In the Downloads section of your account you will see placeholders for the upcoming months. These will become your patterns as each new month begins. Patterns that have been released will state their title and the month they were released, e.g. The Duffel Backpack - August 2020.
I missed signing up for the club, where can I find the patterns?
Bag of the Month Club sewing patterns are exclusive to the Club for 3 months from their release date. After this time, each designer may choose to release their pattern individually on their own website. Please see our Previous Seasons page for details.
Website support / troubleshooting:
Log in issues
If you have forgotten your password and have not received a link to reset it, please check the Junk / Spam folder of your email account first. If there is no reset email there, or if you have a different issue with logging in, please use the Contact Form here on the website or email us at info@bagomc.com. Please provide details of the problem, including any error message you might have received, and please include the email address used to set up your account if you are messaging from a different account.
Where is my subscription pattern?
Check the My Downloadable Products tab in your account. Your PDF bag sewing patterns are stored securely in the Downloads area of your Bag of the Month Club account so that you can download them to any device as needed.
My pattern is not printing correctly/missing pieces or pages/etc.? What am I doing wrong?
If you are using browser or preview mode to view your PDF patterns, you may have difficulties - such as missing pages, or pieces printing at the incorrect size. We would advise you use the full, free Adobe Reader. Please check whether this is the issue by following these steps:
- Open Adobe Reader on your device
- Check Adobe Reader is up to date. To do this, click the 'help' tab in Adobe Reader, then 'Check for updates'. (Note: If you are working on an older device that won't let you update Adobe Reader, try printing in black and white.)
- Download your PDF pattern to your device. Your device may do this automatically when you click on the link, or you may need to click the downward-facing arrow on your PDF preview to start the download.
- Go to the downloads folder on your device and find your PDF sewing pattern. (If you are unsure where your device's downloads folder is, then you can sometimes navigate to this through your browser menu.)
- Right-click and choose 'Open with...', then select Adobe Reader.
You should now be able to view your PDF bag sewing pattern, and print it. N.B. Some lesser-used browsers may produce an error when downloading the PDF. Please consider trying an alternative browser for downloading your PDF pattern.
If you have issues printing your pattern, please see the next FAQ point. If you have any other issue regarding downloading your PDF bag sewing pattern, please contact us at info@bagomc.com. Please provide details of the problem, including any error message you might have received, and please include the email address used to set up your account if you are messaging from a different account.
My pattern pieces are not printing at the correct size. What can I do?
Most PDF patterns have a small square that you can measure after printing to make sure that the pattern pieces printed at the correct size. If your pieces are not printing at the size that they need to be, this is a big deal! Most bags go together with very specifically-sized pattern pieces. Make sure that you opened the pattern using Adobe Reader and that your printer is set to print at 'actual size' or 'scaling none' (this will depend on your particular printer). Here is a tutorial from Emmaline Bags to help you print your pattern pages the right size: http://emmalinebags.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-print-your-pdf-sewing-patterns.html
Where can I get technical help / support?
For any other technical issue, please use the Contact Form here on the website or email us at info@bagomc.com. Please provide full details of the problem, including any error message you might have received, and screenshots if you can, and please include the email address used to set up your account if you are messaging from a different account.
Pattern support:
Where can I find help with sewing my pattern?
The quickest way to find help with your sewing pattern is through our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/bagomc/. You can also use the Contact Form here on the website, or email us at info@bagomc.com.
I lost my pattern, what can I do?
Simply log into your account using the 'Download your Patterns' link at the top of this page. You'll find your patterns in the 'My Downloadable Products' section of your account. If you continue to have issues, please follow the Troubleshooting steps above.
Where can I find tips & tricks for bag making, i.e. different types of interfacing, how to install hardware, etc?
Both Sewing Patterns by Mrs H and Emmaline Bags have tutorials sections on their websites. If you are on Facebook, then you might also consider joining our Facebook group which has lots of fantastic advice and support from members all around the world. Join our Facebook group at: facebook.com/groups/bagomc
There are some great tutorials on the Emmaline Bags website for how to install hardware, including magnetic snaps, tongue locks, labels, and anchors. Find the full list under the Learning Centre of the Emmaline Bags website here: emmalinebags.com/pages/hardware-installation
Looking for advice on different types of interfacing or stabiliser? Take a look at Mrs H's YouTube video: Mrs H Masterclasses - Interfacing and Stabilisers for Bagmaking
Can I make something from one of the Bag of the Month club patterns to sell at a craft fair or in my Etsy shop?
Absolutely! You have permission (and are legally allowed) to make and sell on a home level, any of the bags from the patterns in the club. If you use social media to market your sews, please consider tagging @bagofthemonthclub or the pattern designer in your makes, and we will share them with our followers if we can.
The Bag of the Month Club Competition:
How do I enter my bag photo into the competition?
Our competition page will be open shortly. Once it is, visit the Competition page and follow the instructions to add your photo to the gallery. Please check that you've selected the correct month's gallery before you enter your photo. Need a little extra help? Follow along with our screen recording:
How can I get my photo not to be sideways?
Good question! We regularly check the gallery for any upload issues and manually correct them, so please don't worry if your photo has uploaded sideways. We'll turn our heads to one side to admire it until our team have a chance to rotate the photo!
How do I make a collage?
Many devices have a collage option in the photo/gallery app. You can also use sites/apps such as BeFunky.com to create collages. Or, why not take a photo of your bags together?
Is there a limit on how many bags I can enter into the competition?
No. Please do enter all the bags you've made into the competition, but only one photo per finished bag. Your chances of winning the random prize draws will depend on the number of entries received. The judged prizes are selected by the designers' teams or by the Bag of the Month Club team.
Edits and Updates:
Early January 2022 - Titles of The Illusion downloadable files updated to make it clearer that one file is the tutorial and print-at-home pattern pieces, and that the 'Bonus' file is A3 pattern pieces for bagineers who like to print at a copy shop.
11th January 2022 - The Illusion PDF updated to correct one of the embedded video tutorial links.
We are currently updating this section of the website to improve accessibility.
If you have a suggestion for how we can improve accessibility further,
please send an email to info@bagomc.com
Looking for your PDF patterns? Check the My Downloadable Products tab in your account.
- About the Bag of the Month Club
- How much is the Club?
- How can I join the Bag of the Month Club?
- I don't have a PayPal account - can I pay another way?
- What is included in the joining fee?
- Can I purchase a Club membership as a gift?
- How can I pay for my Club membership with a gift card?
- How does the Club work?
- How long is the Club open for?
- Will you email the patterns to me?
- Who are the Club designers? Do they change?
- Do the patterns come with videos?
- Can I get a printed copy of the patterns?
- What hardware and fabrics will I need?
- Where can I buy the hardware I will need?
- Do I need a special sewing machine?
- Why can't I download all the Club patterns when the season starts?
- I missed signing up for the Club, where can I find the patterns now?
- Website support & Troubleshooting
- Pattern support & Bagmaking advice
- Where can I find help with sewing my pattern?
- I lost my pattern, what can I do?
- Where can I find tips and tricks for bagmaking, i.e. different types of interfacing, fabric advice, how to install hardware, etc.?
- Can I make something from one of the Bag of the Month Club patterns to sell at a craft fair or in my Etsy shop?
- Competition support
- Errata, edits, and updates
Membership to the Bag of the Month Club costs $22 USD. This is a one-off fee for each season of the Club and will not auto-renew. Although you only need to create one account on our website, each season's subscription is opt-in and must be purchased separately. This means that you can pick and choose which seasons you would like to take part in, and easily skip a season should you wish.
We usually offer an Early Bird discount during the two weeks before the Club begins. For the August - October 2022 season of our Club, the Early Bird joining fee is $19 USD. The Early Bird offer will only be available from 15th - 31st July 2022, after which it will cost $22 USD to join the August - October 2022 season of the Club.
Yes! You don't need a PayPal account - click the Pay by Debit Card / Credit Card option when prompted on the payment screen.
Please note that this image is from a few years ago. We will update it to reflect the price changes after the next season begins.
You'll receive 3 mystery PDF bag sewing patterns, one a month for each of the 3 months for one single membership fee. Each PDF pattern is a surprise before you receive it, and the patterns are exclusive to Club members for 3 months from their release date - so you won't find them anywhere else!
Yes you can! Many friends or family members have purchased memberships for loved ones in the past and they make great gifts! Just choose the Gift Subscription listing!
Please note that this video guide is from before the current season. The process is the same, but the Club price has changed. We will update the guide when the next season begins.
Joining a season of the Club:
You can join the current season of the Club at any time during the Club's season for a one-off membership fee. If you join before the Club begins, you can take advantage of our Early Bird discount. This is usually about 15% off the full Club price.
Early Bird subscription (Season 1: 15th December - 31st December; Season 2: 15th July - 31st July):
Early Bird subscription runs from the 15th of the month before the season begins and ends as the season begins. So, for the August - October 2022 season of our Club, Early Bird will be available from 15th July through to midnight Pacific time on 31st July.
The season begins (Season 1: 1st January; Season 2: 1st August):
January / August: On the 1st day of the month (usually at around 9-10 a.m. UK time) your first mystery PDF bag sewing pattern will go live in the Downloads area of your account.
February / September: On the 1st day of the month your second mystery PDF bag sewing pattern will go live in the Downloads area of your account.
March / October: On the 1st day of the month your third and final mystery PDF bag sewing pattern will go live in the Downloads area of your account.
You should receive an email for each update letting you know that your pattern is available to download, however you must log in to your account in order to download your sewing patterns.
Please note: Before the season begins, you will see placeholder images or PDFs in your downloads area. These are NOT your sewing patterns. They are only placeholders for your sewing patterns. Please do not waste your time and Internet data downloading these. We will share an image on our social media of what the placeholder looks like, just in case you're curious!
Subscribing after the season begins (after 1st January for Season 1 and after 1st August for Season 2):
If you subscribe after the Club has begun, all patterns released to that point will become available in the Downloads area of your account, and you will receive any remaining patterns on their release date.
So, for example, if you subscribe midway through the first month of the season, then you will have immediate access to the first PDF pattern and each remaining pattern will become available on the 1st of each month. If you sign up on the final day of the Club season, then you will receive immediate access to all three PDF bag sewing patterns right away.
There is no discount available once the season has begun. If you would like to take advantage of our Early Bird discount offer, then you must subscribe to the season before it begins. For Season 1, the final day to get a discount is 31st December. For Season 2, the final day to get a discount is 31st July.
End of the season (Season 1: 31st March; Season 2: 31st October):
Subscriptions will close at midnight Pacific time on the final day of the Club season. You will no longer be able to purchase a Club subscription or any gift cards once the season has ended.
You will still be able to enter your Club makes into our competitions and prize draw. Please see the Competitions FAQ below for more information.
Each season of the Bag of the Month Club runs for three months. There are two seasons of the Club each year.
Season One runs from January 1st to March 31st. An Early Bird subscription offer will be available from 15th December through to 31st December. Early Bird subscription will close at midnight Pacific time on December 31st. All Club sales will close at midnight Pacific time on 31st March.
Season Two runs from August 1st to October 31st. An Early Bird subscription offer will be available from 15th July through to 31st July. Early Bird subscription will close at midnight Pacific time on July 31st. All Club sales will close at midnight Pacific time on 31st October.
Competition entries remain open until the 7th / 15th of the month following the end of the Club. Please see the Competitions FAQ below for more information.
Our Facebook support community remains open year-round, except for occasional pauses to allow for staff downtime.
Our Customer Service inboxes are open year-round. Response times may vary, although we aim to reply to your messages and emails within two working days.
No. Your PDF bag sewing patterns are stored securely in the Downloads area of your Bag of the Month Club account so that you can download them to any device as needed.
If you are having difficulties downloading your sewing patterns, please take a look at our Website support & troubleshooting section below.
Find out about the designers for the current or upcoming season of our Club on our Meet The Designers page at: www.bagomc.com/f-a-q-s/meet-the-designers.html
Are you a pattern designer who would like to apply to take part in a future Club? Please complete our application form here: https://forms.gle/P3acgcTZCy6ce7s86
Bag of the Month Club is a PDF bag sewing pattern subscription club.
However, our designers or their testers do usually create videos to accompany their sewing patterns. Some designers create these videos exclusively for Bag of the Month Club members and request that they are not shared outside the Club, so please be sure to check your sewing pattern for details about this.
Not from the Bag of the Month Club as this is a PDF bag sewing pattern subscription club.
After the end of the Club, if the designers choose to release their patterns separately, then they may produce a physical paper format.
We would advise you to contact the designer of the pattern that interests you to ask them about this. Please do bear in mind that each PDF bag sewing pattern is exclusive to the Bag of the Month Club for 3 months from its release date, so the designer may not be able to assist you right away.
Please see the Hardware Requirements page for the requirements for the upcoming patterns. Remember the patterns are a secret, but the hardware is not!
All hardware lists for the Club are released as soon as possible after Early Bird subscription opens.
The designers' lists of recommended fabrics and interfacing are released on the 15th of the month before that designer's pattern is revealed. The designers or our team first share their lists in our Facebook community and then our team re-shares the lists on our Facebook page and on our Instagram page.
We have a list of member-recommended hardware suppliers on our Hardware Requirements page.
Is your favourite hardware supplier missing from the list? Send us an email telling us who they are and why they're your favourite!
No. You should be able to sew any of our bag designs on a standard domestic machine, and many of our testers only use domestic machines. However, please do take note of the designer's recommendations for fabric types as some domestic machines can struggle with thicker fabrics where there are multiple layers.
The patterns are a secret until the 1st of each month, so you will not be able to download them until the month begins and they are released.
In the Downloads area of your account you will see placeholders for the upcoming months. These will become your patterns as each new month begins. Patterns that have been released will state their title and the month they were released, e.g. The Duffel Backpack - August 2020.
Please do not waste your time or Internet data downloading the placeholders. These will not reveal the sewing patterns before each pattern is released!
Bag of the Month Club sewing patterns are exclusive to the Club for 3 months from their release date. After this time, each designer may choose to release their pattern individually on their own website.
You can see a list of all previous Club patterns on our Previous Seasons page. We have included links to each individual sewing pattern where it is known. Please note that some designers may choose not to release their sewing pattern individually, or may remove their pattern from sale after a period of time. If you cannot see a past pattern on the designer's website, please contact them directly with your enquiry.
Forgotten password:
Click the 'Forgot Your Password?' link on the log-in page.
If you do not receive an emailed link to reset it, please:
- check the Junk / Spam folder of your email account
- send an email to our Customer Service Team
Error messages:
If you see an error message when you try to log in, you may still be able to log in by:
- clearing your browser's cache
- trying a different browser or device
- waiting and trying again later. The website tends to be busy on the first day of Early Bird subscription, on the first day of each month of the season, and on the final day of the season, which can make it trickier to log in - particularly at peak traffic times.
If these troubleshooting steps do not work, please send an email to our Customer Service Team, noting the error message. If you are able to screenshot the error message, this would be very helpful but please do not worry if you've not been able to do this.
If you have any other difficulties with logging in, please send our Customer Service team an email at info@bagomc.com with details of the problem.
Please be sure to include the email address that you used to set up your account, if you are messaging from a different email address. Thank you.
Your PDF bag sewing patterns are stored securely in the Downloads area of your Bag of the Month Club account so that you can download them to any device as needed.
You can find your Downloads area:
- in the menu of your account
- by clicking 'Download your Patterns' at the top of any page of our website (on mobile devices this will be under the webpage's menu button)
- by clicking 'Find your patterns' on the homepage of our website
- via this direct link: www.bagomc.com/downloadable/customer/products
Most printing issues are the result of using browser / preview mode, or of using a mobile device. These issues can include missing pages, pieces printing at the incorrect size, and odd formatting such as missing numbers or random boxes on the page.
We advise using an up-to-date version of Adobe's free Reader program.
Check whether this is the issue by following these steps:
- Open Adobe Reader on your device
- Check Adobe Reader is up to date. To do this, click the 'help' tab in Adobe Reader, then 'Check for updates'.
Note: If you are working on an older device that won't let you update Adobe Reader, try printing in black and white. - Download your PDF pattern to your device.
- Your device may do this automatically when you click on the link,
- or you may need to click the downward-facing arrow on your PDF preview to start the download.
- Go to the downloads folder on your device and find your PDF sewing pattern.
If you are unsure where your device's downloads folder is, then you can sometimes navigate to this through your browser menu. - Right-click and choose 'Open with...', then select Adobe Reader.
You should now be able to view your PDF bag sewing pattern, and print it.
NOTE: Some less popular browsers may produce an error when downloading the PDF. Please consider trying a more popular browser just for downloading your PDF pattern.
If you have issues printing your pattern, please see the next FAQ point.
If you have any other issue regarding downloading your PDF bag sewing pattern, please send an email to our Customer Service Team at info@bagomc.com. Please provide details of the problem, including any error message you might have received, and please include the email address used to set up your account if you are messaging from a different account.
Most PDF patterns have a small square that you can measure after printing to make sure that the pattern pieces printed at the correct size. Please be sure to measure the square before you start sewing because if your pieces are not printing at the size that they need to be, this is a big deal as most bags go together with very specifically-sized pattern pieces.
Make sure that:
- you opened the pattern using Adobe Reader
- and that your printer is set to print at 'actual size' or 'scaling none' (this will depend on your particular printer).
Need more advice? Here is a tutorial from Emmaline Bags to help you print your pattern pages the right size: http://emmalinebags.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-print-your-pdf-sewing-patterns.html
For any other technical support issue, please send an email to our Customer Service Team at info@bagomc.com. Please provide details of the problem, including any error message you might have received, and please include the email address used to set up your account if you are messaging from a different account.
The quickest way to find help with your sewing pattern is through our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/bagomc
You can also email us at info@bagomc.com. We will reply to your emails and messages as quickly as possible, however please do be aware that we do not have 24/7 inbox coverage.
Simply log in to your account using the 'Download your Patterns' link at the top of this page. You'll find your patterns in the 'My Downloadable Products' section of your account. If you continue to have issues, please send our Customer Service Team an email at info@bagomc.com.
Are you on Facebook?
Our friendly Facebook community has lots of fantastic advice and support from members all around the world. Join our Facebook group at: www.facebook.com/groups/bagomc
Looking for advice about different types of interfacing and stabiliser?
Take a look at Mrs H's YouTube video: Mrs H Masterclasses - Interfacing and Stabilisers for Bagmaking
Looking for advice about installing bag hardware?
There are some great tutorials on the Emmaline Bags website for how to install hardware, including magnetic snaps, tongue locks, labels, and anchors. Find the full list under the Learning Centre section of the Emmaline Bags website here: emmalinebags.com/pages/hardware-installation
Absolutely! You have permission (and are legally allowed) to make and sell on a home level, any of the bags from the patterns in the club. If you use social media to market your sews, please consider tagging @BagOfTheMonthClub or the pattern designer in your makes, and we will share them with our followers if we can.
Our competition page opens in the first couple of weeks of the Club season. Once the competition is open, visit the Competition page and follow the instructions to add your photo to the gallery. Please check that you've selected the correct month's gallery before you enter your photo.
Need a little extra help? Follow along with our screen recording:
Good question! We regularly check the gallery for any upload issues such as duplicates or sideways photos, and manually correct them. So, please don't worry if your photo has uploaded sideways. We'll turn our heads to one side to admire it until our team have a chance to rotate the photo!
If you have added your photo to the wrong gallery, please consider sending us an email to info@bagomc.com
Many devices have a collage option in the photo/gallery app. You can also use sites/apps such as BeFunky.com to create collages. Or, why not take a photo of your bags together?
No. Please do enter all the bags you've made into the competition, but only one photo per finished bag. Your chances of winning the random prize draws will depend on the number of entries received. The judged prizes are selected by the designers' teams or by the Bag of the Month Club team.