FAQs
1. Do you offer coupons or ever have sales?
The best way to keep up to date is to subscribe to my newsletter in the space at the bottom of the homepage and to pay attention to my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/emmybauercreates/ Who knows what you’ll see pop up!
2. Do you take custom orders?
If you see something on my site and you like it…but you REALLY want it in your favorite TV show fabric (or sports team fabric, or cartoon fabric, kitty fabric or whatever fabric), reach out to me and we can talk about it. I can work with any material that I can think of except for leather. Leather-working takes some special skills and special tools that I’m not familiar with…maybe someday, though! Special terms will apply for custom orders.
3. Wait a sec?! I didn’t see anything on how much shipping is? Are you mailing it on the slow boat?!
That’s right, you didn’t see anything on here about shipping and no, it's not going on the slow boat!! All of my items are offered with free shipping. And I'm way too impatient for the slow boat...everything is shipped with USPS priority mail, or 1st class mail. Either way, I'll send you a tracking number and you can monitor it's progress along the way.
If you’re not in the US, send me an email before you buy and we’ll have to figure out the shipping situation.
If you are local to the Wichita, KS area and would prefer to arrange a pick up, be sure to let me know!
4. I saw an item on here two weeks ago. Someone else bought it before I could. But I still want it! Can you make another, please?
Send a note to emmy@emmybauer.com. If I still have some of the fabric, I might be able to make you a similar one.
5. How often will new items be added to your store?
As often as I can get things sewn up. My sewing time does vary with whatever else is going on in my life (work, family, handling the business side of Emmy Bauer, etc…) so it's not always predictable. If you want to catch glimpses of what I'm working on, follow me on Instagram or Facebook. I do occasionally post photos of work in progress, and sometimes even solicit opinions on fabric or the other materials that go in an item, like zippers or hardware.
6. Where did you learn to sew?
I learned from the internet, books, magazines, youtube, and a few classes along the way. I plan to write a blog post on this at some point, so if you’re interested in learning more, check out the latest here: https://emmybauer.com/blogs/news
7. Where do the designs come from? Do you design them yourself?
No, I don’t design them myself, but I do scour the internet looking for interesting sewing designs. Some of my favorite bag designers are Emmaline Bags, Blue Calla, and Hold It Right There, but that’s by no means all of them. If an item looks interesting and looks like it would be fun to sew, I’m willing to give it a shot. I do select the colors, fabrics and hardware myself, although the designers usually provide some guidance for the type and weight of fabric (ex… mid-weight cotton, light-weight vinyl, etc…). I like to credit the designers in my description of the product, so you’ll probably catch on to my favorites.
8. Where do you source your fabric, hardware and zippers?
Things come from all over! I have sewn for at least 13 or 14 years now, and I’ve acquired lots of fabric along the way. I’m not really particularly interested in any one fabric designer, so I tend to just go with what I like, or what I think looks like it would be fun to work with. When picking out fabric for bags, I consider the quality of the fabric and the color of metal hardware that it will work best with. I try to have a variety of items available with different hardware, so that means that my fabric needs to be in a variety of colors and textures.
For hardware, I source as much as I can from Emmaline Bags and for zippers, I use myhandmadespace.com. I’m considering doing blog posts on hardware and zippers to discuss in more detail, so if you’re interested in learning more, be sure check out the latest here: https://emmybauer.com/blogs/news
9. Do the items come from a non-smoking home?
Yes. We’re non-smokers here in Bauer House.
10. When will I receive my item?
Usually I’ll need a day or two to prepare it for shipping, then off it will go. There could be the case where I’m traveling for work and can’t get it out as quickly, but if that happens, I’ll be in touch with you to let you know.
11. You have the PERFECT purple bag in the store, and I think it matches my purple suit! But...I know that all monitors show colors a little differently. Is there anyway you can send me a sample of the fabric so I can check it out?
Maybe. You can send me an email at emmy@emmybauer.com and I'll see what I can do. If you think someone else might buy the bag though before that all happens, you're better off buying the bag!
12. In some of your pictures, it looks like there's something on the hardware. What is that and why don't you take it off?
What you see is a clear, plastic covering (think thick plastic wrap) that my hardware manufacturer puts on some of the hardware. It's there to protect the hardware during bag making, hardware installation, and shipping. I usually try to leave it intact and let the customer take it off, just to provide as much protection as I can, as long as I can.
13. What is your return policy?
I want you to be happy and I want my bags to go to homes where they'll be loved, so I accept returns on items bought from the webstore as long as they are returned to me in the original condition. Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value, otherwise, the price paid will be refunded.
Let me know within: 14 days of delivery
Ship items back within: 30 days of delivery
Send an email to emmy@emmybauer.com if you have any problems with your order.