MARCH 11 — What’s in a bag? You call it a clutch and I call it a purse. He calls it a backpack and she calls it a knapsack. Beyond their utility, bags of all shapes and sizes hold a certain fascination for me. I don’t covet them but, rather, I marvel at their design and craftsmanship, just as architects would admire and study buildings and structures around them. We aren’t going over the reasons why a girl can’t have too many bags. That’s a whole other story!

Through the art of quilting, I have acquired a versatile set of crafting skills that is transferable to bag design and construction. Whenever I see a bag slung across someone’s shoulder, I would study its structure and deconstruct it. I picture the bag alternatively cut from colourful Malaysian batik and trimmed in cork (a.k.a. vegan leather).

This mental image eventually gets recorded on paper and transcribed into a pattern which serves as the blueprint for construction. While a quilt may take years to complete, a bag can be made in a matter of hours or days.

That I can indulge in my love for crafting and have a finished project in a reasonable timeframe made it the perfect pastime for me as a full time professional.

Initially, I didn’t seriously entertain the notion of bag-making as a business. Some friends made the suggestion when they noted the quality and appeal of my creations. I would chuckle and assure them that I was not quite ready to quit my day job.

But sometime in life one reaches an epiphany; my moment came earlier in 2018. As a risk manager, aversion to risk comes second nature and thus it was with some trepidation that I left my comfortable and familiar role in Power Project Financing to venture into e-commerce and market my own line of bags and quilted accessories.

There was truly no aspect of my life that begs for improvement. For two decades I had enjoyed a successful career in corporate banking. Previously, I served as a flight attendant with Cathay Pacific, an invaluable experience that tremendously expanded my world view.

From a small town in Borneo, I had ventured to the bright lights of Hong Kong and beyond, jetting off to far-flung destinations across five continents during the course of a day’s work. I could only dream about visiting those exotic sounding places when I was a child.

After four years’ service with the airline, I was presented with the opportunity to further my education in the US as my husband-to-be was based in Texas. So, I moved on to complete a degree in business administration, which provided the springboard for my career in banking. I always quipped that I was an accidental banker though because banking wouldn’t have been my choice of career if I were to follow my heart.

For a "double minority” in the Land of the Free (i.e. female and Asian), I was gratified to have climb the corporate ladder based on merit. However, banks are regularly going through mergers and acquisitions amidst a cycle of regulation and de-regulation.

As corporate "drones,” we have to ride this endless roller coaster and endure office politics. I was fortunate to have survived these dizzying cycles, including the Great Recession of 2008, unscathed.

My role as portfolio manager was intellectually stimulating but often stressful. To balance the demands and rigour of my job, I engaged in crafty pursuits and thus uncovered a hidden talent for quilting and needlecraft.

Inevitably, I find myself craving more time to indulge in this pastime. Given my finance background and customer service experience, perhaps it’s not a giant leap to turn my hobby into a business. After all, many artists often lack business training to start.

Although I now live abroad (near Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA), my homeland Sarawak stays close to my heart and its cultural traditions significantly influence my craft. Batik and Dayak motifs feature prominently in my creations. As noted, I have expanded my repertoire from quilts to bags with design inspired by native handicrafts, such as Pua Kumbu tapestries and Anjat baskets.

Once the seed of a business plan was sown, I formed a focus group from among my Facebook friends to hash out an identity and introductory product line. It was from my Sarawakian roots that I drew inspiration for my product label and logo, The Quilted Sarong adorned with a hornbill silhouette as tribute to Bumi Kenyalang.

In October 2018, The Quilted Sarong commenced business as a shop on Etsy.com, the established online marketplace for handmade items. Prices range from US$80 (RM327) to US$150 (including shipping to MY via standard Air Mail USPS 1st Class International).

As social media exposure is critical to drive business and create brand recognition, The Quilted Sarong on Etsy is integrated with Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.