Hem and Helm

06/03/2026

Tucked inside you'll usually find a little extra from the Salty Seamstress and her overqualified shipping department: ⚓ A Pouchy or Sailor's Loop ⚓ A handwritten note ⚓ A few terrible jokes ⚓ An unreasonable amount of appreciation
The funny thing is, we don't hear much about the extras.
People leave reviews about the bags (which we love), but we're curious...
Do you enjoy the little surprises and handwritten notes?
If you've ordered from us before, what's something you'd love to see included in future packages?
We're always looking for ways to make opening a Hem & Helm package feel a little more personal and a little more fun.
https://hemandhelm.etsy.com

06/02/2026

Hi People of Poway!

Just a heads-up that Hem and Helm will be at the Poway Farmers Market this Saturday with lots of handmade Father's Day gift ideas.

If you're shopping for a dad, grandpa, coach, teacher, or the guy who insists he "doesn't need anything" and then steals everyone else's stuff, we've got you covered.

We'll have:
⚓ Handmade zipper pouches
⚓ Dopp kits and toiletry bags
⚓ Watch rolls
⚓ Tool and tech organizers
⚓ Keychain wristlets
⚓ One-of-a-kind bags made from repurposed U.S. Navy sea bags, military materials, towels, shirts, and other fun fabrics

Everything is handmade right here in Poway by my wife (the Salty Seamstress), and every piece is a little different.

We'll also have some new Ditty Bag Kits and plenty of items ready to take home the same day.

Stop by, say hi, and take a look before Father's Day sneaks up on all of us like a ninja armed with a calendar.

Saturday at the Poway Farmers Market

https://hemandhelm.etsy.com

Hope to see some familiar faces there!

05/24/2026

05/23/2026

05/22/2026

If you buy one of these bags I will literally fight a bear.....

https://hemandhelm.etsy.com/listing/4509430540

05/07/2026

We’ll be out at the Bernardo Winery Spring Arts & Craft Fair all weekend and it honestly might be one of the better “keep everyone entertained without spending a fortune” plays in town.
Free parking. Free admission. Food. Wine. Local artists. Enough handmade goods to convince yourself you’re “just browsing” before somehow leaving with salsa, candles, earrings, and a wooden sign that says Gather. Humanity remains deeply predictable.
There are 120+ vendors and it’s a pretty easy place to wander around for a few hours without feeling packed shoulder-to-shoulder. Good mix of families, date-day people, and folks pretending they’re only there for the wine slushies.
Hem & Helm will be there too with a bunch of our handmade/upcycled bags and whatever level of supervision I’m operating under by then.
Saturday & Sunday
10am-5pm
Bernardo Winery
If you’re trying to pick one local event this weekend, this one’s a pretty safe bet.

05/06/2026

One kid outgrows a stack of soccer jerseys.
The Salty Seamstress looks at them and sees “limited edition travel gear with emotional damage and snack crumbs sewn into the seams.” Humanity is strange.
This set came from a follower’s collection of old jerseys that had too many memories to donate and too much history to leave in a drawer. So now they get a second season as dopp kits, stash pouches, and wristlets built to keep traveling.
Goals fade.
Kids grow.
Parents spend weekends yelling “MARK YOUR MAN” from folding chairs.
But the jerseys? They can still make the roster.
Custom memory bags are quietly becoming one of our favorite things to make around here. Especially when they come with stories attached. ⚽️🧵
MemoryBag UpcycledFashion

04/28/2026

https://hemandhelm.etsy.com/listing/4467836813

A completely reasonable mix of war poppies, salvaged sea bags… and poor decision making.
We took materials that have already seen some things
and turned them into bags that are ready to see worse.
Dopp kits. Strap cases. Keychains.
Built tough enough for travel, daily abuse, and whatever you tell yourself is “just a quick trip.”
Poppies that age like they have secrets.
Brass hardware that gets better looking the more you mess with it.
Sea bag pieces that guarantee no two are the same… because apparently we don’t believe in easy.

These bags will: ✔ hold your gear
✔ survive your lifestyle
✔ silently judge your packing choices

These bags will NOT: ✘ organize your life
✘ make you a better person
✘ stop you from buying more bags you don’t need

Am I supposed to be posting this? Probably not.
Am I going to anyway? Obviously.

Shop the Brass Garden Collection before supervision returns and I get my posting privileges revoked.

handmadegoods

04/26/2026

The Salty Seamstress has deployed… to a conference.
Which means I am officially unsupervised.
No sewing will be happening this week (for the safety of everyone involved… mostly the fabric).
But I can still ship orders like a responsible adult… or at least someone who knows where the tape gun lives.

BONUS: We’ve got a sale section loaded with $5 and $10 bags

https://www.etsy.com/shop/HemandHelm?section_id=54619061&order=date_desc&utm_source=boe&utm_medium=android&utm_campaign=PoYG8ILDTISlSr4xZzqzJw&utm_content=Sale%20Bags!

They all ship together, so go ahead and build yourself a little bundle like the financially responsible adult you pretend to be.

Orders are still going out… probably with slightly more questionable packing decisions and a lot more pre-workout involved.

Send help. Or orders. Preferably orders.

shippingdept sewingbreak navylife

04/25/2026

Weekend plans?
Yeah… same as last weekend. And the one before that.
Down below deck, cutting, stacking, stitching…
turning scraps into something worth showing off.
No sunlight.
No fresh air.
Just vibes, thread, and a mild addiction to “one more bag.”
The Pouchie fleet is growing… and they’re about ready to deploy.
⚓️ Built by hand
⚓️ Made from the good scraps
⚓️ Slightly unhinged, just like us
handmadegoods upcycledstyle craftchaos sewingaddict smallbusinesslife belowdeck makersmovement saltyvibes

https://hemandhelm.etsy.com