Author Archives: Jan

About Jan

Musician and geek and Juris Doctor; lover of fine art and fine craft; mother and grandmother and significant other and friend. Passionate about sewing.

Legacy

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If you’ve read my blog posts over time, you know that I derive much pleasure and peace from my sewing activities. The knowledge that my grandchildren share some of that love with me makes me very happy. So imagine my joy when my grandson, known as Co, texted me last week to tell me he wanted to get a sewing machine, and asking if I had any ideas. Co is two months short of 21, and a junior at the College of Wooster in Ohio. He is a lover of all things artistic, including especially dance, musical theatre, and photography, … Continue reading →

A Hostess Gift

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We have a sextet of friends who dine together most Sunday nights at a Mexican restaurant that’s midway between our homes. In the week leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, Mary Lou suggested she cook dinner on Sunday evening and we eat at their lovely new condo so we could escape the noise of the restaurant as people cheered and screamed over the game. (A lot of local football fans are partial to the San Francisco team, as the owner is from Youngstown. And other diners are just passionate about football, no matter who is playing. That much passion adds … Continue reading →

And a Second Granddaughter Pouch

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Took off for Northern Michigan after packing the car with—I thought—everything I would need for a visit of indeterminate length. And I left the new bag for my granddaughter on the dining table. Argh! Fortunately, I had packaged enough projects to keep me busy, including another pouch for the granddaughter. And I was able to complete it before she left on her class trip to Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; and Montgomery, AL. Here’s her new JanBag (her term, not mine ) to carry her makeup. Pink and purple are her favorite colors. So now she has a new Cotton Candy … Continue reading →

A Granddaughter Pouch

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My younger DGD said to her mom the other day that she needed another “JanBag.” So I decided this ByAnnie Clam Up zippered pouch I made before heading out on vacation on January 1st will become a new JanBag for her. I love this bag pattern. The pattern gives five sizes and I made the size Large. The fabric I used was from Tula Pink’s “Evergreen” collection. Again, I used the “Good Hair Day” print, only this time in the color Karma. For the lining, I used the same Neon Tent Stripe in Spirit that I used on Harper’s Packing … Continue reading →

Vacation Packing Cubes for Two Sweet Little Girls

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In late November, my talked to my sister, who lives in Mt. Pleasant, SC, about my flying over to spend a few days with her as soon as I was done with my final Christmas show. She told me about her plans, and who all would be coming to visit her, and the fact that her granddaughter, Casey—whose family started the move of the extended family to South Carolina—and her two young daughters would be flying to Boston to visit friends from their time living there before the move. She also mentioned that this would be the first airplane rise … Continue reading →

The Longest Commission in History

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Setting the Stage: I have a cousin on my mother’s side whom I like very much. He has a lovely wife whom I also like very much, and with whom I share a love of theatre—she has had a long and successful career in theatre education and production; I am a collaborative pianist who works as a rehearsal accompanist for theatre productions at my local university. She texted me over two years ago saying she had found some remnants of two pieces of cotton fabric that she and her parents bought when traveling in Egypt in the 1960s. She wondered … Continue reading →

Two Bags, Same Fabric

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I love wearing twin sets, although in clothing, a twin set means a matching tank top and cardigan. This is my bag version of a twin set, both using a black Richloom vinyl (Pattern: Sunrise; Color: Onyx) and a canvas print that I love.love.love. (Rifle Paper Co.; Print: Bon Voyage.) Link to the fabric collection. Travel and I are dear friends, but you already knew that. <Sidenote On> If you really love this print and would like an item using it, here are some goodies you might like. Rifle Paper Co. <Sidenote Off> The back story is twofold: I’ve been … Continue reading →

My Best Laid Plan

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I have been using this little Lodis zippered bag for several years. I put all my IDs and debit cards in the front slip pocket, and my credit cards in the back slip wallet, then my folded bills in the zippered pocket. It was the ideal little bag to switch from one purse to another, or tuck into my pocket when running to the grocery store or going out to dinner. I had a favorite small Groom crossbody bag that it fit perfectly into, next to my phone and proof of covid vax. Then, within one week, two things happened: … Continue reading →