Author Archives: Jan

My last blog post—the last item I made—was on March 12. That’s about two and a half months! I got sick of looking at that same old post, so, amid the kitchen reno and the water leak in the basement sewing room that had rusty water running across the floor to the drain, and the tearing apart and putting back together of the guest room with its now-refinished hardwood floor, I finally found a couple of half-hour sewing segments. I’ve been having bobbin birdsnest problems with my Bernina 330 (accompanied by a trip to the dealer/technician and a diagnosis of … Continue reading →

I decided to participate in a March bag swap among members of Sara Lawson’s Facebook group, “Sew Sweetness Sewing Patterns.” The organizer of the swap gave us a list of Sara’s bags and pouches that we could make for the swap. I chose the Bellevue Pouch, which is part of the Minikins Season 1 series of patterns. The Bellevue comes in three sizes: small, medium, and large. First I made the medium-size pouch out of the Australian aboriginal fabric that I had used several times for the Metro pouch. My DNA cousin, Barbara C., who shares a love of sewing … Continue reading →

Have you been buying some bits of the wonderful new cork fabric that’s all the rage nowadays? And maybe you’re not quite sure what to do with it? I’ve got the answer! If you watch Facebook or Instagram or this blog to see what I’m making, you’re aware I’ve been making a lot of Sew Sweetness bags lately. One of the really brilliant things Sara Lawson does for most of the bag patterns she makes is to create a video covering the construction of the bags. Recently she has begun importing cork fabric and offering it in her online store. … Continue reading →

Click any photo to enlarge As I mentioned on this afternoon’s bag post, I’m making a few Metro Double-Zip Pouches from the Sew Sweetness Minikins 2 collection. Bag #1 The bag, as designed, calls for SF-101 interfacing on the exterior and lining fabrics and the wristlet handle. I wanted it a little thicker, as we travel a lot and I like the idea of having a quick place to stash my phone and/or my passport. Interfacing: I made the medium size bag—the main pouch pattern piece is 9″ wide and 6″ tall; the pocket piece is 9″ wide and 5″ … Continue reading →

YSU’s winter break was four weeks, which gave me plenty of time to both practice and sew. Yea! The first picture shows how the individual components look before a bag is actually constructed. The side panels are interfaced. The lining side panel has the zippered pocket installed with a mega*cool black and white striped zipper. (And note that the company I bought the zipper from a couple of years ago no longer stocks them. Did you hear that little sob?) I’ve been working my way through Sew Sweetness’s Minikins and Minikins 2 sets. And by “working my way through,” I … Continue reading →