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.

Kissin’ Cousins

In the “How Time Flies” post a few weeks ago, I mentioned some bags I promised to make for my cousin’s wife and her two sisters. I was auditioning the Sallie Tomato “Zippy” crossbody bag for that purpose. But then I learned there was a similar bag to the Zippy, a little larger and with boxed corners, so it carries a little more. That pattern, also from Sallie Tomato, is “Myrna.” <Sidenote On> If the term “boxed corners” is foreign to you, it’s a method used in sewing bags and home decor to add dimension to a flat rectangle. Where … Continue reading

A Blanket For a New Babe

Every so often, I get the desire to do some knitting. I’m not an advanced knitter. I’m self-taught, and good enough to make decent scarves or blankets or washclothes. Sweaters? Anything with shaping? Not my forte. I have a lovely friend named Julie whom I met singing with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. Last fall, when I rejoined the chorus, Julie told me she wouldn’t be singing as she was pregnant and her second daughter would be born in January. We’ve talked on and off during the pregnancy, and shortly before Thanksgiving, I asked Julie what I could get as a … Continue reading

How Time Disappears During A Pandemic

First I’ll tell you what I’ve been up to, then I’ll show you. You can jump right to the pictures of my sewing projects by clicking this sentence, if you wish to skip all the yadda yadda. I honestly can’t believe it’s been seven months since I posted my work here. I need to try to remember what I’ve done during that time. The bathroom reno was finished on March 5, just four days after we got our second Pfizer shots. During March and April, I made recordings for a few YSU voice students to use in their Zoom voice … Continue reading

A Couple of Bellevues

I’m tired of seeing that 100 Pouches in 100 Days post at the top so I’m giving you a new post to enjoy. Let me just say I have not done nearly as much sewing as I would have liked in the first four months of 2021 because of: 1) my bathroom reno; 2) my Red Cross donation gone bad; 3) my arthritic knees; and 4) my right eye. You know how to reach me if you want to know what any of those things are all about. Now let’s talk about what’s important—sewing! I made two Bellevues this year, … Continue reading

Mask Matching

Sara Lawson, of Sew Sweetness Patterns, introduced a new bag, called the Rockstar Bag, about two months ago. Frequently, Michele Graham, who is one of the moderators on Sara’s fans group on Facebook and a super sewist in her own right, will host a sew-along when a new bag comes out. I’m participating in the Rockstar Bag sew-along, but am lagging behind the group because of musical obligations and mask-making needs. The sew-along lasts about six weeks, and I made it through the fourth week. One of the optional assignments in the fourth week was to make a coordinating pouch … Continue reading

Two More Kitty Packing Cubes

I forgot to add the other components of the three-cube set. (Click any photo to enlarge.) The first packing cube you saw was the large. Then I purchased the blue colorway and made the medium. And finally I got my hands on the pink colorway and decided on a black and white polka dot for the lining. I LOVE that combination! Those fabrics became the small packing cube, which is just as cute as it can be! Now if we can just get a COVID-19 vaccine, get the entire world innoculated, and plan some travel again. #sweetdreams

A Pattern I Love to Love

I don’t remember when or where I first saw this fabric, but I absolutely fell in love at first sight. I’m a cat person from birth to now. I lost my last good cat around four years ago. If he had been my only cat at that time, I would have gotten another cat. But there was Angel, who was not an angel. When we finally had Angel put to sleep, the vet said, “You’re doing him a favor. He’s never been a happy cat.” I’m pretty sure if I examine my arms closely enough, I can still find the … Continue reading