Author Archives: Jan

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 →

A pouch-making, gift-stocking challenge on the Sew Sweetness Fans Facebook page. See the pouches I made for the 100 Pouches challenge.

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 →

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

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 →

Every so often I just have to take a break from making masks and do some fun sewing. This week’s break involved the Take A Stand tote in size Small, from byAnnie patterns. This zippered tote has exterior zippered pockets and interior mesh pockets. It’s ideal for carrying sewing supplies to a class or keeping them organized in your sewing space. I actually think my Spousal Equivalent would like one in a denim or heavy duty fabric to hold some of the tools from his workbench for when he goes to do handyman tasks for friends. The zipper used to … Continue reading →

Way back when Craftsy was Craftsy, long before it became Bluprint, then was sold, and now will become Craftsy again with all their databases of classes we’ve purchased intact, I saw a bag kit that I thought was very pretty. I bought the kit – the beautiful Modern Meadow line from Joel Dewberry with his Dogwood Bloom modern print on an aqua (“Pond”) background, lining fabric in the Herringbone print in Pond, and accents from the Herringbone print in navy (“Lake”). The pattern was the So Sew Easy “Carry All Bag,” a free pattern. Because of the Craftsy/Bluprint debacle, I … Continue reading →