I started this blog 2 years ago and I’ve really enjoyed interacting with so many of you in the sewing community, and learning loads of new things. One thing I love about this blog is that it pushes me to keep trying something different. This year, I’m looking forward to quite a few things, and I’m sure there will be some surprises as well. Here’s what I have planned:

I love a good swap! I’ve got one planned and even have a discount available, but you’ll have to wait until 2017 for all the details.

Even when I don’t get around to sewing all the bags, this club is always fun! It’s always exciting awaiting each month’s pattern reveal. This year, there is a new designer: Celine from Blue Calla will be first up. You have a couple more days to sign up for the early bird discount. Check out the website for more details. 

I have a couple video tutorials in the works for you, but they’re going to be a bit different. I’m not going to spoil the surprise for you though, you’ll have to wait and see!

I won a bra making class and I bought a couple kits to get started, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’m making it my goal this year to make one. I’d also like to try out one of Beverly Johnson’s Craftsy classes. 

This year I’d really love to make a quilt. I have some really great Craftsy classes, like this Elizabeth Hartman one, that goes great with her Fancy Forest Quilt pattern, which I also have. 

I picked up some quilting books so I think I’ll have to make a few quilts, or at least some decorative pillows for special quilt blocks. 

Ok, this one is more of a goal, rather than something I have planned. I have a sewing room with a closet full of fabric, but in the last couple of months, my organized stash has been rather unruly. Before I get started on any big project, I really need to buckle down and get my space less cluttered.

This one is another goal. I recently bought a new camera and I know I need to improve my pictures, so that I can bring even better tutorials to the blog. It also helps when you make an awesome bag and can actually take a decent picture of it. My friend Natalie of Hungry Hippie Sews wrote a really helpful blog post about taking better pictures, so I’m using that as my guide. 

Surprises and unknown turns. Creativity gives us freedom to explore new avenues and accept new opportunities. Is there something you’re hoping to see here? What are you looking forward to in 2017? 

Every Christmas I promise myself not to wait until the last minute to make Christmas gifts, yet every year, I still find myself in a panic as the days countdown and my time fades away. I do have a few tricks up my sleeve though, and thought I’d share them with you, in case you find yourself in the same predicament. 

In addition to having quick projects, I’ve learned a few ways to help speed up my process.

• Sort projects by thread colour: I find doing small batches with the same thread colour helps, and gray usually blends in pretty nicely with everything.
• Cut interfacing first and fuse to fabric, then cut the fabric out; this eliminates tracing the pattern onto the fabric.
• Log out of social media! This is hard for a lot of us, but it sure increases productivity.
• If you have a second sewing machine, pull it out and put on a zipper foot or use a second thread colour; whichever might make it easier if you find yourself having to switch back and forth.

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This latest pattern set from Sew Sweetness is also a great value, at only $5 and offers 6 different boxes, plus it’s great for fat quarters. These are quick and would make a great gift, especially filled with goodies.

I may be a little biased here, but my free cup cozy pattern is ideal for quick gifts, and it works for men too! Pair it with a reusable cup, tuck in a gift card to your favourite coffee shop, and voila! 

These are perfect scrap busters and work really well when you want to give a small gift to everyone in a big group. I wrote a free tutorial if you need some help putting them together.

I whipped up these fat-quarter friendly bags last year and they are true to their name. Check out the free tutorial here.

Kids love having a special pillowcase and they’re so quick and easy. I wrote a tutorial to follow if you need some tips to get started.

There aren’t too many patterns I make many of (there are just so many out there and I want to try them all!) but the Noodlehead Divided Basket is an exception. I’ve made so many of these baskets, I’ve lost count. It’s such a versatile pattern and makes a useful gift for so many people. It comes together so quickly too, and if you use webbing for the handles, then it’s even quicker. 

Here’s another quick free pattern that works for a variety of people. This Swoon Dakota Tablet Clutch sews up in a jiffy! 

I hope this gives you a few ideas and helps you get those last gifts done before the turkey comes out of the oven. Cheers!

I’ve been working on secret sewing lately and it’s been so hard to keep them all quiet. I’m bursting at the seams to share these awesome patterns and thrilled I can finally show you this one. It’s the Prairie Girl bag, by Janelle from Emmaline Bags, for the December pattern in the Bag of the Month Club. 

This bag has it all! The front zippered pocket has card slots, and even a pen loop! The main section is two separate zippered compartments and the strap is adjustable so you can wear it on the shoulder, or cross-body. Lining up the butterflies from the pocket to the main bag was an experiment that worked, thankfully! 

I’m not a prairie girl myself, having lived on the west coast my whole life, but I wanted the fabric for this test to match the name. I envisioned butterflies in sunny fields and pretty foliage when I did this fabric pull, and I think they’re so pretty together. These are prints from two Lizzy House collections: Natural History and The Lovely Hunt. 

A great thing about this bag is that it’s low on hardware. It really only needs an adjustable slide and 2 rings. I even managed to upcycle my hardware from a thrift store bag. You can also use rivets to attach the straps, but if rivets make you nervous, you can just stitch them on instead. 

If you want to read more about the Bag of the Month Club, you can check out the Emmaline Blog. There’s also a big announcement from Janelle in her post, you won’t want to miss it.

Update: The Prairie Girl is now available individually from Emmaline Bags, click here to purchase.

ONLINE – 20% OFF ALL FABRIC
BLACK FRIDAY THROUGH TO MONDAY NOVEMBER 28
(midnight EST)

USE THE PROMO CODE “YAY“
 
INSTORE – $9.95/YARD OR LESS ON 100’S OF BOLTS
FRIDAY ONLY

Once again, I’ve joined Pattern Revolution‘s One Thimble Tour, this time for the release of Issue 13. One Thimble always has a great variety of patterns, and usually at least one bag pattern, so I was happy to have an opportunity to try this one out for the tour. 

In case you haven’t heard of One Thimble before, or if you need a refresher, let me fill you in: One Thimble is a digital sewing magazine, each issue filled with patterns, tutorials, articles and other great resources. There are even promo codes in each issue for other sewing related businesses.

Issue 13 is the Summer issue (they’re based out of Australia, and those lucky bums are enjoying sunshine and warmth, while I’m heading into the cold, rainy season on the other side of the world), so the patterns are inspired by the season, including a swimsuit and an adorable applique. In the past, I’ve found the tutorials to be as valuable as the patterns in the issues and often make great gifts. The articles are great too; sometimes they’re general interest, and often they can offer tips for a budding sewing business.

This bag looks like a fancy clutch, but it actually doubles as a tablet case! It’s padded, and offers plenty of space for a full-sized tablet. I like that this clutch offers a lot of room to personalize it. The main feature is a reverse applique on the back of the clutch which you can use to show off a favourite print. I used a small portion of the Tumbling Blocks Weave I recently made.

Another feature of this pattern from Little Moo Designs, is that the exterior fabric is meant to be a non-fraying material, like leather, vinyl or cork, because the reverse applique on the back is done without a finished edge. If you’re wanting to try sewing with one of these materials, this is a good pattern to start with. 

I received some cork from Sara at Sew Sweetness, and decided to give it a try for the first time on this pattern. The colour she sent me matches the tones of the weave perfectly, so it was meant to be!

The pattern comes with instructions on installing a turn lock and metal trim if you like, but I loved the texture of the cork, so I used a magnetic snap instead. 

Another suggestion in the pattern was to add a tassel, and I was so pleased to put this tassel hardware from Emmaline Bags to use. It worked perfectly with the cork, and the tutorial linked in the listing was so easy to follow.

I almost forgot to mention how quick this one is to make. I started and finished on the same day, and that never happens for me, I’m slow and easily distracted, but this is only one pattern piece so it really cuts down on sewing and cutting time. It also makes for an easy gift for anyone.

Take advantage of the early bird bonus and get your copy of Issue 13 by November 14th to get a free printable 2017 Calendar with your magazine. 

Even after November 14th, the value is still great. The latest issue includes 10 PDF patterns and is loaded with other sewing resources.

Make sure to check out the rest of the tour and see the other patterns come to life!

I made another bag from Sara Lawson’s newest book, Windy City Bags! This time I chose Sweet Talk, which is perfectly retro and was calling to the Melody Miller typewriters in my stash. I also tried out glitter vinyl for the first time. I had planned on sharing what I learned with working with the glitter vinyl but it actually was so easy to work with I didn’t have to do anything differently at all. I even kept my same presser foot. I did make sure to increase my stitch length a bit because I’ve heard that if your stitches are too close with non-woven material, then you can perforate it.

Sweet Talk has a front pocket with a flap and that front pocket is perfect for a fussy cut. You can choose to match the front of the bag, like I did, or make it a feature and have it different. Each side has a set of magnetic snaps, which you can leave closed, or open them up to make the bag a bit roomier.

The top panels are firm and close with another magnetic snap. There’s also an interior zippered pocket. I used the interfacing and stabilizers called for, but I like my bags a bit more structured, so I think I’d add some Craft Fuse or Decor Bond to the lining next time, and use foam for the side panels instead of Thermolam. I think a firm base for the bottom would be good too, but I can always add a removable one to this bag.

The size is absolutely perfect for an everyday purse. I like to carry the essentials but I tend to bring too much if my bag is really big and then it’s too heavy to be practical. 

This was a fairly quick sew, especially once you finish the top panel assembly, then the rest is a breeze. I added rivets to my straps, mostly to bring out the silver glitter in the black vinyl, but also because I asked some sewing friends and the answer was a resounding “yes!” 

As I mentioned above, working with glitter vinyl was so much easier than I expected. I actually put my walking foot on, but then tried sewing with my regular foot and it was just as easy! This vinyl from Sew Sweetness is thin enough that you don’t need an industrial machine, even when sewing multiple layers like the straps. I sew on a domestic machine, and it handled this bulk without hesitation. I do suggest trying on a scrap before sewing the real project, but I do that with any fabric combo I’m about to sew. 

I’m not sure what would happen if you ironed the front of the glitter vinyl, but I suspect it wouldn’t end well. I did fuse some interfacing on the back of mine with my iron on a lower setting, and didn’t have any problems. 

For straps, I simply folded the vinyl and then used my point turner to make a crease instead of with the iron. 

Now the hard part is deciding which colour vinyl to choose next! There’s flat rate shipping to Canada and US too! 

The Blue Calla Snowdrop Satchel is now available and on sale at a special release price, but hurry, it’s only on sale for a short time. Go here to purchase.

The newest online hardware shop is now live and there’s a sale! 

Use “WEAREOPEN20” for a 20% Discount Off of everything except current Sale Items and Screw Rivets. This discount code will be available until November 19th!!

Check out Bringberry.com to see all the beautiful bling!

Once again, Instagram was a huge source of inspiration for me; when I started seeing images of woven fabric pop up in my feed, I just had to give it a try. By woven, I don’t mean the type of fabric or the way it’s made, I mean weaving strips of fabric to create a new design. If you haven’t seen any examples before, you could try exploring some hashtags like #modernmeshwork, #fabricweaving, and #weftyneedle. 

I’m kicking myself that I waited so long. Seriously, you have to try this! It looks hard, but it really isn’t. I know it can be a bit overwhelming starting a new skill, so I thought I’d show you how easy it is to get going on your first weave. First, you’ll want to order yourself a Wefty Needle. You could probably do this without, but honestly, it’s not very expensive and made the process painless; I actually couldn’t imagine enjoying the process without this tool. I also found the bias tape maker really handy, but you can do without quite easily, just don’t burn your fingertips! 

Next, you need to decide on a pattern to weave. I chose Mister Domestic’s Tumbling Blocks Weave; it’s a free pattern on Craftsy. There are several tutorials available on tjaye.com as well. For the pattern I chose, I needed 3 different colours, all cut into 2 inch strips and then pressed with raw edges under to create a 1″ strip (that’s where the bias tape tool comes in extra handy). For mine, I chose an Andover chambray and 2 different Alison Glass prints.

The Tumbling Blocks pattern instructed me to draw these lines on my foam board. Then we pin a piece of fusible interfacing overtop, to go under the weave. 

Now the fun really begins! I realized that my chambray would be the trickiest to use in my Wefty needle and weave over and under other fabrics, since it’s thicker, so I used that as my first layer. Pin each end so the fabric is slightly taut.

After my first layer was down, I couldn’t wait to get started on the weaving of the second layer. I didn’t even stop to take a picture, because it was just too much fun. It’s amazing when something seemingly magical is coming together right before your eyes.

The third and final layer is when you finally see the tumbling block. Raise your hand if the finished pattern reminds you of Qbert. I mean this in the most affectionate way of course, because who doesn’t love Qbert? People 10 years younger than me who have no idea what I’m talking, that’s who- but that’s a story for another time! 

If you’re anything like me, you probably won’t be able to stop once you start seeing the pattern and will have to finish the last layer immediately. For this step, Mister Domestic suggested using the Purple Thang and feeding it through the exit site, but I don’t have that tool, so I used the second Wefty Needle (they come in a pair) instead, and it worked really well guiding the needle on some tricky spots.

After this step, it depends what you’re doing with your project. I’m not telling what I’m using mine for, not yet anyway. Most likely, you’d at least want to fuse the interfacing and sew around the perimeter of the project to keep the ends in place. 

This was such a quick project. I had several interruptions throughout the day and easily started and finished on the same day. I think it could be less than 2 hours including all the prep work, and even faster as you get more experienced, or do a smaller piece.

I’ve tried to scale back my pattern testing lately in an effort to make life a little less busy. I do enjoy it tremendously though; I’m definitely not a designer, so it’s nice to still have a small part in bringing a pattern to life. When Anna of Noodlehead asked me to test out this latest bag pattern of hers, I couldn’t say no. I always love her elegant designs, and this bag is no exception.

I’ve been hoarding Sarah Jane’s Out to Sea since I bought it a few years ago. It’s such a cool collection and I find it so inspiring. I still have a complete map from the collection that I’m saving for the perfect project. The name “Compass Bag” instantly made me think about navigating the open seas, so I paired Out to Sea with Sarah Jane’s newest collection, Magic. The mermaids spark the imagination, a perfect partner to adventure. I also threw in some Michael Miller metallic arrows, because they went with the theme, and it helped tie in the metallic Essex Linen I used for the main exterior of the bag. This was my first time using the metallic Essex Linen, and my only complaint is that it’s super hard to photograph how awesome the sheen from the metallic threads looks. 

The bag comes in two sizes. I made the large. It also comes with instructions for two different types of exterior pockets. I chose the more simple version, to better show off the prints I used.  The other pocket option offers pleated pockets with flaps. The construction of the bag is also part of the design feature, with its pieced main panels and topstitching along the centre line. The subtle curved top makes it trendy, yet classic. The flat bottom allows the bag to stand up on its own.

Inside the bag is ample room for your next adventure, or even just a trip to the bank, as the case may be. There’s an interior zippered pocket, as well as a divided slip pocket. 

There’s a bit of hardware in this bag, so it’s great for those wanting to try it out. The rivets are optional, but I think they look great and they’re easier to add than you’d think.

It’s a really versatile pattern and you can really change the look depending on the fabrics you choose. Oh! I almost forgot to mention: it’s pretty quick, so would work really well for some Christmas sewing.

If you want to see other versions of this bag, or want to get the pattern, head on over to the Noodlehead website.

I bought this fun book a few months ago and I can honestly say that out of all my sewing books, this one has the most personality.  The projects in here aren’t necessities, but they’re so cute you’ll feel like you actually need them in your life.

When a friend was moving, I thought it was the perfect excuse to make this red stapler pillow, and give it to her as a housewarming gift. I’ve never done a project quite like this before. Each piece has its own order it needs to be applied, and then each one is appliqued to complete the look. It was a fair amount of work, but the results were so worth the effort.

I originally bought neon orange pompom trim for this pillow from Fabric Spark, but I wasn’t thinking properly when I ordered, so I didn’t get enough to go around. I could have made the pillow without, but it just wasn’t my vision. Luckily, one of my local stores Overseas Fabrics in the Fraser Valley had some black pompom trim, and the day was saved!

For the back of the pillow, I used an old favourite. These cassettes are the perfect way to personalize a funky item. I used my fabric markers and wrote some mix tape names on some of them. I included “Power Ballads” and “Hot Hot Summer,” they give me a giggle, because I like to be cheesy sometimes. 

The book has plenty of unique projects, each one as fun as the last. I think these tooth pillows are next on my list. I can’t help but smile when I look at them!

You can pick up a copy for yourself from C&T Publishing. I have the ebook version, which is great because I can print out the patterns instead of tracing or photocopying from the pullout. It is really visually appealing though, so a hard copy is also a great choice.

If you like this author’s style (and what’s not to like?!), then you’ll love her temporary tattoos.