As a kid when I needed to transport small toys out to the back yard, I would place them in the center of a bandanna and tie the opposite corners together. I thought it was the perfect little tote and even used it high school (and beyond) as a purse. The bento bag is a sort […] Read more…
A Baby Quilt; Made With Love From Scraps
I love it when things come together. And I really love it when they come together in an easy manner like this baby quilt I just finished for my cousin’s grandchild. This cousin wasn’t in my life much but her daughter made a special connection with my son when he was young and […] Read more…
How to Make Cloth Napkins
The following video was made in 2013 but never put up on the site. We have always used cloth napkins, at first it was to save money, now it just seems, well, why not?. I stopped buying already made cloth napkins when I couldn’t find them in 100% cotton in the colors I wanted or […] Read more…
Tutorial Review: Noodlehead’s Open Wide Zippered Pouch
After seeing these pouches on Pinterest over and over again, and on a quest to use up the little cuts of fabric in my stash, I decided to try out Noodlehead’s Open Wide Zippered Pouch tutorial. (No, wait. Cut to reality – It wasn’t as organized and leisurely as that sounds. It was a last […] Read more…
Reconstructing Garments; What, Why and How
How many clothes do you have in your closet right now? If you’re typical you would say your closet is too small for all your clothes. Did you know we consume 60% more clothes annually than we did even 10 years ago? It’s the era of disposable clothing. Worn today, trashed tomorrow. When garments […] Read more…
Sewing Book and Pattern Review : Lotta Jansdotter Everyday Style & it’s Kiomi Top Pattern
Since I first saw an article about her in Sunset Magazine (in the mid 1990s) I have admired Lotta Jansdotter’s work. So no surprise that I really like her new book, Lotta Jansdotter Everyday Style; Key Pieces to Sew. Yes, it has patterns, and yes that’s the first thing I noticed and yes, those nine patterns, for […] Read more…
Sew a Mat for Your Pet’s Bowls
My dog is a messy eater and sloppy drinker. He will put his head up, open his mouth wide and let whatever food or water that was in his mouth just fall out. Did he forget he was eating? Did something distract him? “Quick,” he thinks, “dump this stuff, maybe she’ll think she hasn’t feed me yet and […] Read more…
How to Turn a Too Tight Shirt Into a Swingy Top
I have a basic shirt that I bought it in a department store. I really like the fabric it is made up in, a soft navy chambray. I don’t like that the chest pockets screamed “look at my breast” so I only wear it under sweaters. I put it on a couple of weeks ago and noticed […] Read more…
How to Gather Fabric
Gathers are small soft folds made by drawing fabric up on a line of hand or machine stitching. Gathers give a softness and fullness to garments and is a way to release a lot of fabric from a tighter area to a fuller area; for example a full skirt on a fitted waistband or yoke, a […] Read more…
A Line Skirt: You Sew Girl! Pattern Review
You Sew Girl! patterns by Nicole Mallalieu are all about teaching you skills while you make something you can be proud of. Although the bulk of You Sew Girl! patterns are for handbags they do offer a few garment patterns and it’s their A-Line Skirt pattern I’m currently in love with. Style details: This A-line skirt […] Read more…