Look who's coming! I'd like to introduce you to Stella the Owl. Stella is made from a single fat quarter of quilting cotton, plus some scraps of accent fabric. It's so fun to pair prints for her wings and body, then choose another for her feet. I made three owls, but I could keep going…
Archives for May 2013
A Tribute to Kathreen Ricketson
I’ve been so saddened in recent days by the sudden death of Kathreen Ricketson, founder of WhipUp. If you haven’t heard what happened, here is the news story. Kathreen was a mother, a crafter, a leader in the online craft world. She was a forward thinker, a collaborator, and a unique voice. If you want…
Party Origami by Jessica Okui
Before I found sewing, I was really into origami. I think something about making three-dimensional shapes from a flat piece of paper has always appealed to me. Back in 2002 when we got married I folded 145 origami irises to use as placecards at our wedding. And when I taught middle school I held an…
Is Secrecy Necessary to Sell Craft Books?
On Monday evening I spoke on a panel at a bookstore in Boston with two other craft book authors and an editor from a craft publisher. We talked about how to write a book proposal, we discussed what editors are looking for, and we shared our experiences writing and marketing craft books. It was…
Benji the Bumblebee: A New Pattern
I've got a brand new pattern in my shop today! I'd like to introduce you to Benji the Bumblebee. I designed this guy in the middle of a very long, cold New England winter. His bright smiling face cheered me up while we waited for green grass and longer days. I made Benji for Stitch…
Awesome Handmade Toys: Jess Quinn
The post is part of an occasional series called "Awesome Handmade Toys." These posts feature toy makers whose work I think is particularly fresh and inventive. You can see previous posts in the series here. I also pin toys to my Inspiring Softies pinboard on a regular basis if you're looking for more inspiration. +++++…
Twitter and Your Creative Business
For a long time I didn't understand what Twitter was all about. What could you say in 140 characters that was worth my time? I just couldn't figure out what Twitter was for. Would I enjoy it or just find it to be a waste of time? Although at first I found Twitter difficult…
9 Reasons Why You Should Have a Blog
Want to see something embarrassing? Here’s the first post I ever wrote on my blog: Oh my goodness. Housewife? My head is now on my desk. But there’s something to celebrate here, too. The date. That was eight years and 1,065 posts ago. I’m still here regularly writing in this space. Starting a blog was…
Penguin and Egg Reversible Toy!
Guess what I've been working on? Something is about to hatch. Hmmm…Could it be a baby penguin? Yep! Hello little guy. The pattern for this penguin and egg reversible toy will be ready soon… +++++ UPDATE! The Penguin and Egg Reversible Toy pattern is now in my shop! Thanks everyone!
Forecasting the Future of Craft Publishing
In early 2005 I became a craft publisher by starting a craft blog. Between then and now I’ve watched the industry change in radical ways. Favorite magazines folded (remember Adorn? Domino? Now Stitch Craft Create is no more). Big companies bought out smaller, craft-exclusive publishing houses (most recently F+W bought my former publisher, Interweave). More…