I’m talking about sewing monsters on today’s episode of the While She Naps podcast. My guests are Chelsea Bloxsom and Phil Barbato. If you’re an avid softie-maker than these two designers are already on your radar. If you’ve never sewn a toy (and even if you never think you will) this episode has valuable information…
Archives for September 2014
Topsy Turvy Doll Pattern Revamp
I’ve been working on a total overhaul of one of my earliest and best-selling patterns: the topsy turvy doll. I first published this pattern in the summer of 2012. I love topsy turvy dolls and my kids do, too. The wonderful surprise when you flip her over and pull down her skirt… …and there’s someone…
Easy-to-Sew Toys (1944)
I came home from a church rummage sale a few years ago with a stack of 1960’s craft books and tucked inside one of them was this much older pamphlet called “Easy-to-Sew Toys”. It was published in 1944 by Clark’s O.N.T. – J. & P. Coats (the merger of these two companies became the Coats…
Podcast Episode #29: Ame Verso, Content Director for F+W
A few weeks ago I reviewed Mariska Vos-Bolman’s new book, Sew Cute to Cuddle. Through a comment on that post I met Ame Verso, the Content Director for F+W, Mariska’s publisher. Ame acquired Mariska’s book and helped to clarify F+W’s approach to selling individual patterns as PDFs on their own site and on Etsy…
3 Blogs I Love that I Think You Might Like, Too
My mom was here visiting over the weekend. We were chatting about blogging and she asked me a great question. “How do you find blogs?” She’s an avid reader and knowledge seeker and she’d like to find blogs about the things she’s interested in, but isn’t sure where to begin. Typically I stumble across a…
I’m Teaching at Craftcation
I’m really excited to be teaching and speaking at the Craftcation making and business conference this year. At the start of 2014 I set a series of year-long goals for my business. I knew I needed a new website and that was going to be this year’s major financial investment, but for a long time…
Flying Squirrel – A Free Pattern
Each month Mollie Johanson organizes her blog, Wild Olive, around a particular animal. All of her projects, patterns, and printables for the month incorporate that animal motif. I think this is a really brilliant way to blog. A month-long visual theme can help you to brainstorm new ideas (what if I put it on a…
A Need for Modern Judaic Fabrics and Sewing Patterns
My older daughters go to Hebrew School at our synagogue three times a week. They learn to read and speak Hebrew, they learn Jewish prayers and Jewish history, they learn about holidays and about Israel. Most of all, they develop a strong, positive identity as Jewish people. When Hebrew School started up again this fall…
How to Do Weekly Bookkeeping and Why It’s Your Most Powerful Business Tool
When I was a senior in high school we were allowed to take one class pass/fail. I chose math and thank goodness I did. I was really good at school. Straight A’s, Dean’s List, Phi Beta Kappa and all that, but math had started to be my downfall and it was about to get worse….
Enhance Your Lighting With a Sewing Machine LED Light Kit
I sew in a corner of our bedroom where there’s not much natural light. The windows are small and mostly screened by trees. In addition to the overhead lights, I have all sorts of extra lamps set up – one on my desk, another clamped to the ironing board, and another next to the sewing…