I've always wanted to be good at embroidery. It's sewing that's portable. How appealing! I've tried many times over the years, but I was never really sure how to transfer the patterns to my fabric. Am I supposed to trace this with a pencil or a pen or what? And then once I started, my…
How to Recruit, Manage, and Get the Most Out of Pattern Testers
It’s Sunday afternoon and you’ve got a few hours to yourself. You decide to finally tackle that handbag pattern you bought a few months ago. The fabric has been stacked up in a corner, waiting for you to get to it and today is the day. An hour or so in, though, you get tripped…
3 Interesting Soft Toy Books from the 1980’s
I collect vintage soft toy books. I have about two dozen titles and I acquire new ones when I find them. A new-to-me softie book is like a new-to-me sewing blog. First I spend some time doing background research. Who is this author and how did she get into designing toys? Then I read the…
Book Review – Sewing School 2: Lessons in Machine Sewing
Sometimes a single image can have a transformative effect on your life. At least it can on mine. My older daughters are now 7 and 9-years-old. They are aware of what I do, that I sew and write books and write a blog. They come into the studio while I’m working and ask, “Can I…
Why You Should Create Projects for Magazines
I have a pattern in the newest issue of Sew-It Today magazine. This pattern is three little easy-to-sew felt animals: a bear, a bunny, and a kitty. This issue hits newsstands next week and I’m super excited that my project is on the cover! I like Sew-It Today because it gets down to business…
Reflecting on What Makes Designs Sell
I have a pattern in issue 29 of Mollie Makes. It’s a punk and pretty topsy turvy doll (I call them Roxy and Rachel). The idea for this doll came from the magazine’s editor and it was fun to have an assignment. I spent some hours studying British punk girls and the fabrics they wear,…
Applying Concepts from Contagious by Jonah Berger to Creative Businesses: Making the Private Public
This is the second in a series I’m writing about Contagious: Why Things Catch On, by Jonah Berger. This book is truly excellent, steeped in research and yet easy to understand. I recommend getting a copy. In these posts I’m working to apply the theories in Contagious to creative businesses. You can read the first…
Applying Concepts from Contagious by Jonah Berger to Creative Businesses: The Power of Emotion
It’s gotten really crowded in here. Lots of people are talking about the same thing and they’re talking all at once. How can we possibly sift through the noise and find the best stuff when this sea of craft content is constantly rushing past? If you run an online business, like I do, this is…
Do You Need an Agent to Publish a Craft Book?: A Chat with Kate McKean
Do you have a book in you? If you think you might like to write a craft book, all sorts of questions begin to pop up in your mind. What’s the first step? How do you write a proposal? What kinds of ideas are appealing to publishers? Will you need an agent? I know…
Book Review: Flip Dolls and Other Toys
“That’s so clever!” If you hear this remark when you show someone what you’ve made you know you’ve done it right. We are drawn to things that are designed with an element of surprise. Think about some of the evergreen toy designs, like the jack-in-the-box. No matter how old you are, you’re going to smile…
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