I'm very excited today because the Emma the Doll pattern is officially released! Hooray! I've made more than two dozen patterns since turning in my book manuscript last year and I have to say, this one is my favorite. I knew I wanted to design a doll and started to think carefully about what kind…
New Pattern: Emma Doll
Say hello to Emma and her best friend, Emma! I’m sewing a third Emma today. My new doll pattern will be released next week and I really hope you like her. She’s fleece and entirely machine sewn so she’s not only cute and stylish, but she’s also durable and machine washable. It’s good that we…
How to Pin Softie Pieces Together
I love pins. Pins are like tiny fingers that never get tired. If you pin properly you can seam together any two pieces of fabric easily and neatly and create almost any kind of three-dimensional softie shape. Yes, pinning is tedious at times, but it’s this sort of preparatory work that makes sewing projects succeed….
How to Tell Which Side of Fleece is the Right Side
First, happy 4th of July to you! We went to the Needham parade this morning. Our eldest daughter, Roxanne, is away at sleep away camp for a month. This is the first time she isn’t with us on the 4th of July, one of her favorite holidays. She’s very patriotic. The little girls were excited…
Flower Power Rattle Pattern and Stuffing Forks
I have a new pattern out today: the Flower Power Rattle. This is a soft, easy-to-hold toy with crinkly petals and a gentle rattle sound, perfect for a new baby gift. And it's a quick-sew pattern that you can make, start to finish, in under two hours. Josephine was pretending to plant, pick, and smell…
Stuffed Animals Goes to Press Again
I just wanted to pop in briefly today to share some good news. My editor at Lark, Thom O'Hearn, emailed me this morning to tell me that my newest book, Stuffed Animals, is going to press for a second printing! I don't know all that much about how these things work, but according to Thom…
How To Make a Tiny Felt Bunting
When you make tiny things, you need tiny props for your photo shoots. A colorful bunting adds a cheerful party-like feeling to a photo and it’s an easy prop to make yourself. You’ll need: All-purpose thread Felt scraps in five bright colors (I buy wool-blend felt here) Freezer paper and a pencil OR cardboard and…
How to Shop for Sewing Supplies at Thrift Stores and Rummage Sales
I’ve stocked much of my sewing studio from local thrift stores and rummage sales. Reusing materials you find secondhand is eco-friendly and usually much cheaper than buying new. Here are my best tips for a successful shopping trip to the resale shop: 1. Don’t buy thread. Thread becomes brittle over time. Old thread will fray…
Pattern Updates
I'm working my way through my older patterns to bring them up to my current style. This means I'm sewing new samples, taking some new photos, adding additional links to helpful blog posts, and generally polishing each one until it's shiny and new. Darcy the Dachshund PDF Sewing Pattern I worked on sewing all new…
Selecting Fabrics for Sewing Softies
I love sewing softies. I love that softies are quick to make and are a great first sewing project if you’re just getting comfortable with a sewing machine. Ducky Rattle made from my Animal Rattles pattern I love that at the end of each project I have a little creature on my desk looking up…
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