Sewing, blogging, and creative business.
I’m very excited to have finished this patchwork Progress Pride Flag quilt. The pattern is by Bobbie Gentili from Geeky Bobbin. All of the fabrics are scraps from my stash.
This was a fun project and the finished quilt is really bright and colorful. As part of this process, I also enjoyed learning more about how the design of the Progress Pride flag came to be.
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 StitchRead More →
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. +++++Read More →
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 difficultRead More →
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 wasRead More →
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!
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). MoreRead More →
Are you ready? The third pattern in the Six Months of Softies club is out! She's Owl Girl by Paloma of Noialand and she's amazing! I've admired Paloma's designs for many months and I was thrilled that she was one of the designers in the club because that meant I'd have a chance to tryRead More →
Wow! We had a lot of entries in the Stuffed Animals giveaway. Thank you all so much! It was great fun to hear what kinds of softies you're interested in designing. We had 159 entries and random number generator chose: #3, Alicia, who said: "so excited about your book coming out — congrats! I'm dreamingRead More →
Have you ever considered writing a craft book? Wondered about the ins and outs of getting a book deal? Been curious about the process of producing the manuscript and working with an editor? On Monday, May 20, I'll be part of a panel discussion with several other craft book authors, and an editor at aRead More →
Today is May 7, 2013, the official release date of my new book, Stuffed Animals: From Concept to Construction! I have been waiting for this day for a very long time. Way back in the spring of 2009 I began dreaming of writing a book that would be a comprehensive guide to designing and sewingRead More →