This is one cute chicken!  I don’t know about you, but tons of my neighbors and friends have chickens now.  It may be that I live in a rural area that is still pretty close to Pittsburgh and lots of people around here love the whole hobby farm thing, but I know that chickens are super popular all over the country, right? So, just in time for those hens to start laying again (and for my sweet neighbors to give me some fresh eggs!), I...

I am far from an embroidery expert but this time of year I feel the calling to make something slow.  It is so pleasant to create something stitch by stitch.  To me, that is the fun of embroidery!  It’s not a race but a commitment to crafting and I love that concept. We have made the journey out to Breckenridge, Colorado again!  This time just for one month.  In fact, we have been here almost 4 weeks already and now only have a few days...

I am so excited about my newest sewing pattern, Seraphina Swan!  Swans are a favorite of mine and to bring this idea to life has been a really fun sewing journey.  The original pattern version has wings made from cotton or felt stacked together.  I love that version since you can mix favorite fabrics and give your personal style to your swan. But I was also interested in making a dressed up version.  I came up with this gorgeous gal with her...

Over on my Youtube channel today I shared a new tutorial to make this cute and fun Picnic Quilt!  I have had a great time collaborating with Organic Cotton Plus to make a few videos and I love how this one turned out!  Scroll down to get the PDF map of the quilt and print if you are here from Youtube This was an easy and fun quilt to make.  I loved ripping the FQs and then using their size to determine the size of the quilt.  It really made it...

The classic bowling bag look great with pockets on the end!  Here are instructions to show you how to add end pockets  and make them look really nice. First, take a piece of fabric, in the same direction as your end piece, that measures 8” wide by 12” long.  Pay attention to fabric direction.Fold in half with wrong sides together so the piece is now 8” wide by 6” high.  Cut a piece of stabilizer (I am using non fusible...

It has taken years for me to find my halloween decor groove.  My kids want to see our house get festive for the holidays and I remember loving halloween stuff when I was a kid too.  But the retail stuff available  can be kinda ugly, right?  And creepy too.  So, here is my compromise!  Still festive and a little spooky, but not over the top. First is my new wreath!  I made this by recovering my spring wreath from this video tutorial.  I simply...

I have been making these pretty necklaces lately.  They are fast and simple!  The tutorial is featured on Sew Mama Sew today.  Head over and see how you can easily make your...

When you make the Lulu Llama sewing pattern, I recommend buying a 1/2 yard cut of faux fur.  (if you go to JoAnn’s you can save more by purchasing only 14” instead of 18!).  Fur is usually 60” wide!  This means your Llama only used HALF of the fur you purchase!  What to do with that other half?  Well, first, you can just make another llama.  But there are also lots of simple and fun project out there for sewing with faux fur....

At the end of this month I am sewing a couple of bags for one of my favorite fabric designers, Kelle Boyd of AnnKelle.  YAY!  She sent me 1 yard of this 108” wide remix yellow daisies which was WAY more than needed to make the bag she requested.   I thought it would be perfect to sew up a cute and summery vacation tote! This version has a twists I wanted to share.  I made the bag just like in the pattern describes but added a flap and...

I really like the dimensions of the day off backpack.  Big enough to carry my things but not so huge that things get lost!  A few weeks ago, before we left for Colorado, I made a winter tote version of the backpack that I love using everyday. I have discovered that a tote is better for me to use everyday than a backpack.  The backpacks I save for special excursions- to the pool, on a hike, etc.  The tote I can use for carrying just my wallet...

If you follow along regularly, you may remember the version of the Make your Getaway Duffle that I made for Elsie back in August.  That version has become very popular and although the original version is a bit quicker, this one is not much more effort and might be fun for you to try if you want to change up the look of the classic Gingercake duffle pattern. I did not include the shoulder strap (like on the bag that Elsie has) in this tutorial...

I am over at Sew mama Sew today with a tutorial to make these awesome scrap busting floor pillows.  Head over and get the...

Do you remember that cute Day Out Purse I made for Sew Mama Sew last year?  They were an extra project from Sewing to Sell that I was able to share.  I made some for the holiday craft shows I did back in November and Decmeber 2015. They were fun and quick to make.  Since they are 6” x 7”, you can use some of those bright and colorful FQs you have laying around.  Also- it’s a great chance to use up some of those trims you have...

Are you ready to MASH??  I might like this version the best.  It is a combo of the adult size and kid size to create this fun and trendy boxy backpack.  It is the adult size, with the (included in the pattern) adult size boxy base, the adult zipper pocket, and the kid size flap and snapped sides.  I love it! Thank you so much to my lovely friend Moira for being my model this time.  You would never know that while we were taking these photos,...

Ever since I made the Quick and Cool Grocery tote video a few month ago, I have been hoping to create another one.  My wonderful and talented helper, Christian Heilman, made the first video for me.  With a little of his guidance over the phone and email, I managed to create another one over the last week. Making this was a new challenge for me.  I recorded the introduction about 25 times and I still feel like I look strange and...

Hello friends.  I realize it’s been a long time since I shared things I sew for my family here. As many bloggers have noted, with social media, sometimes blog posts about simple things sewn never get blogged about anymore.  I have every intention of sharing these simple projects on my blog, but then the task of perfect photography and lack of time always gets in my way.  So, today, I am going to play catch-up (with iphone photos!) and...

I have been doing this handmade business for 6 years almost.  Six years full of creating and learning and success and failure.  What brought me to sewing was all the wonderful creative and useful things I could make- dolls for my kids, pillows for my sofa, hotpads for my kitchen, handbags for my friends.  I LOVE making useful and beautiful things.  It is the essential hook of sewing for creative and PRACTICAL people like me.  It’s true!...

I have no idea why I never made this bag way before!    Once I figured out how to add the zipper, I realized that with some practice, this can be a method that is a lot faster and creates a nicer bag (in my opinion!) than the tab closure! The key to making this really easy is to use a nice long zipper.  I buy 20” zippers at zippit.etsy.com.  They are inexpensive and come in adorable colors.  I wanted to be able to open the bag all the way...

  When I first created the Love Your Lunch Box my oldest was just beginning Kindergarten (she is now going into 5th grade).  It was just the right size for her lunch but now this classic and popular Gingercake pattern needs to grow up a little just like my little kid has become a big kid (forgive me a moment while I cry a little).  Big kids eat bigger lunches! So here are the optional improvements~First, I’ll give you the new sizes....

Everytime I go in for a class party, I am so grateful and amazed at the job that elementary school teachers accomplish everyday.  When you do the craft at these parties, you wonder how these women and men get anything done!  The kids are fun and awesome but the range in their ability to listen and understand is pretty broad- even on a super simple craft like the one I am about to share with you.  Teachers, I salute you yet...