Craft Show.

I'm doing my first craft show in April, and because I have no idea how long it will take me to sew up all the things I want to sell I've started getting ready. I've had dismal luck with this kind of thing in the past; while other people have amazing skills selling at yard sales and the like I have had none, a lot of work for a total of five dollars.

This is what my sewing room looked like this morning. EAK!

I'm hoping this experience is different. One strategy I have is to try and keep the prices of things really low. In order to do this I'm putting a couple of methods into effect to cut down on time and cost. The fist thing I did was to gather as much fabric from my stash as possible and to inventory things like zippers, and bias tape. Then I washed all my fabrics so they would be ready, and sorted it into piles. One pile for bibs, one pile for change purses, one pile for collapsable grocery bags and one pile for messenger bags.

After that I started cutting. I put on something from Netflix I could watch but not really pay attention to in order to help the process along (in my case Star Trek the Next Generation reruns), podcasts would also work well for this step. I cut all the pieces to the change purses and then put those pieces along with zippers into a ziplock storage bag, to keep it all together. Then I cut out all the pieces to the messenger bags and piled them up together (I still have more cutting to do for bibs and grocery bags) the key is to cut all of the same thing at the same time to streamline the process.

Zone 1 from left to right: Bib fabric pile along with bias tape,
pieces to change purses all cut in a bag with the zippers,
paint chips and paper for paint chip notebooks.

Zone two: fabric for collapsable grocery bags, not yet cut,
Pieces to messenger bags, cut, with interfacing applied, half finished.

Next I ironed on all the interfacing to all the pieces of the messenger bags. Then I sewed all the pockets for the messenger bags, then all the flaps, then the outsides, then the insides... you see where I'm going. You do the same step over and over until it's done (I got really fast at pockets).

Then I walked into my sewing room one morning and discovered that all the cutting and trimming and sewing had led to a sewing room covered in string, scraps and well I'm not even sure what that is... So I cleaned it. I made sure everything was back in it's appropriate pile. Nothing worse then working on a project and not being able to find that one piece because it's under a pile of unrelated things. Now my room is bright and clean and I can clearly see what I've already finished, what I need to finish and what I still need to start.

After: with everything in it's place and a clean floor for cutting space and
space to walk.

In case you need some inspiration to get your hands dirty and dig in to all those projects here's a playlist. The first two songs are to inspire you and the rest are to keep you working hard!

Have you had any luck making money at craft shows? We'd love to know your tips and tricks.
Happy Sewing
Love,
Jessie and Sue

Reader Wrap

I got a Kindle for Christmas. It's a great present for a reader but a terrible present for a klutz. I'm both those things. And after an epic candle disaster which ended with a pool of wax all over the night stand and floor (we're talking a lake sized amount) and a tiny bit on my new reader I decided I needed a cover. I finished the reader cover today, though I might go back and clean up the bias binding, it's not as perfect as I'd like but I'll get to that.

You can buy the pattern HERE or in store.

I used the Atkinson Designs pattern ATK-156 Reader wrap. I really like this pattern it uses three fat quarters and some heavy duty pel tex.  Did you know that we sell all our fat quarters for $3! It's so much easier to splurge of fancy moda fabrics when it's only three dollars. The notions I used were in my stash so this reader ended up costing me only $9, take that Amazon!

The book you see on my Kindle is one of the best books I've read
in a long time. "My Mother's Chamomile" by Susie Finkbeinger
you can check it out on Amazon if your interested.

Love the extra pocket and the charger hole.

 My paper white is a bit smaller then the readers used for this pattern so I took a little off the height (about an inch). I wish that I'd also taken a little off the width, maybe 1/5 inch on both sides. The directions were really easy to follow until it came to the last step which was the binding. I felt like their binding was too wide, it actually covered the hole left for the charger. If I was doing this again I would make bias tape with my tape maker and apply it like that. I had such a hard time I ended up putting it on by hand (which is not my favorite method of sewing). Other then the binding I really think this pattern is great, super simple and I really like the look of it.

I just love birds!

I used the following fabrics: Sweet Serenade from Moda (available in store) , Curio 30275-11, and Tula Pink from Moda's Hushabye collection (also available in store). I thought I was grabbing all non-moda fabrics, on purpose because I use so much of theirs but I guess you like what you like...

Like the quilt? It's the Hippy Hippy Shake quilt and we've got kits available and I think there's some of the Curio in there. And finally, don't forget Gertie's block of the month. Aren't they too cute?

Well my dears it looks as if Spring could possibly maybe be on it's way. I do hope so!

Happy Sewing,

Love

Jessie and Sue.

Sewing For Spring

Now that Valentine's is over and we're still left with piles of grey snow I find that my yearnings for spring are stronger then ever. The only thing that seems to be helping is planning projects for spring and summer and dreaming of leaves on the trees. It's so bad that I had a dream I was in Disney World but couldn't get out of my hotel room into the sunshine.

A new collection Bartholo-meow, we've even gotten it in the precut -slice.

We've gotten in lots of spring time fabrics. Bright colors and dreamy patterns. We've gotten in several precuts of April showers, Color Me Happy, Story Book, Bartholo-meow and Mirabelle which reminds me of an english garden. Oh how I long for a warm stroll through an english garden. Maybe wearing a new blouse made from a floral liberty type cotton...

We also put a new kit online. If your in the mood for homegrown tomatoes, this is the kit for you. A giant tomato "pincushion" it's really a large pillow or cushion and is so very soft made from red minky.

Click HERE to see the pattern kit details.

We've been selling our Oliver + S children patterns and they're still on sale for $13. If your in the mood to sew little summer rompers and sand box clothes these are the patterns your looking for. Honestly they had me with their cute packaging!

So many cute children's patterns.
They're going fast Click HERE to see which
ones are still in stock.

I hope your keeping from going stir crazy this last bit of winter. Spring is on it's way and at the very least we can have:

Happy Sewing!

Love,

Jessie and Sue.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I actually used the sewing machine to make those paint chip notebooks.
Heart Valentine's for school. A monster change purse for my boys.

Happy Valentine's Day readers! Well Friday anyway. I hope your filled with hearts and sparkles and pink glitter... Or if that's too much for you I just hope your surrounded by love and bits of fabric. I've sewn my way through the month and have enjoyed every bit of it. I'm looking forward to time with my son at his school tomorrow and then a nice dinner out with my husband.

Something like this but not exactly this. I just have
a vision for what I want this anniversary outfit to look
like we'll see if it comes true.

The only thing I wish is that I'd sewn up something new to wear on my date but since time is, as always, limited I've decided that as soon as this holiday is over I'm going to start designing an anniversary outfit! I actually started thinking about it last night and my mind wouldn't turn off! Does that ever happen to you? I couldn't even fall asleep because I was thinking "I wonder if I made a pencil skirt out of knit if that would work? It would be cool enough for June and Oh I could use that flowy fabric from my stash to do a blouse..." Then I couldn't fall asleep!

Find the fabric HERE.

New fabrics from Free Spirit in the store. Very old fashioned and classy looking don't you think? I really like the "Twill Bouquet". I like these colors too, but then blues always speak to me. Find the fabrics in store or HERE.

For you're Valentine's sewing pleasure is a jazzy love song playlist. The last song was the song my (Jessie) husband and I danced to at our wedding, so you know I had to include it! Have a lovely Weekend!

Happy Sewing
Love,
Jessie and Sue.

Valentine's Pajamas.

Happy February! It's hard to believe that we're already entering the second month of the year, though any day that get's us closer to spring is a good day for me. We are now fully entering Valentine's season which is one of my personal favorites. It seems to be the only time you can mix red and pink (which I love) and wear glitter with reckless abandon.

Kwik Sew 3595. Love the back of View B.

 We have some very Valentinesy fabric in store and what's better for the 14th then a new pair of pajamas for myself? I used pattern 3595 from Kwik Sew (we have a limited number in store if your interested.) I love the back of view B, but since I have two sons and am always cold I thought it might be less then practical... still I wouldn't mind making another pair for summer and it's just so girly... There were some really great positives for this pattern, for instance you end up with no exposed seams in the yoke, which I thought was genius and it went together really easily. I made these in one day. However, I followed the pattern measurements which put me at a large on top and an extra large on the bottom. I could have easily gone down one size for both! I don't understand why commercial patterns build so much ease into their patterns it drives me crazy. So keep that in mind, especially if your in-between sizes I'd go with the smaller. I'm not too upset though, because they'll be really comfy for summer especially after a full day at the beach with sun burned skin. The second thing I'd caution is it only gives you a 1/4'' seam allowance (which wouldn't matter in the yoke) and I like to do french seams especially on jammies and because I don't have a serger, I just added 1/4'' when I traced the pattern.

These ended up reminding me of an old tiny
swim suit! Fabric HERE.

Abbi Hal ABC Menagerie

We've also gotten a lot of new fabrics in store. Lots of grunge, Moda, and Kaffe! All online and in the store. I'm in love with Abi Hall's new ABC fabric, it's so cute!! Almost makes me want another baby... almost.

Grunge

                                   

Kaffe!

Happy Sewing,

Love,

Jessie and Sue.