Tag Archives: keyka lou

My infomercial for the week

Posted on January 17, 2012 by SewTara| 1 Comment

Usually I’m a tad behind in my Google reader, and I end up missing some fun sale, or giveaway or contest or something. But it was my lucky day when I was on Twitter and saw Keyka Lou say she was having a sample sale for a laptop sleeve.

Now I already own most of her patterns, but I didn’t have a laptop sleeve and could totally make myself one, but this fabric was cute and it’s made by someone I admire so much. Of course I had to buy it!

The photos are Michelle’s, they’re way better than I can take right now in the scantily lit Canadian winter.

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Productive procrastination

Posted on December 13, 2011 by SewTara| 4 Comments

The other night while I was avoiding some of the things I really should have been doing I decided to sew this little guy up. It’s one of Keyka Lou‘s free tutorials. I know I go on about her patterns a lot but I’m totally smitten with them and they’re fun, easy and lovely!

Here’s my Moleskine cover, it’s full of mushroomy goodness.

I even made use of one of my SewTara buttons for the first time. Just in case anyone isn’t sure who’s ideas are inside the little notebook in my purse, now they’ll know!

Get your own personalized buttons here.

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Posted in DIY, sewing

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Create Along Friday

Posted on November 4, 2011 by SewTara| 1 Comment

Okie so here’s my cute little zip pocket pouch.

I’m proud of it for many reasons.

1. it’s made entirely of scraps from my ever growing pile.

2. it’s the 7th Keyka Lou pattern I’ve made (I have more of her PDFs, untouched)

3. did I mention I got to use some scraps

 

I love Michelle’s patterns.  Not only are the designs really nice but the patterns are clear and simple to follow and I usually learn something new.  She’s got great sewing tips on her blog and all sorts of little tricks to make finishing touches easy.

Please let me know if you played along, and I’m sure she’s appreciate if you added your photo to her Flickr group.

Next up!

See Kate Sew is doing this great sweet scalloped tote sew along and so I figured I’d join in and let you know about it too. Plus it’s a free pattern and tutorial! She’s also following it up with a linky party so if you get yours done by the 15th you can even link up on her blog!

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Bartering fun

Posted on May 12, 2011 by SewTara| 2 Comments

I had the pleasure of meeting Celine of Blue Calla at a Mommy’s night out thing a while back.  With my pathetic willpower and purse/tote/bag addiction I wasn’t able to walk out without one of her items.  She touches on so many of my favourite things like beautiful fabrics and Keyka Lou patterns.  She also makes her own creations that are fantastically made and lovely to behold. Here’s the bag I bought.

Recently she attempted the ditty bag and wasn’t so sure about how it would be received.  I offered to take this cute little one off her hands.  We ended up working out a barter.  Shortly after my fun little ditty bag arrived.


I’ve done a few barters before, they work out really well at craft shows, especially since you can do more than one and walk away with *all* your earnings.  So check out Blue Calla’s shop, new blog and Facebook.  You might see something you like!

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Pattern tested!

Posted on February 9, 2011 by SewTara| 2 Comments

Well guess that titles gives it all away . . . I tested a pattern.

I signed up on I Think Sew and then when I was contacted the lovely Sue asked me if I’d make . . . . A TOTE BAG!!!  Yipee!!

I used the vintage fabric that Keyka Lou mentioned, I have a problem buying the cute fabrics she mentions.  For the lining I just grabbed something from my stash.  There’s a little metal clasp on the inside and it’s a really nice big roomy bag.  I’ve been using it since.

I also own this fun pattern and have been carrying around the PDF on my ipad searching for just the right fabric.

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Posted in sewing, vintage

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Bucket bag finally done!

Posted on January 5, 2011 by SewTara| 4 Comments

Woohoo!!! Months, I’m ashamed to say, after cutting this all out it’s finally done!!

I also shamelessly tracked down the exact fabric Keyka Lou used in her photos, but look how lovely they are paired together!  Can you blame me?

It’s Robert Kaufman’s Dill Blossom and I cheated and just used some red with white polka dot stuff I had lying around.

I had some wonkiness issues when piecing the lining together with the exterior. I fear I’m not a very precise and exact kind of crafter. But a quick email helped clear up the problem and I’m so happy with the finished bag.

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Wishlist

Posted on December 16, 2010 by SewTara| 1 Comment

Wow, I’m swamped!! I’ve got a bunch of *must* ship items still to get on the way.  Then I have some things to make for friends and people I can see in person, I suppose my weekend tasks.  I changed things up a bit and spent some time Saturday night organizing my craft space in an effort to tidy up our basement, something I know regret since I’m behind on my other TO DOs now.  Note to self – holiday rush is crazy!

Here are some glimpses of things I have accomplished these past few days,

My growing collection of Keyka Lou keychain pouches, well and other pouches.  Plus a cute little donut ornament I was given as a trade for a scrappy pincushion and a crocheted hair clip from my Camp craft swap.

Collection of fun things including some handmade wooden buttons I also picked up at the craft show on the weekend.  I found this GINORMOUS roll of baker’s twine at Crate and Barrel!! I’ve been looking all over for this stuff and short of ordering it on Etsy, haven’t been able to locate any.  This is over 700 meters and it was only $9.99!! Score!

I’ll be glad when this week is over!  Hope you’re all having a productive gear up to the holidays!

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I made some pouches . . .

Posted on November 23, 2010 by SewTara| 1 Comment

just a few.

It’s getting closer to my craft sale on Saturday and so I’m continuing my campaign of avoiding the work I *have* to do and choosing to do other things (still productive things but just messing with the priorities).  With the help of my friend Tabatha, who managed to figure out how to make these cute little pouches with the hole on the inside, the slip stitching doesn’t show as much!  Turns out I’m not very good at that step, despite Keyka Lou’s wonderful tips on how to do it. Instead I went on a mission to try and hide it on the inside.

I’ve also got some orders to fill from the weekend. Usually I like to create everything all weekend and ship on Monday but I was feeling a little under the weather over the weekend and the orders were steady so I’ve got a little ‘to do’ pile now!

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Blown up clutch!

Posted on August 30, 2010 by SewTara| 2 Comments

Somehow I manged to squeeze making this little gem into my life in the past few days.  Probably because it was already all cut out I just had to do the sewing to assemble it.  I used Keyka Lou’s clutch pattern, which I’ve already made a few times but I enlarged it, about 125% I think.  I find the original size is more wallet like so I was looking to make something that would function as a purse for me.

The problem with having a bit of a bag/tote/purse fetish is that each time I make one intending to sell it I really just want to keep it for myself!

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Have a bad day? Make yourself a bag, it helps!

Posted on August 28, 2010 by SewTara| 2 Comments

So I’ve been working on Keyka Lou‘s bracelet bag in a little sew along with my friend.  We only get to it every second Tuesday when we have our night in at my house and we have the kids.  Needless to say we don’t get much sewing done until about 8pm and by then it’s almost time for her to leave.  So this week I had a bad day and in a grumpy moment I decided to just finish my bag to cheer my myself up.  It worked wonders!

I used this cute little button because it looks like the inside of a tree and I figured it went well with the fabric.  I *think* it’s a Heidi Grace print but I’m not sure, can’t seem to find it to prove that, but I’m pretty sure I got it at Joann’s.  It’s a great size, there’s a inside and outside pocket.  I added a button hole to my outside pocket, which was a fantastically easy thing to do with my Babylock!!  I just may have to post a video of that so everyone can marvel, it was insanely easy.

The bag is also awesome for hanging on your wrist so you can still have 2 hands, hence the name bracelet bag.  I tried to take a photo of that in action but I was alone and dashing outside for a minute away from the kids so it’s not the best shot but you get the idea.

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