Tag Archives: patterns

Oooh another pretty pattern and it’s on sale!

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It’s no secret I love Michelle’s Patterns and she’s got a fun new one out and it’s on sale for the weekend! It’s the Peony Pen Pouch and I love the details, especially on the bottom.
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Since I’m off work for another week and a bit I’m going to actual make this thing!
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I heart Michelle Patterns.

I don’t have enough words to express how much I love this woman’s work and how she has inspired me in my own crafty business.  Her patterns were the first ones I started to learn to sew with and the first items I began to make for selling.  My creative bucket list includes things like design fabric and make my own PDF patterns and I’m happy to have bumped into this wonderful lady along the way.

Whenever someone asks me how I learned to sew I tell them I just started doing it, eventually with simple patterns and those pattern’s are Michelle’s.  Soooo if you’ve been putting off learning to sew, or want to make a something pretty quick and easy or just something new because you’re already a sewing master these patterns are for you!

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She has a sale going on right now!
She also has a pay what you want section in her shop where you can choose what you’d like to pay.

Seamwork

Well I’ve been experimenting with making my own clothing over the summer and I think I’m improving.  I’ve got a few patterns that I’m refining to get just the right fit and then I can forge ahead making even more.

While bouncing around the interwebs the other night I fell back onto Seamwork, where I’ve been before, and decided to sign up. It’s only $6 a month and each month you get to download 2 patterns to your library, which is much more than the cost of the subscription if you were to buy them.  Plus you get a bonus pattern for free.

I already owned one of their patterns (have yet to sew it up) and I picked my 2 more already.   I chose these lovelies.

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Can’t wait to get sewing!!

 

Now that I can walk into a ‘normal’ clothing store and shop

I’ve decided to try making my own clothes again!

I’ve only made a shirt and some skirts (one, two) so far. The shirt was a disaster, hence the lack of proof about it’s existence. I tackled this pattern but I think, while I picked the size listed for my measurements at the time, I should have made a size smaller. I made view A but it was icky once done. So not flattering for me. And somehow the neck hole part was much smaller than the shirt part . . . it didn’t go well.

The other day during a pattern sale at Fabricland I went a little crazy and picked these ones up.

Its the pink one at the bottom in the middle that got me on that pattern.

I doubt why these dresses are awesome needs an explanation!

I also picked up a skirt pattern that I can’t seem to find the picture for right now. I tried to photograph them this afternoon but it was a really grey day here and my camera battery was dead.

I still have some Lisette patterns I’ve been dying to try. I think as school winds up and I have more free time to create I’m going to be fleshing out my wardrobe with some handmade creations. Which is good because after losing 55 pounds I’ve been purging my closet a whole lot!

If you’re sick of hearing about these look away now.

I’ll forgive you.

Yeah more scrappy wallets. I love Michelle Patterns, perhaps you’ve noticed. I want to grow up and be like her. I keep collecting PDF patterns and trying them all out in an effort to better understand them and how they work so that someday, someday, I can create my own from all these sketches I just keep accumulating.

I just need some time to research it all and get going on it. Michelle Patterns has this great resource for heading in that direction. It’s an ebook/document sharing some of her knowledge from years of selling PDF patterns online.

Description from her site:

• What the pattern user needs
• Basic overview of the pattern making process
• General photo info – test photos, file formats, etc.
• General info about the pattern pieces – margin guide, text to include, etc.
• Setting up and saving a template so your document will be ready for future patterns
• Tips for writing the instructions – style, voice, font considerations, etc.
• Inserting the instruction images
• Inserting, testing, and troubleshooting the pattern pieces (the hardest part!)
• Exporting to pdf
• Testing the pattern
• Lots of tips from my own experience!

I love that she supports other women in starting their own business by letting you make and sell items from her patterns. I don’t always intend to do that with what I make but it’s nice to know you can if you’d like. Also now that she’s branching out and sharing tips on how to *make* your own that’s even more awesome. She’s also selling patterns made by other people in her online shop now so if you’re ahead of me and making your own PDF patterns already that’s something you might want to explore for some more exposure.

I recently bought the Idea Pouch and can’t wait to make one and store my iPad, stylus, little notebook some markers in it.

Free patterns!

I’ve written about I Think Sew before, and I plan to again, but I just wanted to point out that not only do they have really great patterns they also give many away for free. Right now there’s a pile of them just free for the taking. Like these pouches!

And this tote! Oh my weakness for totes . . .

The ones you can purchase are also really reasonably priced.

I plan on making this next for my Create Along, provided I can muscle up enough hexies that is!

Friday Create Along

Woohoo, I’m finally done the messenger bag!! Well . . . one of them at least!
I was zipping along all fine and good when I realised I may have done thing wrong with Wesley’s bag. So I laid it aside and started in on Nate’s to discover where I’d messed up. I found out, finished Nate’s, spent some quality time with Mr Stitchripper and Wesley’s bag and then I sort of wandered off to do something fun. Yeah I’m like that.

I’ll get Wesley’s done this weekend, Nate loves his. I used the same Japanese fabric I used when I made his little back pack so he likes it since it’s a bag “like Mommy and Daddy’s” but still like the little backpack he really likes.

I suppose I’ll get a double action shot too.

Next up is this Flores Clutch from I Think Sew. I’ve wanted to make it for a while and have owned the pattern for ages so I think I’ll set to it now! Take a peek around the shop, there’s some lovely PDF patterns there and they’re really affordable and delivered by email!

It’s a busy last week of school, lots of celebrations, parties and cleaning up but I’ll sneak in some sewing time.

Friday Create Along

Whew. Ok so here’s my completed NapKitten hamburger wallet thingie. (honestly, I talk like that, meet me I’ll prove it)

It’s cute, but it’s also ridiculously wonky. I had a hard time with this one. I’ve completed 3 NapKitten patterns and I love them all. The wallet was just involved, the phone pouch is super easy and fun, and this . . . I’m not sure what I did but it’s embarassingly crooked and made. I think I choose thick fabrics and because of that I should have bypassed the fleece inside. I might get brave and try another.

The two zippers were interesting to work with, and the assembly is interesting. I, as usual, didn’t read the instructions all the way before starting and the whole time I was thinking “it looks all unfinished inside, how’s it going to get all pretty in there?” then I saw you have to cover it all with bias tape that you make yourself. Bias tape is sort of my nemesis. So for now it’s pretty thready in there.

I’m not done my Keyka Lou camera pouch, which is sad because I have a 9am flight to NYC and I was hoping to pack and pad my camera but oh well. Life sort of got in the way of sewing this week! Silly life. There’s always next week.

Blue Calla

I had the pleasure of meeting Celine of Blue Calla a while back at a local event. She makes these beautiful bags and purses so of course I nearly trampled people to get over to her booth. And not surprisingly, I made a purchase.

She uses absolutely fantastic fabrics for her projects and often she uses Keyka Lou patterns *currently on sale*, which I also have a soft spot for. Honestly, she’s after my heart!

Here are some of my favs from her shop. Click images to go to listings.

And in her not a purse or bag category she has some amazing items, like these.

When you’re crafty it’s easy to look at things and think “I can make that” and with many of Blue Calla’s items I actually *can* make it as I have the pattern too, but I still drool over her creations.

Friday Create Along

Well a slight wrench was thrown into my Create Along plans for last week, in the form of salmonella poisoning. I’m still a bit grumpy that I sort of wasted a lovely 4 day weekend by battling illness.

Just a reminder I’m creating one ofthese using one of NapKitten‘s great patterns. It’s all cut out and in progress!

Soooo I’m a little too behind for a reveal. But I’ll forge ahead anyhow and launch into the next project all willy nilly!

I’d like to tackle this padded camera pouch from Keyka Lou. As a bonus all her patterns are on sale right now, to celebrate her 4 year anniversary as a pattern maker and seller. Congrats Michelle!

Designing, making and selling patterns is something I’m really interested in. I’ve got some things to learn first but I’m heading in the right direction by sewing up anything I can think of!