Tag Archives: patterns

My infomercial for the week

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.

I promise,

I’m going to work through all these PDF patterns & turoials I have! Honest.

I was going to plan something silly like 52 weeks of patterns (yes I have nearly that many) but I realised I probably can’t comit to actally getting 1 thing done per week. So instead I’m just going to plow through them and share what I’m doing along the way.

I’ve built up quiet the stash of various patterns, since I’m always up for trying something new. Some are free, some are tutorials on blogs, some I paid for. I own nearly every Keyka Lou pattern not to mention a bunch from I Think Sew and

I might even get ambitious and post my planned project a big in advance and we can have a sort of sew along . . . perhaps once I settle into this back to school/work thing and get my classroom running smoothly.

So until I share here are images of some patterns I have on hand and plan on tackling soon. Let me know if you want to see anything in particular or if you’d like to play along.

The Workroom, a new to me fabric store.

So Monday night I wandered around Toronto as part of enjoying my first night ever in the history of Mommyhood that the boys were out of the house with daddy for just over 24 hours! Strangely I choose to head into the city for the evening instead of enjoying an empty house. I wandered around and took street cars and subways, had a burrito and walked and walked and walked. But it was all worth it because eventually I arrived at The Workroom.

If you live in/near Toronto The Workroom is a craft and sew place that lets you make use of the studio by the hour. They’ve got sewing machines, sergers, cutting tables and other crafty people hanging around. The exciting part for me was all the pretty fabric they have for sale. Oh and sewing books, and Japanese craft books. They also have Amy Butler patterns, Colette patterns and some other goodies I can’t remember now.

They sell some lovely fabrics and have a whole pile of shelves full of fun fat quarters. Of course I left with some goodies.

There’s also a blog if you want to check out some of the things they’re up to.

Images stolen from here, here and here. I felt silly asking to take pics with my iphone.

Crafty British imports part 1

A little while ago I stumbled upon some really fun looking craft books I wanted to order.  For some crazy reason I couldn’t find them here but I did stumble across them on Amazon UK.  Lucky me my in-laws live just outside of London right now and so I ordered and had them pile them into their ‘returning home for a Christmas visit’ luggage!

This first one is absolutely PACKED with information.  I’ve only flipped through it once so far, and the kids were around so it wasn’t exactly a ‘deep’ reading but I love it!  It’s called The Bag Making Bible by Lisa Lam of U-Handbag and has a forward by Amy Butler.  I have to admit, despite my newfound love of creating bags, I had no idea about her site.  It is also fabulous just like her book! Sadly it seems the book won’t be available this side of the pond for another month or two so hope you can wait (or have a British connection).

I *must* make this one, it’s like a grown up messenger/laptop/purse/bag/awesome thingie.  I need it.  The instructions are fantastic in this book and it really explains in detail how to use all sorts of fun hardware that really enhance the appearence and functionality of the bags.  Some of the things I don’t even know the names for, so I guess the book will help greatly!

Here’s another glimpse inside.  The fabric choices are fantastic too!  I think I might have to make another tea and go curl up with this book again.

Lisa also has a section of free tips on her site if you’re in need of some info or if you’d like to preview her informative and entertaining writing before you rush off to try and get your hands on a copy of this gem!

What’s your crafty book stash look like?

I’ve slowly been growing my craft and sewing book collection since starting my blog. Right now I’ve got many, some I haven’t even really looked in yet, let alone created something with. But that isn’t stopping me from dreaming about these 2 gems.

I really, really want Amy Butler’s new book to fuel my bag addiction and stick to my promise that I can only have a new bag if i made it myself!

Click the images for a link to read more, or spend your money if you’re in Canada.

OMG!

I have to admit I feel rather lame using that title for this post but there are no other letters or words that can express the excitement I feel after today! The other day my cousin called. She’s been helping our friend clean up after his wife just up and left rather suddenly taking only a few things with her. She called to tell me there was ‘a lot of fabric and craft supplies’. She offered to pack it up and bring it over in boxes but I figured I’d like to visit, see the house, take the kids somewhere new and said I would drive out on my next day off. I was told to make sure the back of the van was empty.

When we got there and I followed her into the basement I could not believe my eyes! I’m kicking myself now for not taking my camera. There were 5 or 6 bookshelves, those wobbily simple pine ones, lining the walls of the ‘sewing room’ and the shelves were covered in folded up pieces of fabric!! Denim, silky stuff, corduroy, flannel . . . everything! On the floor there were boxes and bins of fabric, patterns, yarn, gimp . . . it was only a few hours ago but I honestly can’t even remember it all it was sooo much. She told me to take whatever I wanted. Organizing is a passion of hers, as is cleaning, so she’s been really busy over there. Apparently this lady could have been on that hoarders show, it was insane the amount of stuff there. We set to work while my kids played with new to them toys in a nice big house.

Here’s a peak at some of the things that came home with me today.  There’s still more waiting for me back there, I thought I’d slowly bring it into the house to avoid sending my hubby into shock.  There was  soft and cuddily minky fabrics for my taggie blankies, I brought home a basket full, more in a box and there’s a big garbage bag full still waiting to come home with me.  We found patterns for Cabbage Patch clothes and Sailor Moon costumes.  As well as patterns to make your own Love A Lot Carebear or Popples!  We came across the Popple fabric and other than remembering my cousin had the ‘white one’ we could not remember what they were called.  The closest we got was they had something to do with ‘pop’.  Luckily we later found the pattern which solved the mystery and spared us having to Google it.  The back of the package names the Popples as Puzzle, Puffball and Prize.  No clue which is which.

I also grabbed some baskets to use at the craft show I’m going to in May.  There’s still a ton more there and I promised to return with a friend who would appreciate the chance at free fabric.  It was a great fun day with my cuz and I came home with many treasures!