i have to say...

if at first you don't succeed...

...take the project out of the trash and try, try again!

OK, I didn't throw it in the trash, but I did set it aside for about a year so that it could collect dust and I could get really tired of the colors I chose.  Honestly, I am not quite sure what I was thinking when I picked the fabrics for this one, but I assume I was in a "I want to do something different that my usual" moods, and I succeeded!

I decided to revisit this lonely quilt so that I could learn to machine-quilt, which I must say is a challenge.  Thread breaking repeatedly is not something that I can be patient with for too long.

Lucky for me, my hubby's mom machine-quilts so she gave me some tips on her visit.  Her main advice was "slow down!" which I found hilarious considering that was my own mother's mantra when she taught me how to sew many years ago.  Changing needles frequently and using needles designed for thick fabrics seems to help also.  I am using hand-quilting thread on the spool too, which is helping A LOT with the breakage.

My main reasons for finishing this quilt are to get some practice, and the fact that I feel wasteful letting it sit there undone and unused.  Something tells me that during the winter months I will appreciate this warm, oddly-colored quilt on my lap while I sit and dream of hot, summer days.

wama lama jamas

I finally broke out the sewing machine a couple of days ago and made something:  new pj's for Aubry.  I even used some of the fabric from my shop (I can't believe that I haven't done this already!!!) and I traced a pair of her old pajama pants for a pattern.  I added some length and some room to the width of the legs, although I think I was too enthusiastic adding width.   I am sure that the next pair will be a better fit.

I do like the combination of fabrics:

Surprisingly, the dots are Aubry's favorite of all of my stock.  They are adorable, but I thought she would go for something with more pink and more flowers---you know, more girly. Maybe my baby is growing up?

Just for fun, we are calling them Wama Lama Jamas. 

Doesn't everyone name their clothes?

links, links, links

***What kid wouldn't love to have a Wandering Sack  to carry some goodies around while wandering on a summer day!

***Madeline-Marie Studio has tutorial to make a simple t-shirt dress.  So cute!

***Here is a video that shows how to make your own laundry soap.  Watch and see how simple it is!  (Thanks to Deb for the link!)

***One Shabby Chick has put together her first tutorial---a pillow cover.  It is a cute one, so check it out!

***Cindi has a great idea for keeping the kids busy:  a family newsletter created on your own desktop publishing software.

***Angry Chicken shows how to make a 5-minute skirt.  5 minutes!!!

***Have you seen the quilt that Old Red Barn Company is giving away?  Amazing!  Go check it out!

Have a happy day!

links for you!

***I made these lunch bags for Aubry and I using this tutorial from Skip to my Lou.  You can use a frozen drink (like a Capri Sun or a water bottle) to keep your food cool until it is time to eat.  Aubry was SO excited to use these that I ended up whipping one of these together about 15 minutes before leaving for the park.  They are quick and simple!

***Molly Chicken has  a great tutorial to make a fabric house.  Too cute!

***Do you have a baby?  Click here to find out how to make a diaper bag or here to make a nursing apron.

***Want to add some ruffles to a girl's outfit?  The Craft Addict will tell you how!

***Felt daisies dress up anything from bags to blankets to clothes.  These would be fun for you and your girl to make together.

***Oh, and don't forget The Recipe Box Swap tomorrow!

Happy crafting!

on the sewing front or how to take a good picture of yourself in the bathroom mirror

Clothes sewing is not my favorite thing to do.  All of the pieces and giant pages of instructions are overwhelming to me.  Forget it if the pattern calls for a button or a zipper!

I made these shirts (the one I am wearing and the one on the hanger) from Simplicity 3760 and although it said "Easy", it really wasn't.  But that is OK because I made two.  The first one (the brown print) has a number of "oops" spots on it, but the fabric-print seems to cover that up, and the second one (the white one) came out just fine.  That seems to be the recipe for success with sewing clothes---sew more than one!

Now, photographing the subject (me in the shirt) was ridiculous!  Maybe I should have picked somewhere else besides the bathroom mirror to do this (get the tri-pod out next time?), but the lighting in there was the best at the time.  Here are some things that I learned while doing this:

***clean the mirror before attempting to take the photograph
***clear the counter before attempting to photograph
***make sure your hubs doesn't walk in while you are making eyes at yourself in the mirror
***maybe he could take the picture next time?

There is a lot of reality in that last picture!?!

Here is Aubry's latest creation.  A yellow polka-dot wrap skirt made entirely by her (she is easy to photograph!):

And I wanted to show the adorable package that a sweet blogging friend sent me:

I love it all!  The gardening apron is so cute and the bag fabrics are perfect.  Thank you, Cindy! 

Well, that is all on the sewing front.  And just know that if you need your picture taken for a blog post about the new shirt you made for yourself, you can call me! I will be there for you!

bandana summer

Today's post at Me and My Girl is a simple tutorial for a bandana.  This is perfect for your beginning sew-er!

Happy sewing!

something new...

I am embarking on a new adventure and it is about time that I share it here. 

Writing these words feel so scary because it make this SO REAL!

What is it?

Well, I am opening my own online fabric shop.  (Gosh, I have butterflies in my stomach right now!)

When will this happen?

ASAP

I have everything ready to go except for the fabric.

I know, the fabric is a foundational part of the whole thing, but I am so excited that I need to give you a peek NOW!

Fresh-Squeezed Fabrics

It's empty, but I think it is so cute!  I can say that because I am not the one who designed the super-cool banner and logo.  pixelbypixel did.  She does great work and she is very patient with people like me who think they know what they want, but in reality they don't.  Once I let her decide what I needed, things were fine.

I should be up and running in about 2-3 weeks, and of course I will let you know when that happens.

And I do promise that I won't turn my blog into an ongoing advertisement for my little store, but I will have a sidebar link and I will have occasional posts to keep anyone who is interested updated.

Oh my gosh, writing this makes this thing SO REAL!

I can't wait!

making paper dolls together

You can find me hanging out at me and my girl today.  Hope to see you there!

a few links

***My favorite new-to-me blog is Down To Earth.  You can learn to do just about anything there, including making your own laundry products, baking bread and calculating the true cost of your food.  Love it!

***Ric-Rac has two great tutorials, a fabric bucket and a one-hour totebag.  Check it out!

***Sew Take a Hike shows how to make a picnic bag.  Too cute!

***Ottobre Design is offering a free, downloadable pattern to make a sweet totebag.  Love the polka-dots!

***I am so happy to say that Me and My Girl is going to be up and running on Monday!  This time it will be a group blog and I am very excited about all of the fun activities that will be popping up there soon!

Here is Aubry's latest craft creation.  Her name is Petunia:

Have a great day!

she's a lot like me

She caught me sorting through my fabrics. 

She knew that one pile was destined for the thrift store. 

She found a box. 

She folded. 

She took. 

She now has her own fabric stash.

Sewing days are now on Wednesday. 

She will be learning to use my sewing machine.

Oh my.

the pattern becomes a tutorial!

My venture into pattern-making has come to a halt---for the time being, anyway.  The time that was being consumed was becoming ridiculous, and there appeared to be no end in sight.  I did learn a lot of new things and I may put them to use later on.

The best part of attempting to make the pattern is knowing that I can create something from scratch, even if it is pretty simple.  Taking the pictures of Aubry on the trampoline was pretty fun too.

For now, this tutorial would a good beginner project to make with or for your daughter (her friends will like one too!).  The apron will fit ages 4-11 (approximately) and you can make it bigger or smaller by adjusting your seam size.  You could also cut your pieces bigger, if necessary.

The tutorial has loads of pictures so that the steps are easy to follow.

I hope you enjoy the tutorial and that the little gals in your life are able to "tie on one" with you the next time you are in the kitchen!

so pink

I made a pillowcase top for Aubry using this tutorial, with fabric purchased from this shop over the weekend.  Using the tutorial's instructions it is fairly simple to cut fabric according to the size that you want, and I must say that this was so quick and easy---45 minutes from start to finish!

Up until a year ago I didn't like the colors pink or red.  These days it seems that it is all that I work with.  Red is a hard color for me to wear as any orange tint makes my skin look yellow, and pink is a big no-no- for me, but my girl provides lots of opportunity for the pink to be displayed! 

My hope is that your day is good one, and that there is much to be thankful for.

Happy crafting!

my girlfriends

friend + fabric = fun

My two best girlfriends and I were able to go to the Quilt and Stitch Expo this weekend and we had a great time.  Fabric vendors from all over the country were there to let us look, touch, and buy--and buy we did!

Spending a day with good friends is refreshing.  Talking about life, the ups and the downs, always opens my eyes to see that someone understands how I feel.  So many of life's struggles are common to all.

If it has been a while since you have had a girl's day out, you need to change that soon.  Call a friend, make a plan and DO IT!  Don't let life get in the way.  Go to a museum, take a hike, head downtown and take photographs, or shop for fabric.

Life will seem brighter if you do!

So encourage each other and build each other up...
--1 Thessalonians 5:11

shop update: bags and totes

You can visit the shop here.

Have a great weekend!

crafting at it's best

Big projects frustrate me.  Looking at all of the things that need to be done overwhelms me and leaves me procrastinating.  Taking a step away and focusing on something smaller--and easier--always recharges me and gets me back to where I need to be.

Pattern-making is harder than I thought it would be.  It seems that each step brings some new hurdle and, at this point, I am just happy to set things aside to avoid craziness.  Not only has the production part of it been frustrating, but I am also finding that the cost of printing the pattern may be too costly.  I need to think some more about this.

Setting it aside for now...

A friend and I went to the fabric store last week, and aside from being surrounded by so much loveliness, the break away with her was refreshing.  Good friends are like that, you know.

Some new goodies made their way into my bag (I don't know how that keeps happening!) and I am happy to start creating with them.  A pillowcase dress or shirt for Aubry and a totebag for me seem to be in order, or at least that is what the fabric seems to be saying.  Both projects are simple and relaxing to make, and the cherries with the ric-rac put a smile on my face.  That is crafting at it's best, if you ask me!

Has anyone ever noticed that red is a hard color to photograph?  These looks better in real life, but I wanted to give you a peek anyway:

Have a lovely Monday!

a couple of things...

Today there are new goods in my shop.  Aprons for your girls is what you will find and I hope you enjoy them!

Just a note:  a very sweet blogger sent an email notifying me that one of the links in my "favorite blogs" section had inappropriate content.  Very inappropriate!!!  First off, I want to say "thanks" to her for telling me, and I also want to suggest that you check your links occasionally, because the link she told me about used to be a family-friendly blog that was deleted and then someone else picked up the URL.  I had no clue that could happen!

I also apologize to anyone who was directed there because of me!  Sorry!

Have a great day!

a list of links

***jcaroline has put together a tutorial to make an adorable purse here.  It has a complete, downloadable pattern!

***How About Orange tells how to make simple button notecards.  Too cute!

***Aimee's post about pre-cycling got me thinking about not only recycling, but whether or not I need to purchase an item in the first place.

***The Wooden Spool shows how to make a baby sling for your child's doll---for your child to tote around, of course!  Too sweet!

***If you don't have any photo-editing software, try this.  It's free!

***Spring cleaning time is upon us!  OK, so it isn't really that exciting, but if you are looking for some help and motivation, click here.

a girl's day

A "girl's day" consists of a few important things:

--giggling and lots of it!
--talking, talking, talking
--telling jokes
--running around the house like crazy people
--crafting, of course
--tears.  OK, with the little girls it was because they were fighting, but still the tears matter.
--food. yummy food that speaks of warmer days to come:

The reminder of warmer days is so welcome since it looks like this outside:

--The girls made the aprons in the first picture by themselves, except for the ric-rac that was already sewn onto the fabric.  They were mighty proud of themselves!

makin' stuff

So far my pile of fabric has yielded a few little goodies, but first and foremost is Aubry's skirt.  I used this tutorial for the skirt. Don't worry, if I can do the algebra problems to figure the measurements, you can do the algebra problems, too! 

The doll is Aubry's arms is her creation.  All I did was thread the needle and tie a knot in her thread.  She designed, cut and sewed the whole thing. 

I sense a crafting partner in my future!

Next up are aprons, and lots of them:

This is one of three designs:

So far, my pattern-creating attempts have been successful in all areas, expect for the computer.  As usual.  I did figure out how to convert a document to PDF, but it doesn't seem to work for the size I need (22" X 22"), so I am trying other ways to make this happen.  Doing new things on the computer is always filled with frustration, but I usually prevail over the technology.

***Success---with a little technical help from the lady at Kinko's, I now have a full-sized pattern made!  More to come soon...

My craft area is a gigantic mess these days.  There is no room on the table, so I just keep piling things higher and higher:

Have I ever mentioned that messes drive me crazy?  My brain feels all rattled when I am trying to get something done in the middle of a mess.   This doesn't, however, slow me down enough to clean up!

Have a great Wednesday!
 

a $10.00 sale

In order to make room for this season's new goods, I am having a shop sale.  Every item is $10.00 plus shipping, and everything will be sold on a first come, first served basis. 

To keep prices as low as possible, I opted to not use Etsy or PayPal, so please simply leave a comment if you are interested in an item and I will email you back with purchasing information.

To visit my shop, please click here.

Thank you!

sunshine = inspiration

All it takes is some sunshine to get me crafting again!

For some reason winter is a non-creative time for me.   I do spend time making Christmas gifts, but only because I have to.  Once the warm weather comes around (and the bright, new spring fabrics!) I am ready to sew, sew, sew.

My weekend trip to Joann's was partly successful because I bought new fabric for upcoming projects (this is success), but the fabric was not exactly what I wanted (this is unsuccessful).  Apparently I have been spoiled from buying fabric online. The online stores offer collections of fabric that all mix-and-match and make purchasing really simple--plus the patterns and colors are amazing.  I am, however, happy to go forward with what I have.

Upcoming projects include new goods for my small store as well as a new pattern in the works.  I am so excited about the pattern, but a little afraid of it too.  (Can you tell I am a bit conflicted right now?)  There will be lots of learning that I need to do in order to produce it and, when it comes to computer learnin',  I am really, really s-l-o-w!

I don't like slow.

But I must press on.

The weather around here has been beautiful this week which translates to my kids going outside to play in the afternoons.  Yessss!  If you are looking for me at this time, you will find me banging my head against the computer.  Or sewing.  Whichever strikes my fancy at the moment.

Have a great day!

nothing says "love" like a toilet

I can be a cynic when it comes to Valentine's Day.  All it takes is being in Walmart at 5:30 tomorrow afternoon where the check-outs will be crammed with men carrying chocolates, stuffed bears and cards, all in an effort to keep their ladies happy.   Temporarily, anyway.

I do love Valentine's Day, in my own way.  My world is made better by the 6 people who surround me on a daily basis, and I enjoy letting them know that they are special.  I do, however, make sure they know it all year long, and I am proud to say that I am teaching my kids to do the same.  My boys in particular know that giving from the heart is always better than giving from the credit card.   They know that girls appreciate feeling loved.

In no particular order, here are the boxes that my kids have crafted for tomorrow's festivities:

Aubry, of course, sees this holiday as a day of love and loveliness.  Life and love are gardens of sweetness and light, ready to picked and enjoyed.

Micah views Valentine's Day as an opportunity to flex his man-muscles.  You see the car?  You see the man.

Josiah, well, I am not sure what Valentine's Day means to him, and I suspect we have a long way to go with this kid lest we end up with a distraught daughter-in-law someday.  Poor girl, I think she will have to work long and hard to make my boy into the man of her dreams.

My hope is that your Valentine's Day is filled with much love and happiness.

Until tomorrow...

some valentine's fun

You would think that Christmas is coming again with all of the excitement around my house.   Valentine's are made and we are almost ready to go.

Each year our co-op has a party and a valentine's box contest, and after last year when one of the kids made a box that looked exactly like The Black Pearl, the stakes have apparently been raised.  We have boxes that look like a flower garden, a Corvette, and a toilet.  Yes, you read that right, a toilet.  (BOYS!)  I will post pictures of their completed boxes when they are done.

This year we have decorated the windows with Crayon Hearts, and they look lovely in the early morning sun.

You can find the how-to here.

 

let's get something straight!

My sewing machine has been quiet these days.  I simply don't feel like sewing anything.  Because I have a need to be crafty, I am trying something new:  embroidery and applique using wool felt.  I took advantage of this sale and bought a lovely supply of 12" X 18" pieces that I am itching to start cutting.

There is just one problem.

My stitching skills are poor.

For the last few days I have been practicing like mad, trying out new stitches and attempting to make them straight and even.  I will say that this is easier said than done!  Here are some of my attempts so far:

I like how this little lollipop-flower came out:

Aubry even made one for herself:

Impatience should be my middle name.  I want to start working on a project and have it come out great, as if I have been doing this for years.  But I am trying to be patient and hold back while I learn some things:

Primrose Design Stitch School  (see the sidebar for a very long list of stitches)
Crafty Daisies Embroidery How-To's

I am off to stitch in a straight line.  Really, I am!

Have a great day!

a few links for you...

It has been a while since I have done a links post and since I have a number of them bookmarked, today seemed the right day to do it again!  Here goes:

***This mini-book is full of recipes for convenience mixes you can make yourself.  (Thanks to Denise  for the link!)

***JC Handmade has put together a tutorial to make her adorable Kidlet Wall Pocket.  These are so cute!  Be sure to take look at her fabric combination ideas at the bottom of the page for inspiration.

***I bought some of Tracy's homemade lavender soap and I LOVE it!  It smells so good and it even lathers nicely.  Be sure to click around in her Etsy shop because she has some adorable items including recycled notebooks!

***Have you ever dreamed of growing your own sprouts to use on sandwiches, salads and bagels?  Me too!  Click here to learn how. 

***Are you trying to learn to use your camera?  Click here for some great tips and advice.  (Thanks to Chickadee for the link!)

A few new blogs that I have been enjoying:  knitting the wind, beauty that moves, and design on post.  Lovely ladies, lovely blogs!

Enjoy!

it's snow fun!

I have posted some fun snow-day ideas over at Me and My Girl.

Enjoy!

 

a cute little totebag tutorial

The funny thing about putting together a tutorial is that you often do not realize what pictures were necessary until after you are done sewing the project!  So I will say up front that some of the pictures do not seem to match the step.  My hope is that my words will make things clear!

This bag is a perfect project for a beginning sew-er or for a mother teaching a daughter to sew.  Ages 10 and up will be able to handle this with some patient guidance.

The bag measures 13" X10" and it has a 29" strap making it a perfect library totebag for a girl, aged 4 or older.  Tips for making the bag bigger are given in the last step of the tutorial.

Many people tell me that they would love to sew, but they just don't know where to start.  My advice is to pick a simple project and go for it.  I have sewn for many years and lots of my projects have ended up in the trash, but I count those as learning experiences!  As with anything in life, you have to start somewhere!

You will find the tutorial here and also in my sidebar.

Happy sewing!

some sweetness and links

I have posted at Me and My Girl today.  If you are in the mood for some sweetness, you will have to take a peek!

Here are some fun Christmas links for you:

***My kids have enjoyed making snowflakes here.  Be careful, this can addictive!

***I love gumdrops and we will surely be making these!

***Have you ever wondered about mistletoe?  Who else but Martha could clear up the mystery?

***Jenny has created some Holiday Dangles for your tree, garland, or whatever you choose.  These would also be perfect for a young child who is learning their ABC's.  As usual, you can't beat Jenny's brand of cuteness!

***Tracy has how-to's for hard-tack candy, peanut brittle and hot cocoa mix.

Have a great day!

camera straps

The camera straps are done!  My favorite part of making these was combining the fabrics and watching all of the combinations coming together as I sewed.  So much fun!  If you are interested, a few a these made their way into my shop in time for Christmas delivery.

If you are looking for gifts for crafty girls and their mamas, you can check out my patterns and kits available here. 

Have a lovely day!

little button wreath

If you are looking for a fun Christmas project to make with your kids, click here.  This one is simple, but it is oh-so-cute!

christmas crafting

The clock is ticking and I am almost done making all of my Christmas gifts! 

Ha!  That's a lie.  I've just started. 

My first project is patchwork camera straps. 

If figure if I spend about 30-60 minutes per day I can get everything done.  My list is not long, but I do have to get things in the mail at least one week ahead of the holiday.  I think I can...I think I can...I think I can...

When we were driving home from California I made a scarf for myself to pass the time.  It is amazing what you can do with 1,100 miles rolling by.  I wish I could say that I knit it, but I gave up on knitting a while ago due to the stress and tears involved.  Instead my crochet hook was put to work.  Much easier and just about the same look.

More Christmas crafting to come, for sure!

How far along are you with Christmas shopping and crafting?

***Allsorts has an adorable gingerbread house just waiting to be decorated!  Aubry is going to LOVE this!

a christmas (post)card idea

Taking the family Christmas pictures can be stressful if you are trying to capture the perfect shot.  Over the last couple of years I just gather everyone together and say, "Give me 5 minutes"!  Then I start shooting using the camera's timer or a friend with a camera.   I pick the best shot and that's that!

Then I make about 50 copies of the picture and I do this to the back of  all of them:

Then I apply $.26 postcards stamps and I throw them in the mailbox.  All done.

The stress of getting the perfect picture or crafting a great Christmas letter is gone.  And I think that people appreciate that Craig and I still add ourselves to the picture.   Have you noticed that the older people get, the less you see them in family pictures?  Personally I like to see what my long-distance friends look like these days. 

I vote for keeping the whole family in your photograph this year!

I have a post over at Me and My Girl today.  This mama thinks my girl has gone too far!

some crafty stuff

It has been a while since I have had time to sit at my sewing machine and make something and my mind is full of ideas and projects.  This always happens when I am unable to find time to craft---my craft-wheels get to turnin'!

The first must-do was a little bag for Aubry to take to church.  Each week she sits there with a pile of loose papers and pencils and crayons and books, and she tends to get a little cranky when it comes time to gather her goods and go home.  So I made her a "church-bag", as she is calling it.  It is a messenger-style bag made with the adorable Heather Ross fabric that I received from Sew, Mama, Sew a while ago.

My favorite part is the pocket.  There is a tiny Volkwagen van on it:

I also made a little baby blanket using "Dick and Jane" fabric that I bought, not because I was making something for a specific someone, but because I thought the fabric was way too cute!  (Sorry for the wrinkly photo!)

After Thanksgiving I will be in full crafting mode for Christmas.  I am hoping that a certain friend and I will be having some sewing-dates to make the time more worthwhile.

Anybody else want to join us?

Happy sewing!

gingerbread man and gal

Kisses of Sunshine is hosting the "Homemade With Love" holiday gift idea exchange.  This is an opportunity to show how to make a favorite gift for the holidays.  It can be a main gift, a hostess gift or a gift for the neighbors.

My gift is very simple but sweet and it makes for a cute gift tag, ornament or garland, depending on how you finish it up.  The only materials that you need are a brown paper bag (the grocery store kind), warm and natural batting (or another type of thin batting), cookie cutters in Christmas-y shapes, thread and embellishments.

Simply trace your desired shape lightly (using a cookie cutter as a guide) on the brown paper bag.  Cut out your shape leaving approximately 1" of extra paper around the edges.

Now you will layer your materials as follows:  the brown paper bag piece with the shape drawn on it, the warm and natural batting, and another piece of brown paper bag.  In a sense you will now have a sandwich with a middle layer of batting and outsides of paper.

Using your sewing machine, zig-zag stitch around your cookie-cutter line.  Now all you need to do is cut out your shape close to the stitching.

You can embellish as desired using fabric, ribbon and buttons.

These make great gift tags as well as ornaments, and you can glue a small stack of them to ribbon to make a garland for the tree or above the fireplace.

how to make a simple headband

I have posted a simple tutorial on Me and My Girl for making  a headband.  This would be a great way to teach your daughter (ages 10 and up, approximately) some beginning cutting and sewing skills.

Sets of 3 headbands would be perfect gifts for your daughter's siblings or friends.

Happy sewing!

a whole month of craft ideas!

Each and every day during the month of November, Sew, Mama, Sew will be posting resources and tutorials for sewing holiday gifts!  I know that I need some inspiration so I will be checking in daily.

Yesterday I wrote out my Christmas list and the list of things to make is LONG, but since we are focusing on the important aspects of the season, crafting with my kids by my side will be a plus.  I just hope they don't want to pick out which fabrics to use!  That is momma's job!

something new

I have been hard at work on a secret project and the time has come to show you what it is! 

A number of months ago I hatched a plan to start making patterns.  Initially I thought I would be working on patterns for adults to sew things like purses or quilts, but as time went on I decided to change course and design patterns for moms and daughters to make together.  Making crafty goods with my girls has been one of the sweetest things about being a mom, so I suppose that I am sticking with what I know by doing this.

My first two patterns are for The Sweetest Sugar Cookies Ever (ages 5 and up) and Big and Little Drawstring Bags (ages 10 and up).  Both are available in my new shop and they will remain in the sidebar of the Me and My Girl blog with links to the shop.  There are also fabric and wool felt kits available so that making these is as easy as 1-2-3!

I know all kinds of new things about my computer due to making these patterns.  I really had no idea that my lowly computer did so many amazing tricks.  Impatience was by best teacher because it is hard to find people to give computer lessons at a moment's notice, and when I want something done, it gets done!  My hope is that my next round of patterns will be a smoother process with fewer roadblocks to conquer!

It feels so good to be posting these as there were times when I thought this day would never come!  Now maybe I can spend some time with my neglected sewing machine who is looking a bit lonely on the craft table.  Poor girl!

Have a great day!