Category Archives: Sewing

Clay, Sewing, Strategy

Crafts: Pick ’em and stick to ’em through a busy life – Part 1

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For those of us who haven’t grown up with crafting traditions among friends or family, the idea of picking a craft sounds exciting but daunting. The blogosphere abounds with beautiful,  inspiring examples of crafting, including sewing, embroidery, and toy-making. Wouldn’t it be lovely to personalize your space, make your clothes, make handmade things for the people you care about? But how to justify the initial investment of time and money, if the craft may not stick, or life will takes over?

In this two-part post, I discuss:

  • Part 1 (this post): strategies to find a craft that may be best matched for your interests and lifestyle, and how to give yourself a good start.
  • Part 2: How to turn the craft you have chosen from a fling into something you regularly do.

Continue reading Crafts: Pick ’em and stick to ’em through a busy life – Part 1 →

Garments, Sewing

Pleated knee-length skirt – Butterick B5613

Gallery

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Here is my first attempt at a skirt ; a staple for those lovely, warm days (when we chance to get them in Toronto).  I find the pleats a very graceful way to add structure and flair to the skirt. Finished this in about a month, working on it in an extremely interrupted month of May. There were a number of new concepts for me with this project:

Continue reading Pleated knee-length skirt – Butterick B5613 →

Just for kids, Sewing, Toys

Midnight, the hobby horse

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I’ve had the Waldorf-inspired “Creative Play for your Toddler” since before my older child turned two, and would often leaf through its beautiful projects for inspiration: felt animal finger puppets, cloth dolls, tumbling men, crowns and capes, to name a few. While the skills required may seem daunting as you’re starting out to craft, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in making toys for their children. The hobby horse has been long overdue, and it’s great that my kids are as excited about the prospect of a horsie as ever.

Continue reading Midnight, the hobby horse →

Garments, Sewing

Wiksten Tova

Just finished my second Wiksten Tova last weekend. The Tova has made the rounds in the online blogosphere; check out these several lovely versions from Karyn Valino. I found its design elegant, with its mandarin collar, placket, and gathered inset.

After three years of on-and-off sewing based almost entirely on instructions and projects from Diana Rupp’s fabulous S.E.W., I decided to take my first sewing class at the workroom in Bloor Parkdale area of Toronto. Continue reading Wiksten Tova →

Just for kids, Sewing

Fleece purse: first sewing machine project for a 5-year old

IMG_2972The coming of the new Bernina 330 in the house was a source of much excitement; for me, of course, but also for my 5-year old. She was able to run a few straight stitches on it at my work desk, and seemed keen to do more. I decided the best introduction would be a simple project that would give her a concrete product, and would take her through the moves. After some scouring on the Internet, we settled on this Quick Sew hobo purse.

Continue reading Fleece purse: first sewing machine project for a 5-year old →