Follow Incolororder, filter it, and define how you want to receive the news (via Email, RSS, Telegram, WhatsApp etc.) https://follow.it/incolororder Mon, 25 Oct 2021 05:18:48 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQK4zo84EzJezFyOSYGFl6uu
I've been working on some Halloween related sewing and crafting this month, so I wanted to share two of those projects today. Plus some of my other spooky decor!


I seem to make a new Halloween lined drawstring bag every year, so of course I had to make one. Here is the one I made last year: Tiny Treat Lined Drawstring Bag + Other Halloween Projects


Ta-da! How cute is it? This is the everything size bag (tutorial size) from my lined drawstring bag pattern. I used the peek-a-boo lining variation from the expansion pattern, so we get just a little bit of the lining showing! The exterior fabrics are from Spooky 'n Sweeter by Art Gallery Fabrics*. Adorable fabric. The lining is an old print from my stash, not sure what it is. It's a great match though, lucky me! I finished up the bag with twill tape and wooden beads, both of which can be found in my shop.

Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
Lined Drawstring Bag Expansion Pattern
Cotton Twill Tape
Round Wooden Beads


My other craft project this season is a spooky village!! I have been following the A Beautiful Mess blog for a long time and I was inspired to make my own village this year after hearing Elsie talk about hers on their podcast. They have a few blog posts about it, but this seems to be the most comprehensive: Our Spooky Village

I found all my birdhouses at JoAnn Fabrics and painted them with acrylic paints. I gave each house a shiny surface with clear sparkle paint at the end. I drew on the spiderweb (still need to find a small spider!), with a silver sharpie paint pen. The bats were cut out of cardstock with my Cricut Maker*, and attached with a little dot of hot glue. I absolutely love how they turned out! I want to embellish the purple house but just haven't decided how yet. This was a relaxing and fun project and I look forward to expanding it in the future!


Thrifted this little ghost for $1 this year. I love him.


Gotta have a giant spider in a plant!


A few Halloween softies. If you've been here for a while you know most of my holiday decor tends to be stuffed animals. :)


We thrifted this galvanized bucket this year for $2.50. I filled it with my two Halloween quilts! You can find them here:

Webbed Quilt (+ Pattern)
Halloween Nine Patch Quilt


I didn't get a good photo of it this year, but I always display my Coffin pillow! Make your own using my free tutorial: Paper Pieced Coffin Quilt Block Tutorial


And here is our fully decorated mantle! I made the Spooky Town Wall Hanging last year. I used Dana Bolyard's Ghost Town Quilt Pattern to make it.

Have a Spooky Sweet Day!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 20 Oct 2021 11:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQK4zo84EzJezFyOSYGFl6uu https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLB712OwU7RO0Gb1Jh49AJn
Happy Wednesday! I meant to share this quilt with you in August, but time got away from me. Better late than never I suppose!

Disclosure: Robert Kaufman provided the fabrics for me to make this quilt.


Last year I was invited to make a quilt for Robert Kaufman's annual Kona Cotton calendar. I chose the month of August because the colors were purple/blue. My favorite colors! I decided to make a throw quilt using my Florette Quilt Pattern with these colors since I'd only ever made it in a wide range of colors. Using only solids is already out of my comfort zone, but solids in the same basic color? Woo! This was a challenge for me, but I was excited to try.

Find the pattern for this quilt here: Florette Quilt Pattern


I decided pretty early on to arrange the flower colors in a gradient. I tried a bunch of different layouts before landing here, but I really love how it turned out. Gives it a bit of extra movement. I also knew right away I didn't want to use a neutral for the background. A soft blue seemed like a good choice instead and I'm glad I chose it. It's a little hard to see in the photos, but in person it is much more obvious that it's blue!



For the quilting I sent it to Melissa Kelley of Sew Shabby Quilting. I went with one of my favorite quilting designs Malachite. It just looks good with everything, I swear!


You guessed it, it's bound up (and backed) in more purple! Here are all the fabrics I used to make this quilt:

As I mentioned, this entire quilt is made from Kona Cottons by Robert Kaufman. The background is actually Sky, the cornerstones are Hyacinth, backing is Grapemist and the binding is Noble Purple. The block fabrics are: Amethyst, Blue Bell, Bright Periwinkle, Hyacinth, Lavender, Lilac, Midnight, Purple, Nightfall, Denim, Cloud, Deep Blue, Evening, Cornflower, Grapemist, Tulip, Lapis, Regal, Princeess, and Noble Purple. You can see all the colors, and the quilt mock-up here: Kona Florette Quilt



And here it is in the Kona Calendar for 2021! :)


This was a fun project that stretched me outside of my comfort zone. It was also one of the only quilts I finished in 2020. I'm not sure I'll ever be super into making all solids quilts, but I definitely want to make more single colors quilts. I just love prints too much to give them up!

Find the pattern for this quilt here: Florette Quilt Pattern

Happy Quilting!]]> Wed, 13 Oct 2021 15:04:15 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLB712OwU7RO0Gb1Jh49AJn https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKNJEsC9kwb495ZnUTwRGH7
It's time for the September monthly report. See past reports here.


In September, most of my sewing efforts were put towards two projects. The first is a project for a magazine, which will be out in the Spring. The second is my green patchwork quilt.


Partway through the month I finished all the blocks for my green quilt and started laying them out. It was only then that I realized I sewed the green/white nine patch blocks with the colors in the wrong spots. The blocks were perfectly lovely as is, but they didn't reflect my vision for the quilt. I ended up deciding to fix them and also make the quilt a little larger.


Much better. I like the blocks before, but I was sad to lose the Irish Chain look. I am so glad I took the time to fix them and to make more blocks. Totally worth it.


My only finish this month was the wine bottle gift bag I shared in my previous blog post (read more about it here). Here is the quick info on it though: I used my Wine Bottle Drawstring Gift Bag Tutorial. For fabrics, I used Strawberry Fields by Rifle Paper Co* for the exterior main, Sprinkle by Cotton and Steel* for the accent and Widescreen by Carolyn Friedlander* for the lining.
It's finished with black nylon paracord from Bored Paracord and Round Wooden Beads from my online shop.

To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in September:

September Fabric
Used up: .5 yard
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -.5 yards
Year to date: -37.25 yards

September Yarn
Used up: 0 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: 0 yards
Year to date: -1823 yards

Not a lot of activity on the yardage this month. Didn't bring anything in, and only finished one drawstring bag. No movement on yarn related projects.



I had some great luck thrifting this month. Found these two vintage christmas pyramids to add to my collection. I found them at the same time, for only $6 each! They need a little TLC, but I couldn't leave them behind.


Made a batch of bretzel last month, it really hit the spot. I hadn't made it since last Spring/Winter. Such a great recipe. Find the recipe I use and a video of the boiling process here: Bretzel Bread Tips & Tricks


The dahlias are looking so good right now! :)

Have a Great Month!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 08 Oct 2021 11:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKNJEsC9kwb495ZnUTwRGH7 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKHxkOdGOR78Mqq6eZJzUh9
Happy Friday! Thought I'd pop in here at the end of the week and share a lined drawstring bag that I made recently. I used my Wine Bottle Drawstring Gift Bag Tutorial to make this bag.

One of my very favorite things about sewing is being able to make handmade gifts, especially at a moments notice. A few weeks ago we were going to a friend’s to celebrate their new homeownership. I realized a little more than an hour before we were supposed to leave, that I didn’t have a gift bag that would fit the bubbly we were taking with us. Rather than have to run out to the store or bring it unwrapped, I went up to the sewing room and in about 45 minutes I had a bag made that I tailored to what I hoped our hosts would enjoy. Not only super satisfying, but helped take the gift up a notch. Double bonus.


I didn't have loads of time to choose fabrics for this bag. I started by choosing a focal fabric for the main part of the bag, and this floral from Strawberry Fields by Rifle Paper Co* caught my eye. It was really easy to pull coordinating prints around it, since it has so many colors in it, and I knew I could also use black paracord for the ties. For the rest of the bag, I went with Sprinkle by Cotton and Steel* for the accent and Widescreen by Carolyn Friedlander* for the lining.


When I'm on a time crunch I try my best to choose projects that I've made enough times that I don't need the instructions. For me, that's got to be a lined drawstring bag! I've made so many, I know I can make them fast.


As I mentioned, I used black nylon paracord for the ties (which I buy from Bored Paracord), and finished it off with 3/4" wooden beads, which I carry in my shop here: Round Wooden Beads.


For the future, I may make a little stash of these to have on hand, just in case! Great for gifting wine or a nice bottle of olive oil. You can find the free tutorial for making this wine bottle bag here on my blog here:

Wine Bottle Drawstring Gift Bag Tutorial

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 24 Sep 2021 18:49:21 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKHxkOdGOR78Mqq6eZJzUh9 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKlmO0vAgfWryVCAQLB0bf5
It's time for the August monthly report. See past reports here.


Finally made it back to this space for last month's report! We're going to keep it short and sweet, because I didn't finish a single sewing project in August. Michael was off work the first week of the month and then worked from home the next week. My Mom also came to visit, so there was a lot of things keeping me from finishing things. I did sew though, I worked quite a bit on my green quilt I mentioned last month.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in August:

August Fabric
Used up: 0 yards
Brought in: 1 yard
Net: 1 yard
Year to date: -36.75 yards

August Yarn
Used up: 0 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: 0 yards
Year to date: -1823 yards

As I mentioned, no finishes this month so a pretty quiet month on the "used up" front. Only intake was a bundle of holiday fabrics from a friend! :)


My main activity this month was a whole lot of puzzles. I have needed to stay extra cool this summer to manage my autoimmune disease, so I've spent a lot of time indoors when it's been hot. I ended up getting hooked on puzzles like never before! My Mom sent me home with a bunch from her collection and we collected more all month. I've thrifted a few too! It's been relaxing, and I love that it's a non-screen activity. I've been struggling with anxiety and it hit an all-time high this summer. When I get really into a puzzle, it's a chance for my mind to take a break from thinking about everything else. Now I work on a puzzle a little every day!


I've been on a house-plant killing spree, but I must have done something right because one of my houseplants bloomed! This Hoya was finally happy enough to bloom. It was such a nice surprise.



The garden is full of blooms, lucky me! The vegetable garden has slowed down, but the dahlias are in their element at the moment. Still totally obsessed with these flowers. I love bringing them inside and spreading them throughout the house.

Have a great month!]]> Wed, 15 Sep 2021 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKlmO0vAgfWryVCAQLB0bf5 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJhcjVo7HS6aeGrEXdXG_66
As I mentionted in my July monthly report, I made a Maker's Tote for my brother's birthday last month! I wanted to share it with you all today. I didn't take a ton of photos of it, but that's okay. The Maker's Tote Pattern is by my friend Anna Graham. This is the third time I've made it, and I just love how they turn out! Here are my first two: Sheep Maker's Tote and Corduroy Maker's Tote. My brother recently got a nintendo switch, so I wanted to make a bag for him to carry it in when traveling. I had a feeling the small size of this tote would be a good fit, and it is! I happened to have some animal crossing fabric that was given to me by my friend Amanda. That was the starting point for the bag!


From there I chose some basics to coordinate. I didn't want anything to take away from the main print. I used some blue-ish Essex Linen for the binding and handles (not sure which color!), and this cute black and white blender for the side panels.

The lining and pockets came together from one of my prints from Dreamin' Vintage and this blue fish fabric that was in my "in between bin". I keep a bin with fabrics I don't know what to do with. Usually they are fabrics that I've had for a long time and either way to use up or pass on to a friend. I left both exterior pockets off of this bag because I was short on time.


Overall I think it turned out pretty cute! I was rushing to finish it and I accidently sewed the handles a bit farther apart than I should of, but that's okay. Still works! I handstitched the binding down in the car ride home and was able to give it to my brother in person! Hooray for a successful handmade gift!

You can find the pattern in Anna's online shop here: Maker's Tote Pattern

Happy Sewing!]]> Fri, 13 Aug 2021 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJhcjVo7HS6aeGrEXdXG_66 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIckGZi6BS5YheIF_fEM9tn
It's time for the July monthly report. See past reports here.


This month my sewing was focused primarily on two projects. The first was to piece backings for my indigo courthouse steps quilt and my kaleidoscope quilt. The second was to make a present for my brother for his birthday. I'm happy to say I succeeded in both efforts! I got both quilt tops/backings in the mail for longarm quilting and I made my brother a Maker's Tote. Hoping to share photos of that project soon.


I also picked up an old work in progress again, what was supposed to be an all green quilt. It's been so long since I started cuttting it out though, that I changed my mind about what I wanted. It will no longer be all green. I'm adding in purple and turquoise, because why not! I have about half the blocks piece, but I still need to do a bunch of cutting for the other half.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in July:

July Fabric
Used up: 3 yards
Brought in: 6 yards
Net: 3 yards
Year to date: -37.75 yards

July Yarn
Used up: 0 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: 0 yards
Year to date: -1823 yards

I bought a good amount of fabric this month! I ordered some double gauze fabrics from Bunny's Designs. She's closing her shop, and I wanted to show some support. Be sure to check her instagram too (@bunnydesigns) for updates. When we were back in Ohio at the end of the month we stopped at the Polka Dot Pincushion and I picked up a few cuts of Kitty Corn by Urban Chiks*. It's so cute!


The dahlias have really started kicking off! They're so satisfying to grow, I've been cutting blooms every few days. I love to start the day by taking a walk through the garden after breakfast. Exciting to see how things have changed overnight.


We were able to finally go home for a whole week! We hadn't been back in Ohio since December 2019. And Michael hadn't been back with me in the summer since 2016 I think? It was so nice to be back home. I even took two quilts with me for photos, which really felt normal!



Thought I'd leave you with some snapshots of my parent's kitties (Sanders & Chester), on my quilts.

Have a Great Month!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Tue, 10 Aug 2021 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIckGZi6BS5YheIF_fEM9tn https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJmXE_ruRNpRrG7Iy_4u0x9
It's time for the June monthly report. See past reports here.

I can't believe we're already halfway through 2021! I know things have been pretty quiet around here this year. Most of my posts have just been my monthly reports. I wish I could promise that more regular posting was right around the corner, but I'm not sure it is quite yet. It's been a tough year so far personally, and I'm just trying to keep my head above water lately to be honest. I know that I will feel better both physically and mentally, but it's just going to take some time. I still love blogging, but I've also become more private over the years so it's a bit of a balancing act. I actually have a good number of finished projects to share (including three quilts!), but haven't been able to take photographs of everything. Michael is going to help me try to get some photos this weekend hopefully. We'll see. Thanks for sticking with me through this lull in posting!


Most of my sewing this month was focused on this courthouse steps quilt made using fabric I've indigo dyed over the years. I made three or four blocks for this quilt last year but then let it sit. So this month I cut out all the pieces for the the remaining blocks, sewed all the blocks and got the top put together! I am now working on the backing, but it's almost done, just a few seams left. I'm excited to get this one done!

I haven't gotten an indigo dye bath going yet this summer, but hope to at some point. If you're interested in indigo dyeing, I have a post about it here: DIY Indigo Fabric Dyeing Tutorial


I made a few drawstring bags this month, including this strawberry inspired one! This is the snack size from my lined drawstring bag pattern. I got lucky and was able to use a set of extra strings that I made when I shot the video tutorial last year, bonus! It's finished off with some beads because why not. The strawberry fabric is by Heather Ross*, tie fabric by Carolyn Friedlander*, and unfortunately I don't know who designed the green accent fabric. Beads and pattern can be found in my online shop here:

Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
Round Wooden Beads


I can now share this make from May, a bucket apron I made for my Dad for Father's Day! It fits around a 5 gallon bucket. I thought it would be useful in the garden, he can throw weeds in the bucket and keep tools in the pockets. I used leftover binding scraps from a quilt I made him a few years ago, paired with some plain canvas. I followed this tutorial with some adjustments.


I shared a similar shot of my double gauze quilt in my last post, but wanted to actually talk about it here. It's now finished and it got plenty of use on the couch last month! Just need to photograph it.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in June:

June Fabric
Used up: 24 yards
Brought in: 2 yards
Net: -22 yards
Year to date: -40.75 yards

June Yarn
Used up: 0 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: 0 yards
Year to date: -1823 yards

Happy with my totals this month! I finished a quilt along with a few other small projects. I also shared a decent stack of fabric with a friend, so all in all a good mix. I bought some Dana Cotton/Modal* knit fabric this month to make a few t-shirts! I made a t-shrit with it years ago and it has held up so well. Hopefully I don't let it linger too long. I haven't made any clothes in a long while. No yarn related finishes, but I have still been weaving and I picked up a languishing shawl project which has been fun to knit on again.



June was the month that I finally returned to the thrift shops!! I missed going so much. I love to buy secondhand and see what kind of treasures are waiting to be found. Here is a mix of a few things I've found in my first month back! No vintage sheets, but a few pillowcases. I can't leave behind this style vintage towel either, they're one of my favorite things to thrift. A few metal goodies for the sewing room and a little sewing chest of drawers that needs some serious TLC.


This month we also went to our first flea market here in CT which was fun. Picked up a record and some vintage ornaments. I absolutely love this style ornament so I was thrilled to add so many more to my collection. Can't wait to display them on our tree this year.

Have a great month!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Tue, 06 Jul 2021 20:16:58 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJmXE_ruRNpRrG7Iy_4u0x9 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJjZyg_8BxeSu4DA87rvhPr
Hello! This is a quick post specifically for those of you that have subscribed to receive my blog posts via email. Unfortunately, the service that I've been using for this feature since I first started my blog is being discontinued at the end of June. I am working with a new service to seamlessly (hopefully!) transfer over your existing email subscription to their service.

The new email delivery service is called "follow.it". When you receive an update that I have published a new post, that is who the email will be from, so don't be alarmed!

I'll be publishing a new blog post sometime during the first week of July (7/1-7/7). If you don't receive an email letting you know I posted, feel free to re-sign up for emails using the new "Follow by Email" form that can be found at the bottom of any page on my website (incolororder.com). Or simply respond to this email and I'll make sure you're re-added!

Thanks for your patience as I navigate this change with you! And thank you for following along with my blog :)]]> Tue, 29 Jun 2021 21:37:25 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJjZyg_8BxeSu4DA87rvhPr https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJP9cQosDmvsoIAmcWJ0TmB
It's time for the May monthly report. See past reports here.


This month's report is going to be brief. I didn't do a whole lot of sewing in the month of May. It was busy, but just no sewing-wise. We got our second shots of the COVID vaccine, and celebrated our newly vaccinated reality by seeing my parents for the first time in a year and a half! I took basically no photos while they were here, but it was great. I also spent lots of time getting the garden planted and arranged for the season. I'll probably share a dedicated post on that soon. Nothing too complicated, just want to document it a few times this season.

One of the few things I did sew was a new set of grow bags. I'm using cotton this time around. For more on what I used last year/how I made them/my choice for this year, see this post: DIY Fabric Grow Bags


I finally figured out a good storage system for the wooden beads I carry in my shop! I bought this plastic organizer at a thrift store earily 10+ years ago. It's held so many different things over the year, but it's working great for the beads. Glad I held onto it.


The first month in a while that I didn't finish a weaving! I did start a new one though and I'm enjoying it. Just didn't get super far on it!


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in May:

May Fabric
Used up: 3.125 yards
Brought in: 6 yards
Net: 2.875 yards
Year to date: -18.75 yards

May Yarn
Used up: 0 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: 0 yards
Year to date: -1823 yards

Had a good mix of fabric in and out this month. Used up fabric for the grow bags and for my Dad's Father's Day present (which I obviously can't share right now!). I did buy yardage to back my kaleidoscope quilt.



The big non-sewing project that I worked on in May was making an outdoor sofa! I wanted to make one last year but it was tough to get out and source materials. So this Spring I was really determined to make one. We needed somewhere comfy to hang out during the warmer months. We get pretty much full shade all day on our deck, so it's a great spot for a couch. I used these plans from Ana White, and bought the cushions, covers and stain from ikea. The stain matches our other outdoor furniture from ikea, and I think it looks super similar. Very pleased with how it turned out. It stretched my skills nicely but never felt overwhelming which is nice. We've already used it a bunch!

A little taste of the garden this year. Always growing marigolds.

Have a Great Month!]]> Thu, 10 Jun 2021 00:25:58 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJP9cQosDmvsoIAmcWJ0TmB https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLeJ1YUdGpkkagzzHWHxDTV
It's time for the April monthly report. See past reports here.


My big accomplishment this month was finally finishing my kaleidoscope quilt top! I am so happy that it's put together and done. Now I just need to get a backing for it and I can send it away for quilting. I can't wait for it to be done. See more of this project here: Work in Progress: Kaleidoscope Quilt


I also finished my first quilt of 2021! And it's a long-term work in progress too, which is great. I'll be sharing more of this quilt soon, but it's made with one of my old fabric collections, Dreamin' Vintage.


My scrap project for this month was this tiny lined drawstring bag. I have had this canvas animal scrap for many years, just waiting to become something. I realized I needed a scrap project still for April so I grabbed it first and pulled a few things around it. The top edge of blue is actually the lining peeking out. It's a variation that can be found in the expansion pattern. I didn't have a scrap big enough for the lining that matched the focal print very well, so I used the wrong side of the fabric as the right side! I used 3/8" cotton twill and 3/4" beads to finish it.

You can find the patterns, twill, and beads all in my shop here:
- Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
- Lined Drawstring Bag Expansion Pattern
- Cotton Twill Tape
- Round Wooden Beads


Managed to finish another weaving. This one used a very special skein of wool/mohair blend yarn that I've been hanging on to for a while. More details for this project are on my ravelry, here.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in April:

April Fabric
Used up: 12.25 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -12.25 yards
Year to date: -21.625 yards

April Yarn
Used up: 423 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -423 yards
Year to date: -1823 yards

Feeling good about my totals for this month! Used up a good amount of fabric yardage, I have a few other projects I made this month that I still need to photograph. Keeping up with the weaving projects means my yarn yardage is looking good too. I love how much yardage it uses up!


Didn't try any new baking recipes this month, but did whip up a batch of marshmallows. The recipe I use is for mint chocolate chip marshmallows from the Joy the Baker Cookbook*. I just adjust the flavorings. This time I did simple vanilla, with vanilla bean paste. They turned out so fluffy and tasty.


Spring is really coming on now, my lily of the valley is starting to bloom. I am getting excited to start planting! After feeling super cooped up this winter, I am looking forward to being able to spend more time outside.

Have a Great Month!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you. ]]> Thu, 06 May 2021 18:53:20 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLeJ1YUdGpkkagzzHWHxDTV https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvv9M7fKGWt0o
Happy Wednesday! It's time for another post for the Sewing Room Organization Series. In last week's post I wrote about how I organize my digital pattern PDF files. Here are the other posts in the series so far:

How I Organize my Digital Sewing Patterns
Tips for Keeping Your Sewing Table Organized and Clutter Free
Tips for Storing Projects in Progress (WIPs)
Tips for Organizing and Storing Fabric Scraps


For today's post I'm sharing how I organize my paper and printed patterns. This includes digital patterns that I've printed out at home as well as paper patterns that I have purchased in person or had shipped to my home. Typically I purchase digital patterns, but I do prefer to buy paper patterns for garments. I use two different types of organization for my paper patterns. For sewing and quilting patterns I use three ring binders. I've seperated mine into three different binders, one for home decor + quilting patterns, one for bags + pouches, and one for my own pattern line.

This is just one way of organizing paper patterns that has worked for me and the patterns that I have in my collection. What works well for me may not be best suited to you. I encourage you to experiement and find something that works for your individual work flow, space and collection of patterns. There is no wrong way to organize your patterns!


First up is the sewing + quilting binder where I keep patterns for home decor, sewing organizers, pincushions, quilts, pillows, etc. A bit of everything! I use 5 tab dividers to keep the different categories seperated. If you're planning to use dividers with sheet protectors, make sure they're big enough. Most dividers are meant to be used with 8.5x11" paper that has been hole punched. Just something to keep in mind if you decide to organize your patterns this way too!

These are the 5 tab dividers* I used for my binders. They're not my favorite to be honest, but they were what I could find locally that were the right size and they get the job done!


I use a sheet protector for each individual pattern, to make it easy to keep all the pieces together (if there are templates), and to keep everything nice and neat. This also means I don't have to punch holes in my patterns in order to store them in a binder. This system works well for me since I am combining patterns I've printed as well as paper patterns I purchase, which come in many different sizes. When I'm ready to sew I can open the binder rings and grab the pattern I want!


For patterns that have a lot of little pieces, I'll often include a small paper envelope in the sheet protector with the pattern instructions. That way nothing can fall out!


The bags + pouches binder is set up the same way as the sewing + quilting one. Another set of 5 tab dividers and sheet protectors. I have the patterns organized by bag size. One advantage to this particular set of dividers is each one has a pocket. I store miscellaneous templates in those pockets.



The last binder contains my self-published patterns. They're organized slightly differently. I still use sheet protectors, but there is only one double-sided page per protector. This allows me to flip through the binder and see all the pages of each pattern. I also have an unfolded cover for each pattern to start. Since I refer to my own patterns a lot, it's helpful to be able to quickly see each page. I would recommend this method for those patterns that you use over and over again!


Instead of dividers, I use these post-it tabs* instead. This reduces bulk and is more cost-efficient since this would have requried a large number of dividers!


Next up is my garment patterns. My system for storing these is not quite as streamlined as it is for my other patterns. But I don't sew garments as often, so it works okay for me! All my patterns fit in a storage cube that sits on top of my shelving unit.


Each pattern has it's own manila envelope, I've used a combination of 9x12" envelopes and 10x13" envelopes. No reason for having two different sizes, other than it was what I had on hand. I like using large envelopes because it means I don't need to refold the tissue paper that comes in many garment patterns down to a small size again. I can easily fit the original tissue, my traced pieces and the instructions in each envelope. When I'm ready to sew I just grab the envelope I need!


I hope seeing my systems might give you some ideas for organizing your own patterns in your space!

Happy Sewing!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you. ]]> Wed, 21 Apr 2021 14:05:14 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvv9M7fKGWt0o https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvn1d0VB8z-7c
Happy Thursday! I'm back today with another post for the Sewing Room Organization Series. I wrote three posts for this series last Spring, and wanted to pick it back up again. Find the other posts in the series here:
Tips for Keeping Your Sewing Table Organized and Clutter Free
Tips for Storing Projects in Progress (WIPs)
Tips for Organizing and Storing Fabric Scraps

For today's post I'm sharing how I organize my digital pattern PDF files. When I asked last year what you all struggle with organizing this was a repeated request. To be honest, at the time my files really weren't well organized. They were all in one central folder, and I often had trouble finding what I was looking for.

Preparing for this post was just the push I needed to really get my files organized and now I can share with you how I do it. I got organized last year and have been living with it for probably 7-8 months. The system I use is really simple and didn't take too long to set up. As always, there is no right or wrong way to organize your files. This is just a method that is working for me, but feel free to organize your digital patterns however you like!


The first thing I did when I decided to get organzied was to create a main folder, which I named "Digital Patterns". Within this folder I created folders for different pattern types. I looked through all my digital patterns to decide what types of folders I'd need. This will be different for everyone, depending on what types of patterns you buy, and how you'd like to have them organized. I set up the following pattern type folders:

Bag Patterns
Craft Patterns
Embroidery Patterns
Garment Patterns
Home Decor Patterns
Knitting Patterns
Magazines + Books
Pincushion Patterns
Pouch Patterns
Quilt Patterns
Softie Patterns


Here's a peek inside my "Bag Patterns" folder. The other thing I did with all my digital patterns was to rename all the files in a consistent way to make them easer to search for. Here is the format I used:

Pattern name - pattern designer.pdf

You could include any other identifying information you want. The date you downloaded the pattern, the type of item it is (if it's not in the pattern name), etc. I'd just recommend you decide on a system and then stick with it. In my opinion that will make it easier to look through your patterns and find what you're looking for.


See my organization method in action in this short video. (Direct link to the video here, if it's not showing up.) I also share how I treat a "new" pattern that comes in and get it organized into my system. I use a Mac, but this method works just as well on a PC.


I hope it was helpful to see one method for organizing digital patterns! It took me a few sittings to get my system set up, but it's been really easy to maintain. For me it has been worth that initial time investment to be able to easily look through and find specific patterns when I need them. The next post in this series will be how I organize my printed patterns. This will include both physical patterns I've purchased and digital patterns that I've printed at home.

Happy Organizing!]]> Wed, 21 Apr 2021 14:04:55 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvn1d0VB8z-7c https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvgO5yOwvVe_2
Happy Tuesday! I wanted to chat today about one of my oldest works in progress. I picked it up again last week and am determined to finish it, for real this time.


I pulled these fabrics for a Kaleidoscope quilt in early April 2012. Whoa, 9 years ago! It's a mix of two collections by Tula Pink*: Neptune and Prince Charming. I paired it with Quilter's Linen* by Robert Kaufman. I think the color is Parchment, but I am not 100% sure since I bought it so long ago.


All the pieces for this quilt were cut with a template. I used the Marti Mitchell Kaleido Ruler*.


This is one of those projects that I would go years without working on it. I know I brought it to a few retreats without even taking it out of my bag! To be honest, this is not the type of piecework that I really enjoy and that made me avoid it at times. It's also tough when so much time goes by, your tastes change. This quilt was just never a priority to finish. For 2021 one of my goals is to finish at least one long term work in progress. I listed this quilt specifically because it is such an old one for me.


Fast forward to last week, I didn't know what to work on so I decided to set myself a small goal to finish 10 blocks for this quilt every day. I had 50 blocks total left to make. Having that small goal really helped. I worked on them before lunch each day except Thursday. I have access to our car on Thursday mornings so that I can go do the grocery shopping. I didn't end up in the sewing room that day, so I made 20 blocks on Friday to make up for it.


10 blocks a day was so much more manageable a task than thinking about all 50 blocks at once. It also motivated me to sew almost every day, which is good. I've really struggled with finding a good routine, especially this year. I only dedicated about an hour a day to this project, and I made so much progress. I think I'm going to try to use this system going forward, to try to get back into a better routine of sewing every day, instead of in randome spurts.


It is so satisfying to be done with these blocks! Now I'm just finalizing the layout and I can start piecing them together. I hope to have the top put together by the end of the week. I will probably end up piecing a backing from my stash. At one point I had a matching backing, but got rid of it before we moved. I'm tempted to buy a backing for it, but I know I should just piece something from what I have in my stash. We'll see!


My new goal now is to get this quilt completely finished during the first half of 2021, and tackle another one of my long term works in progress in the second half. That would be awesome, I hope I can make that happen.

Happy Quilting!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you. ]]> Tue, 13 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvgO5yOwvVe_2 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvrmyhX6zo8SW
It's time for the March monthly report. See past reports here.


I worked on a random assortment of small projects this month. I share this scrappy pincushion I made in a blog post here. It's the Sit 'N Sew Pincushion Pattern by Shannon Fraser. It was my scrap project for the month of March and also my new-to-me pattern to make in quarter one of 2021.


Made a new lined drawstring bag to share my new wooden beads. I held onto this print by Creative Thursday for many years. It feels good to finally use it up! This is the everything size bag. Pattern, twill tape and beads can be found in my online shop.


This set of coasters was a very long standing WIP. I had a completed set of four and then six more in various stages of completion. I taped a segment for a tv show 5 or 6 years ago and you had to have step-outs of the projects. It felt good to get all of them finished, even if they're mostly the same coaster. I'll never be short on coasters again!


I made two blocks for my vintage sheet bear paw quilt this month. This quilt is definitely taking a while to make, but I'm hoping to pick up steam on it this spring. It's going to be a good one.


Still weaving away! I finished another scarf, this one used up almost two full skeins of yarn. I have so much yarn, I love how much weaving uses. It's been fun.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in March:

March Fabric
Used up: 4.5 yards
Brought in: 3 yards
Net: -1.5 yards
Year to date: -9.375 yards

March Yarn
Used up: 365 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -365 yards
Year to date: -1400 yards

I made my first fabric purchase of 2021! I bought a couple yards of black canvas to make more grow bags this this season. Pretty exciting! I passed a little fabric on to a friend too.


On my second birthday during the pandemic (whoa), we decided to sneak out and make a trip to a local nursery. It was only for about 15 minutes, but it was nice to go on an adventure instead of just being cooped up at home. They had tons of bulbs and pansies, so there was a lot to see. It was a nice day.


Speaking of plants, I've been busy starting all kinds of seeds. So far I have started dahlia, strawflower, portulaca, rudbeckia, tomoato and zinnia seeds. I've also been doing small batches of microgreens, which has been fun.


Leaving you with a little egg rainbow. I love to dye eggs, but don't really like hard boiled eggs much. So I carefully dye raw eggs. Now we can enjoy them for the next few weeks!

Have a great month! ]]> Tue, 06 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvrmyhX6zo8SW https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvrG7Iy_4u0x9
Happy Friday! I have some shop news to share today, it's been a long time coming!

Last Spring I started stocking cotton twill tapes in my shop, as my preferred designs were getting harder to source. I hope it's been convenient to be able pick up some twill right alongside a copy of the lined drawstring bag pattern! With that in mind, I have decided to further expand my offerings. After many questions about where to buy the wooden beads I use on my bags over the years, I am finally stocking them in my online shop!


At this time I have wooden beads available in three sizes: 1", 7/8", and 3/4". They all have 3/8" holes, so plenty big for twill, fabric, or paracord ties to fit in them. They're all shown on 1/2" twill tape in these photos. The beads are raw unfinished wood. You can use them as is or customize them to match your project with paint or stain! I'm excited to experiement with customizing them, I will be sure to share when I do! Beads are sold in packs of four.

Find wooden beads (and twill tape) in my online shop here: Round Wooden Beads and Cotton Twill Tape

For now, I only have shipping set up for the United States. I'm happy to set up a custom listing for international orders, so if you're interested just send me a message here.


Here are all three sizes on Everything Size bags! From left to right: 3/4", 7/8", 1". All on different style 1/2" cotton twill tape. Shall we take a closer look at each bag?


I love this one! My friend Jacey gave me this fabric last year, and I cut it up for a bag during the sew along. Perfect timing for seed starting! This is the 1" beads on the yellow measuring tape cotton twill. Main fabric is from Flora by Marisol Ortega.


Next up, an animal cookie bag! I love this fabric too, one of my last fabric purchases in 2020. Makes me want a snack. This is the 7/8" beads on 1/2" natural cotton twill. Main fabric is from Butterscotch by Dana Willard.


And finally a bag I made last year! This is the 3/4" beads on antique ruler cotton twill. Main fabric is from Sienna by Alexia Marcelle Abegg.

Find the drawstring bag pattern in my shop here: Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
Find wooden beads and twill tape in my online shop here: Round Wooden Beads and Cotton Twill Tape


The last bit of news to share is that my latest pattern, the Bear Paw Pillows Pattern, is finally available as a paper pattern! It's ready for mailing! It is also available wholesale, if you're a shop interested in carrying it.


You can find the paper pattern here: Bear Paw Pillows PAPER Pattern

Happy Friday!]]> Fri, 26 Mar 2021 11:00:05 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvrG7Iy_4u0x9 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvmnhpmeYcemU
Today I'm here to share a small project that I made this week! This project ticks the box for two of my goals this year. First, it's made completely from my scrap bin, so it's my scrap project for March. I'm trying to make at least one project from scraps per month in 2021. Second, it's a new-to-me pattern. I am hoping to sew one new-to-me pattern per quarter, so this is my quarter one pattern I'm trying.


This week I finally made the Sit 'N Sew Pincushion Pattern by Shannon Fraser. I bought this pattern over a year ago, so I thought it was a good one to start with for this year. I actually pulled the scraps for this pincushion over the summer, but just didn't get around to making it. It worked out, because I could easily pick this up and make it in an afternoon since I'd kept the pattern and fabrics together in my sewing room cart. Grab and go!


It was fun to use some summery prints in this project. I quilted the pincushion top with straight lines as I put it together.


For the back of the pincushion I used a blender and quilted some random diagonal lines. I filled the pincushion with crushed walnut shells to give it nice weight.


The finished pincushion has a little hanging organizer to keep a few tools. I think it will come in handy, keeping it next to my machine.


Find the pattern in Shannon's shop here: Sit 'N Sew Pincushion Pattern by Shannon Fraser


Happy Sewing!]]> Wed, 24 Mar 2021 11:00:08 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvmnhpmeYcemU https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvlRpWVnEcNkS
It's time for the February monthly report. See past reports here.


February was really tough. Saying goodbye to George was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. He had been slowing down over the last year or so, but things went downhill pretty fast. Right before Christmas we shifted our focus to palliative care, and just tried to enjoy the time we had left together. I couldn't bring myself to say it at the time, but that's why I disappeared for a while. We had the help and support of Laps of Love, who helped us navigate the process. He passed here at home, in my arms. It was devastating, but the most peaceful thing we could do for him. Thank you for all the love you've shown us, it means a lot. I wanted to share this artwork that my friend Melissa Averinos did of him. What an angel.


I didn't do a whole lot of anything in February, but I did force myself to do some crafting. The main thing I worked on this month was a few weaving projects. I don't know why, but weaving has really hit the spot during this time. I think because it is so repetitive and mindless for me. I started and finished a long scarf with a skein of sock yarn and some lace-weight yarn. I also started a worsted weight scarf too, which I am still working on. I weave on a 10" Cricket Loom by Schacht.


Towards the end of the month I set myself a goal of getting two quilts in the mail for quilting by the end of February. I had the tops done but needed to make backings for both. It may not sound like much, but it was kind of daunting. I spent most of my time the last few months taking care of George, so it felt like a lot. I'm glad I pushed through and did it though. I know it will feel good when I can get those finished, hopefully it will help propel me forward.


My only sewing finishes this month was another set of scrunchies. I love the ones I made over the summer but I'm always misplacing them. Figured a few more were in order. Plus it was my scrap project for the month, so win-win. I used this tutorial from Made Everyday.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in February:

February Fabric
Used up: .25 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -.25 yards
Year to date: -7.875 yards

February Yarn
Used up: 642 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -642 yards
Year to date: -1035 yards

No fabric purchases this month, so despite my very small amount of fabric I used up, I'm still in the negative. Will this be the first year I never have a positive "year to date"? We'll see! The scarf I finished used a good amount of yarn, so my yarn yardages are already off to a great start this year.


I did a lot of baking in February, including a coconut cake for Michael's birthday. It was the same basic cake I made for his half birthday this Summer, but this time I frosted it with cool whip and we liked it much better. The buttercream I made for it last time was too sweet and too rich. The cake recipe is from Smitten Kitchen Every Day*.

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.


I also made everything bagels. Our favorite bagel shop in Madison, Bagels Forever, had a variety called "New Everything" that had all the everything bits on the inside of the bagel instead of the outside. They were Michael's favorite, so I've been wanting to try recreating them. My first go turned out pretty good! I use this basic bagel recipe from King Arthur Baking, and I used about 43 grams of everything bagel seasoning from Trader Joes in the dough. I topped them with sesame seeds because I find they bake more evenly with the seeds on vs. nothing on the outside. Plus, we love sesame seeds.


It was a snowy month. Hurry up Spring!
]]> Fri, 05 Mar 2021 21:51:17 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvlRpWVnEcNkS https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvsfGo0LrnZNO
I’m deeply saddened to share that we said goodbye to our dear George bunny this morning. He was the light of our house, and a huge part of our family. We’re completely heartbroken, and also grateful he isn’t in pain anymore after struggling the last few months. We’ll love him forever, our sweet boo boo. Thanks for loving him along with us over the years.]]> Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:46:30 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvsfGo0LrnZNO https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvnKSkciKEY1s
Happy February! It's time for the January monthly report. See past reports here.


My sewing this month wasn't anything super exciting, but I did finish some projects that I know will get a lot of use. First up I made more placemats. As I mentioned last month, we've been eating dinner at our dining room table most days since the pandemic started. I have a great stash of vintage tablecloths, but only had one style of placemats. Over the last two months I've made a few sets of placemats from my stash of home dec fabrics. It feels good to use up these types of fabrics, and I'll get to enjoy them on our table instead of tucked away in the fabric cabinet. They're super simple, just two pieces of fabric right sides together and sew around the sides. Turn, press and topstitch. They get the job done, and have been a great stash buster. I cut my rectangles 15"x17" and used 1/2" seam allowances for 14"x16" finished placemats.


My other big project this month was sewing up a set of four new pillowcases. I cut and washed the fabrics for these sometime in 2019 (I think, could have been 2018.). I've pulled them out and ironed them a few times and then put them away without cutting them. Finally in January I cut the pieces and stitched them up. I used some of my voile prints from Geometric Bliss, so they're super soft and silky feeling. I'm glad to have these to add into our rotation of cases. I use the burrito method for making mine, outlined here. Using the serger when doing the French seams really speeds these up.


I made a new cover for one of our long heating pads. This one is a little older and it runs pretty hot, so it needed a more substantial cover. I used some fat quarters of Nani Iro brushed cotton (flannel). I added a layer of fusible fleece to give it some extra padding. I'm happy to report it's back in use already and much improved by the new cover. It closes with a single snap.


My last sewing finish for the month was a pincushion from my scraps. I just barely squeezed this project in before the month ended, so I kept it simple. I decided to use all Minny Muu scraps, which are perfect for small projects since the scale of the prints is so tiny. I followed my own Scrappy Nine-Patch Pincushion Tutorial to make it. I did a pretty dense crosshatch quilting on the top, I like the resulting texture.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in January:

January Fabric
Used up: 7.625 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -7.625 yards
Year to date: -7.625 yards

January Yarn
Used up: 393 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -393 yards
Year to date: -393 yards

I feel good about my stash results for this month. I wasn't tempted to buy any fabric or yarn, and I finished a decent amount! I'll take it.




I knit more this month than I did in the entirety of 2020! Michael has been working hard on writing and submitting a grant, so I've been spending time keeping him company while he works on the computer. It was the perfect excuse to get back into the swing of knitting. I knit two hats, plus a cowl. You can see the details for all three on my Ravelry page. I'm loving the small projects, and the finishes are keeping me motivated to continue on. Hoping it sticks, I haven't knit regularly in quite a while and it is relaxing. Hats are definitely my favorite!


My baking adventure in January was making chocolate chip bagels! When we lived in Madison, I loved the chocolate chip bagels from Bagels Forever. Getting one toasted with butter was one of my favorite treats after running errands. I've been pining for one ever since we moved away, so I finally took the plunge and tried making them. I was afraid the chocolate would disturb the rise, but it didn't at all. If anything, the dough rose more! I used my go-to bagel recipe (Water Bagels by King Arthur Baking) and I added mini chocolate chips to the dough during the knead. They turned out awesome! Next time I plan to add the chips directly to the flour.


Sleepy George Bunny.

Have a Great Month!]]> Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:25:25 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKjVWwIdEiOvnKSkciKEY1s