I'm taking the leap and moving my blog here

The archives of both my blogs will remain here but I hope you will join me in my new adventures.

Many Thanks!

Katie

Clearing the Way for Clearance

I've spent a fair amount of time today updating my Etsy shop.  It's been kind of neat to see how things have begun to evolve.  

For example, I think the tote bags that I was working on recently are so superior to the ones I made last year.  My sewing has improved but I also think my approach to designing the bags has improved.  I chose to make bags that are a uniform size and I took the time to put pockets on both sides of the bags.  I also was able to find larger upholstery fabric samples to work with so the front and back of the bags match.  So now I have a bag recipe to work from.  Figuring all this out feels like a big step forward to me.  

It's also led me to create a clearance section in my Etsy shop.  It just seems like it's time to celebrate what's new by letting go of what's still hanging around.  I've marked stuff way down so have a look.  There's likely to be more things added over the next few days.

I'm in the middle of a post production clean up in my craft room and this is really freeing.  I haven't done a big clean up since before the holidays so this is really necessary.  I'm trying to focus on some wise words that were shared with me by other crafters.  I do not have to make everything for everyone.  The notion of narrowing my focus and picking a few things to make that I enjoy making, is totally obvious and brilliantly simple.  It's also making the clean up go much more quickly.

I leave you with this picture of the new bags in my shop and the many things they can carry.  I know my pictures still need work but I like the idea of this picture if not the way I executed it.

T-Shirt Yarn DIY Medley Kit Instructions

Click on images to get a closer look at each. Hope this helps!

Getting Done What needs to Get Done

After doing such a good job of keeping my blog updated weekly, I fell down on the job last week.  I confess that after 6 1/2 weeks of my husband being on strike, the news of the tentative agreement on Friday, May 27th left me giddy and slightly unable to focus.  All the anxiety, which had been propelling me at a truly manic pace, slipped away and I found myself in need of a break.

Along the way, I got some projects done that had been languishing far too long, like this dog bed cover for Oreo.  It's essentially just a rectangle with elastic around the edge but it works so much better  than what I had been using.  Clearly he is a pretty big fan of it.

Although I didn't get the listing for special order memory quilts live in my shop yet, I did get a special order for one from my sister's boyfriend! I'm pretty excited about the possibilities.  I'm just getting started on it and it is still very much in the planning stage, which is what takes most of the time anyway.

Time to get back on track!




I also

Pillows!

What a week it has been!  I managed to get a ton of stuff done like this pillow that I has started last week.  First pic is a front view, 2nd is the back side.  Its an envelope style cover.

I'm so pleased with the way this came out.  As I had hoped, I was able to get this done in time for the Maker Expo on Saturday and it featured prominently in my display.

This was really one of the first times I did a display like this and I was pretty pleased.  The response was pretty good.  From my point of view, getting the word out is almost as important as making a sale when you're this early in the game.   I think I was able to make some good connections with fairly local places that host classes too, which I hadn't expected.

Thanks to some extra time I put in earlier in the week, I had custom order listings live in my shop for Memory Pillows and T-shirt Memory Rugs.  I still need to make one for custom Memory Throw Quilts but that didn't stop me from putting together a flyer for those three items to give out at the Maker Expo.  The construction of this did not go smoothly, my printer and my laptop decided they hated each other.  My son saved the day without lecturing me about how I should have gotten this done sooner, a song I've sang to him many times.  I was very grateful.

The plan was to make two of the pillows and I am thrilled to report that the second pillow got finished yesterday.  So many people this weekend talked about how much they loved the pockets on the pillows and how they would store their remotes in them.  I honestly hadn't considered them for any practical use, I just liked the way they looked but it does seem like a great idea.

Looking to the week ahead, I'm not sure how much sewing I'll be able to get done for the shop.  I've got some very unglamorous mending projects to get done, including sewing new elastic on my son's bed sheet, fixing buttons that are falling off a sweater, fixing a button band on another sweater the way it should have been done in the first place and hemming a shower curtain.  My big shop goal for the week is to get the custom memory quilt listing live.  

Have a great week!

What Inspires Me

This past week was very productive.  I was able to get at least 8 bags and liners cut out.  If you've been following me on Instagram, you've already seen these but if not, enjoy!  The floral fabric and the owl fabric are the liners.



I was thinking a lot about what inspires me to create.  In the case of these bags, I love the way the lining fabric peeks out a bit.  I wanted to find a way to use these fabrics as liners, especially the owls.

Another project I started working on this week that I'm finding really inspiring is a set of throw pillows.  They are clearly a memory project as they are being made from strips of clothing.

I find that I really enjoy planning and creating projects like this.  I like the challenge of fitting the disparate pieces together in a way that celebrates memories.  This will become a simple envelope pillow case.  Here's how it's turning out so far.

I think this type of project will become a special order option in my shop.  I'm heading to the CCLD Maker Expo this weekend and I'll be bringing this pillow.  I'm curious to see how it is received. 

Mondays are Hard!

I confess, I could barely roll myself out of bed this morning to make coffee.  There was no way I could blog given that I could barely form a sentence.  We got in very late last night after a trip to the Adirondacks and it just took me forever to settle down and get to sleep.  As a result, I've spent the day operating in a bit of a daze.

This week my schedule is bit strange as I'm covering for a coworker.  As a result, I'm going into work late tomorrow, leaving early Wednesday and working Saturday.  I'm going to have to be super organized to get  everything done that I need to get done.

I'm really happy with the amount of t-shirt yarn I currently have in my shop so I think it is time to switch gears and start working on other things.  Project bags are next on my agenda along with some zipper pouches.  The plan is to use denim and upholstery fabric to create these.  I've got two very specific designs in mind.  Now if only I can avoid distractions!

Ultimately, I need a better answer when people ask "what can you make with your t-shirt yarn?"  Here's the interesting thing, I don't make much with the relatively thin, bulky weight t-shirt yarn that I sell.  This thickness of t-shirt yarn evolved out of two other makers' requests.  When I make rugs   I use yarn that is about 3 times thicker.  Rather than re-invent the wheel, I'm going to head over to Ravelry and do a little research.  I'd like to come up with some answers that are better than, "Let me show you what my friend Kristina made..."  (Not that I don't love showing off the beautiful things she makes.  In fact, you should stop reading this post and go visit her website.  She's amazing, right?)

So my plan ultimately centers around creating a list of patterns that work well with my t-shirt yarn.  I do have some test knitting that I had done on slippers that I was really pleased with.  Maybe it's almost time to create a Saved by Kate Ravelry group so we can share ideas or host knit alongs or look for test knitters?

Actually that brings me to an interesting thing I've noticed.  Blogs and Ravelry seem to be interactive in a more meaningful way than Instagram or Facebook.  I can't tell you how many times I've posed a question on both Instagram and Facebook and only been met with likes rather than responses.  I suspect people often don't get beyond the image to the words.  I must ponder this as I decide if I need another thing to keep track of.  Thoughts?

I leave you with this lovely picture of my latest entry into my shop, Desert Sun, a colorway hand dyed by me.