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Saturday, 4 January 2025

Planners for Sewing & Everyday Life

my 2025 day planner
An essential part of every new year...
Greetings!

Yes, I too am surprised to be here again so soon, but it's because the topic is sort of "time sensitive". 😉

Did you know that a 1997 calendar can be used for 2025?

I mean, I've always known that calendars can be reused in that sense, but 2024 was the first time that I ever actually did that.

A news story came to my attention last year that 2024=1996, so I dug through my collection of old calendars – I don't keep all of them, but the late 90s was a period during which I bought themed calendars according to my interests of the day – and came up with a pristine 1996 edition. It had never been written on, either, so it got hung up last year behind the door of our kitchen pantry and served its purpose for another year.

sewing quotes courtesy of faberwood.com
We are now far beyond the days when charities used to send out freebie calendars, so I was glad to have discovered that I have reusable calendars for the next five years.

Some time ago, I asked if any of my readers here were "old school" in the sense of using calendars and physical day planners. For a person who has owned a computer since 1986, it might surprise you that I prefer the paper method when it comes to keeping track of important events, dates and tasks. I find it hard to turn my trust over to an electronic device to manage my life in that sense.




Every fall, I browse my local dollar store to pick up a new day planner, like the one shown at the top of this post. This particular style is one that I've used several times and apart from one niggling thing, it serves my needs. (What's that niggling thing? It doesn't have tabbed monthly calendar pages.)

It lays out a week in a two page spread, and the large coil ensures that it stays open flat. Each day has sufficient lines to record the basics of what I need to track. For day to day to-dos and appointments, it's totally functional. As a sewing or crafting/hobby planner, however, it's probably far from ideal.


It is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics, when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew; especially as they are never more at home with their hearts than while so occupied.
– Nathaniel Hawthorne


Do any of you use a planner to track and document your sewing projects?

A few years ago, I came across this Simplicity Vintage notebook in a local discount shop. Of course it would catch my eye, and at $3 it was something that I just tossed into my basket without too much thought. To this day, though, it still hasn't been put to use.

sewing planners
My sewing project book (bottom) and Simplicity Vintage notebook...

That being said, it's just a lined notebook, so it can serve any number of functions. In the spirit of my junk journal project, the first thing it can be is a place to collect thoughts and quotes about our favourite craft. (I've sprinkled various examples of those throughout this post for your enjoyment.)

My project planner book – which you've seen here often in the past, replete with my scribbled notes and diagrams – is a large 8.5" x 11" coil bound volume. It's only a lined notebook, nothing special. For me, I just need blank space to draw and write on a freeform basis; I don't need prompts or category boxes to fill in like someone else might.

sewing quotes courtesy of faberwood.com
Image courtesy of faberwood.com...

That's why I'm thinking perhaps the saying of "different strokes for different folks" applies in this situation. Two people might use something called a sewing planner, but how it's used and what its purpose might be can be totally different. For those in need of consistent structure, here are some pre-printed planners that might fit the bill.

I'll start with the pricier side of things. (Although you may have a hard time finding this first one; it was released a few years back; at the time of this writing, one was available via Amazon Canada at $48.87.) The Simplicity Vintage Sewing Planner is designed to be a daily planner as well as a sewing planner.

Simplicity Vintage Sewing Planner Kit
Simplicity Vintage Sewing Planner Kit...

As you can see, it's a binder system and comes with various stickers to personalize the calendar pages, with clear pockets and divider tabs to keep you and your sewing projects organized. The appeal, of course, are the beautiful drawings of vintage fashions from Simplicity's heyday. (The whole setup makes me think that if I still had the physical sewing patterns from my youth, I would use the envelopes to create a sewing-themed junk journal.)

If this is the type of solution that floats your boat, designer Lori Holt has a Sew and Stitch Binder Calendar for 2025 that sells for $45 CDN (under $30 USD). It's similarly appointed with pages that pay tribute to her Riley Blake fabrics.


Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that – one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery.
– Oliver Wendell Holmes


If an elaborate pre-made binder system is not in your budget, but you'd still like to track specifics of your sewing projects, there are basic bound paperback planners that can be had for much less. These sell for in and around the $10 mark, and are strictly designed to be project trackers, not day planners. (That is, they don't provide space for you to write something on a daily basis over the course of a year.)

I've just chosen three at random (from Amazon); they are fairly similar in style, with the differences being in the headings and areas for detail. Those who appreciate having a documented log of what they've sewn and how they've sewn it may find these types of planners useful or even essential. (I've superimposed the cover of the planner on top of a sample page in the images that follow.)

Here is one that is aimed at clothing design. It's called the Sewing Project Planner and Fashion Sketchbook. Alongside the planning page is a front and back mannequin figure upon which to sketch your creation. Book is 83 pages in length.

Sewing Project Planner and Fashion Sketchbook
Sample page from Sewing Project Planner and Fashion Sketchbookby Anne-Sophie Weber...

Another one that's for more general sewing projects is the Sewing Project Planner put out by Craftland River Press.
 
Sewing Project Planner
Sample page from Sewing Project Planner by Craftland River Press...

Each project is given a two page spread; book is 110 pages in total. Categories that you can't see in the above include Sketch, Color Scheme, Fabric Swatch and Use For, and (from the second page) Ideas & Notes, and Results & Future Makes.

sewing quotes courtesy of faberwood.com
Image courtesy of faberwood.com...

Lastly, this one is called Sewing Journal, by Jordana Terry. Like the previous two, each project is given a two page spread as well.

Sewing Journal by Jordana Terry
Sample page from Sewing Journal by Jordana Terry...

Categories that you can't see from the image above include Main Fabric Sample, Lining Fabric Sample, Interfacing Sample, and (from the second page) Measurement, Materials, and Photo of Completed Work.


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For those who are interested in monetizing their sewing passion, bag designer Christine Welsh of ChrisW Designs offers a set of business oriented planners meant to help guide and organize your selling efforts on Etsy, Shopify or just in your local market. They are in PDF format, meaning that you are purchasing a digital file and must print out the pages yourself. Once printed, you can organize them as you wish in a normal binder.

CWD bag making planners

image courtesy of ChrisWDesigns.com...

Christine also has a two in one solution for those of you who like to combine your daily planning with bag making. Her new 2025 PDF day planner/calendar gives you ultimate control of how you want to organize your days and your projects by printing as many or as few pages as you want or need. You don't even need to worry about what size to select; the planner can be printed in any of three popular paper sizes.

CWD 2025 Planner
image courtesy of ChrisWDesigns.com...

You can find this at the same link given above for the business planners.


I am certain that a sewing machine would relieve as much human suffering as a hundred lunatic asylums, and possibly a good deal more.
– Margaret Atwood


As far as tracking my own sewing goes, a simple lined notebook has worked well for me over the years, but that's me. If you can benefit from writing down details about your sewing projects – a practice that's immensely helpful if you're still learning the craft or if you make multiples of whatever – a planner may be just the thing to keep you focused and organized.

While bound volumes are easy to carry around, the versatility and flexibility of a self-made binder system can't be beat if you crave extra organization and/or have different types of projects to track; i.e., clothing, quilts, bags, etc.

Whatever your needs, you can find all sorts of custom planner pages on Etsy and elsewhere; the choices are as wide and varied as individual needs are.

'Til next...

Saturday, 28 December 2024

A Look Back at a Year of Blogging/Not Blogging

eSheep Designs Jumbo Junk Journal Quotes 2024
Find what fuels you in life...
Is everyone happy to be done with this past week? (I know I am!)

As I look back on and bid adieu to 2024, one thing that I can definitely say is that it's been a different sort of year than the previous ten.

Twelve months ago, I signed off here without knowing when I'd be back. After a decade of uploading a new blog post every Saturday, I was about to embark on a new phase of not doing so.

What the phase would involve in terms of what I'd be doing was a mystery, but I gave myself permission to do nothing, if that had been my desire.

What ended up here was six months' worth of focus on a junk journal project, which involved a little bit of sewing, so it wasn't totally off topic.




The Journal


The journal itself has become part of my daily routine throughout this past year, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. It's also grown in girth, moving even beyond its original jumbo size; the cover closure no longer overlaps.

Jumbo Junk Journal by eSheep Designs
Getting even bigger...

In September, I filled up my first notebook and progressed into a second, which was easily threaded into place inside the back cover. (Our motor association travel magazine provides a vast array of images to tear out and paste onto the covers of these basic dollar store notebooks.)

Jumbo Junk Journal by eSheep Designs
Old notebook filled up (insets); new notebook in place...

On a regular basis, I flip through the notebook portion and transcribe the most memorable quotations into the main body of the journal. (Some are scattered throughout this post; I hope you find meaning in them as I have.) The more time goes by, the truer it is that we are only here for a (relatively) short while. It's a blessing to be able to find what your passion is and to able to give your time to its fulfillment.

eSheep Designs Jumbo Junk Journal Quotes 2024
Fulfillment can be achieved a little bit at a time...

Oh, and although I am of a mind that this journal should be mostly reserved for uplifting content, I did think it worthwhile to include this little gem from one of my favourite literary characters.

Jumbo Junk Journal by eSheep Designs
Jane Austen was remarkably worldly for her age...

While this quote has been applicable throughout the decades since it was originally written, I find it especially true now with the prevalence and general acceptance of fake personas cultivated by people with ulterior motives. (Be smart about who – and what – you choose to trust... especially in the age of AI.)

The Bags


Giving Away What We Make
A coat tree that exists just for my bags...
A little over a year ago, I also wrote about giving away what we make.

It was an accounting of the problem that we sewers commonly have, of making things that are difficult to sell and in many cases, just as hard to give away.

Yes, we can gift things, but unless we are very knowledgeable about the recipient, it may not end up being a welcome or usable gift. (And as I've said, before, it's not always the thought that counts!)

In this post, I listed nine of the bags that I've made through the years and made them available to any takers, provided that shipping costs were covered by the recipient.

You may be curious as to how it turned out, so here's a little update.

Right after the posting, I received two requests from a couple of regular readers. Those orders were fulfilled in the early part of 2024 without any major issue. (I did learn, however, that there always seems to be a lineup at the post office outlets near where I live, despite Canada Post's ongoing troubles.)

eSheep Designs bag giveaway
Messenger bag has a new owner...

It wasn't until August that I had the opportunity to winnow this collection down further. Hubby and I reconnected with some extended family members, one of whom is a young lady I haven't seen since she was twelve.

Once we established that there was an interest, she selected matching bags for herself and her sister: the Betz White Flight Bag and the modified Dubstepper messenger. I've always considered them both highly functional and the customized messenger is a great choice for a student.

eSheep Designs Jumbo Junk Journal Quotes 2024
Life is short... fill it with things you love doing!

Oftentimes, there is just no better feeling than knowing that something you made is being appreciated and used by someone! (Oh, and if anyone is interested in the others, this offer still remains in effect, although my ability to mail anything might be questionable for some time yet, what with our postal service still being backlogged after their recent work stoppage.)


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The Internet


So how did I feel about blogging and being online this past year?

Well, there was a definite lack of pressure, which is a good thing. (I think that posting once every three weeks or so is manageable for the immediate future.) I appreciate the opportunity to continue writing, period, as it's a pastime that rejuvenates me and keeps me sharp.

eSheep Designs Jumbo Junk Journal Quotes 2024
The world needs more hard workers and fewer blowhards...

As for the other part of that question, I purposely avoided consuming a lot of social media interactions in 2024, having seen how even the comment section on seemingly innocuous news stories can explode into vile arguments for no apparent reason.

brain rot - Oxford University's Word for 2024
Image courtesy of Oxford University...
No, the world is not getting better, regardless of any desire of mine for it to be so. I've said what I can and continue to do what I can, but no more extended soapboxing or grandstanding for me here either.

On the brighter side of things, Australia gets a fist pump from me for having the gumption to set a world-first law by preventing kids under 16 from accessing social media. Getting to the "how" of this decision will be challenging, I'm sure, but more countries need to take a stand and get on board. Perhaps then, Oxford University won't have to choose such depressing words of the year in future.

I ended up writing nineteen blog posts this year. I can't tell you whether that was more or less what I expected, since I had no goals or expectations on that front. (I just knew the number wouldn't be anything close to fifty-two.) If the junk journal hadn't happened, I may not have posted until the summer. When I said last December that I might use the extra time on my hands to sew more, I couldn't have been more wrong!

The Sewing


The concept of "extra time" is relative when you don't actually have a fixed work schedule. As a retired person, whatever you need to do will always magically take up the amount of hours that you have.

eSheep Designs Jumbo Junk Journal Quotes 2024
Shedding life's complexities can be freeing...

The extent of my sewing for this past year was probably less than I had ever done in any of the dozen years leading up to 2024.

To summarize what I accomplished on that front, there were the small amounts of sewing relating to the junk journal (vinyl storage pocket, various ephemera — the cover was actually a late December 2023 project), modifying some tea towels for Mom, the new laptop case for hubby, two Passport & Travel Document Keepers for an SIL, "darning" some socks (and this was only hand sewing), the fabric "gingerbread" house, and three projects that will be the topics of posts for the first part of 2025.

The Surprises


As promised when I announced my break from blogging, I still "hung around" in 2024 to ensure that comments were responded to, that spam was fried, and that pattern sales were fulfilled. It's always a pleasant surprise to receive comments about posts from long ago. (The persistence of spam is not so much appreciated, but I wasn't inundated by them.)

Always one to dig into stats – I once pondered a career as a statistician, would you believe?? – I kept a close eye on popular posts and trending posts. Not that knowing what they are would drive me to change my blogging habits (although I might just summarize them next year in a blog post); it was just out of simple curiosity.

eSheep Designs Jumbo Junk Journal Quotes 2024
This was my most significant breakthrough of the year...
 
It surprised me when – essentially all year long – a post about how to fold a blanket into a cape has held its position at number one. (Since I'm writing this part one day before this post goes live, I'm sure that if you check out the left sidebar, that post will still be at the top of the "Most Popular" list.)

Really odd why that topic has been of such interest. Also surprising – given that it is a popular topic – is the fact that the post currently holds the number one position for the search term "how to fold a blanket into a poncho". (Apart from employing best practices from the get-go, I don't do a lot of tweaking with SEO.) Because I'm not actively looking to grow my blog's following, newbie visitors referred from online searches are always a welcome surprise.

eSheep Designs Jumbo Junk Journal Quotes 2024
My 2025 wish for you...

Further on the topic of new readers, I was surprised to gain a few more subscribers this year than I had any expectation to gain, given my reduced involvement. (It was probably enough to equal the number who bailed on me right after my announcement of "quitting" last December — LOL!)

As we close off the current year, let me leave you with three important questions. Are you keeping well? Are you staying smart? And are you still being kind?

eSheep Designs Jumbo Junk Journal Quotes 2024
Aldous Huxley and Paddington Bear have good ideas...

I sincerely hope so. 🤗

On that note, 'til 2025...

Saturday, 7 December 2024

New PDF: Collapsible Quilted Tabletop Christmas Tree

Collapsible Quilted Tabletop Christmas Tree PDF by eSheep Designs
PDF for the Collapsible Quilted Tabletop Christmas Tree...
Today's PDF release is for a favourite project of mine – the Collapsible Quilted Tabletop (Christmas) Tree – and it comes with an added bonus... I've finally included a template for those who aren't inclined to draw their own!

For those who missed this four years ago, I came up with the idea after seeing a pattern called the Tabletop Tannenbaum (by Kristine Poor) featured on Shabby Fabrics' YouTube channel.

The inspiration version is a lot more substantial than mine, consisting of six tree-shaped panels underpinned by an unusual type of heat moldable batting. It provides rigidity to fabric quite unlike normal quilt batting. (I checked online and the whole pattern with batting is priced at $41 CDN. But I've seen the batting itself sell for over $50 for a half yard!)

The price point was – and continues to be, I suppose – the reason why I was motivated to make a facsimile using more affordable materials such as fusible fleece and Decor Bond. I also figured that cutting the number of panels in half would make the project more accessible to those of us who don't have heavy duty industrial sewing machines... because the resulting thickness of six panels (never mind of the much heftier inspiration version) would be daunting. 




Using the template that I've now included, this tree can be made out of three fat quarters or a half yard of non-directional fabric. It finishes out to approximately 11" (28cm) high.

Your choice of fabric will highlight the uniqueness of this project. Use six different fabrics or just one; it's totally up to you. I used four selections, turning them into three panels that were red on one side and gray on the other. 

Collapsible Quilted Tabletop Christmas Tree by eSheep Designs
Three red fabrics....

To help the panels stand up, the fabric, fusible fleece and Decor Bond combination is quilted. If you are new to quilting, I would recommend doing what I did, which was an "echo" technique whereby you stitch along the edge and then keep going around and around, keeping a specific distance from your previous stitching until you arrive at the center.

Collapsible Quilted Tabletop Christmas Tree by eSheep Designs
backed by three grey-toned fabrics... 

It's a quilting method that's freeform enough not to be intimidating and attractive enough to be impressive. Win-win!

I didn't think much beforehand about how to allocate the fabrics, so was pleasantly surprised in the end with the different views afforded by the tree. I can see how if I had matched up two same coloured selections back to back, I'd have a different tree even though it would be made out of the same fabrics.

Collapsible Quilted Tabletop Christmas Tree by eSheep Designs
Use of different fabrics produces a different look depending on the viewing angle...

As you can see from the photos here, you can get different looks just by placing the tree at different angles.

For embellishments, I decided to use rivets along the points of the tree. The snowflake topper is something that I saved from some gift wrapping.

Collapsible Quilted Tabletop Christmas Tree by eSheep Designs
From this angle, the tree is completely red...
  
To reiterate, I've added the template that I used to make this tree to the PDF, but don't let that limit your imagination. I've often thought that a tall slim tree – perhaps made out of a single, well chosen fabric – would be quite elegant, within a grouping of two shorter ones.

Don't forget — the best thing about this may be that it's collapsible and will fold down flat when not in use. (I'm pretty sure that the original inspiration project is not squishable in the same way.)


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This was made for Christmas, but essentially it's just a tree and is suitable for decorative use across all seasons. I originally mentioned that trees are representative of life and thus this can be a thoughtful gift for older family members in long term care homes.

Collapsible Quilted Tabletop Christmas Tree by eSheep Designs
A very simple yet elegant tabletop decoration suitable for all seasons...

You can download your copy of the PDF here.

Oh, and if space is truly at a premium for you even to consider the addition of a tabletop tree, how about a tree to hang in a window (or against a wall)? My hanging Christmas tree project from 2017 (also available in PDF format) would be another way to jazz up your holiday decor without taking up too much room... mine is currently hanging three feet away from where I'm sitting.

And on that note, may the joys of Christmas and all the other holiday seasons be with you.

'Til next...

Saturday, 23 November 2024

Holiday Sewing Ideas You May Have Missed

Holiday Sewing Ideas You May Have Missed
Holiday sewing ideas you may have missed...
You must congratulate me for having found some inspiration – not to mention time – to slide another blog post into the rotation this late in the year. (Not only that, it's bumping my originally scheduled post out another couple of weeks.) 😉

As some of you may know, I pulled back from blogging on a weekly basis because there were increasingly fewer things to write about. A year later, nothing has changed in that sense. Even though I check YouTube less frequently than before, I don't find more content to inspire whenever I do visit. Even the newer channels that I follow are running out of fresh ideas. (Oh, and I don't know if some of you are encountering the same thing, but increasingly, crafters aren't showing their finished items until the very end of their videos. I find it irksome to have to fast forward to the end just to see if I want to see it. It seems incredibly presumptuous to assume that viewers will commit to watching something without knowing what "it" is.)

Anyway, it was with great excitement that a couple of weeks ago, I unexpectedly came across a source of freebie projects that were new to me.

Where was this? It was at Moda Fabrics, a company that actually celebrated their fiftieth anniversary a few months ago. If you go to their website (modafabrics.com), you can find these projects and more under Inspiration + Resources, Free Patterns.




Moda's business is first and foremost about selling fabrics, and the way to sell more fabrics is to provide a plethora of quilting projects to entice your customer base. (At least, that's my take on it.) Therefore, the free projects available here are heavily skewed towards quilts.

If you're a quilting person, that's wonderful. As for me, I'm forever looking for non-quilting projects. In that vein, I was also pleasantly surprised to find several that can be filed under the category of Christmas or holiday sewing, apropos for the time of year... hence the additional blog post.

First up is this collection called Christmas Faire by Cathe Holden. (For those of you whose French is a little rusty, the name is a take on the verb, to do. Clever.) The collection looks to be only about a year old.

Cathe Holden Christmas Faire patterns for Moda Fabrics
Christmas Faire by Cathe Holden for Moda Fabrics...

Visually, you can identify two of the projects immediately: a wine bottle holder and a mini Christmas tree. The third project that may not be as easily discernible is a bowl. On the surface of it, none are new or different, but I certainly like how the bottle bag – which is reversible – has a square base. The Christmas tree is yet another take on a stuffed tree – this time, simply cone shaped – but look at how it's decorated with fabric covered buttons... an opportunity to upcycle and use scraps.

Christmas Faire fabric bowl for Moda Fabrics
Fabric bowl...

As for the bowl, it's pieced together around an octagonal base, using a technique that's similar to how I've done my own 3D fabric pieced projects.

The 8 page PDF contains instructions for each project as well as the templates.

Another holiday themed project that I came across was this large wall hanging advent calendar, designed by Alexia Marcelle Abegg. Again, sewn advent calendars are hardly new, but if you've ever wanted to make one, this is as good an option to start with as any.

Advent Calendar by Alexia Marcelle Abegg for Moda Fabrics
Advent calendar and tree ornaments...

The bonus part is that this pattern comes with instructions for making different shaped ornaments that are perfect for scrap busting. All required templates (such as for the numbers and the various shaped ornaments) are included in the 7 page PDF.


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This last pattern is totally fun and definitely different. If you have a crafty young lady on your list, this would be a wonderful handmade gift to pass along. You might even use it to introduce her to sewing.

Welcome to Flats world!

Flat House by Angela Yosten for Moda Fabrics
Angela Yosten's flat house...

The project is a fold-out house/room for flat dolls. (If you're thinking that it reminds you of paper dolls, that's exactly the whole point.) Folded up and carried as shown above, you see the front of the house, with door, windows and assorted planters appliqued on it. (The back side is just plain, but you could totally add your own elements.)

Flat House by Angela Yosten for Moda Fabrics
Inside the flat house...

Opened up, the whole thing converts into a four-sided room with a rug on the floor, couch along the back with pictures above it, and two side walls, one with a lamp on a table and the other with a set of stairs and a small door underneath. The PDF provides templates for all of the elements described.

What about the doll, you ask?

Angela Yosten Flats by Moda
What a lot of fun this would have been!

Well, the unfortunate part is that this project dates back to 2013. The corresponding dolls (and pets) were printed on fabric panels that were part of a line that Angela Yosten released for Moda at that time. The panels themselves are now virtually impossible to find.

Quiltsmart Fusible Flats by Angela Yosten
On the positive side, there appears to be an alternative that can be purchased from Quiltsmart. (To learn more, copy and paste this link into your browser: https://quiltsmart.com/fusible-flats/) 

If you go to their site, there's a video that demonstrates what they're selling (see image at right) and how to use it. You'll have to supply the fabric and additional materials in this case, since the package just contains the original drawn patterns on fusible interfacing. If you're not one to DIY the concept just by watching the video – i.e., draw your own dolls and clothes – the pricing is quite reasonable.

It's been said that we don't provide today's children with enough imaginative play opportunities that can be explored on their own. I think this would be a wonderful gift for that purpose... not to mention it looks like great fun to make. (Although I wouldn't make an assumption that it's easy, since it takes a certain amount of patience and control to sew around the edges of these things!)

Note that I've only highlighted the three projects from Moda's website that I thought were timely for the holidays. There were others that caught my eye and my interest; perhaps you'll find others to inspire you as well!

'Til next...

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