Quasi-Tutorial: (Kobo Clara) eReader Case

My new eReader case...

Happy spring, everyone! (And of course, happy fall to those of you on the "bottom" of the planet... 😉)

Up here, we've managed to weather another winter season without too many harsh days. There were a couple of weeks when I was reluctant to leave the house due to rutty streets turned super scary... my vehicle spun 180 degrees, three times in the same area of my neighbourhood within two days. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to go freestyling on a frozen lake, that's how it would be... except without the danger of banging into parked vehicles, lamp posts, fences or even people!

Anyway, with the arrival of a new season, it seemed a good time to release this post that's been in my drafts for months now... and it's about actual sewing! (One of my 2024 projects, to be exact.)

Almost exactly three years ago, I took on a self imposed challenge to make a new case for my Kobo eReader. It had been housed in a vinyl book style cover for the eight years that I'd had it, but with the cover showing signs of wear and tear, it was the perfect opportunity to "problem solve" a DIY solution.

I subsequently blogged about the process, with a two part post that began here.

At the time that I undertook the project, the Kobo Mini had already been discontinued. In April 2023, Kobo sent out a notice that it was among a handful of models that would no longer have continued software support. What that meant was that while I could still use it to read my existing books and books borrowed from my local library, I would be unable to load new purchases onto it.

Size comparison of old and new...

Fast forward a year and a half, and I make the decision to bite the bullet and purchase a new unit. I'm not a huge buyer of ebooks, but the inconvenience of not being able to use my device to read what I do buy just wasn't going to be acceptable in the long run.

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By a stroke of luck, Shoppers Drug Mart had a points promotion going on the week that I decided to buy, giving me back fifty dollars in points. (Most importantly – unlike some things at SDM – the actual price was not inflated; i.e., it was the same as I would have paid at any other retail outlet.)

My purchase was a new model for 2024, the Clara BW E Ink Carta 1300, spec'd not only as having the clearest text display that you can get, but also waterproof and repairable. It's only an inch larger than my old Mini, so it won't be much of an adjustment for me in terms of handling. The most significant part of the upgrade is that this one is lit; I no longer need to have a booklight with me when reading in bed at night. (Yay!)

My Kobo Mini case flanked by old Mini and new Clara...

My fabric choice for this project is a fairly recent addition to my small fabric stash. I know that I've said I will no longer be actively adding to my fabric supply, but I came upon this quite unexpectedly while browsing at a Dollarama. Four dollars for a whole yard of this black, white and red Emma & Mila print was something I couldn't pass up. (I believe this particular selection is called Field Carbon and it's from Camelot Fabrics. I've since seen it selling for up to $30 in a bundle of four.)

I've titled this post a quasi-tutorial but it may or may not be as complete as others I've provided in the past. (I'm out of practice!) It probably needs to be "consumed" along with the material from the original two posts, which offer more construction photos (a couple of which I've reproduced here). Still quite doable, I believe, for anyone interested in making one — which, if I recall correctly from last time, was not (m)any of you! 😜

Emma & Mila fabric from Dollarama...

That said, if you trace around the device, you can make this cover/case for a tablet as well, if you're not into eReaders. (Note that the measurements for the fabric harnesses will differ for devices of varying thickness.)

For those who actually have a Kobo Clara, you can use my template and be on your way. (Copy it onto cardstock for best results.) If you make your own template, be sure to measure the open area for the screen as well, and cut that part out.

Cutting

Cut the following using the outside perimeter of the template:

2 x Decor Bond (or equivalent medium weight fusible interfacing) for exterior side of front and back cover

2 x Peltex (single sided fusible, or equivalent) for interior side of front and back cover

2 x fusible fleece — cut these just under a 1/4" smaller all the way around (they provide the padding for the exterior side of the front and back cover, but they need to be smaller so that they don't add bulk to the seams)

4 x fabric A — cut these a generous 1/2" larger all the way around (the extra is needed to wrap around the above interfacing pieces)

FIGURE 1: The fabric wrapping process...

Cut the following per the entire template "frame" (i.e., also cut out the opening for the screen on these pieces):

2 x Peltex

1 x fabric B— cut a generous 1/4" larger all the way around (the frame is rather narrow, so you can't have too much fabric here)

Cut the following fabric/interfacing:

1 x 4" high by 2.75" wide fabric C for the spine — interface this piece with Decor Bond (or equivalent)

2 x 5" high by 1.75" wide fabric D for the two side harnesses

1 x 1.75" high by 1.75" wide fabric E for the bottom harness

Fabric Wrapping

Take two pieces of fabric A and wrap each of them around a piece of Peltex, securing with clips. Ensure that the fusible side is exposed so that the wrapped edges of the fabric can be adhered with a careful press of the iron. Set aside.

Take the pieces of fleece and center each of them on the remaining pieces of fabric A and fuse into place. Then wrap and clip the fabric pieces around the two pieces of Decor Bond, again with the fusible side exposed, so that the edges of the fabric can be adhered.

These four pieces will make up the cover of the case; pair a fleece-lined piece with a Peltex piece to form each half of the case, with the fleece side being the exterior. Use clips to keep these together for now, but do not fuse. (Use sticky notes as required to keep track of what side is up and what end is which if working with directional fabric.)

In Figure 1, you can see the results of all of this "fabric wrapping". The two pieces near the bottom are Decor Bond and Peltex wrapped with fabric A. The other two pieces shown in the top left corner are already clipped together and ready to be sewn.

FIGURE 2: Fabric wrapping completed...

The final bit of fabric wrapping that's required is for the top half of the frame piece that sits on top of the device. (Shown completed in Figure 2 above.) Take one of the Peltex frames and apply some fabric glue to the non-fusible side; center and place it on the wrong side of the corresponding piece of fabric B.

To facilitate wrapping from the inside of the frame, cut the fabric diagonally towards the corners as shown below in Figure 3 (taken from my old Kobo Mini case project).

FIGURE 3: Wrap the top part of the frame...

Finger press and clip as you go and then fuse the fabric onto the Peltex as best as you can. (Cut any excess fabric and/or use more glue if needed.)

FIGURE 4: Checking it for size...

Sewing

There are four elements that need to be sewn separately: the spine at the top of the case and the three harnesses that hold the frame in place on top of the eReader.

Take fabric C (spine piece) – which should be interfaced with Decor Bond – and fold it in half with right sides together. Stitch the two shorter ends together with a 1/4" seam allowance. Turn and press; set aside.

FIGURE 5: Securing the side and bottom harnesses...

Take the two fabric D pieces (the side harnesses) and fold them in half lengthwise, with right sides together. Stitch up the two short ends with a 1/4" seam allowance; turn and press.

Take the fabric E piece (bottom harness) and fold it in half, with right sides together. Stitch up the two sides; turn and press.

Sew the three harness pieces (along their raw edges) onto the fusible side of the remaining Peltex frame, centered appropriately as shown above in Figure 5.

Sewing & Assembling

Get the top half of the frame (the one that's been covered with fabric) and apply glue onto the back of it. Place it on top of the Peltex frame with the harness pieces attached and give the whole assembly a good press with a hot iron to set.

Now let's turn our attention back to the covers of this thing, which at this point are still just clipped together.

FIGURE 6: Attach the spine to the bottom half of the case...

Take the spine piece and insert the end with the raw edges between the Peltex and fleece layers at the top of what will be the bottom part of the cover. Ensure that it is centered left to right, sits straight and that it's embedded about 1/2" inside. (Give it a light fuse to set it in place if you want.)

Sew all the way around the perimeter of this entire piece with an approximate 1/8" seam allowance. In doing so, the spine will be secured in between the two layers as shown in Figure 6. If you're satisfied that everything is even, press with a hot iron to fuse it all together.

Standing up against front cover...

Now comes the most challenging part of this project: securing the ends of the harness pieces to the back cover. It's not just the last bit of sewing that's a bit tricky, it's also ensuring that the frame sits straight and even with the bottom cover once it's done. (Confession: I redid mine because I wasn't satisfied with my first attempt.)

Pins are your friends throughout this process, so make good use of them. The layers are thick and you won't be able to pin all the way through and up again, so aim just to poke into the Peltex. (Alternatively, you could hand baste first.)

Start with the easy one: the bottom harness (see green dashed line in Figure 7 below). The goal with all of the harnesses is to align their edges with the edge of the bottom cover and then sew alongside the existing seam line.

FIGURE 7: Securing the bottom harness...

Before continuing with one of the side harnesses, ensure that the frame is correctly aligned on top of the back cover; i.e., if you squish it down, all edges should be even.

At this time, you should also check for proper fit. Snug is better, so if it's loose, you may want to repin/resew. That being said, the notebook style design of this cover ensures that the device doesn't easily fall out.

FIGURE 8: The most difficult part of the project...

Once the first side harness is sewn on, repeat with the remaining side harness (Figure 8 above). At this point, there isn't a lot of "play" in how the frame can be shifted aside while you sew, so you'll just have to power through.

Empty, with cover folded back...

All that's left is to finish the front cover and attach it to this bottom assembly. Slip the exposed end of the spine between the two layers of the front cover – make sure you have it oriented correctly in terms of up/down, interior/exterior – and pin to secure. The exposed spine between the two panels should be just a hair under 1" for the Kobo Clara. (Check your device for proper fit.)

Once you've determined that the cover will close to your satisfaction, sew all the way around the perimeter with the same 1/8" seam allowance as you did for the back cover.

That's all there is to it!

Closed front cover...

If you compare the instructions – such as they were, since the original discussion wasn't meant as a tutorial – from the older posts about my original case for the Mini, you'll find discrepancies between those and what's here. All I can say is that what I did this time worked out fine.

As I indicated at the beginning of all this, you can easily trace around any device to create a template and make this project, but if you have a Kobo Clara, you can save time by downloading this template. It's not perfect, but ultimately serviceable. (NOTE: print at "Actual Size" to get the right dimensions.)

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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There was one thing that I wanted to add to my case but forgot about along the way, since I was following along with my old "instructions", which didn't reference the need.

This particular eReader has its power button on the back, while my old one had its along the top edge. I now have to slide it out of the case to power it on/off.

Clockwise from top left: side view, top view, bottom view, side open view...

Now, that's not a big deal, all in all. But I had originally planned to carve out a hole in the Peltex on the back cover right where the power button sits, so that it could be pressed through the outer layer of fleece and Decor Bond. I figured they would be flexible enough to accommodate the pressure while not being in danger of wearing through.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to test that out, since I am not about to tear apart my case to add that feature. (I've now been using it for almost five months and having to slide the unit out a tad to turn it on hasn't bothered me.)

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

Celebrating a Decade of Pride & Prejudice Fabric

Pride & Prejudice Text fabric in sepia...

Exactly ten years ago, I created a set of fabric designs based on one of my favourite books. I uploaded them to Spoonflower with a little bit of hope that they would resonate with others. Little did I know at the time that doing so would open a door to a totally unexpected part of my sewing journey.

In the decade since, I have experienced the incredible honour of people purchasing the fabrics and making some absolutely awesome things out of them. (Check them out here and here.)

From bags to clothing, pencil cases to shoes (!), face masks to head bands, glasses cases to doggie jackets, and one very amazing regency styled hat that kicked it all off, my Pride and Prejudice fabrics have been rewarding beyond my wildest dreams.

It's why – as the ten year anniversary approached – I thought to myself, why haven't I added anything to this collection in such a long time?

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Five years ago, I did add some new selections. I came up with a version featuring navy, at the request of one of my customers who does a lot of sewing with reclaimed jeans.

What I didn't know then is that navy is a difficult colour to get right. The simple hex code that most commonly comes up on a search for navy turns out to be extremely purple when rendered on fabric. After Colleen and I shared a laugh over the results, I went back to the drawing board and searched for more "complex" hex codes to test, the renditions of which are shown below.

Second time's the charm...

These four ended up fitting her needs much better. Colleen even chose the set (one white on navy, one navy on white) that she liked best and coerced me to name them after her 😉 so that she would always know which ones they were. (For everyone else, all selections are still named with an actual hex code, and if anyone is especially curious, the second one above apparently renders as an especially dark shade of navy.)

A few weeks ago, I wondered why I never added my coordinating P&P design to this sub-collection. Better late than never, so here they are:

Navy collection now complete (image courtesy of Spoonflower)...

The first two use the same hex code (#14284A) for navy as the selections for Colleen's Fave; the third is a one-off, tone-on-tone selection that I simply call "denim".

You may find it interesting to know that I have never seen any of these navy selections in person. The original sampling process was done entirely by my customer and even though I've been tempted to buy some at various times, it has never come to fruition.

P&P in sepia (image courtesy of Spoonflower)...

When I came back to the design a few weeks ago to take another look, I decided that it likely wouldn't translate too well to other colour schemes, with perhaps one notable, vintage-y, exception: sepia.

Thus I arrived at the version shown at the top of this post. One of the coordinating P&P designs is shown at left. (There is another that is somewhat reversed with dark letters on a lighter background.)

With nothing more that I could add to the original collection, I turned my attention to a project that I actually started a couple of years ago, but never got around to finishing: a series of panels that can be turned into banners or wall hangings.

Getting them completed seemed a perfect way to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this fabric collection, so here are some selections featuring notable quotes from the novel that can be turned into wall hangings with some simple sewing.

P&P fat quarter panels (sepia)...

These are specifically designed to fit sideways on a fat quarter in Spoonflower's lightweight cotton twill. The fabric's 58" width allows for each to be featured as a 29" high by 18" wide panel. (Regular price is $15, but during any number of their regularly occurring sales, that could be reduced by up to 40%.)

Closeup view of the background on these panels (courtesy of Spoonflower)...

The background is actually a washed out sepia version of the P&P fabric, which features the first sentence of the novel under alternating "P" and "&" characters.

For those who prefer a darker background, I also have these same designs on a dark gray with white lettering.

P&P fat quarter panels (dark gray)...

As I demonstrated with my sports banners a few years ago, two of these panels can be sewn back to back to produce a double sided wall hanging.

Speaking of double, a third version features both of these quotes on one panel, augmented by some hand-drawn cut out hearts.

P&P dual quote fat quarter panel (sepia)...

Spoonflower used to sell wall hangings as part of their home decor line, but no longer. Perhaps they realized that crafters could easily sew their own for much less. Last time, I ordered the more expensive linen cotton canvas for my project, but with the lightweight cotton twill weighing in at 5.8 oz per square yard (versus 6.4 oz for the canvas), it's a good option for fewer dollars. And having worked with both, in my opinion, they have a similar hand.

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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Finally, since I've had occasion to order Spoonflower's wallpaper in the past and know how versatile it can be, I decided to create a couple of P&P themed items in that format as well.

Print these on a wallpaper swatch for instant decorating power (image courtesy of Spoonflower...)

These can be printed on a 24" wide x 12" high peel and stick wallpaper swatch (regular price $9), cut into two, and then individually plastered on whatever surface you want... and they can be removed when you no longer feel the love.

I have them in both light and dark versions.

Peel and stick wallpaper is rental friendly! (image courtesy of Spoonflower...)

As I've stated, Spoonflower holds sales events on a pretty regular basis. (It just so happens that there's one – up to 25% off – this weekend on both fabric and wallpaper.) Whatever you need, you can likely catch a deal if you wait a bit. Oh and yes, for full disclosure, I do get a commission on any sales. 😊

To see all of the designs in my Pride and Prejudice collection, click here. To access wallpaper designs specifically, click here.

By the way, I heard recently that Joann Fabrics is closing down all of their stores. Will any of you feel the loss in a significant way?

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

From Vellux Blanket to Reusable Produce Bags

What is a Vellux blanket?

Are you familiar with the Vellux brand of blankets?

Introduced almost sixty years ago, they continue to be a leader in the market today. Even if you're not aware of the name, it's unlikely that you've never seen one or used one, especially if you've ever stayed in a hotel.

These are characterized by their softness, warmth and lightness (in weight). As stated on the Vellux Australia site, "the name derives from 'vel' for velvet, and 'lux' from the Latin for light. The blanket material consists of two layers of a dual density foam melted onto a central membrane and covered with nylon ‘flock’."

That central membrane is the mesh that is the focus of today's sewing project.

This mesh is the underpinning of a Vellux blanket...

Last May, my mom's younger sister, hubby and extended family came up for a short visit. Aunt and uncle stayed over at Mom's place in her den, sleeping on a futon. To enhance the comfort level of the futon, Mom put down a Vellux blanket on top of the sheet. In the middle of the night, my aunt reported that she kicked at the blanket and her foot went right through it!

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When I saw the blanket, it appeared as though it was separating into its composite layers. Noting that the middle layer appeared to be a very usable mesh, I rescued the whole thing from the garbage bin and took it home. (Hey, as a crafter, it's all about identifying opportunities to do so sustainably, right?)

Days later – out on our back lawn – I finished peeling it apart. The top and bottom foamy sections were trashed and the resulting huge expanse of white mesh was tossed into the washing machine. At the time, I didn't have any plans for what to do with it.

Mesh turned into reusable produce bag...

Then in the late days of summer, a bag of bananas "disappeared" on the way home from the grocery store. Most mysterious. Mom insisted that she packed it into our shopping bags, but when we got back to her place, there was no bag of bananas to be found. Searched the vehicle and even called the store. Anyway, long story short, not only was she out her banana purchase (it was on the receipt), I was out a mesh bag.

Weeks later, I thought, what better purpose for this material than to make some reusable produce bags? Of course, I have enough to make many, but three will do for now.

Cutting material for three mesh bags...

I eyeballed the size needed, which turned out to be approximately 30" long by 13" wide. Nothing really difficult about the process; each piece is folded in half horizontally along its length and then the two sides are sewn up with a rolled hem. The top edge is left unfinished.

Three reusable mesh produce bags off the assembly line!

The mesh was surprisingly easy to sew, considering that trying to clip/pin the rolled hem was not without its challenges. (I actually found it easier just to roll the hem as I sewed.)

By the way, my idea of a rolled hem seems to differ somewhat from what I see online. The way I do it does not involve sewing along the edge first and then doing some sort of slicing away of the fabric before sewing again.

My "cheater" rolled hem on a chiffon scarf...

I simply fold the raw edge over and then fold the folded edge over again – i.e., the fabric is rolled to hide the unfinished edge – and then sew down just once to secure the seam.

I'm guessing that the more elaborate method is to ensure perfect results when one is sewing clothing, like around an armhole or neckline. A produce bag does not need perfection, so if you can manually "roll" the seam, I see no reason not to finish it in one pass. 

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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If you're wondering why I didn't put any sort of closure on these bags – like a drawstring that's commonly on the ones that you buy – my answer is that the plastic bags that we typically use for this purpose don't have a closure on them either. (And no, I don't use any of the twisty-tie things either.)

The mesh is quite strong and stretchy and the raw edges don't fray, but I would imagine that a drawstring might put undue stress on the stitching around a casing. If you make the bag long enough, it's just as easy to tie a knot when needed.

Holds more than my store-bought mesh bags...

Back to the origins of this project. Apparently the care label on a Vellux blanket indicates that it should be washed a minimum of twice a year. Left untouched in permanent storage, it will invariably dry out, resulting in the self destruction that occurred in this case.

The good news is that if you do happen to have one of these that you've ignored in your linen closet for years, take it outside and peel it apart. Maybe you can use a bunch of reusable produce bags too!

In a worse case scenario, I see this as a total win for repurposing and upcycling. Now that I think back on it, the foamy parts can absolutely be retained for filling stuffies and such, too. Missed opportunity!

'Til next...

The Price of Cheap and Free — Another One Bites the Dust

Makerist gone after less than twelve years...

Makerist is closing down.

We (designers with shops) received an email about their plans to close for "planned downtime to make technical adjustments" back on December 17. The downtime was to occur in two phases, January 29 for cessation of sales and February 11 for cessation of access to the website. No date was given for return to normal.

With the original notice, I found it odd that there was no date for when the work would be completed. Therefore, when I read the emails announcing Makerist's closure this past Tuesday morning, it was sad but ultimately not surprising. It was also irritatingly reminiscent of Craftsy's marketplace closure, however, in the amount of notice given. (As in, virtually none.)

The reason? "We can no longer operate [them] sustainably and economically in the long term." Of course not, the economist part of my brain whispered.

Things are tough all over, and that's not just an overused cliché.

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But things may be uniquely tough for any entity – be it a large player like Makerist or an individual pattern designer – trying to sell digital patterns in 2025. The marketplace is simply oversaturated with "cheap and free". Add the fact that virtually every idea has been reimagined by everyone, and the result is that there are just only so many pennies that can be earned per pattern these days, especially when tutorials for so many similar designs can be had for nothing.

This happened regularly...

For Makerist, I suspect that their reliance on regular $2 sales events – which usually required designer shops to participate across the board with all of their patterns – did them no favours. After all, how many designers want to put such a huge reduction on pricing just to make more sales? From a business standpoint, I understand that there is a sweet spot at which total sales will increase sufficiently to cover any perceived losses due to a lower price point, but I doubt that the sweet spot is $2. And if it is, then small wonder certain market players are doomed.

My guess is that most of the big name designers tried the $2 event once or twice and then never again. (I myself never, ever, put my entire shop on at $2... and that's even though I don't have a lot of high priced patterns.) On the other side of the coin, however, such extreme discounts gradually encourage a customer base to wait for the next sale, likely making the in between periods unsettlingly quiet.

But the real problem of selling a pattern that normally sells for $10 at 80% off is that it devalues the entire thing. Not just that specific pattern, but all patterns. Consumers start expecting a high quality product to be available at a low price, which is problematic for sellers who want to maintain reasonable prices or who try to increase them in response to changing economic conditions.

For example, is inflation affecting designers? Of course it is. It's not just a brain wave exercise to come up with a pattern and write instructions. In all cases, a designer will have to make at least one, if not multiple versions, of whatever s/he is designing before the pattern gets to the point of being good enough to sell. Just the cost of the physical supplies to make those samples has gone up over the past five years. (That's not even considering software, technology and potential overhead expenses like website hosting, ecommerce plugins, etc.) But to increase pattern prices when the customer base thinks they're already too high? That's a battle.

A lot of designers sold on Makerist...

I have noted in the past that for me, a price above $10USD for a PDF is excessive. (Actually right now, when my home currency is trading at 68 cents to that US dollar, a ten dollar pattern would cost me $14.65... no way would I pay that!) But that's me; your mileage may vary. The thing is, each of us has an upper limit on how much we are willing to pay for the average sewing pattern. When the marketplace is flooded with offerings at the lower end of that scale, we start to think that patterns should be cheaper.

I have it on good authority that designers who develop and sell PDF sewing patterns for a living are finding it challenging. The creator market has changed dramatically in the past decade. The shutdowns around COVID encouraged new makers to come onto the scene – many of them flocking to YouTube for ad revenue – to snag their own piece of an ever-shrinking pie.

Those who have committed themselves judiciously to YouTube are likely reaping benefits. One of my favourite sewing channels, Estadistica Datos del Mundo, started uploading videos in February of 2020 and recently surpassed one million subscribers. Now, not everyone will have that sort of success, but I'm thinking that there are many channels offering DIY sewing videos every week (some even every few days) that make decent money on advertising. It's why they offer freebies. Free stuff attracts people and if you attract enough people, the advertising dollars will start churning.

Hence, it matters not to those bottom lines that their actual tutorials, patterns or instructions have a price of $0 to the end user.

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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My first sale on Makerist came on September 24, 2018. (Hadn't realized it had been over six years.) The platform was a saviour for some of us who were left loose and hanging by Craftsy's demise. Over time, however, it apparently inherited some of Craftsy's problems. I've seen complaints about the quality of patterns – and let's not fool ourselves, patterns these days are expected to include written instructions, my Crossbody Sling Bag notwithstanding – with Makerist being unable to do any quality control. Realistically, it's not as if their people could read and try out every pattern that was uploaded to their site. When you own the platform, however, your customers expect that you'll have their back. Sending them to the pattern designers to iron out issues is not always the best approach.

While I will obviously miss it, I was frequently irked by the setup of things at Makerist. Yes, they made the selling and payment process seamless – meaning that I sold and got paid without any intervention on my part – but the UI involved with doing almost anything was cumbersome. Some of their categories and filters were just odd. Participating in promotions could never be accomplished with a simple click of a button; every time I had to use one of their online forms, it made me want to tear my hair out. A small part of me thought that their impending technical overhaul would fix some of those vexations.

Of course, now I have to search for another place to open up a little shop. That may not come to fruition since there aren't a whole lot of options out there, and some are definitely not worth my while. (For example, it would make no sense for me to go to Etsy, given the fees it charges just to list.) We shall see; I'm not in any hurry as I still have the means to sell my patterns here on the blog.

That said, where do you go to buy PDF patterns these days? Is there a central place where you like to browse? If you're aware of any sites where small indie designers are welcome to open up shops, by all means, let me know in the comments.

Bye-bye, Makerist...

In the days following Makerist's goodbye announcement, a couple of unexpected things happened. One, there was a brief flurry of sales. Two, someone decided to "un-fan" me. Since mid last year, that number had held at 33, as shown in the graphic above. Some time on the 21st, someone thought that with Makerist going down, I no longer merited his/her appreciation! 😲

For the edification of any readers here who have made transactions via my or anyone else's Makerist shop, please note that February 11, 2025 is the last day on which you can download patterns that you have on your account, purchased or free. (You can still purchase patterns up to January 29.) They have indicated that they will be closed as of April 1, but since nothing will be accessible after February 11, I'm not sure the actual closing date has any useful significance. 

By the way, they made a point of stating that they are not insolvent, so I expect all designers will be paid as usual at the end.

In the meanwhile, life – and commerce – marches on.

'Til next...