More Eclectic Elements For My Junk Journal

What do you think this is?

When I took a little break from blogging at the beginning of 2024, it was a paper based project that brought me back.

From March through to the end of June, I blogged about a jumbo junk journal that I had started compiling during the Christmas holidays of 2023.

The project was inspired by two things: a YouTube channel featuring beautiful works of art in the name of junk journaling, and my own need for a jazzier solution for my daily handwriting exercise.

It's this ongoing latter requirement that's the focus of today's post. Representing the twenty-second "thing that I made with my Eclectic Elements fat quarters" (I should update that list — the junk journal itself already has an Eclectic Elements fabric cover as well as a vinyl pocket), it's a two piece notebook cover.

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When I incorporated a standard notebook into the back of my junk journal for daily use, I thought that I would simply adorn the front and back covers with magazine images in standard "junk journal fashion" every time I started using a new book. I did this for my first two, but by the time the third one arrived, I had lost interest in glamming it up. Since it is not a permanent part of the journal, I didn't and don't feel the same motivation to make it look special.

What else but Tim Holtz's Eclectic Elements fabric for a junk journal?

Instead, I began to ponder the possibility of making a reusable cover for that notebook, and of course, ended up examining my final few Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements fat quarters. This one is called Documentation.

Addressing my constant need to "save" fabric before I ever cut into a new piece, I just sat and looked at it for several minutes, trying to decide how to hack the project so as to preserve as large a usable remnant as possible. As you can see below, folded in half along the 18" height of a standard fat quarter, the fabric does not have sufficient height to cover the book. (To add to my difficulties, this is also one of Mr. Holtz's directional selections. There's an absolute "right side up" to the print, so I couldn't use it sideways.)

Not quite enough...

Having to think about it outside of the proverbial box, however, I soon recognized that this cover simply needs to be different from a traditional cover. The notebook is tethered to a volume that has gotten enormously jumbo, so a custom fitted wrap-around book cover would result in even more bulk. Also, if I made it a custom fit, what if I couldn't find this exact notebook (coil bound, 250 pages) in future? At 6" x 9", something of its size will likely always be available, but maybe not with the same number of pages or with the same size coil.

I decided that what I needed was a sleeve for each cover. And being merely a sleeve, it would have to be snug fitting to stay put. Half of the fat quarter – at 9" – is the same height as the notebook, but if I added a tiny strip to the top and bottom and sewed it with a small seam allowance, it could work.

Selvages came to my rescue to add just the right height...

As my eye caught sight of the selvage along the edge of the fat quarter, an idea popped into my head. A strip of that could be sewn to the top and bottom of a 9" panel, potentially making it big enough to accommodate the covers of this notebook.

I dove into my collection of selvages and found a strip that was perfect for what I wanted: it was just selvage (i.e., no tiny strip of actual fabric showing alongside), and mostly plain (i.e, not a lot of identifying information on it). It wouldn't be a very decorative choice for use in any so-called selvage projects, so sacrificing it here was fine.

With selvages added to the top and bottom, a sleeve was formed by holding in half...

After attaching the selvages to the fabric panels and pressing them inwards, I opted to zigzag stitch the raw edges of the fabric to keep them from fraying. (No, I never considered seaming them; a rustic look here is preferable.)

To finish, I folded the panel in half, sewed the exposed edges of the selvage together at both ends and then turned the whole thing right side out. After pressing, I had the sleeves that you see in the top photo of this post.

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As I had hoped, the fit was properly snug without being difficult to put on/remove. (The original fabric was cut to an 11.5" width that resulted in the zigzagged raw edges stopping just shy of the coil.) I like how both the inner and outer sides of both front and back covers are now adorned; I had previously never bothered to put magazine images onto the interiors of the covers.

Front cover installed on notebook...

Most importantly, this kind of covering adds no noticeable bulk to the notebook. The fabric is not even interfaced, so it's light. There is no obstruction where the coil is, meaning that the cover won't shift in any way when the book is opened.

Interior of front cover...

May I say again how much I love these Eclectic Elements fabrics? They are still widely available, despite having been released some time ago, and of course, Mr. Holtz is regularly adding to the mix. Every time I see a new collection, a little yearning comes over me, but I know that at this stage of my sewing game, I am not going to buy fabric that I don't have a specific use for.

Interior of back cover...

In the above photo, you can see the only bit of evidence that the strip of fabric at top and bottom is a piece of selvage. This one came from Craftsy's Boundless DECOdent collection, which I purchased at the same time as my Eclectic Elements bundle, in March of 2018.

Exterior of back cover...

These book cover sleeves took me no more than an hour and a half to make, including all of the "thinking" about how to make it work with fabric that was the same height as the item I was attempting to cover.

And in the end, I even managed to save a very serviceable remnant that's 18" x 9.5" wide. Out of my original twenty-five Eclectic Elements fat quarters, I am now down to three (plus scraps).

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

What Do You Think of Puffer Bags?

AI generated image of a hobo puffer bag...

I'm not one to stay apprised of what's "in" in terms of bag and purse designs, but I recently came upon this style, and it made me wonder about the thought processes that determine what is or isn't on trend.

Was it a natural progression from a fascination with puffer jackets and coats to puffer bags? Up front, I have to say that I would not carry a bag or purse made out of this material, but then, that's me. (I also think those long puffer coats make people look like they're wearing bedspreads.) 

However, in my earnest desire to inspire and put ideas forward, I thought that perhaps some of you might appreciate me sussing out free options to make such a bag.

Not to mention that maybe you have a puffer jacket or coat that no longer appeals to you that you could sacrifice to the cause. (Because I'm all about recycling wearables where possible.)

[AI note: a Google Lens search of the above image came back with the info that it resembled a Quartz Co. Molly 2.0 bag; however, when I looked it up, it differed by quite a bit.]

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While catching up with my subscribed sewing channels on YouTube in early April, I came across a puffer tote bag pattern by Miko Craft (he of my Eggsy backpack and sling bag projects). At first I thought it was a novel item, but seeing it reminded me of something I had glimpsed in a store window at the "Big Mall." (There is a section of WEM devoted to high end brand names and while I cannot recall specifically which designer label the shop belonged to, I am positive it was in that area.)

image courtesy of Miko Craft on YouTube...

As far as seeing a tutorial on YouTube for such a bag, however, it was a first for me, leading to the conclusion that this must be in response to some trendy thing. A quick check online – are quilted puffer bags in style right now – confirmed it. Adjectives like fashionable, practical, soft, cozy, playful, light and spacious are applied to them. Pair that with the exposure given by high end designers and online influencers and apparently that's the winning formula for ensuring that something is "in style."

Personally – as with almost all trends initiated by high end designers and online influencers – I find most of them butt ugly and the rest just tolerable. (Oops — I guess I'm not exactly being kind, am I??)

Miko's version (DIY - Puffy Tote Bag, uploaded on March 23, 2026) uses pre-made quilted fabric. His projects are always generously provided with full pattern templates, so I highly recommend his videos if you're looking for any sort of bag project.

On another sewing channel that I hadn't checked in on in quite some time – AePooiM – a second puffer bag jumped out at me, this time from a video (My First Puffer Tote Bag!) that was uploaded March 2, 2026.

image courtesy of AePooiM on YouTube...

Her bag uses a separate layer of polyfil under the main fabric, which is then quilted before being cut and assembled into various components. If you're up for the challenge, it seems quite doable and again, I can vouch for the quality of her videos and instructions, having made one of her early projects.

Of the two bags, Miko's is the more advanced pattern, incorporating three zippers (one to fully close the top opening and two others on pockets above and below the band that's on one side of the bag). Both bags have exterior side gusset pockets as well as interior pockets (divided one on AePooiM's and a full width one on Miko's).

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Sort of intrigued, I then did a search for a basic DIY puffer bag and came upon one on a new (to me) channel called cheche_stitches. It's actually one of several puffer bag tutorials she has posted.

This particular video (how to make a stylish puffer tote bag) was uploaded February 3, 2026 and features a design that is the simplest to make, of the three that I've highlighted today. (By the way, while I will not be providing hyperlinks to any of the projects described, there are enough details here that you should have no trouble finding them on YouTube yourself.)

image courtesy of cheche_stitches on YouTube...

I really liked the carefree way in which the creator demonstrated how to make this bag, in just under eleven and a half minutes. It is just a basic tote without pockets – although it does have a zippered top opening – but the addition of the creatively quilted polyfil layer (from free-hand drawn wavy lines) seemed to elevate the whole bag. I was impressed.

Was it possible that by the time I saw a third version of this "trend" that I was coming around to liking the idea?? Nah. I still don't feel any affinity towards puffer bags. It's occurred to me that I am reminded of winter whenever I see fabric like this. (And as a resident of a northern city where winters are often interminably long, who needs that?) In the case of this last bag, maybe it was just the elegant stitching on a simple black background that grabbed my attention.

What about you? Do puffer bags turn your crank at all? 

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

Of Comics & Quilts

Betty asking about Elizabeth Hartman's quilt design...

Towards the end of my university days, I came across a comic strip by the unlikely name of Bub Slug, created by fellow alumni Gary Delainey (artist) and Gerry Rasmussen (writer), who had the sheer audacity to situate the titular character in their own home town: the unassuming city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; aka, my home town.

Bub was a hockey-loving blue collar worker. (His job, I believe, was being the maintenance man for our iconic High Level Bridge.) At some point, Bub Slug – the strip, not the character – disappeared into the comic strip ether, but in the early 1990s, a new creation called Betty (featuring Bub's wife, but also involving Bub and their son) took its place.

I've been reading Betty on a regular basis for many years now.

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Why am I telling you this? Well, because one, it's still increasingly difficult for me to come up with things to write about, but mainly two, because sometimes other interests of mine intersect with the topic at hand here, quite unexpectedly. I had known for some time that Betty is a crafter and sewer (having seen evidence of it on various occasions) but recently, the moment arrived for me to write about her.

Here's a funny strip from June of 2023 that tells you all you need to know. I saved this because, first of all, I totally identified with the idea that it takes a long time to pick out fabric... particularly if you're doing so in an actual fabric shop. (It's a very intimidating experience.) Second of all... well, the visual punch line of course!

A notable Sunday edition of Betty from June 2023 that was a hoot!

What ultimately convinced me to write about Betty is that in mid March, the boys unveiled a storyline about quilting, with the first strip showing Betty watching videos online, resulting in a side conversation between Bub and son Junior that with Mom thinking about making another quilt, she'll be taking over a part of the house for about a month.

Only a month?

I look at full-size quilts and see them as years long projects. They have the potential of becoming albatrosses around their makers' necks; or more aptly, in sewing parlance, WIPs or UFOs that hang around forever. Now, for someone who's an active quilter – i.e., not Betty or me – making a quilt is just a natural part of life and if approached as if it were everyday work, it might just take a couple of months to make (assuming it's not a "quick and dirty" t-shirt or rag quilt).

But only a month for the likes of Betty? (Or me?) No, Bub, it probably ain't gonna be just a month. Not unless she throws herself into the project full-time. (I can just imagine all the cutting!) Now, this particular storyline eventually segued into a "maybe we should finish our basement so that we both have a permanent space to do our hobbies" thing, but not before Bub accompanies Betty to the intimidating fabric store where he gives and receives advice on the whole fabric selection process. Har!

Here's the strip that essentially triggered this post...

Penguins?? Did someone mention penguins??

I looked up "Penguin Party" to see if it was an actual quilt design, and of course – good work, G and G – it was. It's the creation of Elizabeth Hartman, who has designed some nifty looking, non-traditional quilt patterns, in my opinion. Looking through her shop, I was almost tempted. I was particularly drawn to the Greenhouse and Beehive patterns, for the fact that they remind me of our indoor garden (which we've now guided through a fourth winter) and for my love of bees in general.

Given that she's made quilts before, I would think she has some idea...?

To any of you who have been around here for awhile, or have seen my first project, it'll also come as no surprise that I am enamoured of penguins as well. Potentially making Bub's "about a month" prediction possible, Ms. Hartman's options for her Penguin Party pattern encompass a throw pillow, a child's quilt and a lap quilt... i.e., none of them are sized for bed use. But what I loved about the design was the hack that she provided for dressing the penguins in long sleeved sweaters!

Is there anything cuter than penguins wearing sweaters??
(image courtesy of elizabethhartman.com...)

I was "this close"...! But no, I don't need another throw pillow, and I have no want to make a quilt of any size. (I also don't have the fabric stash required to make quilts like this look good, and at this point, I'm definitely not buying more fabric.)

Ya gotta love Bub!

This kind of "precise measuring, cutting and build-a-block sewing" style of quilting is not beyond my skillset – as I found out when I turned some large blocks into mini quilts several years ago – but the rigidity and repetitiveness of it is not my thing.

Remember Fat Quarter Shop's Snapshots quilt for St. Jude?
This is the Camera block that I ended up making (but never posted about) in the fall of (pandemic) 2020...

If I'm going to do any more quilting, it will involve the more scrappy, forgiving methods that I've come across: "free-form", bargello and improv.

In all honesty, even the free form appliqué quilting that was done on this kite was a bit too much of an ordeal for me.

One side of my kite window hanging...

If I'm going to quilt again, the results won't be so big that they need to be spread out on a bed or sofa. (My first bargello table topper is actually draped over the headrest of a leather chair in our bedroom.)

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I found other bargello patterns that intrigued me after I made my own version back in 2023. (One that particularly caught my attention is something called a Spicy Spiral, which I may get around to making someday.) I also happened upon a relatively obscure YouTube video by Connie Spurlock.

If you were a reader here towards the end of my "regular" blogging stint, you may recall one of the last things I did was to DIY a wedge ruler to help me make my second wavy bargello table topper. Connie's video is an instructive demonstration of the different quilting patterns you can make with a ten degree wedge ruler. The method can be used to design things ranging from large wall hangings to small pot holders... and of course, you can also incorporate bargello into the mix.

Connie Spurlock offers up a great selection of quilting options using a 10 degree ruler...
(image courtesy of YouTube)

It's definitely worth taking a gander at if you're at all interested in what I call "quilting without too much commitment."

And on that note, I am done with comics and quilting for today. But before I go, I want to acknowledge that I reached out to Gerry Rasmussen – and through him, to his partner in crime, Gary Delainey – to ask for permission to reproduce their work here for this post. (From the standpoint of someone who has had her work misappropriated, it's the right thing to do, as always.) I was delighted to receive an enthusiastic affirmative response very quickly on a holiday weekend. It confirmed my belief that we Edmontonians are simply the best!

Thanks, guys, for the permission to share, as well as for your ongoing creativity. I appreciate having the unique opportunity to let you know how much I've enjoyed your work over the past decades. Here's hoping I will continue to see Betty's adventures throughout my senior years!

Question for the rest of you: has this discussion piqued your interest in quilting by any amount?

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

Grand Opening of New PDF Shop — Help Me Spread the Word

My new PDF shop hosted by Payhip...

Ask anyone about the initial startup of their endeavours and he or she will most likely agree that those who were supporters in the early days deserve something for their loyalty.

This blog has been in existence since December 2013, so some readers who were around in those early days have definitely moved on. But to anyone who is a regular reader here – whether from ten years ago or ten months ago – I like to offer the best value I can, and that includes access to more freebies.

A couple of posts ago, I gave an update on my (unsuccessful) search for a replacement for Makerist, which had hosted my PDF patterns for many years and had provided me with a seamless way to sell; i.e., I didn't have to be involved in each transaction. (They did take a commission, but then everyone does.)

Fellow blogger Daryl of Patchouli Moon Studio left a comment about her positive experience with Payhip, so I decided to give it another look.

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By another look, I mean that I had actually begun the setup of a Payhip shop many years ago. It was never completed because there was an issue with how they could or couldn't connect with PayPal. I don't recall specifics, but it was enough to stop me at the time. 

When I went back in to snoop around, it was obvious that Payhip was now offering quite a few perks for a relatively low take on sales. They also don't discriminate on providing features across their various plans; even the free level has access to the same functionality as the premium paid levels.

Apply instant coupon to this PDF...

One of the features that convinced me to go forward and move my entire shop over there was the ease with which coupon codes can be applied. I had previously stated that with the other platforms that I was selling on, adjusting prices is somewhat difficult. Armed with coupon codes, however, I can circumvent any restrictions and essentially offer a better deal right from here.

Which, I think – for the fact that readers here are showing direct appreciation and support for my blog content – it's important to give them the best deal.

Take a look above right. Makerist used to be where I sold my three dollar enhanced version of the Crossbody Sling Bag (pattern only) PDF. When I offered up the pattern to one of my previous platforms, it was stipulated that such a low price was not worth their while to list. (The solution was to list it at a higher price. 🤔) 

With Payhip offering easy instant coupons, I have regained the ability to offer that three dollar version to the "masses." The only disadvantage is that – for now anyway – there is a lack of traffic to the shop, as I don't do any sort of promotion myself.

But I long ago stated that this is not my J-O-B and I have no interest in putting a lot of effort into growing a brand. That said, Payhip also now offers a better marketplace than it used to and I'm intrigued about the opportunity to check out what it can do. In order to qualify for having items listed in their marketplace, however, a shop must first make $10 in sales (which is by no means a huge amount, but if no one knows the shop is out there, it can be a bit of a Catch-22) and the specific products (and shop) must first be approved by Payhip.

The advantage of having an item listed in the marketplace is that it becomes a more searchable entity than it otherwise would, simply sitting out there in a shop in nowheresville. For example, in the marketplace, I have the option to categorize (Crafts > Sewing > Patterns) and tag my products (bag sewing pattern) so that they'll show up appropriately when people look for them. 

Payhip is still way more focused on selling e-commerce platforms to small entrepreneurs than they are on marketing what those entrepreneurs sell, but they've made vast improvements towards offering more of a one-stop shop.

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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If you've read this far, here is where you get rewarded with privileged info. 😆

I've listed several of my "free from the blog" PDFs with a two to three dollar price tag in my shop. (That's how it used to be when I had Makerist.) These are all still available to readers for free, provided you use the 100% off coupon found on their original blog posts here.

Example of Payhip coupon code found on my blog post about stacking CD baskets...

This way, readers who take the time to browse the blog can get additional tutorials in PDF format without paying for them. (And not just this way, there are also a number of older PDFs that are available only from links on their original blog pages; they're not listed in the shop at all.) 

Three other patterns that got their price boosted in order to be listed elsewhere have also been given the coupon treatment. These are the ones shown below that are currently priced at $4.50 in the shop; their coupons – which can be found on their respective blog post(s) – offer a $1.50 discount.

Look for discount coupons for these three items...

Oh, and all of this means that I no longer have to do my own order fulfillment. Payhip takes care of providing you with the download link instantly without my involvement. You no longer have to wait until I come home, crawl out of bed, or whatever, before getting your file. And that's definitely a win-win, even with the commission that gets taken by Payhip.

One last thing: if you click through to my shop, you'll see a banner across the top that reads "Grand Opening — Refer a Friend & You Both Get 25% Off — Refer More Friends and YOU Get Up to 100% Off!" (Click this link to see the details of how to get and use the referral code.)

I have this referral promo set for six items: the MyTie, the Diva, the Bodacious Bucket Bag, the Crossbody FOOLER Bag, the Retro Reticule and the Voila Vase. 

Refer enough friends and you could get one or more of the above patterns free!

The unique way in which the referral works is that you can stack your discount if you refer more than one friend who ends up buying that same item. That's right, refer two friends who buy and you can get 50% off your pattern; refer four or more friends who buy and you can stack your discounts to get a full 100% off your desired pattern — i.e., free!

Is there a catch? Urgency. The referral discount must be redeemed by each friend within a 24 hour period of receiving it. If it sounds like it could be a bit of fun for you, let me say that it would be a relatively painless way for my readers to help me get the word out about my shop. After all, I do still need to get some initial sales from there in order to have my PDFs qualified to be listed in the Payhip marketplace.😉

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁