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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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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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... 🇨🇦🍁

Be Wary of Scammy, Misleading or Unethical AI

Artificial Intelligence or Actual Ignorance?

Do you spend much time on YouTube? (Or other more nefarious social media platforms.)

I have to admit that in 2025, I turned to YouTube for many things other than sewing ideas. (As a matter of fact, about half of what I'm subscribed to these days has nothing to do with sewing/crafting; they are channels run by rational thinking, ordinary human beings disseminating current events that should be important to all of us.)

For the fact that I've been spending more time on YouTube videos, I can't help noticing that more things are catching my eye from the sidebar recommendations.

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Most notably, I recently became aware that crafting channels are employing AI to create the thumbnail images that appear on their title screens. My first encounter with this phenomena was fairly innocuous: I clicked on a video by a crafter who had showed off a group of small owls made out of old denim. When I got to the end, I thought the finished item was cute, but couldn't understand why I felt less enthused about it than at the beginning. Scrolling through the comments, the reason why became obvious. Someone called her out for encouraging click-throughs by using an AI generated image of the project, which did not resemble the actual finished item. Once I compared them myself, that was unquestionably true.

Is it a matter of ethics?

Now, this is probably one of the least egregious bad outcomes that can happen with AI. This was a free tutorial for a craft that ultimately looked similar. One could say that the most controversial part of it is the idea of trying to get clicks by featuring an image that doesn't accurately represent the finished item. But then this has been happening since before AI; one channel that I've known about for years has consistently used photos – without attribution – of other designers' bags to promote her DIY versions of them.

Being called out won't stop these people from continuing the practice; about that much, I'm sure.

If you're not familiar with what I'm talking about, here's an entirely different example of yet another "denim owl" project that uses AI to attract views on YouTube. (Obviously, the crafter didn't make eighteen of these fabulous, perfectly identical, denim owls.)

Another "denim owl" themed project on YouTube that uses AI-generated images...

When one comes across something like this, it would be natural to be curious to see how they're made, right?

Not wanting to be "gamed" this time, however, I clicked directly to the end of the video. This is what the finished owl(s) that was made during the tutorial actually looks like.

Finished owl keychain project by Ziba Trix on YouTube...

Gotta say, it lacks the "ooh, I gotta make that" feeling that the first image evoked. (Not to pass any judgement on the project itself, but I personally wouldn't have clicked on the video had this image been shown up front. By the way, I think a YouTube video has to engage the viewer for at least thirty seconds in order for it to count as a "view;" therefore my peek at this one most likely didn't count.)

I must admit that the level of adoption of AI by YouTube content creators came as a bit of a surprise to me. (It's probably because I had yet to use any AI tool myself.) Also, it's almost like I hold those "around me" to a higher standard and it's a bit of a letdown to see them succumb to a ubiquitous practice just because everyone else is doing it. (Or perhaps the actual problem is that I'm being a luddite!) In any case, when I saw evidence of it on one of my subscribed channels, I was oddly disappointed.

Ulyana of Estadistica Datos del Mundo has built herself up a following of over one and a quarter million followers since her early 2020 debut on YouTube. It would appear that she has already mastered the "secret" to success on that platform, without the need for AI. But it's clearly being used on her channel, with more recent thumbnails featuring many of whatever the project is. (Now, maybe she did make seven, eight, or fourteen identical whatevers, but I suspect not.)

Obvious AI-generated image of project...

The little heart-shaped pouch that's shown above shows how creators like her are plumbing the depths of AI to come up with project ideas that they then attempt to reproduce. As might be expected, I do believe that the AI created image shows a nicer looking pouch than the actual finished item (see below).

The AI pouch has a larger, curved "flap" that mirrors the rounded outline of the top part of the heart, as well as an additional opposing (non-functional) decorative snap. The real pouch features a simple tab situated along the straight side of the heart. Sewing-wise, the AI version would be difficult to pull off. None of the fourteen pouches in the AI generated image shows the top right side of the pouch from an angle that would reveal how the flap is attached to the base.

Picture of actual project...

There is a common take on the whole "AI thing" that since we can't do anything to stop it, we may as well get on board and take advantage of it ourselves. I'm not sure what my opinion is on the whole matter, but it does muddy the water for everyone. (Spoonflower design competitions, for example, specifically state that AI designs are ineligible.) In cases where no real scam – more on actual scams later – is taking place, raging and stomping one's feet against it can be seen as a bit of an over-reaction.

Over the course of writing up this blog post, I had to – obviously – "create" my first AI image. My prompt was, "I want an image of an owl made out of old denim that is small enough to be used as a decorative keychain."

Denim owl as keychain generated by Artlist...

Not bad, huh? At least this one looks like it was sewn. The sewing might be challenging, but it wouldn't be an insurmountable task. I think that could be a piece of leather being used for the beak, and the claws could certainly be made out of brass coloured beads. Doable. But you know what my next thought was?

As the YouTube commenter above pointed out, this form of AI becomes AI by learning from everything that's out there on the internet. (Which is why my graphic at the top of this post is titled "Artificial Intelligence or Actual Ignorance?") I was at a party last November where a themed version of Jeopardy was being played. When one of my tablemates – a young woman in her early thirties, I suspect – said that she found the (ultimately wrong) answer on ChatGTP, she looked at me like I was from another planet when I told her, "Well, that just goes to prove that ChatGTP is as ignorant as the rest of the internet." It didn't seem to occur to her that online AI wasn't the be-all and end-all of all knowledge.

But back to my AI image... isn't it entirely possible that this might be strongly representative of someone else's intellectual property? (I know; "strongly representative" does not translate into copyright infringement.) Could it be a complete duplicate? Does that ever happen? (I did run it by Google Lens and in this case, did not find any similar matches, never mind exact matches. So perhaps Artlist did a good job here.) All I'm saying is that we just never know if someone's chosen AI tool will decide that an exact copy of something that already exists is the best match for the prompt that it was given.

Dare I say that anyone relying on AI for things and not checking its results is showing real "opposite of intelligence?" 

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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Of course, YouTube isn't the only place where AI is tripping out. Literally every social media platform is rife with AI content these days. Manufactured videos have long been popular on Facebook, for example, with many of them spreading misinformation like virtual wildfire.

But I do take issue with the rapidly increasing use of deep fakes to gain clicks. A few days after the death of Rob Reiner, a video showed up in my YouTube feed featuring Billy Crystal talking about how it "should have been him" instead of his friend. Now, I don't know much about Billy Crystal, but what I do know is that he is not a publicity hound and that he and Reiner have a history going back over fifty years. It seemed unlikely that he would come out and speak about this horrific event in such a manner. A quick glance at the comments confirmed that people were chastising this YouTuber for using AI to produce a money grubbing fake video.

My husband likes to say that he can tell when a person is AI generated/deep faked. I think, however, that until/unless one suspects that something is fake, one may not be so astute or discerning. The problem is that we are being forced to look closely at everything to see if it's real or not. I mean, yes to employing good habits to reduce the potential of being scammed (i.e., I didn't think that my prime minister would endorse investments of any kind, but apparently some trusting seniors did) but having to take a magnifying glass to a screen every time you see someone saying something? Anything? That's too much and I don't believe that the vast majority of internet users are up to the task. Unfortunately, our world is quickly descending into a "fake until proven true" reality... and sadly, that just might be the least dangerous part of AI.

In the meantime, what do you think about YouTube videos that entice you to click, based on AI manufactured images? Is it dishonest when the final outcome is not what the image promised? Is it fair play for creators on YouTube to gain views – which boosts their income – because of their "crafty" ability to use AI?

Will this discussion now prompt you to jump to the end of a video as soon as you open it up, just to see if you're being led around by the nose?

Practice smart viewing, I say! (And seriously — keep an eye peeled for real scams. It's better to be skeptical these days.)

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

Bundle Sale (!) & An Update on the Search to Replace Makerist

Over a year later, still missing the exposure Makerist provided...

Didn't expect to be back here within a week, but the precise timing of today's post is partly self-serving, as the first half of the title implies. (The other part is informative, as the second half of the title indicates.) In the end, they're both kind of related.

If you're a regular reader, you may recall that Makerist – an online marketplace that allowed us indie designers to sell sewing (and knitting/crocheting, I believe) patterns to the world – closed down permanently about a year ago.

In the weeks and months that followed, I gradually became aware of how much that marketplace meant to me in terms of sales. As in, without it, I've been selling essentially diddly.

It was a conundrum I hadn't expected to last so long.

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In my search for a replacement marketplace last year – and for the record, there is still no real replacement for Makerist, as I will expound upon further at the end of this post – I reached out to three sites.

One was IndiePatterns.com, which appeared – at least on the surface – to be a good match for what I was looking for: various sewing patterns being sold by different designers. In what I can only describe as a business not being willing or able to help itself grow, I made two attempts to make contact and received no replies. (Having described the situation with Makerist in my messages, it was clearly a missed opportunity for any existing marketplace to not even respond.)

One of the other sites that I inquired at was also located in the EU (as in, Makerist was based in the EU) and the prevailing sentiment there was that dealing with their digital tax was too bothersome to accommodate for foreigners; so no luck.

I was ultimately accommodated by Sew Thankful, which has hosted some of my patterns over the past year.

Today, I'm here to announce that I've struck up an agreement with Sew Modern Bags, which is a bag making oriented marketplace that has been around for over a decade.

My shop at Sew Modern Bags...

My patterns are being launched this weekend with an introductory promotional sale. The PDFs for the three projects shown below are available as a bundle for $17 USD.

Sew Modern Bags introductory bundle sale...

The bag making emphasis of Sew Modern Bags means that there is no room for my Voilà Vase pattern, or my Crafty Cosmetics Caddy pattern... not to mention a whole slew of freebie PDFs that have nothing to do with bags.

So you can see how my "what do I do now that Makerist is gone" problem continues.

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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Here's the thing: Makerist allowed designers the freedom to set up their own shop on the platform — probably in much the same way as Etsy does, without the onerous fees. I was in control of the messaging behind my shop; I was free to promote and link back to this blog. (I never really considered that Makerist likely drove a bit of traffic to my blog, but the proof is in the pudding there too. A blurb on my shop used to state that patterns were better priced here, and over the past year, direct sales from here have also slowed appreciably.)

[Which is why I figured I'd take advantage of the moment and offer my own bundle sale – with special pricing available for Canadian customers – in conjunction with the one being run by Sew Modern Bags.]

First pattern in my private bundle sale is the Convertible Crossbody FOOLER Bag... 

In terms of pricing, I had the freedom to change product prices at will. I could upload updates to PDFs whenever I wanted, and offer free patterns or "almost free" patterns for customers to sample. If I wanted to make a change to almost anything – at 2:35am in whatever corner of the world I was – I could likely do it on Makerist. (The two platforms that now sell my patterns control all of the back-end, behind the scenes work.)

Second pattern in my private bundle sale is the Bodaciously Basic Bucket Bag...

I had no restrictions as to what price point to sell my products for on Makerist; that's not a luxury I'm currently afforded. (Right now, if I don't sell stuff for a minimal $5, it's likely not worth anyone else's time to promote.) Makerist didn't care that I had a huge selection of freebie patterns on offer. (Right now, at least one of the sites that I work with will not offer free patterns, period.)

Third pattern in my private bundle sale is the Bundled Up Bindle Bag...

The fact that no platform offers these advantages likely means that the arrangement may not have been profitable for the original operator (i.e., the reason why Makerist had to shut down). While I don't know the details, my guess is that the reason for any business to shutter usually has to do with not making sufficient profit.

One year later, I sure wish they had been able to make a go of it, because nothing out there is filling the void that Makerist left. 😞

If you're interested in my private bundle sale above, here's the link to the page to purchase. The three pattern pack for $12 represents a 30% discount and will run for as long as the mood strikes me. (That is, it's subject to end without notice.)

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁