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 been hosting some of my patterns since April.

Today, I'm here to announce that I've also 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... 🇨🇦🍁

Upcycling Jeans with Ute Jensen [Pt 2]

A charming turtle basket made out of an old pair of jeans!

Happy Valentine's Day and welcome to part two of my adventure in jeans upcycling, courtesy of the unique creativity of Ute Jensen. Back in November, I posted about the first project that I made with one of her patterns, a whale shaped pencil pouch.

Today I present to you a charming turtle shaped basket made out of a pair of old jeans.

In my first post, I mentioned how potentially challenging it is to handle a heavyweight denim. Not everyone making these projects will have to deal with the same fabric weight, however, so while I had the same issues with this turtle, your mileage might vary if you decide to attempt this.

Definitely a satisfying project, despite challenges...

While I have no real desire to make this again, I totally appreciate that this is one of the more functional uses to which you can put an old pair of jeans. The basket that results is quite roomy and – as you can probably assume – it's durable beyond belief. Not to mention that it's cute as heck!

No matter what whining I may do in the ensuing paragraphs, I highly recommend this project. Particularly if (like me) you have it in mind for a gift, it is well worth your time and effort.

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I mentioned in part one how the designer's creativity extends beyond merely using old jeans as the material of choice, and even beyond the creation of a recognizable "creature" in the process. I repeat, while several people might be able to use old denim to sew a turtle shaped basket, the attention to detail here – in terms of using what already exists on a pair of jeans – is remarkable.

The designer's use of specific parts of a pair of jeans is quite ingenious...

For instance, take a look at the head of this turtle. An existing inside seam from a leg – positioned so that it is centered along the back of the head – adds visual interest, while making use of fabric around seams that might otherwise be trimmed away and discarded.

In the photo below, the interior pockets are all cut from (in my case, anyway) back pockets that I had left over from previously taking apart jeans for the boat tote. (Other locations where these pocket pieces would be harvested from is along the bottom of the pant legs.)

The lining side of the body, interfaced with remnants of an old fleece blanket...

By the way, the only interior pocket that's required is one for the turtle's head. Of the other five, the maker can decide whether or not to include them. In my mind, more pockets is always better when it's an organizer. Deciding to go full bore with all six pockets (as well as an additional coin pocket that was sewn on top of the pocket for the head piece), however, does amp up the trickiness due to the thickness factor.

In this area, I must give kudos to my vintage Kenmore (which is coming up 49 years old – in my possession – this April). It sailed quite smoothly over most of these bulky seams.

This is the outside of the body...

For the turtle body exterior, I followed the designer's suggestion to center the template over an outside leg seam. The result is that each of the six segments is embellished by a double stitched seam down the middle. (Again, this is making use of fabric close to edges of seams that otherwise might not get used at all.)

To make this a complete recycling project, I reused remnants of a fleece blanket as interfacing. Opted to sew it in for the side panels, but used glue on the bottom piece and it held up to my rough "man-handling." The piece of cord for the mouth came from my scraps pile and I used two buttons for the eyes – coloured in the middle with a Sharpie – instead of Kam snaps and felt.

Turned upside down, it is indeed a turtle!

The worst part of the man handling was turning the body part right side out. (Turning the arms and legs right side out was no picnic either, but I had expected that given my experience with the whale tail from the first project.) It took a long time and at one point, I was afraid that the raw edges were going to fray away from all my pulling and yanking. Not fun at all!

One final part that I want to highlight is the attachment of the head. Recall that at least one interior pocket is required; its function is to accommodate the neck and head. As you can obviously see, this piece is stuffed with polyfil – not a whole lot at the base of the neck, but it's not nothing – so the sewing at this final juncture is to push this thick assembly underneath the presser foot and secure it to the body by stitching through many layers. I had to physically lift the presser foot up as far as it would go – as well as lower the feed dogs – but I did manage to get everything underneath and ultimately use my sewing machine to do this... yay for my Kenmore again! (I cannot see the alternative of hand sewing this part to be any easier, to be honest.) 

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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For the sewers among us, this basket would be ideal for keeping notions close at hand. For the photo shoot, I crammed in some of my favourite "finds" of 2025: Barefoot Venus body care products.

No end of uses for a basket this big...

We received a Barefoot Venus gift box filled with lotions, creams, bath salts and body wash for Christmas 2023 and both hubby and I loved them. I knew they were on the pricier side of such things, however, and originally did not anticipate making any other purchase after we had used up our box.

Months later, after repeated attempts to undermine our country's identity and economy by forces across the border, I was actively on the hunt for Canadian products. When I finally got around to looking up the company's history, I was surprised to discover that Barefoot Venus actually originated in my home city and is currently comfortably ensconced in the Okanagan Valley. 

Several orders later, I am a customer for life. Ironically, few of my readers are actually Canadian, but to those very few, if you're looking for a homegrown business to support, I highly recommend Barefoot Venus. (And no, they are not paying me to say this.) You are guaranteed to fall in love with how well they work and perhaps unexpectedly — with how they smell! I'm not usually one to care about fragrance but something about these scents is quite enticing and addicting. In the photo above, you can see various samples of their product line, including a (coconut) lip balm, a (vanilla) perfume oil, an (apricot brandy) argan oil, a (gingerbread) hand repair cream, a (peppermint) foot balm, and my fave fragrance: a lemon freckle hand lotion.

And if you're actually reading this on Valentine's Day, maybe go on over to their website and treat yourself to something special at a discount.

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

"Warren" Revisited (And Tips for Sewing With Minky)

I make a second "Warren"...

Almost five years to the day after my original post about Warren the Charity Bear appeared on this blog, I was finishing off another one for a new baby in the extended family.

For some reason, I had a fat quarter of my Luminescent Ocean Dreams fabric in minky in my stash. Since it worked so well the first time, it was an easy decision to go with it again. (It was an odd circumstance that I had this, as I've always purchased Spoonflower fabric with a purpose in mind. They run enough sales events for me to wait for a discounted price, whenever I've needed something for a specific project. I don't know what this fat quarter was originally bought for, but now it's a moot point.)

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As a bit of background for those who are unaware, Warren the Charity Bear is a free pattern that has been around for over a decade, created by Wendi at Shiny Happy World. Crafters have likely made hundreds of thousands of different Warrens over that time, gifting them to many, many appreciative kids (and perhaps kids at heart).

Full size Warren template, as well as some smaller versions...

Designed as a simple pattern for an "easy sew" (more about how easy it may actually be later), Warren appeals to gifters and recipients alike, since he will almost always be unique (unless you are the sort to make the exact same model – deliberately – each time) and because he's so eminently huggable and squishable. The pattern comes with basic elements in various shapes that allow you to differentiate your creations, so part of the fun is in deciding how you want your particular bear to turn out.

What makes this project so ultimately accessible to everyone is that you can use old clothing to make it. There's no need to go out and buy fabric if you have old sweats, t-shirts, or fleece blankets lying around that are no longer in their best shape. As for the sewing, I still have more to say later, but people have been known to hand sew their Warren bears, so a sewing machine or the skills to use one are not required. (If you choose to hand sew, perhaps you can attempt a bear family by also printing out the pattern in reduced sizes and making a couple of smaller ones.)

This Warren has white ear tips...

Even though I used the same fabric as my first Warren, there are some differences between the two. First, when cutting the pattern, I made effective use of Spoonflower's traditional white border to give this Warren some white ear tips.

Second, I could not find any red felt in my boxes of "sewing stuff" (even though I am convinced that I must still have at least enough to serve my intended purpose here), so this bear doesn't have a heart patch. 😞

Third, I refrained from adding a tail to his backside. 😏

Finally, instead of hand sewing, I machined stitched the eyes, nose and muzzle to the minky. (Use matching thread, a short stitch and go slowly.)

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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Which brings us to the second topic of this post: how to make sewing with minky less stressful. This furry fabric was not widely available when I started sewing way back when, even though I've heard its history goes back further than we'd guess. In the past couple of decades, however, it's become a favourite with crafters to make plushie toys and blankets. (Apart from Warren, I've actually used it to make a pair of mitts, a headband, and some fingerless gloves.)

But it's a slippery, stretchy, and fluffy – i.e., it will shed all over the place – material that can annoy you to no end when you cut and sew your first project with it. If, like me, your first projects are relatively small things (Warren is still relatively small), you may be able to make do just fine by going slowly and taking your time. But if your project plans involve even a small sized blanket, for instance, you may want to take note of these upcoming tips.

Gifting the bear with a note of "explanation"...

Minky Tip #1: Change to a Ballpoint Needle

I know that most of us don't chuck our needles after "each" project – because a project means different things in different circumstances – so you likely have a used ballpoint needle in your supplies. But if it's high time to break out a new one, so much the better when you're sewing with minky. (If you need to be convinced about this one, take a scrap of minky and try sewing on it with your regular needle. If you're lucky, the fabric won't end up being pushed into the sewing machine feed dogs!) A ballpoint needle will perform so much better and allow you to focus on all the other ways that your minky might end up challenging you.

Minky Tip #2: Stabilize it to Prevent Stretching

This tip is a game changer if you do it from the start; i.e., before you cut. Even if you have a great pair of scissors, cutting minky isn't fun due to its slipperiness and stretchiness. (And of course, the frustration is greater the smaller the piece is.) The secret ingredient for success in this case is something that you might have in your kitchen: Glad Press N Seal. Press this onto the fabric edges, pin the template on top, and say goodbye to the shifting and shedding when you cut!

image courtesy of YouTube (Robyn's Love of Sewing)...

The use of Press N Seal is especially helpful when sewing large pieces, due of the nature of the product (its firm but removable adherence to virtually anything). If you're making a blanket, a strip on both sides along the edges ensures that top and bottom pieces remain joined together – without pins – while you sew right on top of the Press N Seal.

Of course, if you have some lightweight fusible interfacing, you can use that to stabilize minky as well. That would, however, become a permanent part of the back of the fabric (unless you succeed at peeling it off), which will change how it feels, whereas the Press N Seal can be easily removed after sewing.

Minky Tip #3: Use a Walking Foot

I don't have a walking foot for my sewing machine and have not needed one enough times for me to change that, but if you have one, by all means use it for minky. A walking foot's main characteristic is that it has its own set of feed dogs that clamp onto whatever you're sewing – from the top, to mimic the same action that your sewing machine's feed dogs are performing from the bottom – so that it moves along precisely, without shifting or sticking or stretching.

That said, follow tips #1 and 2 and I guarantee you'll have an easier time with your minky project, even if you don't have a walking foot.

And now, back to the topic of actually sewing up a Warren Charity Bear. The curviness of the body, combined with the pronounced protrusions of the ears, arms and legs make this less of an "easy sew" when sewn by machine. I believe those who are beginner sewers will find it easier to sew this bear by hand, because the seam allowance can be better managed if you do it one careful stitch at a time... which, on a sewing machine, would require one to go very slowly.

My advice then, is to learn how to do a backstitch by hand and your Warren will turn out magnificently. If there is a next time, I may give it a try. (Yep, the me who hates hand sewing! 😜)

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

Mattress Topper to Seat Cushion Inserts

Mattress topper turned cushion inserts...

Have you heard or seen one of the many adverts for Dormeo? The Italian designed "octaspring" mattress company has been going hard at marketing its premium topper over the past several years.

When I first saw one of those infomercials, I thought to myself — hey, we have a Dormeo mattress!

The reality was, our octaspring mattress was underneath a two inch "comfort" topper. When hubby and I first purchased the mattress, we found it to be a tad firm – even though we prefer firm – and ultimately decided to put a quilted topper on it.

 

Our old quilted mattress topper..

Several months ago – having been constantly reminded of the awesomeness of Dormeo – I thought that it was high time (ten years) to ditch the old topper and reap the benefits of the mattress itself.

But what to do with a used king size mattress topper?

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Most municipalities don't accept bedding of any type for resale at thrift shops, so that option was out from the start.

When I spread it out onto the floor for a closer examination, I saw how compressed it was where we had lain, much thinner than the outer sections where the original thickness had been preserved. Nevertheless, a thought occurred to me about how I could upcycle at least part of this item.

See this?

Wicker patio set...

This was an inexpensive patio set that was originally purchased for additional seating in hubby's warehouse/man cave. When we purchased a gazebo for our back yard a couple of years ago, it was brought back home for our own use. My backside was pressed to the middle of the little love seat quite often this past outdoor season, resulting in a noticeable dent forming in the middle of the – cheap – foam insert by mid-summer.

When cheap foam gets crushed, it stays crushed; there's really no saving it. The underlying material in the mattress topper could, however, be fluffed to some extent to restore some of the original volume. I decided to cut up the topper to make replacement inserts for the three chairs.

Marking up the topper and cutting the required pieces...

Of course, the first step is to remove the existing inserts and measure them. I then took those measurements and drew lines on the topper to mark my required cuts. I determined that each insert would be best made by stacking two layers of the topper together.

Two layers of the old mattress topper stacked together...

This particular topper was designed like a fitted sheet, with a full wrap-around skirt section along the sides. That part was made out of an elastic, meshy material that would come in handy to "bind" the two halves together.

Ready for "binding"...

The project stalled for a bit as I pondered how best to finish it off. Obviously, I couldn't just take it to my sewing machine and have at 'er.

Despite knowing that it's ultimately a hand sewing job, there are still considerations to be made as to how to minimize the amount of hand sewing required. The finished insert needs to be an easily handled piece that can survive being pushed in and pulled out of a cover. The simplest way to achieve that would be sufficient for me.  

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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My solution ended up being a combination of double-sided tape and generous stitching. The double-sided tape held the binding material down against the topper pieces so that I could get by with just using a long basting stitch as reinforcement.

Closeup of a bound corner...

All of this ultimately took me a few months to complete as I ran out of wide width double-sided tape early on and couldn't find any at my local dollar stores. I finally got lucky in Penticton, of all places, when we were there doing our annual tour of the Okanagan in September. During the search, I learned that not all double-sided tapes are equal. Some are definitely not suited for fabric.

Checking for fit...

Once I was able to carry on, I knew that because I measured and cut carefully, there was no way that the end result wouldn't fit. Still, it's a sigh of relief when everything zips up smoothly at the end and the project is deemed a success.

I still have a section of that topper left and have thought that it could be used to make pet beds. However, we don't have any pets so it's not a project for me.

However... do you remember these?

Tote bags to seat cushions...

I originally filled these up with old towels that would otherwise be destined for the refuse bin, but pieces of an old mattress topper can certainly be used as stuffing as well.

By the way, it just occurred to me that this is the second bedding related upcycling project that I've blogged about over the past year. Last February, I posted about reusing the mesh from a vellux blanket to make reusable produce bags. Quite pleased to have saved some things from our landfill.

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁