for butterflies

Who gets more butterflies in their stomachs on the first day of school, parents or kids? I waffle back and forth between feeling/acting like the beginning of the school year is a big deal and trying to downplay it.

Tomorrow is *the day* and we've gotten our supplies, visited the classrooms, and tried on every pair of pants in the house to see if any of them are still long enough. (of course not!) I've got my reusable sandwich wraps ready (pattern in Sewing Green and here), a few snack bags (lots of tutorials all over the web) along with these new organic cotton canvas food sacks (below left) from Graze Organic that I won from Mindful Momma!

I thought this might be a good time to get back on my soap box about packing trash-free lunches again. Last spring I wrote a post about it after I spoke to our school's PTA. The statistics about the garbage one school can generate is staggering! Check it out.

Also in Sewing Green is my pattern for the Lunch Tote, seen here made in organic cotton from Harmony Art. My boys are still clinging to their Transformer and Superman lunch sacks, so I haven't been able to make ones for them yet. Maybe next year. I've seen a few Lunch Totes already pop up in the Sewing Green Flickr Group and they look great!

Ok, I'm off to label school supplies and bake cookies. Tummy butterflies are much calmer when you give them cookies, you know. :)

How To Sew a Table Runner

Go for a stroll over at Craftzine and check out my new Table Runner tutorial! I made it using my Family Cottage prints on hemp/organic cotton canvas and paired it with a nice solid brown canvas (also organic cotton!). Of course I had to add a dose rickrack, cuz that's what I do.

These prints are available in my shop in 4-Pack Sample Sets. Each set, a warm and a cool, has 4 cuts measuring 9" x 13". To make the runner, I cut each of the sample cuts in half, approx. 9" x 6.5".

Of course, you could also use whatever prints you have in your stash. This is an easy way to showcase your favorites!

tote tricks

So, are canvas totes the new T-shirt or what? You know, as a promotional tool. Go to an event, come home with a canvas tote. I'm sure you have acquired a bunch like I have. I use them for groceries or library books, but...meh. BOOOOR-ing.

I always think I'll whip up a few cute printed totes instead, but I don't have a lot of time or patience for *sigh* making the lining or *ugh* making the straps all precise and what.ev.er. Anyhoo, I've been dying to put a little brainstorm I had to the test: Use a ho-hum canvas tote as the lining AND the straps, and just add the cute print to the outside. WOOT!

All you need is a canvas tote and an equally sized piece of fabric. I used a thrifted tablecloth that's been waiting patiently in my stash to be reused as something.

1) Turn the ready-made tote inside out and place it on a piece of fabric folded back on itself. Align the bottom of the tote with the fold. Using the tote as your template, cut the print fabric along the sides and across the top, leaving an extra 1/4" of fabric extending past the top of the tote.

2) Put the tote aside. Refold the print fabric with right sides together and stitch the side seams. Press the 1/4" extension across the opening to the wrong side.

3) With your canvas tote "liner" inside out, slide your print "outer" tote over it so that wrong sides are together. Pin the pressed hem along the top edge of the liner.

4) Topstitch around the opening. Smile to yourself because you are done.

Not only did you save a lot of time, but you have a nice finished lining. It would've also been very easy to add a pocket to the inside before attaching the outer tote. (One more tip, if your fabric has a directional one way print, you will want to cut out 2 sides and seam the bottom in step 1. Otherwise your print will be right-side-up on one side and upside-down on the other.)

Hooray for tote tricks! I can't wait to make more!

***UPDATE: Thanks for your responses! Just wanted to mention that if your ho-hum tote has some dimension at the bottom, you can "box" the corners of your outer fabric to match the depth and make it fit better. Here's a link to a tutorial that shows how to make box corners. Also, if you want to show off your "tote trick" pics, join the "Show Us How You Sew Green" Flickr group for a chance to win a craft book! Visit the STC Craft blog for details about the giveaway.***

This work by Betz White is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

the unwished wish

Did you ever have a wish come true before you wished it? I had one of those on Saturday. Baseball started for my 9 year old son. I watched him in the field, learning to throw, catch and hit. And he got it. He was connecting with the ball, he was smiling and he was really happy. I had no idea what kind of effect that would have on me. We're not an athletic family. We're not really "into" sports. But there he was reminding me...of a me from a long time ago.

In 1974, I was 9 years old. After summers of watching my older brothers play little league (well, mostly I hung around the Snack Shack eating candy) it was my turn to play. I was on a softball team called "Alice's Wonders", named after the team's manager. We wore crisp white uniforms, cloth caps and stirrup socks. I wasn't very good and I often struck out. But most of the time, I really loved it. What is it about playing ball? (I know Soulemama knows)


There's almost nothing better than giving the ball a good whack and sending it sailing into the sky. Except maybe watching your own kid do it.

Do you notice when an unwished wish comes true? It's a pleasant surprise, one that makes you pause and feel fortunate. Like getting a mini lesson about yourself and what's important to you. Have a great week...I hope all of your unwished wishes come true!

zipping along

What is it about little zippered pouches? I can never have enough of them! It must be my desire to compartmentalize and organize small amounts of stuff. A sewing kit, knitting tools, art supplies, make-up, miscellaneous things in the bottom of my purse.

After I made my perfect box pouch last week I decided to try a few more zippies in my "Family Cottage" fabrics. I had so much fun mixing and matching and pairing two prints together in each pouch. I decided to offer two different Sample Sets of 4 prints in my online shop. Perfect for little projects and when you need just a bit! (Looking for ready-made zippered pouches? Hopefully I'll have some for sale this fall!)

Zippity-doo-dah...zipping through summer. Trying to zip up a few projects here so I can concentrate on back-to-school preparations. I've got one *ready* kid and one *reluctant* kid, so I need to put some thought into starting the school year off right.

What do you do to help the kids look forward to the school year? I'd love to know.

makin' rainbows

I spent the better part of the weekend sorting, de-cluttering and purging STUFF. School will be upon us in 2 weeks and I've got to get a handle on this household!

Aside from the general house clutter, I delved into my felty scrap closet! What? You don't have a felty scrap closet of your very own? Full of delicious rainbow colored felted sweater scraps? Well then, my friend, you have come to the right place. Because I have a closet like that, and it is entirely too full.

I went through my bulging scrap bins and created a pretty selection of colors, textures and patterns for scrap bags. Think of all the things you can make with these: brooches, hair accessories, felt flower accents for bags, appliques, stuffed toys, ornaments, etc! In case you didn't know, I wrote the book on making stuff out of felted wool. No really, I did.

You can find my felted sweater scrap bags for sale exclusively in my new(ish) *big cartel* shop. Snatch these up if you are interested, last time they sold out quickly!

While I was buried in felty goodness, I decided to put together some little bags of felt balls, too. I use felt balls to trim whatever I can, because they are so darn cute: scarves, pillows, brooches, etc! The little pink ones are the perfect cherry-on-top for my cupcake pincushions.

See? Like candy. Mmmm. Each bag has the assorted colors you see here, also available over at my new(ish) shop. (Oh! And if you do visit me there, please let me know what you think of the shopping experience!)

**Update: Scrap Bags and Felt Balls are SOLD OUT! Thank you!

a little treat brought to you by STC Craft

I've got something special to share with you! My publisher, STC Craft, is sponsoring a promotion for my book, Sewing Green. As part of the promo, Spoonflower and I have collaborated to bring you a limited-time offer: one of my designs printed on a quilt-weight organic cotton fabric a la Spoonflower.

Order one 9" swatch of a special "Sewing Green print" fabric from Spoonflower and back it with soft organic cotton terry to make a wonderful eco-friendly wash cloth. (see pg 73 of Sewing Green for project details)

photo by John Gruen

In addition, STC Craft is giving you the opportunity to win a book with their "Show Us How You Sew Green Giveaway" on Flickr. See the STC Craft blog for contest details!

it's nice to share

With the kids home all summer we've been having a lot of discussions about what it means to share. Apparently it's a lesson that requires continual reinforcement. I could go into how our ability to share effects our relationships, the environment, the economy, politics...but I'll refrain. In our home we're just keepin' it at the Lego level for now.

But online, sharing abounds! My buddy Susan shared a link on her blog yesterday to this tutorial from Indie House for a perfect box pouch. I just had to give it a go with my Lawn Chair print canvas. It's easily made with scraps!

Very small (finished size: about 5" x 3" x 2") very boxy and very fast to make. (I think Ill add a little tab in each end seam next time to hold onto while zipping.)

I've gotten a few questions about this sweet little bucket bag, made up in my Wood Pile print canvas. The pattern is from the lovely Maya of maya*made, who I was so lucky to meet in person at Squam this past June! Her pattern is available in her etsy shop. Check out her work, she makes amazing things out of coffee sacks!


In the spirit of sharing, I wanted to let you know that Ive set up a special Flickr group for my Family Cottage fabric collection. I'd love LOVE to see anything that you've made using my fabrics. So if you're intersted, feel free to post your photos in the group!

looking forward

Bleh. It's super hot outside today. The kids and I are holed up in the A/C trying to stay entertained and cool. In an effort to look forward to the cooler months, I thought I'd share this mag I got in the mail this weekend.

I blogged about Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts magazine about this time last year. I had a project featured then and they asked me back for more! There's a wide variety of crafts that span from Halloween through the winter holidays...

For this issue I contributed a wreath project, using the same technique as my felted rosette pomander tutorial. I love how all the pinks, oranges and reds blend together.

I don't know about you, but I am still in summer mode big-time. Around here it's hot-hot until Halloween, so I just need to *chill out* and make the most of the sun and the pool and our last 3 weeks until the Back To School frenzy begins.

stay cool!

Reversible Bucket Hat: pattern!

Well, it's taken me all week to finish this, but my Reversible Bucket Hat PDF Pattern is now available in my etsy shop!

The Bucket Hat is simple to make and sized to fit you as well as your kids! Make it as using my hefty Hemp & Organic Cotton Canvas for a nice firm shape (above). I used my Picnic Floral print for the outer hat and crown lining and the Wood Pile print for the brim lining.

For this version, I lined the hat with a lighter weight solid fabric for a slightly floppier hat (seen above in my Sprig & Sprouts print. See also last post). I love the versatility of it's reversibility! I found a solid organic cotton canvas made by Marcus called Oasis. I used it for the hat lining and also for the backs of my pillows.

If you'd prefer to reuse fabric, you can even make it with a repurposed pair of cargo pants and a dress shirt for the lining as I have here. With a little strategic placement, you can salvage a few of the original details, such as the little pocket! (Shown in Kids size on my 7 year old son. I told him it was a fishing hat and he promptly asked for embellish-fish).

The pattern is available in my etsy shop and will be emailed within 24 hours of purchase, so you can get busy *pronto* topping any noggin that needs shading.

This pattern is the first in my forthcoming series called, "Make New or Make Do"™ sewing patterns. These patterns have instructions showing how to make projects with new fabrics as well as with repurposed materials. Look for more to come!

a lid for every pot

Holy moly, guys, your comments on my last post were the best. The Best! I'm so ecstatic that you enjoyed my big reveal and are diggin' my new print line. Yay! You are too good to me...

Now I shall try to be good to you! I am working on writing up the pattern to my Canvas Bucket Hat. I was hoping to make it available in the shop today or tomorrow. But! As I was blathering away about my intentions on Twitter (is it possible to blather on Twitter? Oh dear, I'm afraid it is. 140 characters cannot stop the blather, by golly) someone so sweetly asked if the pattern would be available in kid sizes. Of course! Kid Lids! Love it! I'll get right on that!

...so...Pattern Not Ready. I've perfected the Women's size, but need to do some kid noggin' and baby-beezer proto typing. I want to make it just right for all of the heads at your house, because every pot needs a lid!

Best part? One fat quarter of my canvas is enough to make the womens size, lined with a solid canvas. And it's reversible! (Oh and incidentally? The thermometer outside tells me there is plenty of summer sun left to shade yourself from!)

Ok...back to work on that pattern!