{ Happy Sewing } Origami Oasis – First Peek

Posted by on Aug 8, 2014 in { Happy Sewing }, Blog, Origami Oasis | 2 Comments

Creating that bow tie tutorial got me going. They are really so quick to whip up, and I hadn’t made any for my little man in some time… And he has a new shirt… And there were these new stacks of fabric staring me in the face, so graphic, so fun, so wanting to be […]

{ Happy Sewing } Easy Bow Tie

Posted by on Aug 6, 2014 in { Happy Sewing }, Blog, Tutorials | 8 Comments

Remember these? My lovely cousin-in-law, Julie asked for a tutorial to make a bow tie for her sweet little boy and I was surprised that I had never posted one back when I made all of those with Les Monsieurs. So here you go, Julie & anyone else who would like an easy and quick […]

{ Happy Sewing } End-of-Year Teachers’ Gifts

Posted by on Jun 17, 2014 in { Happy Sewing }, Blog, Helen's Garden | No Comments

The end of the school year tends to creep up on me every time, usually without notice, till it whacks me in the head at the last moment. This year I was given a two-week warning. With one week to go, I thought it time to make some thoughtful gifts for those patient soles who […]

{ Happy Sewing } … Party Loot Bags

Posted by on Mar 26, 2014 in { Happy Sewing }, Blog, Quiet Time, Tutorials | 4 Comments

This is one of those super easy projects that I turn to every time one of my kidlets is having a birthday party. Emma turns 8 tomorrow and we threw a birthday breakfast celebration with a few special young friends on Sunday. We have always had birthday celebrations in the afternoon which has typically meant […]

{ Happy Sewing } … Thread Catchers

One of the challenges given at our last Quilt Guild meeting was to make a thread catcher. What’s a thread catcher, you ask? (I asked the same thing). It’s a small bowl for holding all those gazillions of cut threads we accumulate on our table (or floor) while sewing. It took me a moment to […]

{ Happy Sewing } … Quiet Time & Les Monsieurs Pyjama Pants

Posted by on Feb 23, 2014 in { Happy Sewing }, Blog, Les Monsieurs, Quiet Time | One Comment

A fresh pair of spring pyjama pants (I know, it’s only February, but a girl can dream) for my little monsters in cheery colours and patterns. I followed this tutorial. The only adjustment I would make, especially for a boy with no hips, is to use elastic in the waist instead of the cute drawstring […]

{ Happy Sewing } … Quiet Time Little Backpacks

Posted by on Jan 31, 2014 in { Happy Sewing }, Blog, Quiet Time | 2 Comments

I recently whipped up a set of these little bags for a friend’s trio of daughters. What young girl doesn’t need another bag for toting a favourite stuffed friend, book or change of clothes for a sleepover, or set of gym clothes for school? And hopefully there are a lot of little girls out there […]

Learning to Quilt

I have been feeling a bit like a fish out of water at Quilt Market … like a fraud waiting to be called out as such. While I started my first quilt many years ago, until this past year I have only made a quilt for each of my children. By no means prolific, I […]

Keeping the Hands Busy

Posted by on Jan 10, 2014 in { Happy Sewing }, Blog, Hand Stitching, Holidays | No Comments

Happy New Year! I hope you all have had a festive and relaxing holiday time. A sampling of a few projects that have been keeping these hands busy: A looooong body pillow to put against the chilly exterior wall along my girlie’s loft bed. Updated stockings that were “too plain, Mummy”. My kids love The […]

{ Happy Sewing } … Hand Warmers

Searching for an idea for last minute teachers’ gifts, hostess gifts or stocking stuffers for a loved one? I was doing just that yesterday when I came upon this lovely post for scented sachets. Alas, I had no easy access to a bushel of lavender on a cold snowy day, but I had the idea […]