u/CursingWhileCrafting

Kitty has been a family member for 2 years but I just looked over and they were snuggling for the first time! She was even cleaning the dog’s head 😍

I’ve been on a kick lately of making makeup bags with Sashiko on the outside. I am having so much fun! Herd my process in pics:

First I drew a grid in one color of chalk then draw the stitch lines in another. Then I chose a coordinating thread and lining fabric. Then I started stitching! It’s fun to use variegated thread and watch the pattern emerge. I feel like the eye dances across the stitched pattern differently when it’s variegated.

Anyway I hope you enjoy my big makeup bag!

This was a fun change of pace. I often upcycle upholstery fabric, but a while back I discovered a very small, damaged sparkly dress on the dollar rack at the thrift store. I thought “I can make something with that.”

Fast forward to my machine refusing to sew through the sequins and I decided to hand sew the entire thing with strong poly thread. It’s lined in black quilting cotton and interfaced with fusible fleece for structure.

It was a tough challenge so I’m thrilled it turned out well!

A while back I discovered a very small, damaged sparkly dress on the dollar rack at the thrift store. I thought “I can make something with that.”
Fast forward to my machine refusing to sew through the sequins and I decided to hand sew the entire thing with strong poly thread.
Here’s the finished product. It was a tough challenge so I’m thrilled it turned out well!

A while back I discovered a very small, damaged sparkly dress on the dollar rack at the thrift store. I thought “I can make something with that.”
Fast forward to my machine refusing to sew through the sequins and I decided to hand sew the entire thing with strong poly thread.
Here’s the finished product. It was a tough challenge so I’m thrilled it turned out well!

We scored this incredible Georgian bow front mahogany dresser yesterday for a such a deal ($150). I’m thrilled to upgrade our crappy dressers, but had no idea I was buying a piece of history. Inside we found this slip from the Yale library in 1924. How cool is that???

I made a Sashiko panel about 9” by 28” on cotton canvas (10 lb). I ended up adding a zipper panel and slots for jars inside, as well as a keychain attachment. It’s the perfect grocery tote!!

I’ve been on a grocery tote kick. I recently added a zipper panel to my pattern, along with the six mason-jar-sized slots and inner keychain hook. I think it’s the perfect grocery tote! One of them I decorated plain duck canvas with green Sashiko stitching (asanoha pattern, hemp leaf) and the others are made with a lovely batik canvas found at the thrift store. I hope you enjoy them!
Oh and they were made on my Singer 5805c which is about 40-50 years old and is a reliable workhorse!

I went for an early morning walk on campus today and the scene was brutal. Huge trees down everywhere.

These upcycled sailor pants were a huge challenge. The pattern is the Walnoot Trousers by Waffle Patterns. I’ve never made sailor style front pocket closures before, and I found the pattern confusing—subsequently the fit ended up needing adjusting with panels added down the sides. I think they ended up better for it though!

I found the fabric for free (some kind of bedding maybe?) but my kid (pictured) chose the pattern for them. Pockets and facings and bound seams used a free super soft bedsheet. They’re totally upcycled sailor pants! I’m super proud and super relieved they’re done lol

These sailor pants where a huge challenge. The pattern is the Walnoot Trousers by Waffle Patterns. I’ve never made sailor style front pocket closures before, and I found the pattern confusing—subsequently the fit ended up needing adjusting with panels added down the sides. I think they ended up better for it though!
I found the fabric for free but my kid (the recipient) chose the pattern for them. Pockets and facings and bound seams used a free super soft bedsheet. They’re totally upcycled sailor pants! I’m super proud and super relieved they’re done lol

My friend took some amazing shots of me sewing Sashiko, and I thought you might enjoy them.

Photographer’s name is Lucas Pollet. His website is his name dot com.

I made a custom bag for my friend’s Hasselblad camera body. He wanted something that would slot into his shoulder bag and be easy to open and close. I made it with a sturdy handle and a magnetic closure so it would catch easily one handed. He just stopped by and I grabbed a few shots of the bag in action. It was a fun challenge!

Custom Hasselblad camera bag with Sashiko stitching:
My friend asked for a vertical storage solution for a very special camera body. I hope he likes it!!

This was a fun challenge. I’ve never made a sampler before, nor used variegated thread before, so that was fun. One thing I did differently on the second panel was to draw my grid in white, then draw the stitch lines in pink. It really helped me stitch in long segments that way. I found it hard to find a rhythm on the first sampler panel.
Anyway enjoy my little black and green makeup bag!

I’m a one woman garment factory basically lol I made this blouse in a 2 day Sewing Beast Mode that has left me feeling hungover

This is my third time sewing the Liesl & Co Santa Rosa Top. I used a thrifted vintage tapestry type of fabric (likely cotton from how it behaves but I’m not gonna burn it to be sure)

I did the main seams and understitching by machine, but there’s lots of hand finishing touches like flat felled seams finished by hand and top stitching with nice thick thread. Oh and it’s a perfect fit. Gosh I love making my own garments!

(Edit: no idea how I ended up with a “no” in the title. That’s a typo, my apologies)

This dress took 3 days of solid sewing. It was great fun! This thrifted fabric was a lovely cotton lawn to work with, but my cheap cotton thread knotted up a LOT. I might need to invest in some better basic thread… other than that, it was smooth sailing! This is the Liesl & Co Santa Rosa Dress. I chose to leave off the sleeve for summer.

Just missed the end of memademay2026 oh well 🤓 I did successfully make 2 blouses and 2/3 of a dress in May!

Pattern: Liesl & Co. Santa Rosa Top
Fabric: 100% cotton woven bedskirt
Quality control by Cleo

I got a bed skirt for free and decided it was time to tackle this pattern. It was a challenge for me. I don’t have a lot of experience with collars or plackets so I ended up redoing quite a bit. I did all flat felled seams finished by hand and tip stitching by hand as well with aurifil 12 wt thread.
I enjoyed the pattern. Accidentally didn’t tape together the 2 front pieces, so there’s an extra seam there. Lessons were learned!
I’m just so in love with the finishing touches and details, plus this fabric is so light and breezy.

Tucked or untucked? I love both!

This blouse was such fun to sew. I used an old thrifted tapestry fabric (pretty sure it’s block printed cotton, very nice drape) and the Geneva V-neck pattern from Liesl & Co. — great pattern. I chose to do all hand finishing, so the seams are flat felled by hand 🤩 I used the decorative selvedges as facings and handmade the button holes too. Frankly even though a lot of the hand finishing is taste its also because my machine doesn’t like this fine fabric! It kept choking on it and driving me crazy. It certainly wouldn’t do a nice top stitch so I did it all by hand.
I’m pleased with the pattern matching on the bodice. I had to get creative with the cutting layout to have enough fabric, so the sleeves aren’t symmetrical.
“Thanks I made it” tag by Sarah Hearts