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Winter Gifts and Decor

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We all know teenagers are so hard to make gifts for, here is what I am doing for them

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I started my sewing business with new mom and baby gifts. They are still some of my favorite things to make. I think the departure satchel would be a great diaper bag. I have been using mine as a gym bag. It's roomy and has a lot of pockets.
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If someone is getting a Kindle Fire or Nexus or iPad, make them a great case to go with it.

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My next pattern out is the new size zip around wallet made for bigger phones and checkbooks. It will include a clutch version too for the iPad mini, and an eyeglasses case that slips into the front pocket of the clutch. Back to it. Trying to get that out this week!

Gift giving and making

I know a lot of you are like me and love to make handmade gifts whenever possible. I have broken my patterns down into categories here so you can find just the right gift to make for your loved ones. Sometimes what I have on hand dictates if I am on a budget or making something for a gift exchange. These are my go-to patterns for that. Visit StudioCherie's Craftsy Pattern Store »

When it is someone special who likes to travel, these are my most appreciated gifts. Visit StudioCherie's Craftsy Pattern Store »

For hostess Gifts, I have these- you will be taking orders at the party too Visit StudioCherie's Craftsy Pattern Store »

I will do another post with more categories. I have to run to yoga right now. I hope this helps. I thought you might see something here you have never noticed before.

Craft Fairs 2013

My own experience with craft fairs is limited, but I do talk to all of my friends who do them. My best advice this year is less is more. If you only sell one thing, then it is okay to have 50 choices, but if you have a variety, just show a few of each to make it easier for people to decide. The most successful booths I see allow the shopper to focus and choose quickly. Over the last 3 years, I have seen the average price of sold items at shows go down. To come up with something of an impulse buy at shows, find what you can make quickly with materials you already have. For me, that means these fabric coasters. I am using up my scraps and making sets to sell at the one show I will be doing. My pattern  ($2 on Craftsy) comes with the template for the packaging that you can customize and print on your printer. I think branded packaging makes your booth look more professional and gives your products a higher perceived value.  What do you make that seems to work as an impulse buy at shows? 

My cat animated

New Projects

I often interrupt myself. I think that should be my tag line. The photo shows a preview of my next Simplicity pattern - four out of the 7 projects that will be in the pattern. I am finalizing patterns and fabrics before I send them off to New York. It is in my plan to sell these specific slip covers, but I am trying to come up with a way to make the prices reasonable too. It is possible that this will also become a slip covering book. I have been working with a publisher for about a year now on that. And I do plan to put the patterns in PDF format as well. My intern is gone : ( I need a new one!

In case you were wondering, I am still planning on more sizes for the zip around wallet. It is a little more complicated than you would think to re size beyond a certain point, but that is on the table for the next month. My acupuncturist wants one big enough for her Galaxy Note phone. That is pretty big. So when I get that made, I will also put out the pattern.

I made a cover for the iPad, but since I do not have one, I have not tested it! When I get around to it, I will test it and if it is all good, I will get that one out for you too. I can imagine those would be great to be able to give for gifts, so I will get right on it. That will be the last of the tablet covers though. There are so many now and always changing - did you see the new Kindle Fires? It would be a full time job just keeping up with those. I can't devote the time to just one niche item.

If you have not subscribed to my email newsletter list, you are missing the coupons. At the upper right of this page, right below the search bar, is the place for you to enter your email address to subscribe to the newsletter. You will be glad you did! 

Cloud 9 Organics Geocentric

SewMamaSew offered me the chance to try out a new fabric line, and this is what I did. I turned 3 half yard cuts of this glorious new organic canvas into one of my newest bags, the departure satchel. The fabric soon available here at Hawthorne Threads, is wonderful to work with. Softer than the duck canvas I am used to working with. I think it would be fabulous for Summer table linens (and into Fall too with the green, blue and grey fabrics also in the line.) The colors are so cheerful together. I love how the different fabrics really show off my pockets too. I think a lot of new moms look for organic, so I think this fabric will do really well in diaper bags and for sophisticated baby décor. If you are looking for the sewing pattern, you can find it on Craftsy and in my Etsy shop, whichever you prefer.

Etsy Favorites Get a Pinterest Makeover

 

 
We can organize our favorites on Etsy into lists, making them look a little bit like Pinterest boards. I realized this is a great opportunity for me to promote those of you who make items for sale from my patterns. I have created a list called Made from a StudioCherie Pattern. If you would like your items included in this list, please send me an email or an Etsy convo. There are times when I get a custom request that I cannot fill, so I would love to be able to refer buyers to this list to shop with you!

Jean-ius, really

Video classes on Craftsy are awesome! This one is Kenneth D. King walking you through taking all of the information off of your favorite pair of jeans and transferring it onto a pattern you can use again and again to make perfect jeans in every color. I love it. He is fun to watch. The set up is brilliant: you can ask questions and see questions and answers from other students, make your own notes that stay with the video so you can refer to them later - like marking a place you want to come back to, and you can watch the lessons any time, forever.
I have purchased almost a dozen classes on Craftsy.com - crochet and cake decorating for my daughter:


For myself, various sewing things and, and this one, a class on how to teach a craft class. I would highly recommend it if you want to teach your craft. I am hoping to film a craftsy class myself one day. Of all of the things I do, from furniture to little wallets, what would you like to see me teach on video? Visit me on Facebook, and let's talk about it.
From time to time, Craftsy has a sale on classes. I think there is one going on now. You will love it. Oh, and that is guaranteed.

summer pants

summer pants
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

I made my favorite pants in a floral voile. Even if I say, "these are not pajamas," nobody believes me. So I am in search of lightweight fabrics for my new favorite Summer pants. I am also adding details to my pattern to make it obvious, "these are not pajamas!" They are as comfy as pajamas, but with tailored lines. My next step is to eliminate the side seam and add a back seam instead.
This fabric is Kaffe Fassett shot cotton in Galvenized. It is made with orange threads and turquoise threads. Together they appear grey. In certain light you get glimpses of color. It is a shirt weight fabric, but that is the point of these pants - to be able to wear pants in the Summer. I will be doing these in handkerchief linen and voile as well. Once I get the pattern to where I want it, I will be making them available as a made to order item in my Brandybuck shop.

2 New Patterns and a New Fabric

I created a custom bag for a customer and I thought it would be one you might like too. Here is the new pattern. It's the duffle, re sized with some changes and improvements. The new size makes it a lot easier to sew. As you can see, I even quilted it more. For those of you who like to quilt, the more manageable size makes the quilting more fun too. The end pocket on the right holds a magazine perfectly.  I found a better way to explain the pleated zippered pocket and a new way to put it on that is a lot easier - that pocket is still on the other end. The ends are rectangular - taller than they are wide, so it sits atop your rolling luggage better. There is a sleeve on the back side that slides over the luggage handle to attach the duffle to the other luggage. Since this bag is a couple of inches shorter than the original duffle, I was able to use 2" wide webbing instead of the jute. This is going to give you some fun design options with color, and it makes the bag machine washable. I wrote it up with a new, faster way to attach the straps. (One of the benefits of making more than a hundred of something.)

Most of you probably know that the zip around wallet pattern is out. I have it on Etsy and Craftsy. Craftsy is actually better for me as a shop than Etsy, but whichever you like to use is great.  I decided to size it down as small as possible for the first version. I think it works great and have great feedback from those using it. Of course, my first custom order for one on Etsy is for someone with the iPhone5, and I researched just to make sure it will fit - and it won't. If you are making this pattern for the iPhone5, you will have to make it 1/2" taller. So you will split the base pattern in half at the center and add a 1/2" there. Also add the same to the interior and exterior pockets. The spine will need to be 1/2" longer and the zipper 1/2" longer. I will have to adjust the pattern pieces and release it again with both options. It is an advanced pattern though, so those of you who have it should be able to make all of the adjustments with no problem.

Just because I am not blogging, don't assume I am not creating anything. I drew those bears the other night. For my son's graduation, I am making him a special quilt from fabric I have designed. My daughter and I drew the vans, and I have a friend in Seattle who colorized the drawings. The vans fabric is available on Spoonflower. It has 6 different colorful vans on a fat quarter. They are great for a quilt sized project like mine. I will have to scale it down if I want to use it for Kindle Fire cases and smaller stuff. As soon as I decide on the size and layout for the bumper sticker bears "Cher Bears," I will get that uploaded as a fabric too. 

Mail Chimp makes me feel like a chump. I have a list of people who have signed up for pattern and product updates, but I haven't used it. I am hoping you all are reading the blog too.

Maybe someday I will be one of those sewing bloggers who learns how to post a picture and some words everyday. Or maybe even one of those who has a schedule: Mondays WIP, Tuesdays a recipe, Wednesdays something I drew, Thursdays Pinterest, Fridays Flickr, or something like that. Doesn't sound too hard, right? I don't think I could do the same thing every week. Maybe I need something more like a list of things to cover monthly, and I check them off as I do them. It's on my to-do list to blog better. Making the stuff is more important though.

Sew South Giveaway

50 fantastic women made duffles from my travel duffle pattern at the Sew South sewing retreat in North Carolina. Awesome!

Sew South was a BIG success! 

Lots of sewing, creating, laughing and FUN! 

Want to see for yourself? Take a look a this video to get a feel for what Sew South is all about. 

Sew South has some very gracious sponsors and friends that sent some FABULOUS swag and today I'm sharing it with you!

Three lucky winners will receive a Sew South Swag Bag full of amazing sewing products that I am sure you will love! Each swag bag is valued at over $200!

Here's a closer look: 

Here's what you get: 

Dritz Rotary Cutter, Dritz Flower Pins, Omnigrid Cutting Mat, Free Spirit Notting Hill Bundle, Jo Ann Fat Quarters,  Insulbrite Batting, Warm & Natural Batting, Steam-a-Seam Sample, Baby Lock Pattern Books, Andover Charm Pack, Michael Miller Cotton Couture Charm Pack, Fabricworm Fat Quarter, Art Gallery Fat Quarter, Alison Glass Fabric Sample, Spoonflower Quilt Label,  Windham Fabric Samples, Modern Patchwork Magazine, Generation Q Magazine, Aurifil Thread, Coats & Clark Thread, Phoomph Sample, Moda Mini Charm Pack, Downtown Tape Washi Tape, Pellon Interfacing Guide, Green Bee Pattern, Straight Stitch Society Pattern, Kati Cupcake Pattern, Favorite Things Pattern, Block Party: The Modern Quilting Bee Book

Many thanks to the following sponsors: 

Pellon, Jo Ann, Oliso, We're Sew Creative, Dritz, Ellison Lane, Fabricworm, Free Spirit, Rowan, Ty Pennington Impressions, Studio Cherie, 

While Baby Naps, Art Gallery Fabrics, Fat Quarter Shop, 

Generation Q Magazine, Windham Fabrics

and friends: 

Michael Miller Fabrics, Alison Glass, Brandy Lynn's, Old Red Barn Co, Spoonflower, Andover, The Warm Company, Coats & Clark, 

Aurifil, Downtown Tape, Kati Cupcake, Stash Books, 

Favorite Things, Green Bee and Oliver + S.  

To enter to win, visit the SewSouth website! 

*Please note that the winners will be responsible for paying for shipping. 

You will be billed through PayPal and 

payment must be received before your prize is shipped.*

The winner will be announced on April 10!

Good luck!!

task chair cover

task chair cover
Originally uploaded by studiocherie

Yes, I know it is March 1st and I promised some of you on Facebook that the zip around wallet pattern might be ready today. It is not, so I wanted to show you how I got interrupted. A wonderful customer ordered this custom slip cover - shown here NOT on the chair it was made to fit. I have let the office chair slip cover be sold out in my Etsy shop, so I will not be interrupted again. I do love making these though and I think I will move this up on my pattern list.

Zip Around Wallet

    This is the next pattern coming out - the zip around wallet. I want to thank my friend Janet for thinking of me when she needed this. Janet told me all of the things she needed this wristlet to do and carry for her daughter who is in college. I thought it sounded like a great pattern, so I took on the custom project. I thought I would use this project to talk about how I develop patterns.
    The original bag, for Janet, was made specifically to the sizes she specified and with the pockets she needed. I never questioned that. I just made her what she asked for and I started to write the pattern.
    As I made the next one pink with someone else in mind, and started getting excited about making one for myself too, I looked at it with fresh eyes. I don't like how you have to fold money to slide it into the money pockets. It is only 1/4 of an inch too short, so I decided to make it longer. Then it's only another 1/4 to make it big enough to handle a check book. I carry a check book, so I am making it long enough for a check book. I will add a loop for holding a pen too.
    As it is, I think the hinged, zippered change pocket on the inside is too long, so I need to modify that. Maybe with the extra space I will add a little pocket for earbuds? Mine is already in the works with the large change pocket, so I will try it out for a while before changing it. I don't carry earbuds.
    What I am trying to say here is that a lot of thought and work goes into perfecting the product itself before I write it up as a pattern. Choosing the best materials for construction, the best - and simplest to explain- methods of construction, sizing, features, highest and best use, all of these things are carefully tested. By the time something comes out in pattern form from me, I believe it is the very best it can be.
    Over on my Facebook page, we have been talking about the phone pocket options for this bag. And on my personal Facebook, we have been discussing the ID pocket. The pattern will have a couple of options for both sides of the bag. Contact me on Facebook if you would like to purchase the pink sample pictured here. I will be offering it at half the price of what the perfected bags will sell for.

      I get a lot of special messages, like this one, from women who appreciate my patterns:

I have been so pleased with your patterns I knew I had to let you know. My family are reaping the benefits of your hard work too... I've been using your patterns to make gifts for them. They've liked them so much they've been requesting more. Your patterns are excellently written and illustrated. Your work has made my experience of creating gifts such a joy. Thank you for sharing your talents! -- Laurie Lou Hood

I am looking forward to launching this pattern. I think it will help a lot of people make some very special gifts this year. Back to the sewing room!

One more thing. I am producing the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 cover stands now. They go together just like the Kindle Fire HD 7pattern, so I may put out a supplement pattern - just pattern pieces for anyone who wants to make these. This is as big as we can go with this product. I get a lot of people asking about doing this for the iPad and I can not make this work for the iPad. That is why I make the carrying bag for the iPad instead. I will be doing a zip around bag sized for the iPad mini - after the zip around wallet.