I went out to lunch this week... not a big deal until you add the fact that I had the opportunity to say thank you to someone I hadn't seen in over thirty years. I hadn't seen my 4H leader in well over thirty years. How wonderful it was to finally be able to say thank you.

• My Sewing Teachers

We all want to have mom love her gift .... and most mom's really don't want us to break the bank to give her a gift... the perfect solution is to make mom a gift she will love and know you put the effort into making it just for her. Mother's Day is almost here though so you better get to it!

• Free Sewing Patterns and Projects

Some rules just don't work and you may have to break or gently bend the rule to achieve your goal. I tend to preach about perfect seam allowances, pivoting at corners and such things... bottom line... there are times that those rules just don't work. No one wants "bunny ears" on the corners of their pillows, or corners on their collars that are not a sharp corner... and there are ways to bend the rules to achieve your desire.

• Sewing Seams
• Solving Problem Corners
• Grading a Seam
• Under-Stitching

We are in the process of recycling tons of metal and cleaning up things that were stored here before we bought the house.... which means we are spending lots of time outside filling dumpsters... and feeding the bugs. One thing I discovered this week is that by making the Wild Things! sun hat with a 2" brim it keeps the sun out of my eyes AND by spraying the underside of the brim with bug spray it keeps the bugs off my face and out of my eyes and ears. The best part is when I'm sweating, the bug spray is staying on the hat not rolling into my eyes!

Hat Making Patterns and Tips

We have been having THE most unbelievable PERFECT weather in the great northeast... way before we should have it, but you are not going to find anyone complaining! I have noticed the sunburns on everyone though... go news to keep the dermatologists in business but not great for our health. Sun screen is the first line of defense but hats are strongly suggested to keep our faces, necks and ears protected. So this week I'll be sewing up some hats. My husband loves his baseball hats but I'm determined to get him to wear hats with more of a brim so that his ears and neck get protection from the sun. Me... I am hoping to avoid a few of the wrinkles that are bound and determined to find their way on to my face!

• Hat Patterns and Hat Sewing Tips
• Sun Safety/Health
• Effects of Sun on the Skin

I can't be the only one who looks at the pile of beautiful little thread bits that were trimmed away as I embroider a design and think, there must be something I could do with those threads... there is! You may enjoy the answers I found in Sculpted Threads by Janet Shipley Hawks

I'm still making yo-yos whenever I end up wasting time in waiting rooms or waiting to pick up my daughter... which leads to bags full of yo-yos. I found a great book that is loaded with 22 designs all using yo-yos. Read more about Yo-Yo Fashion From Indygo Junction

I was going around emptying wastebasket when I discovered that my husband had actually parted with a pair of his jeans... they usually hang around until I make them disappear. I totally agreed that they were beyond wearing but I had a second life in mind and created a bum bag. Lots of built in pockets and one less thing in the landfill! Who could ask for more!

• Free Directions to Sew a Bum Bag From Old Jeans
• More Free Bag, Tote and Purse Patterns

Our local news recently carried a segment about women's pocketbooks and the bag contents being stolen at stores and shopping centers. We all leave the bag in the seat while we unload the cart and load the car so a thief knows just when to make a reach and walk away with our possessions.
I've started putting my bag in the bottom of the cart while I shop to make it less accessible. I never bothered closing the zipper on the bag I was using which is enticing to a thief. I wanted to make a bag that would be closed without the closure being an inconvenience and I found a great bag that is big enough for everyday uses up those fabrics I bought at the quilting store because I couldn't resist the great prints.

• Read about Lazy Girl Designs Pattern #118 Gracie Handbag
• Tips to Achieve a Firm Bottom on a Homemade Pocketbook
• Free Pocketbook, Tote and Purse Patterns

Spring break is around the corner. After my daughter lost $50 that was "safely" in her shoe, I get paranoid about her carrying money. She hates pocketbooks and I hate losing money. I found this bag pattern as a perfect solution for us to compromise. Now I'm going to make one for myself... it's a perfect way to carry the bare essentials and keep my hands free. It would also be a great "wear all day bag" to carry break and lunch money.

• Lazy Girl Pattern #111 -- Runaround Bag -- Pattern Review