Ideas I’ve had that you might enjoy

Here are some fun ideas and patterns I’ve created over the years that I just want to share with anyone who wants to give them a try. Just click on the PDF and you can download the information.

Fort Fun

In 2001, I created a PVC building kit for my three sons to play with. The idea was kind of like big Tinker Toys that could be hooked together to make frames and the frames could have hooks and clips to attach blankets for walls and ceilings so they could build forts. Along the way, I realized that the pipes could be hooked up to the garden hose and by drilling a few holes in some of them, it could become a sprinkler system. At the time, I put together the step-by-step plans for building the kit along with a complete list of supplies needed.

Click Here for that PDF

Mini Gift Boxes

Mini gift box PDF

A simple box for trinkets that you print out, cut and fold

Snowbox PDF

A simple open top box that can be used as a place holder and to hold dinner mints

Valentinebox PDF

A simple open top box pattern. Print it on heavier paper and just color, cut fold and glue. It can be used as a place holder and to hold a little treat

Simple Bear

When my youngest son was little, he needed some help dealing with his emotions. The therapist he was seeing told me that she wished she could make a simple teddy bear that she could give to her patients to help them. That got me thinking. I wanted a pattern that was easy to make, could use as little as a fat quarter worth of fabric and was only two pattern pieces. This was the result. These pdfs have the patterns and the instructions for the bear and for some clothing options. This can be a great beginner sewing project.

sim ple bear directions

simple bear pattern

simple bear outfit directions

simple bear outfit pattern

This is a more complex version of my simple bear pattern. It is larger than the original pattern and I don’t have clothing patterns for it. I make these out of fur coats when someone has a bunch of relatives that they want to share a family memory with.

Friendship Bear Current

Making a Simple Gift Bag

There was a time when I made dozens of fabric gift bags to use for my kids gifts at the holidays. My thought was that they were re-usable, colorful and practical. I don’t need as many gift bags as I once did, but it can be fun to make your own so here is how I did it.

Gift bag1

Wrist Pin Cushion

I like to have my pin cushion on my wrist and didn’t like any of the commercially available ones so made my own. Along the way, I wrote the instructions so here is a little something you can make for all of your sewing friends.