Appleton Dance

by Linda Theil Okay, I've made a LOT of these little tiny backpacks, and they are a lot of work! Even in my stripped-down version of Carolina Little Stitches' "Bitty Bug Pack" pattern there are 20 separate pattern items that have to be cut, fused, clipped, and sewn --.not least of all, that darn gusset! But since I went completely bonkers over Mia Charro's "Christmas Squad" collection for Free Spirit Fabrics, I had to justify the purchase by actually using the fabric. Initially I thought the absolutely great "multi panel" animals could be used for the front of the little bag, but the individual animal portraits were too big, so I ended up using an all-over print from the collection. I fussy-cut the animals for each of the nine minis I decided to make for holiday luncheon favors. I also fussy-cut the backpack backs from another print in the "Christmas Squad" collection. The photo below shows one of the fussy-cut back pieces; each back ...

by Linda Theil  I recently completed the second of a pair of "Plover Pouch" bags designed by Anna Graham of Noodlehead Sewing Patterns. The pattern includes three pouch sizes -- the medium and large sizes feature an interior, zippered pocket. I made both of my pouches in the medium size that is about ten-inches wide by eight-inches high, and has a generous four-inch-wide base. The design incorporates a distinctive zipper installation with riveted zipper ends that attach to the sides of the bag. My first "Plover Pouch" was made with a novelty cotton print, and a gusset and zipper tabs of Mora faux leather. I made a second pouch with cotton from the "Best of Morris -- Fall" collection from Moda in 2020. The gusset and lining are from the "Seedling" collection by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics published this year.

by Linda Theil In a post-Thanksgiving frenzy for all things pumpkin, I searched Fanny Farmer for a pumpkin bread recipe, but no luck. So I turned to the original 1979 Dutilh First United Methodist Church Cookbook , and of course, there on page 225 was Sharon Cox's "Pumpkin Nut Bread". I reduced the recipe size and changed a few things -- like using butter instead of oil since the only oil I had on hand was olive oil, and replacing the water with juice; and, oh, yeah, adding extra spice and chocolate chips! Turned out pretty tasty! Thank you, Sharon Cox, and thank you 1979 editors of the best cookbook in the whole world! Pumpkin Chocolate-chip Nutbread adapted from Pumpkin Nut Bread recipe by Sharon Cox, p. 225 original Dutilh First United Methodist Church Cookbook , 1979 Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease, and line standard loaf pan with parchment paper. Sift together in large bowl: 1-1/2 plus three tablespoons all purpose flour 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg...

Comet A3 photo by Abhijit Patil, San Mateo, CA, Oct 2024 by Linda Theil What it was like in the United States the week before the 2024 election? Here in Michigan, it is the most magnificent autumn ever. The air, the light, the mottled sky, the russet, ochre, olive landscape, woodsmoke, langour, and anticipation -- all speak of an iconic, Platonic ideal October. Every hour is an omen of final beauty. Like the dinosaurs awaiting the comet, we creatures here in Michigan feel deep in our bones an uncanny forboding of the end of the world as we know it. We even have our own comet to dream on.

by Linda Theil  I saw a Shabby Fabrics advertisement for a mug rug with an autumn leaf motif made from a scrappy bear-paw block that was so cute I had to try it for myself. I watched the advertisement video for the mug rug kit, and I looked up a free bear-paw pattern on the Fat Quarter Shop site.  One of the tips from the video was to use a design board to keep your bear-paw pieees organized and placed correctly. I used my cutting mat as the design board for my prototype. But you can also make a quick and easy design board by clipping a piece of batting to a large clipboard. Shows makeshift design board  with design from another project. I gathered up some autumn colored and themed scraps and cut out the following pieces to make my bear-paw/leaf mug rug. My final mug rug is smaller than the one in the video; mine turned out to be 13 x 7 3/4-inches. Cut for mat: backing 15 inches wide x 8-inches high front 6 inches wide by 8 inches high batting 15 x 8-inches 1.5 yards 1-...

 by Linda Theil I needed to make a heart block, and I could have just done a nice raw-edge applique, and that would have been fine; but, I wanted to make something with a little more heart in it. I thought I might have a paper-pieced pattern for a heart, so I pulled out my paper-piecing box and, sure enough, there was a nice heart I had downloaded free from the Crafty Gemini site on the Internet. I even had several made-up samples in my box, and they looked very nice so I decided to paper piece my heart block. This pink and gray heart was one of my samples made using the paper-piecing pattern from Crafty Gemini. I really like paper-piecing. My problem is that years ago I took a paper-piecing class from Kathy Groves who taught us how to work on one side of the pattern without all the flipping back and forth that seems so troublesome to me. But I can't actually remember from one time to the next how to do it correctly. So while I was putzing around with this heart pattern, it occurre...

by Linda Theil Every time I make this classic "Clamshell Sling" belt-bag designed by Diane Spencer-Ogg, I say it is the best bag I've ever made. Even though the sling seems a very simple and basic design, every aspect is carefully planned for beauty and utility. And, although the bag is not difficult to assemble, every process demands exquisite attention to detail. Constructing this bag is a demanding and rewarding make in my experience. This version of the sling is constructed of faux waxed canvas purchased at Sally Tomato , and lined and bound with cotton from the "Seedling" collection by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics. I added my AppletonDance badge to the slip pocked on the back of the bag. The belt is 1.5-inch-wide cotton webbing purchased on Amazon, and the hardware is from Wawak . All construction pieces were stabilized with Pellon mid-weight, non-woven, fusible interfacing. I added a double-zip closure and rawhide zipper pulls along with my ...