Appleton Dance

by Linda Theil To add to my collection of recycled advertising packages, I made a sling out of the muslin bag that Zingerman's Bakehouse in Ann Arbor used to package their holiday stollen. The bag was just the right size to fit my well-tested "Sandhill Sling" by Noodlehead Sewing Patterns; but since I had just purchased a similarly sized "Triple Sling Bag" by Kandou Patterns, I thought I'd give that pattern a try instead. All the Kandou patterns that I've tried have been well-written and beautifully designed, and this "Triple Sling" was no exception. I made a minor change to the pattern by inserting the strap directly into the top strap-connector, instead of using the rectangle ring prescribed in the pattern since the additional hardware seemed superflous to me. I could have substituted a D-ring and an extra swivel-hook on the strap to make a detachable strap, but I wanted to reduce the weight of the bag, not increase it. I didn't have a ma...

by Linda Theil This month Diane Spencer-Ogg is highlighting some of her quick-and-easy, free patterns for holiday giving . Her no-hardware "Easy Coin Purse Travel Wallet" caught my eye because I thought this little four-by-six envelope would be perfect to feature some of my favorite holiday prints. These festive little purses would be delightful favors holding individually wrapped, hand-wipes for holiday-luncheon guests. The lined coin purse features a large central pocket, a smaller front pocket, and a strap to secure the rounded flap closure. I used 3/4-inch nylon webbing for the strap, but the pattern includes directions for making a strap from coordinating fabric. The pattern pieces for the  Easy Coin Purse  may be downloaded free from the Spencer-Ogg webpage, and a  detailed video tutorial  is available on the Spencer-Ogg YouTube channel. The directions feature topstitching on both pockets, and topstitching around the arc of the closure flap. They also include...

by Linda Theil Ever since I saw Shay Henderson's "Buffalo Check Quilt Pattern" almost a decade ago I have been fascinated by the idea of creating a  trompe l'oeil plaid pattern out of fabrics. I made an original post about this process in 2016 "Buffalo chex patchwork", and a follow-up post in 2023 "The white buffalo" . So in October when I saw a Missouri Star Quilt Company tutorial titled "Make the Mini Plaid-ish Quilt with Erica Jackman" I watched the video,  took notes, and tried to make the plaid quilt top for myself. Jackman gives the measurements and instructions for building the plaid-ish pattern in the Missouri Star tutorial, and complete instructions for the quilt are available to purchase on her website and online retailers. Jackman uses a scrappy approach to her original quilt, but I was afraid my choices would not result in a plaid-ish quilt, so I tried to stick to the buffalo check idea of using three colors: a dark, a ligh...

by Linda Theil I found a small piece of coarse cotton in my holiday-stash bin and decided to make a medium sized Plover pouch patterned by Noodlehead Sewing Patterns.  The finished pouch measures about ten-by-seven inches and features a three-inch-wide gusset, maing it a very roomy bag. I modified the pattern to include a D-ring for attaching a wristlet grab-handle and the addition of a full-width slip pocket to the exterior. The pouch lining was made of cottons from the "Seedlings" collection by Katarina Rocella for Art Gallery Fabrics; and the pouch base was fashioned of tan Mora brand faux leather purchased from Emmaline Bags, Inc.   in Alberta, Canada. Update November 27, 2025 Sweet baby Plover The medium-sized Noodlehead Plover at ten-by-seven inches was really too big for a wristlet strap, so I used my little bit of leftover vintage cotton fabric to make a small sized Plover of about eight-by-six inches. In addition to the Mora faux zipper ends and leather base, I ...

by Linda Theil One of the blocks in the 2026 Fat Quarter Shop's Sewcialites 3  free, sew-along is a very cute, log-cabin house designed by Robin Pickens. I couldn't wait until March to try the log-cabin house so I designed my own simplified version to make into a birthday card this week, but it came out too big for a card, so I made it into a 16x16-inch, birthday pillow! All the quilting is done on my domestic machine, but I did a little hand quilting on the house motif for textural interest. Here is the back of the pillow. The removable pillow-cover is fastened with a white, number-five zipper. Here is the inside view with bound, interior seams. My version of the design features a basic, log-cabin block with half-square triangles for the roof. I intend to refine my version of this block; but, I am also looking forward to making the Robin Pickins' original when it is released for Fat Quarer Shop's Sewcialites3 in the Spring! Resources Fat Quarter Shop free, sew-along S...

  by Linda Theil I saw this cute "DIY Milk Box Pouch free pattern and tutorial by Miko Craft" on YouTube and decided to gave it a try. I had to transcribe centimeters to inches, and draw the pattern from directions in the video; then I gathered some fabric and heavy-interfacing scraps to make this little bag-charm that is about the size of an eight-ounce, cardboard, milk container -- 3x5x2.5-inches. I used a simple round ring hung on lightweight, 3/4-inch-wide nylon webbing to hold a carabiner or a leash. I moved the placement of the ring from the top of the pouch to the side seam to make insertion easier. The pattern also calls for a 3-1/4-inch piece of 3/4-inch-wide, hook-and-loop tape to use as a closure across the top of the pouch. There are only three pieces in the pattern: a large piece for the exterior and lining of the pouch; a four-inch-square bottom piece, also cut from exterior and lining fabrics; and a 2x2.5-inch piece cut from non-woven material for the decor p...