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Sewing Tales – Fabtastic Creativity You Can Stitch

Written by: | Published: November 07, 2013 | Updated: June 05, 2017

My friend Kerry Goulder has a new book I want to share with you today. It’s packed full of fun ideas, easy to follow instructions and scrumptious photos of creative goodness. Kerry is a sewing pattern designer and this book highlights some absolutely fun projects. Even if you aren’t a regular sewist (seamstress/sewer), you can find inspiration in Kerry’s creativity. The projects in Sew Tales to Stitch and Love focus on not only the DIY of these adorable sewing projects, but also the story telling and make believe we have to share when we create.

Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love
Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love

 

Kerry sent me a big goodie box full of sewing supplies along with the book so I could check it out. I absolutely love all the different projects she has created. She also invited a whole pile of awesome creative people to join in a week of sewing fun to review her book and try some of the patterns. I am posting today along with 3 other talented ladies. Make sure to take a look at the links at the end of this article to see what others are saying and making.

 

Sewing supplies to make something fantastic
Sewing supplies to make something fantastic

Browsing through the book I fell in love with a little “Adventure Pack”. It’s a doll sized backpack, perfect for storing small treasures. So I decided to try to make it. I’m the girl that doesn’t read directions and just wings it. I learn from my mistakes… and there are many. Luck for me, Kerry has included tons of photos along with the written instructions for every project. I would love to try to make the dolls, but I’m not THAT great a “sewist” yet… I know enough to fake it. Which also means, when following sewing directions, I don’t always know the terminology – so again, pictures really help.

 

Page 37 cute sewing projects from Sewing Tales by Kerry Goulder
Page 37 cute sewing projects from Sewing Tales by Kerry Goulder

 

I’m not going to walk you through the step by step of making this mini backpack… that’s what the book is for. But I will show you some of the details I love.

Mini backpack I made with instruction from Sewing Tales by Kerry Goulder
Mini backpack I made with instruction from Sewing Tales by Kerry Goulder

One of the coolest things about this mini backpack, I made it entirely from recycled clothing my daughter has outgrown. I save clothes that have details I love or stains that make it unwearable for someone else so I can repurpose the fabric. So I gathered up a pile of fun kid colors and started cutting. The book also comes with the actual patterns. I have never used a pattern from a book, so I didn’t really have a plan for enlarging to the proper scale. Here’s what I suggest you do.. not what I did.

Clothes to repurpose
Clothes to repurpose

TIP: To enlarge a pattern from this book:

  • Make a copy of the page/s with the pattern at regular size.
  • Cut out the individual pieces
  • Copy and enlarge each piece as appropriate

I won’t go through what I actually did… 12 copies later, ha!

Get ready to create your pattern pieces
Get ready to create your pattern pieces

 

The marking pen came in really handy. I’ve never used a fabric pen like this, I’m excited to own one now. Dritz is awesome! See the crazy scissors back there? Thanks to Fiskars, I have a new pair of mom only scissors, but I had to protect them.

 

All ready to start sewing
All ready to start sewing

 

The finished mini backpack
The finished mini backpack

 

Because I used a jersey fabric for much of this project, there are some things I learned along the way that I would do different next time.

  • Use a stiffening layer or webbing between the top flap fabric pieces so the flap is not so flimsy.
  • Know what a “top stitch” is.
  • Definitely sew the button on BEFORE you sew the inside of the pack to the outside.
  • Make sure you have the right sized eyelets. The jersey fabric stretches a ton, so I used a little bit of fabric glue around the edges of the eyelet holes to keep them from fraying.

I decided this little pack would make a fantastic Mini Creative Kit. I remember being a 6 year old with a love for teeny tiny colored pencils, stickers and notebooks. So I created a little mini book (I’ll share that another day), and filled the pack with tiny creative fun. I’m saving it for a Christmas gift for my daughter.

Mini creative kit and backpack gift idea
Mini creative kit and backpack gift idea

 

(I’ll show you how to make the mini book later AND I have a printable for you to use.)

Side pocket of mini backpack
Side pocket of mini backpack

 

Inside of mini backpack
Inside of mini backpack

 

Back straps of mini backpack
Back straps of mini backpack

 

Mini backpack when open
Mini backpack when open

 

Mini backpack is just the right size for dolls too
Mini backpack is just the right size for dolls too

 

Love this mini backpack pattern in Sewing Tales by Kerry Goulder
Love this mini backpack pattern in Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love by Kerry Goulder

 

Find more creative from the others talking about Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love by Kerry Goulder:

Shari Butler – Doo Hikey DesignsJodie Carleton – RicRac and Justine Henshaw – Sew Justine Sew

 Special thanks to all the companies that sponsored this week long event:

 Forward written by Heather Bailey
Finally, and more important, read more about Kerry Goulder, follow her blog and tell her how much you love her creativity too! And as a bonus for making it all the way to the end of this post, I saved the best news for you… there’s a giveaway on Kerry’s blog, go check it out too!
Don’t forget, you want to get yourself a gift, you’ll thank yourself, I promise! Go and Buy this Book: Sewing Tales to Stitch and Love by Kerry Goulder
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Jen is Passionate about Creativity. She is the owner and "doodle in charge" of JGoode Designs, a Denver based design studio. She is an illustrator, mixed media artist and creative lifestyle blogger. Jen has been a creative professional since 1998 but says she's been an artist since she was old enough to eat glue.

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