shop update!

Sorry to have left this space neglected for so long! This summer it has seemed that there has been so many things to do and not enough time in the day to get them all done! I am happy to have FINALLY updated my website with current products--I'm not sure how many more weeks I'll be able to do the Artist Market before little baby makes her appearance, so I wanted to be sure to have my online shop ready to go. Plus having a new camera to take product photos makes the job a little more exciting too!

Here's a little peek at what is for sale at the moment...

xo CBB

handmade for baby: another kids clothes week

I'm at it again--participating in kids clothes week! This morning's project was a little baby tank top based on this pattern-- which I scaled down and added a bottom band to. Yesterday I sewed up some more cloth diapers but I'll save that for another post!

 xo CBB

p.s. I've been doing lots of crafting for the artist market--at some point I'll pop in with an update on that too!

save-the-date

This year is shaping up to be quite an eventful one--in addition to the excitement of having our little one on the the way-- we are also planning our wedding! Luckily it is not until June of next year, so I have time to be figuring out all the details. We have chosen our date and booked our venue (a BIG first step) so I went ahead and made save-the-dates!

I knew that I wanted them to fun and festive (like our summery wedding will be!) so I started out by picking out a fun palette of colors. I got this book and knew that I would be using some of my calligraphy skills. I wrote out save the date in calligraphy and then cleaned it up on the computer using Illustrator and printed them out to fit into little glassine envelopes along with some confetti. I made the confetti with a hole punch and it was somehow a little less fun than I remember it being as a child (let's just say my hand was not too happy about this step). I then made little seals to close the envelopes with using a much friendlier paper punch and little strips of decorative paper that I cut. Then I put the whole fun little package into bigger envelopes made from decorative paper. I got an envelope punch board for this task and I must say that it might be my new favorite tool! Then I printed out addresses (without names) onto vellum and got out my calligraphy pen once more to add names. I sent these handmade address labels through my Xyron sticker maker and stuck them on the envelopes with a stamp and sent them on their merry way. Although there were a number of steps to complete them--it was a really fun project--plus I spread it out over three days so that it stayed fun (and not drudgery!). It definitely helps that we are having a small wedding and I only had to craft 35 of them!

There will be many more fun wedding projects that I look forward to sharing on this blog! I'm gearing up to make paper flowers and of course there will be sewing my dress and a number of other fun things that I can't wait to get making!
xo CBB

Pattern Update

Small victory = finishing up designing the front of my pattern envelopes. Also, updating Craftsy and my shop with them. So exciting to create.

"The compelling thing about making art - or making anything, I suppose - is the moment when the vaporous, insubstantial idea becomes a solid there, a thing, a substance in a world of substances.”
-Audrey Niffenegger


xoxo CBB

Open Call....

For pattern testers that is! Do you love sewing? Want to try out something new? I'm currently looking for people to give my patterns a try (and get some feedback in return!). How it works? You get in touch & I send you a pattern free of charge. You give it a try (promptly, within 2 weeks) and then let me know how it went, what needs improvement, if you find errata, etc. Oh and send a pic of your finished product. Sound like fun? comment below or send me an email at caitlinbetsybell AT gmail DOT com.

xo CBB

p.s. I'm especially looking for testers for my clothing patterns since it is my first attempt at grading patterns, so if you have a little babe to sew for (0-18 months) drop me a line.....

endless hours staring at the computer screen...

I'm doing it--I'm making my patterns available in print (and not just digitally!). Why, you might ask? Because I decided to sign up for the summer artist market. Initially, I thought there was no way that it would ever be a possibility (the first sign up was during my first trimester when I had zero energy and felt like I could hardly get anything done). But it was just my luck that not enough people applied and the application deadline became a rolling one and now I've decided to give it a try.

Which leads me to why I'm making an attempt to have my patterns available in physical form since I would really like to have them for sale at the artist market. Which means I've been spending A LOT of time on the computer designing packaging, and writing, and editing, and the list goes on and on. At least I know that once done, I can just continually print more without having to repeat all of this initial work. This is definitely an advantage over being a little sweatshop and focusing on just sewing enough goods to sell every week. It will be exciting too to see what sort of feedback I get from my shift in focus with my business since the last time I took part in the market.

 

Here are some of the pattern envelopes that I've got in the works-- I'll be excited to get these printed and assembled. Although the first market is tomorrow, I'm shooting to start in two weeks and do it every other week (or as much as the weather allows!). I've got lots more to do but at least this is giving me a deadline to get it accomplished by!

xo CBB 

handmade for baby: toys & perhaps another dress

I've been doing so much sewing I've pretty much run out of knit fabric to keep making baby clothing with (and since it's not in my budget right now to buy more...) I've shifted gears a little and done some toy making. Initially I was concerned that I'd end up with so many toys and just a little clothing for baby, but that was before I discovered my love of sewing with knits! After all, I've been running a toy-making business for 10 years. I had a few new things that I really wanted to try... and I've almost completed all of them (with the exception of one more stacking block which has been put on hold for an exciting reason--I'll get to that in a minute)

 I started out by making the stacking ring toy, which had been driving me crazy trying to envision how in the world you can sew a circular shape with a hole in the middle AND a gusset. I knew it could be done after seeing this pattern. I was also stuck on trying to figure it out myself instead of paying for a pattern. Turns out--- not that difficult. I'm happy with the result and I'm so glad that at the last minute I switched to using different textures of wool fabric instead of patterned quilting cottons that I had picked out.

Then I made the little happy cloud. He was such a fun and quick little evening project--and he has a rattle insert inside! My love of arranging things in rainbow order was definitely satisfied by this little guy.

My latest toy endeaver has been making stacking & nesting blocks from this tutorial over at Sew Mama Sew. Definitely a lot more time consuming than I first expected but that's mainly because you have to make 5 quilt blocks essentially for EACH stacking block. I've got the smallest two sizes done and I think I will get one more done but I've taken a little break because of a lovely little early mother's day gift that arrived in my studio today-- a serger!!!

This has seriously opened up the apparel sewing possibilities for me and of course I got right to work on one of these little dresses from See Kate Sew. I'm in love with how quickly and nicely the serger finished edges. I have a few more little clothes patterns picked out and I'm thrilled that I can make such nicely finished garments now, that are handmade but not homemade feeling if you know what I mean.

 

I might have to make myself some dresses with the many fabrics I have purchased to make clothing but never actually done anything with. Especially with the ever expanding baby belly that is starting to limit some of my current clothing options.

xo CBB