My time off is drawing to a close, and I’m excited to share what I’ve been up to. That will have to wait until Monday, though. Today, I have something exciting for you – boxer patterns for $5! With the return of the busy back-to-school days of fall, now is the time to start filling those dresser drawers, and what boy from preschool to high school wouldn’t be excited about a drawer full of comfortable, one-of-a-kind boxers? Both the Oh, Boy Boxers pattern (kid sizes 2 to 14) and the Essential Boxer Shorts (adult sizes small to xlarge) are available for $5 on the Friday Fiver over at Crafterhours. This deal is only available for 24 hours, so run right on over to get all the details: The Friday Fiver. …
Sales
A Fostering Update & Some Time Off
Life often takes unexpected turns. If you’ve been following me on Instagram then you know that we accepted a fostercare placement of a brother and sister in January. When they were placed, we were told that neither had any special needs. That’s often how things happen. You just don’t know in the beginning. Since these two came to us, though, they’ve both been classified as medical foster children.
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Quick Handmade Gift Ideas Using Go Fish Patterns
Do you love giving handmade gifts for Christmas? I do, too! But, who wants to spend the whole holiday season in their craft room sewing? Quick-sew projects that result in gifts the recipient will use and enjoy are the best! My Go Fish Patterns are some of the quickest around, and at a cost of only $4.25 each, they’re inexpensive, too! I thought I would take a bit of time to sew up a few Go Fish projects and share some gift ideas with you! Most of these combine a little something store-bought with something handmade. You don’t have to add extras, of course, but sometimes those little things round out a gift quite nicely.
First up, check out those Grab ‘n Go Drawstring Bags in the title image above! Santa Sacks seem to be the “in thing” this year, and you can sew your own in no time at all! Use one to carry gifts to a party, or sew up one for each of your children to leave for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve. Drawstring bags make great reusable gift bags, too, and it’s really simple to change the dimensions to make whatever size you need!
Since we’re already chatting about drawstring bags, they’re a gift that can work for many people on your list! Fill a pretty flowered drawstring bag with yarn and knitting needles for your daughter, or sew one using a transportation print to fill with Hot Wheels cars for your grandson. We have this silly annual Nerf gun battle on Christmas morning at our house, and I’ve learned that little drawstring bags are perfect for keeping track of those little foam darts! Once you start making these bags, you’ll start finding tons of uses for them.
A teen or college-age niece would be thrilled to receive a handmade Wherever You Go Wallet with a gas card or even cash tucked inside! Choose a fabric that fits her personality, and maybe add a matching key fob using my free tutorial, too.
Pack a Fun-to-Go Kids Tote with activity books, little toys and snacks instead of filling a stocking, and you’ll have a gift that can be used all year long.
Give a set of Time to Go Shopping Sacks with a grocery store gift card for a practical and environmentally friendly gift. Don’t feel like you have to use traditional fabric on these like I did! One of my customers sewed Spiderman grocery sacks for her mom who loves comic book superheroes. It’s way more fun to shop when your bags make you smile!
Sew a Beauty to Go Clutch and fill it with new makeup brushes, add your favorite facial wash and perhaps a gift card from your favorite independent beauty consultant or your local cosmetic store. (Support small business owners whenever you can!)
Potholders are a fairly traditional handmade gift, and you can really never have too many. What couple wouldn’t enjoy a gift basket that includes a set of Momma’s Go To Potholders, along with utensils and mixes for their favorite foods? You could even add a Go Bake Something Apron … or a matching set of aprons for husband and wife?
The Fold & Go Art Kit with crayons and new coloring books is a quick and useful gift for preschool through elementary. You could even substitute mini colored pencils or mini washable markers.
Finally, the quickest sew in my Go Fish series – the On-the-Go Travel Pillow! This one could easily become your go-to night-before-the-party project. Add a couple of age-appropriate books and this makes a great gift! These are new books, but be sure to check your local used bookstore to build up a stash. Ours carries Little Golden Books for $.50 each! Oh, and these pillows don’t just work for little ones, even teens need a place to rest their heads on trips and at sleepovers. Just choose a fabric that personalizes it for the receiver!
Now all you need to do is go buy your Go Fish patterns, find the perfect fabrics and set aside a little bit of time for sewing! I would love to see what you sew! Add a link in the comments, or come join us in the Fishsticks Designs Sewing Group to share!
Spring 2014 Go Fish Patterns
I introduced the Go Fish Series last fall, and I’m thrilled that all of you seem to enjoy these “instant gratification” projects as much as I do! They’re definitely my favorite type of sewing. In case you’re not familiar with them, these quick-to-finish projects are also eco-friendly with no pattern pieces to print. You just measure and cut using your quilting mat and rotary cutter following the included measurements or instructions. They are easy projects, but they aren’t completely “no frills” projects. Each one has something new to learn or a way to challenge yourself if you’re still learning. They are great for beginners, though! These little patterns are available as PDFs on my site and as tri-fold sewing cards in your favorite local quilt shop. Both are priced at $4.25 each.
For just one week, in celebration of the release of these six new Go Fish Patterns, I’m offering a six-pack bundle of the PDF versions of all six new GF patterns for just $15. That’s more than a 40% discount, and it’s only available for one week! You can find it right here: The Spring 2014 Go Fish Six Pack. Also, don’t miss your chance to win all six of the newest Go Fish patterns by commenting on yesterday’s Quilt Market post! (If you buy the six pack and then win them, I’ll be happy to send you a refund!)
Without further ado, here they are!
First on the list is the Go Figure Tech Bag. This bag has a zippered top, and it’s padded with fusible fleece to give a bit of extra protection to your electronic devices. This pattern is designed to fit any device from e-reader size to laptop size with customized measurements. The instructions for measuring and figuring are really simple — I promise!
Next up is the Time to Go Shopping Sack. I’ll admit that I really wrote this pattern for myself! I love having pretty reusable grocery bags to use for shopping, but I’d never found a pattern that was just what I wanted. These bags are super roomy with wide handles.
The gusset allows them to lay flat for easy storage and open up to a full 4″ wide for holding big boxes. They’re also finished with a french seam at the bottom to keep your produce and canned goods safely inside! 
The It All Goes Here Sewing Organizer is perfect for keeping things right where you need them while you’re at your sewing table. (It also folds up nicely with your sewing notions in the pockets in case your sewing space is one that comes and goes with breakfast and dinner!) This organizer has four large pockets and four small pockets to hold your trimming scissors, seam ripper, screw driver … whatever you need on hand.
There’s a small loop on one side that you can use to tie a pair of scissors where they won’t walk away.
And, my favorite feature of the Sewing Organizer is this little magnetic pin holder! I love that I have far fewer pins landing on the floor these days. The magnet is removable so the whole organizer can be thrown into the wash whenever it needs to be.
The Wherever You Go Wallet is quick and easy to sew, but it still offers plenty of storage and organization space. It has a zippered top, a flap closure with a snap and four credit-card sized pockets.
The Going to Lunch Bag is sized just right for grown-ups and kids alike, and it’s the perfect take-along for lunch at school, work or a day at the zoo!
The roll-down top stays open on it’s own when rolled up to make filling the bag easy, and when it’s packed and ready, it rolls down and fastens easily for both adults and children alike. You can make it with your choice of fabrics and interfacing to add insulation or water resistance, too.
Finally, the You Go, Girl! Backpack is the perfect carry-along for teens and preteens. The tie-on straps are my favorite feature of this bag. They add a bit of modern detail and fun, and they make it much faster to sew than if you were adding hardware. This backpack also features an elasticized top and a fold-over flap with a magnetic snap closure.
Getting Set Up for Market … and a Quick Sale!
It’s been a really long time since I had a sale, and I think it’s time for a new one! Now would be a great time to stock up on PDF patterns for summer vacation sewing!
I’ve been busy the last few days in this place …
… transforming this …
… into something fun! I can’t wait to share it with you, but you’ll have to wait until Monday. (If you follow me on Instagram, though, you just might see a few sneak peeks: Fishsticks on Instagram.)
While you wait to see what new things I have in store, enjoy 40% off of all of my current PDF patterns for the next 24 hours (through 10 a.m. eastern on Saturday, May 17). Just use the code MARKET in both my main store: Fishsticks Pattern Shop or my Etsy store: Fishsticks on Etsy.
In case you haven’t heard, I’m almost finished updating all of my PDF patterns to include options for printing the traditional nested version,
individual sizes and options,
or a full-size pattern.
You can read more about the update here: Pattern Updates are on the Way and check to see what patterns are finished and which are scheduled here: 2014 PDF Pattern Updates. If you purchase a pattern that is not yet updated, you will receive the update free-of-charge automatically when it is finished.
Note: The Buy 4/Get 1 Promotion does not work with this coupon code.
Operation Pajama Drawer: Details for Sewing Along
Wheee! I’m so excited that so many of you are ready to join with me in sewing PJs for your little ones during the month of February! I will be so glad to have my two little guys’ pajama drawers packed full, and sewing will be so much more fun with you sewing along. (If you missed the Operation Pajama Drawer intro post, you can find it right here: Operation Pajama Drawer.)
How do you join in? Just grab any Fishsticks Designs pattern and sew a pair of pajamas this month. Once you’re done, be sure to post a finished picture in the Fishsticks Designs Flickr Group so that we can all admire your work, and so that you’ll be eligible to win a great prize! Everyone who shares a picture of a pair of Fishsticks Designs pajamas finished this month will be entered into a random drawing to be done on March 1st.
What’s the prize, you ask? The amazing folks at Simplifi Fabrics have offered a $35 gift certificate for the winner of the drawing! Simplifi Fabrics specializes in modern, eco-friendly fabrics and notions, and their selection is incredible! You’ll find all the information that you could possibly need about organic textiles on their site, and because they’re located in Canada near the US border, shipping to both the US and Canada is a breeze!
But that’s not all! Just in case you need a Fishsticks Designs pajama pattern to sew, I’ve put all of the PDF pajama patterns in my main store on sale for $6 each through Sunday night SALE EXTENDED THROUGH MONDAY, 2/10 AT 8 P. M.: the Pajama Party PJs, the Lazy Days Lounge Set, the Wee Tot Collection and the Little One Layette. (Just add the pattern to your cart to see the sale price.) You don’t have to use a pajama pattern to enter, though. Feel free to use any of my patterns (the Charlie Tee & AJ Bottoms, maybe?) or tutorials (perhaps The Tank and the Comfy Pants), even my published and charity patterns are eligible (check out the Comfy Sleep Set and the Watered with Love Layette).
I’ll be sharing my progress along the way, and you can share yours, too! Come join us in the Fishsticks Designs Sewing Group where you can chat, ask questions, share pictures and maybe even make some new friends: Fishsticks Designs Sewing Group.
The Christmas Playhouse Dress! (& a Quick Little Sale)
Christmas is only days away now, and I’m in the middle of crazy last-minute sewing. Anyone else with me? Are you in need of a quick Christmas dress pattern? How about the Playhouse Dress? (I’ve even had a few customers use it for an incredibly adorable nightgown!) Check out these sweet holiday Playhouse Dresses and reviews of the pattern, and read to the bottom for a 2-day discount code.
First up, Nicole from K & A Couture and Raedene of Chasing Mermaids reviewed the Playhouse Dress and showed off their versions on the Pattern Revolution blog this morning. Nicole’s is the one at the top of this post, and here’s Raedene’s. Aren’t they both amazing?
JoDee made the cutest snowman Playhouse Dress for her little one and shared it on her blog, Sew Much Crafting.
Finally, Rebecca from Rock the Stitch made this absolutely stunning Playhouse Dress.
If you’d like to make your own Playhouse Dress, you can get $3 off of the regular price of the PDF version through Friday, December 20th by entering the code “PLAYHOUSE” at checkout in the Fishsticks Designs Pattern Shop.
Designer’s Challenge: The Hide ‘n Go Seek Hoodie
It’s my turn to reveal my Designer’s Challenge pattern — meet the Hide ‘n Go Seek Hoodie! The challenge put out to the participating designers was to really strive to design something new and unique. I have had the idea for this pattern floating around in my head for quite some time, and this was just the push I needed to actually bring it to life!
Many of my faithful followers have asked for a zip-up hoodie pattern, and since outerwear is one of my favorite things to sew, I knew I needed to add one to my collection.
My first goal was to make the hoodie reversible to give you two looks in one. Outerwear tends to get more wear than other clothing between washings, and it’s so nice to be able to flip this hoodie inside out to reveal new fabrics.
I also loved the idea of mixing cotton woven fabrics with knit fabrics to give you the fit and look of a traditional hoodie with the myriad of print options that are available in your favorite quilting collections.
That woven placket at the zipper has the added advantage of making it much easier to sew in the zipper, too!
Finally, I designed the pockets, placket and back panel with a modern curve.
The lower panel on the back is a perfect spot to feature a fussy-cut fabric, too. (This one makes me smile every time I see it!)
This pattern covers sizes 12 months to 14. Other features include fold-up cuffs for extra growing room and the option of the elasticized or standard hood. I hope this one becomes a favorite for you and your little ones!
The Hide ‘n Go Seek Hoodie PDF Pattern is available for $2 off of the regular price today and tomorrow only: Click Here to Purchase, and you can enter to win a free copy in the Rafflecopter below. (If you purchase and then win, I’ll be happy to refund you or let you choose another pattern!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Cyber Monday Sale is Underway!
It’s Cyber Monday and all Fishsticks Designs Patterns are on sale for 25% off right here: The FD Pattern Shop. Just add the pattern to your cart to see the discounted prices, and don’t forget that great Buy 4/Get 1 Free Deal!
Just click on the photos below to find each of today’s new releases!
I’ll be back this afternoon to share our annual Advent Activity List! I just have to finish it up . . .
Three New Patterns & a Cyber Monday Sale!
I am so excited to share with you more details about these three new patterns and Monday’s sale (and I’m so sorry that I made you wait an extra day)! First, the sale details:
From 12:01 a. m. to midnight eastern on Cyber Monday (12/2/13), all PDF and paper patterns will be discounted in the main Fishsticks Designs Pattern Store by 25% — no code needed! In addition, you’ll be able to use the code “Buy4Get1” to get one free pattern when you purchase 4 of equal or greater value. The Buy 4/Get 1 deal is always available for PDF patterns, but you’ll be able to use it Monday for paper patterns, as well. This is the last sale of the year, so be sure to grab what you need for Christmas gifts, holiday gatherings and Christmas Eve PJs!
Now, more about these three new patterns!
The Essential Boxer Shorts pattern is the latest addition to my collection of clothing basics that everyone should have in their sewing room! In sizes Small to X-Large to fit mens’ sizes 28 to 42, the Essential Boxer has all the same great features that you’ve already come to love in the Oh, Boy! Boxers. The comfortable fit and three fly options — traditional, faux or no-fly — make these boxers perfect for all the guys in your family. Wouldn’t they all love handmade, one-of-a-kind boxers for Christmas?
Next up is the first of two new Jersey Love patterns, the Riverwalk Skirt & Faux Wrap Skirt in Misses sizes XS (2-4) to XXL (20) and Preteen & Teen Sizes (7-16).
This comfortable and quick-sewing skirt has two options — the traditional skirt and the faux wrap skirt. Both styles are sewn with a cotton/spandex stretch jersey fold-over waistband. You can choose to wear the waistband high on your waist for a shorter length or low on your hips for a longer hem.
The “wrap” on the faux wrap is sewn into the side seam and the waistband to give you the look of a wrap skirt without worries that you might come unwrapped with a wind gust!
The body of the skirt can be sewn with your choice of stretch jersey or 100% cotton jersey, and both the hem and edges of the wrap are left unfinished for that fun, modern rolled look.
Finally, the Playhouse Dress is the long-awaited modern replacement for my very first (and now retired) pattern, the Emmy Dress.
Like the Emmy, the Playhouse Dress allows you to sew with all knit fabric . . .
. . . or to combine the knit bodice with a cotton woven in the skirt and sleeves. In sizes 12 months to 12, both versions can be sewn with either short puff sleeves or long sleeves.
The modern curve in the front carries over to the back, as well.
And the joining of the front and back creates this sweet “V” along the side seam for added interest.
The PDF versions of all three new patterns will be available on Monday, and they’ll be included in the sale! You’ll be able to find them and all of my patterns right here in my main store: The Fishsticks Designs Pattern Shop.