Kit Dunsmore

I want to live in a castle, own a fire-lizard, or at least get snowed in at the library.

[kitdunsmore]

The Simple Secret To Sewing Success

My project for May isn’t finished yet. I did complete the sample bag and I’ve started on the “real” one. When I chose to make a laptop bag,

[kitdunsmore]

I've "finished" the practice laptop bag as much as I'm going to (note the raw seams inside... I'll be covering them with binding in the real bag.) I made lots of mistakes and learned tons. I've already started on the "real" bag and so far, it was well worth the time and materials to test the pattern out first.

[kitdunsmore]

Not all webbing is created equal. I liked the heavier webbing right up until I had to fold it and sew through it. Hoping my sewing machine forgives me.

[kitdunsmore]

Lessons Learned From Sewing A Sample First

The bag I’m making for my May project of the month is a much harder sewing project than I thought. Despite my extensive bag-making experienc

I still haven't finished making the practice laptop bag, but I've learned a lot already. It is so worth the time to test things out!

[kitdunsmore]

It's a good thing I decided to practice making this laptop bag before I cut into my beautiful and expensive Oscha fabric. I'm learning a lot about this project and what materials to use as well as feeling like a novice even though I've been sewing for 30 years...

[kitdunsmore]

Is Pattern Testing Always This Messy?

Part of my “go slow” plan for my May project of the month includes testing the pattern by making a practice bag before I start on the real t

[kitdunsmore]

Going Even Slower Than I’d Planned

My Go Slow Plan for my May project is going even slower than I intended. The good news is that the hobbit fabric will work with the pattern

[kitdunsmore]

I laid out the pattern on the wrong side of the fabric, but I was just testing to see if I have enough fabric to pattern match my pieces. Yes, I do. But I need to make a practice bag before I cut into this glorious fabric.

[kitdunsmore]

A Different Goal for My May Project

So far this year, my projects have all been true “unfinished objects” (aka UFOs) and I’ve pushed to finish each of them. May is going to be

[kitdunsmore]

So excited to make a laptop bag out of this amazing hobbit fabric by Oscha. Doing lots of pattern testing before I cut into this beautiful hand-woven material.

[kitdunsmore]

It's DONE! (Well, except for the label…) Despite multiple set-backs including two viruses, I finished Japanese Fran Dance, my machine-appliqué tribute to my aunt Fran. This project has been in the works for 26 years....

[kitdunsmore]

Japanese Fran Dance

Between illnesses and a writing conference, I haven’t had the time I thought I would in April to work on my March project-of-the-month. As a

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When I saw Book Goblin in one of the silent auction bundles at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, I couldn't resist. Bid till I brought her home!

[kitdunsmore]

I ran out of ribbon and I don't want to go shopping. I'm tearing through my stash... nothing I have matches exactly, so I have a hard decision to make. But I am almost done! Almost...

[kitdunsmore]

My March project of the month isn't finished yet... I got sick and couldn't sew. Also, I made some silly mistakes. Cutting into the back of the project so I could fix the muslin layers to keep the dark fabric from showing through the light ones? Time-consuming and messy! I'm giving myself two more weeks to work on this because I think I can finish it.

[kitdunsmore]

Too Sick To Sew?

I didn’t finish my March project-of-the-month for a good reason. I was sick for two weeks, much too sick to sew. In fact, a mistake I made w

[kitdunsmore]

I'm working hard on my March project of the month, but I've discovered that while I thought I was almost done, there's a whole lot of work left to do...