Hello all! I can’t believe how many wonderful comments I still get on this site, even though I haven’t updated it in forever! This tells me that the world still needs a site like this.

For the past few years I stopped updating because, well, something in my life had to give. With working full-time, a pre-schooler, and a husband going to graduate school at night while working full-time, my blogging was the first to go.

I have good news and bad news (well, all good news really!) I won’t be working full-time anymore because I’m expecting twins girls in June! I’ll be home more and look forward to getting my crafty groove on once I’m not a new mommy zombie.

I’m excited to see that almost every crochet and knitting magazine that I pick up contains plus-size patterns now, and with the introduction of http://www.ravelry.com, you can quickly connect with an excellent community of knitters and crocheters. We just need a similar site for sewing patterns now! If you know of one, fill me in!

Stay tuned, I would love to add a forum to this site that would allow you to help each other, even when I’m not around. But have some patience - I’m probably not going to be getting much sleep for the next six months.

While I’m feeding babies, why don’t you post some of your favorite web sites, patterns, forums, etc. for plus-size crafting? I’ll swing by and approve the comments as often as possible. (I screen the comments so that you don’t have to put up with the spam.)

Take care,
Jen

…free patterns! Thank you so much for submitting your ideas. You gave me plenty of good topics for posting later, but I think we’re all most excited about free patterns. I’ve been poking around the web for some lovely free patterns and will post a nice list for you soon.

Have a great day!
Jen

Hi! Wow, so many wonderful people have found my blog through links or Google searches. I haven’t updated it much recently, but the old posts still have life in them.

I want to make time to start posting again but there are so many things to talk about…I don’t even know where to start!

Let’s try this: I’ll post something this weekend if YOU tell me what you want to see.

What topic:
Sewing?
Crochet?
Knitting?
Something else?

What would you most like to know about that topic:
Free patterns?
Books?
Magazines?
Resourceful web sites?
Want to see what other people are making?
Something else?

Leave me your thoughts in the comments. I’ll pick my favorite post suggestion and save the others for a rainy day. I can’t wait to hear from you!

Take care,
Jen

The summer of lazy blogging comes to an end with this post. Fall is in the air! Well, not really. But it’s on the racks and in between the covers of our favorite magazines! Knitted hats, crocheted granny square afghans, and rich fabrics will fill the void soon to be left by flip-flops, cropped pants and favorite t-shirts.

I’m more excited about the coming cold weather than ever. Last year was my first winter in D.C. after living in Georgia and Florida and California for so many years. And was it ever a winter! The snow! The cold! Sweaters, hats and scarves are no longer just a fashion accessory, we need them!

I just picked up all of the fall editions of the knitting, sewing and crochet publications. I know my posting schedule can feel a little ‘feast or famine’, so hang on tight - here comes a feast! Cozy up to that blazing hot sun and pretend like you feel a chill in the air.

Hello all! I’ve been super busy at work and am about to go out of town for the weekend, so I apologize for the sporadic updates. We’ll be getting back on track soon.

In the meantime, I started a Big Crafty Flickr Pool! I have no idea how this is going to work but please check it out when you have a second:

http://flickr.com/groups/bigcrafty/

A few weeks ago I posted a guest entry from Sarah where she shared her sewing pattern stash with us. She later sent photos of her in the finished Vintage Vogue dress and I’ve been meaning to post them but haven’t gotten a round to it.

So without further delay, I present…
The Lovely Sarah and the Beautiful Vintage Vogue Dress:
(click on the thumbnail to open the photo)

Love the hem detail!

Made by Me Mondays?

I thinking about starting a post on Mondays to feature photos of your creations. What do you think? Would you do it?
If so, which sharing method would be easiest for you? E-mailing photos to me, posting them to a flickr pool, or sending me a link to your photo online?

I will be posting only a few times this week while I sew my way out of a mountain of fabric. The local Hancock Fabrics is going out of business and is having quite the sale.

I should have good photos and stories to tell soon!

I’m working on a list of free made-to-fit patterns. Just measure yourself, do a little multiplication, and voila, made-to-fit pattern!

But I have a web-geeky meeting to attend tonight and I still need to find more patterns, so the post will go up as soon as possible tomorrow.

If you have a favorite free made-to-fit pattern for knitting, crochet or sewing, please leave a comment and I’ll include it in the list.

Thanks!
Jen

Free patterns are coming! I’ll post Friday’s free patterns tonight.

Please let me know what kind of patterns you want to see tonight:

In the meantime, take a look our archive of free pattern posts.

Hi there!

So where’s this morning’s post? It’s coming out this evening! Yes, I’m still going to post daily. I’ll just be writing in the evenings now! My thinking should be a little less fuzzy than it is at 6 a.m.

I’ve also added a few ads to pay for the magazines I review. If I make enough from ads to pay for the magazines, I can give more magazines away to you!

These ads will be contained to older posts (more than a week old) and to the sidebar. I’d like to get some cute little blogads like Crazy Aunt Purl someday. There are also some relevant eBay auctions displayed in the sidebar.

If they bother you, PLEASE let me know! I only want to provide relevant advertising on here. I don’t want to drive you away with annoying ads.

Take care and see you this evening.

Jen