I've been trying to catch up on some projects for myself, since there seems to be a lull with both online and retail sales. I made this top using the pattern provided in the t-shirt class I took at The Workroom. This purple fabric was not the easiest to work with, as it rips easily, but it's very lightweight and will be great for summer. To add some contrast I added trim to the sleeves.

Zippster now at Fresh Collective

I'm very excited to announce that Fresh Collective on Queen West is now carrying my greeting cards and magnet sets! Fresh Collective is a designer-run store featuring lots of cool clothes, jewellery, accessories and even hip clothes for moms-to-be and wee ones.

New top for me

Recently I took a class at The Workroom on how to make a t-shirt using jersey fabric. Jersey and I don't get along: I don't get it, it doesn't get me. I figured this would be a good opportunity to get to know it better. We were provided with a pattern with variations, and shown how to make fit adjustments according to our measurements. Mine fits perfectly, and I think it looks rather good!

New messenger bag

For the last week or so I've been working on a messenger bag with adjustable straps, which I've never attempted before. I actually really like making bags but my sewing machine really isn't robust enough to handle heavy-duty fabrics and sewing through 4 layers of fabric plus lining.




A few minor mistakes were made along the way because I wasn't using a pattern, but I love how it turned out. The outer fabric is a lightweight corduroy called Carnival Bloom by Michael Miller. There is an outside and inside slip pocket, an interior zippered pocket, magnetic closure, padded strap, and it's large enough to hold vinyl LPs.



Oh, I'm having a contest with a friend to see who sells a specific button first from their Etsy shop, go take a look ...

New website

Well, I've gone and done it: after looking into dozens of hosting and website design companies, I've created a website which will act as a showcase for my work. My plan was to have a simple but attractive site which will act as an online portfolio and to drive traffic to my Etsy shop. I still need to add a lot of pictures, but so far I'm happy with how it looks. Take a look!

T.E.S.T. Etsy shop for charity

In response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti, The Toronto Etsy Street Team has decided to open a collective Etsy shop. 100% of the sales will go to a charity. I donated one of my zippered pouches, and will add more items as they sell. There are other charity shops on Etsy, so next time you're looking for a gift, consider buying from one of these shops.

100 Mile Finds

Sometime last spring, I was approached at a craft sale by two women who were in the process of setting up a website which would promote local small businesses. I'm pleased to see that the site has launched, and I now have Zippster listed as a vendor. If you want to find a local business or service within 100 miles of your postal code, try 100 Mile Finds.