Happy Okapi Blog

Best Nine 2016

12/30/2016

I did my "best nine" on Instagram last year and had fun seeing which were the nine most popular posts again this year. I decided to write a quick blog post with links to original posts (if I made them). I used this site to find mine; it was quick and easy.

From top left to right:

The Great Canadian Craftsy Bag Tour

I made this Hanging Cosmetics Organizer from the Craftsy Class Sew Sturdy Travel Organizers. Read more about the class and my review here.

Jackie McFee Swoon Dallas

I haven't blogged this yet, but I made a Swoon Dallas for Jackie McFee for her new fabric line to display at Quilt Market a couple months back. The new collection is called My Gray or the Highway, and it will be available this summer. I'll post more about it around its release date.

Sweet Talk

I made this bag from the Sweet Talk pattern from Sara Lawson's second book. You can read all about it, including the amazing glitter vinyl I used, in this post!

Sakuro Clutch from One Thimble

I tried out a pattern from the latest issue of One Thimble: the Sakuro Clutch. I also used cork for the first time. Check out this post for all the details.

Fabric Weaving

I think this is the favourite thing I learned this year. I can't wait to do more in 2017. I used a bit of this weave as a feature in the Sakuro clutch, but you'll find out soon what I used the rest in. Check out my post explaining the process here.

Heidi Foldover Clutch

I used some of my precious Tula Pink Saltwater collection for this free Swoon pattern. I didn't blog this one, but you can get the free PDF here.

Cat Lady 241 Tote

I didn't blog this one either! I made a Noodlehead 241 Tote for a cat-loving friend. I used Cat Lady from Sarah Watts for both exterior and lining of the bag. This pattern never disappoints!

1k giveaway

I celebrated 1000 followers on Instagram with a giveaway. If you aren't on Instagram, check it out for oodles of inspiration.

#undertheseaswap

I made a Maker's Tote for an Instagram swap, and before I could share the tote on Instagram, I showed a picture of an extra I included in the swap: a cup cozy with some out of print Sarah Jane fabric I really love. you can read more about the tote here, and download a copy of the free PDF pattern for the cup cozy here.

There you have it! I hope next year is even more exciting. Thanks for making it a great one! Read my previous post to see what I have planned for 2017.

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What's Coming Up in 2017

12/29/2016

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I started this blog 2 years ago and I've really enjoyed interacting with so many of you in the sewing community, and learning loads of new things. One thing I love about this blog is that it pushes me to keep trying something different. This year, I'm looking forward to quite a few things, and I'm sure there will be some surprises as well. Here's what I have planned:

Sew Sweetness Swap

I love a good swap! I've got one planned and even have a discount available, but you'll have to wait until 2017 for all the details.

Bag of the Month Club

Even when I don't get around to sewing all the bags, this club is always fun! It's always exciting awaiting each month's pattern reveal. This year, there is a new designer: Celine from Blue Calla will be first up. You have a couple more days to sign up for the early bird discount. Check out the website for more details.

Video Tutorials

I have a couple video tutorials in the works for you, but they're going to be a bit different. I'm not going to spoil the surprise for you though, you'll have to wait and see!

Bra Making

I won a bra making class and I bought a couple kits to get started, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm making it my goal this year to make one. I'd also like to try out one of Beverly Johnson's Craftsy classes.

Quilting

This year I'd really love to make a quilt. I have some really great Craftsy classes, like this Elizabeth Hartman one, that goes great with her Fancy Forest Quilt pattern, which I also have.

Fancy Forest Quilt Pattern by Elizabeth Hartman from Connecting Threads

I picked up some quilting books so I think I'll have to make a few quilts, or at least some decorative pillows for special quilt blocks.

Patchwork City book by Elizabeth Hartman from Connecting Threads

The Half-Square Triangle book by Jeni Baker from Connecting Threads

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird from Connecting Threads

Organized Sewing Space

Ok, this one is more of a goal, rather than something I have planned. I have a sewing room with a closet full of fabric, but in the last couple of months, my organized stash has been rather unruly. Before I get started on any big project, I really need to buckle down and get my space less cluttered.

Upping my Photography Game

This one is another goal. I recently bought a new camera and I know I need to improve my pictures, so that I can bring even better tutorials to the blog. It also helps when you make an awesome bag and can actually take a decent picture of it. My friend Natalie of Hungry Hippie Sews wrote a really helpful blog post about taking better pictures, so I'm using that as my guide.

Unknown

Surprises and unknown turns. Creativity gives us freedom to explore new avenues and accept new opportunities. Is there something you're hoping to see here? What are you looking forward to in 2017?

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Last Minute Gifts

12/17/2016

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Every Christmas I promise myself not to wait until the last minute to make Christmas gifts, yet every year, I still find myself in a panic as the days countdown and my time fades away. I do have a few tricks up my sleeve though, and thought I'd share them with you, in case you find yourself in the same predicament.

General Quick Tips

In addition to having quick projects, I've learned a few ways to help speed up my process.

Sort projects by thread colour: I find doing small batches with the same thread colour helps, and gray usually blends in pretty nicely with everything.
Cut interfacing first and fuse to fabric, then cut the fabric out; this eliminates tracing the pattern onto the fabric.
Log out of social media! This is hard for a lot of us, but it sure increases productivity.
If you have a second sewing machine, pull it out and put on a zipper foot or use a second thread colour; whichever might make it easier if you find yourself having to switch back and forth.

Quick Projects

Sew Sweetness Kismet Trinket Boxes

Photo from Sew Sweetness

This latest pattern set from Sew Sweetness is also a great value, at only $5 and offers 6 different boxes, plus it's great for fat quarters. These are quick and would make a great gift, especially filled with goodies.

Happy Okapi Cup Cozy

I may be a little biased here, but my free cup cozy pattern is ideal for quick gifts, and it works for men too! Pair it with a reusable cup, tuck in a gift card to your favourite coffee shop, and voila!

Key Fobs

These are perfect scrap busters and work really well when you want to give a small gift to everyone in a big group. I wrote a free tutorial if you need some help putting them together.

1-hour Dopp Kit

I whipped up these fat-quarter friendly bags last year and they are true to their name. Check out the free tutorial here.

Pillow Case

Kids love having a special pillowcase and they're so quick and easy. I wrote a tutorial to follow if you need some tips to get started.

Noodlehead Divided Basket

There aren't too many patterns I make many of (there are just so many out there and I want to try them all!) but the Noodlehead Divided Basket is an exception. I've made so many of these baskets, I've lost count. It's such a versatile pattern and makes a useful gift for so many people. It comes together so quickly too, and if you use webbing for the handles, then it's even quicker.

Swoon Dakota Tablet Clutch

Here's another quick free pattern that works for a variety of people. This Swoon Dakota Tablet Clutch sews up in a jiffy!

I hope this gives you a few ideas and helps you get those last gifts done before the turkey comes out of the oven. Cheers!

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Prairie Girl - Bag of the Month Club

12/3/2016

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I've been working on secret sewing lately and it's been so hard to keep them all quiet. I'm bursting at the seams to share these awesome patterns and thrilled I can finally show you this one. It's the Prairie Girl bag, by Janelle from Emmaline Bags, for the December pattern in the Bag of the Month Club.

This bag has it all! The front zippered pocket has card slots, and even a pen loop! The main section is two separate zippered compartments and the strap is adjustable so you can wear it on the shoulder, or cross-body. Lining up the butterflies from the pocket to the main bag was an experiment that worked, thankfully!

I'm not a prairie girl myself, having lived on the west coast my whole life, but I wanted the fabric for this test to match the name. I envisioned butterflies in sunny fields and pretty foliage when I did this fabric pull, and I think they're so pretty together. These are prints from two Lizzy House collections: Natural History and The Lovely Hunt.

A great thing about this bag is that it's low on hardware. It really only needs an adjustable slide and 2 rings. I even managed to upcycle my hardware from a thrift store bag. You can also use rivets to attach the straps, but if rivets make you nervous, you can just stitch them on instead.

If you want to read more about the Bag of the Month Club, you can check out the Emmaline Blog. There's also a big announcement from Janelle in her post, you won't want to miss it.

Update: The Prairie Girl is now available individually from Emmaline Bags, click here to purchase.

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