Kit Dunsmore

Anybody else suffer from Summer Brain?

My recent camping trip at Sylvan Lake State Park proved a great time to revive my watercolor project Colors of Colorado. These small cards have a simple format that make it easier for me to get my paints out and capture what I see. The four-year gap between when I started and now has also shown me that I have actually improved, even though my watercolor practice and nature journaling have been fitful activities at best. Pencil miles pay off!

We're well into June, and I've finally completed my May project. Despite practicing this pattern, construction did not go smoothly at all. However, it's finished and am I glad. Time to do some easy, mindless sewing...

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.

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.

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!

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...

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.

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.

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....