Happy Friday! What a fun, fun, fun week it’s been! Sewing Happiness continued to wind its way around the world for the Winter Tour and I’m enamored with everything. I love how each participant put her own spin on the projects and the individual personalities shine through.

Before I go into the eye candy supplied by this week’s tour participants, I wanted to feature the gift voucher that 8 lucky recipients will win from 1000 Stoff. That beauteous origami dress up there? Handmade by Lara (and maybe Ute too?? I should have asked). I can hear you gasping. At least, I did when I opened the package from her. She created 8 custom gift vouchers for her shop and they’re so pretty I’m hesitant to let them go.

I’ll be sending a signed copy of Sewing Happiness along with one of these gorgeous vouchers for each winner, and I can’t wait to see who wins! Thank you so much for your handiwork, Lara – I want to learn how to make these origami dresses myself!

OK! Let’s move onto Annika, Olu, Emi and Eva. I just noticed that all four ladies have names that begin with a vowel, which doesn’t mean anything really, but I take note of these things.

When I first thought about doing the tour, Annika‘s bright and happy style immediately popped into my mind and I knew I had to reach out to her. With panache, she presented a bright and happy butterfly tooth fairy pillow which would make any child in the world want to gleefully stuff their newly loosened tooth in it. Annika’s life sounds dreamy: her family built a Swedish-style home in Southern Germany where she and her husband are raising two adorable children. She clothes them in über fashionable handmade garments and conjures up delightful patterns for her shop. Although folks from all walks of life with varied careers and interests discover the joys of sewing, I have been meeting more and more scientists absolutely smitten with the craft lately. Makes me think of how so many Buddhist monks used to be physicists. Anyway, Annika is a geologist and I get the sense that she’s got precision down to, well, a science. Look at her folds and stitches on that butterfly! The many version I created never looked that good. I was also incredibly touched that she mentioned Furoku in her blog post — the rather mysterious and undefined monthly membership that I offer. A few days ago, I was telling a friend that I never know how to describe it and don’t feel comfortable promoting it, but it is something that I pour my heart into every month with all the creative energy that I can shore up. It’s so wonderful you’re a member, Annika! To read about the sweet tooth fairy pillow and more, check out her blog here.

I was so excited when Olu of Needle and Ted agreed to take part in the tour. I encourage you to read this little segment about the talented Olu with a British accent, since she’s based in the UK. She has this effervescence, an energy that seems to recharge itself endlessly. She is, if you don’t already know, one-half of the supremely chic pattern company MadeIt Patterns (the other half is Anna) that easily puts high street to shame. I wear my Drop Tops constantly and have definite plans for sewing up the Groove dress. If you sneak a peek at Olu’s IG account and blog, it’s a sea of glorious, glorious neutrals (with the occasional zing of color) and you know how I feel about neutrals. She went above and beyond by featuring so many items in a bag-a-palooza of holiday crafting with her daughters and sister, I had difficulty choosing three images. My favorite is the red pouch that her daughter Scout made for herself. How adorable is that? I also can’t get over the ipad case — such a great way to modify the zip pouch pattern with that added pocket! To see the many, many, many items sewn up by Olu + Co. see her post here.

If you are at all associated with sewing, you have probably received a kind word or encouraging comment from Emi of Just Add Fabric. She is thoroughly plugged into the crafting community and her prolific sewing prowess is second to none. Emi is so super humble, she would never ever let on that she’s a brilliant scholar, but she is. And of course you know that she contributes to Petit a Petit and Family. Though she grew up in the US, she now calls Tokyo home and shares it with her Japanese husband and two darling girls who get a lot of air time on IG and her blog (the daughters, not the husband). The girls have an abundant wardrobe that equals K’s and Emi is a true sewing and pattern-testing Jedi master. When I reached out to her, I was extra thrilled because I also got to tell her that I’m going to Japan!! K and I will be jetting out to Tokyo this summer — well, “jetting” in the coach section of Delta, but still. It’s so rare to have face-to-face interaction with virtual sewing friends and the few I have been able to spend time with have become wonderful real-life friends so I have no doubt that Emi and I will have a grand old time together! I was so busy extolling Emi’s awesomeness, I forgot to mention that she made a Dopp Kit and an infinity scarf from the book and the best part is that she made a “muslin” for the Dopp Kit. How can you not love that? Prepare to be entertained by her blog post here!

The grand finale of the Winter Tour was beautifully delivered by Eva of With Love – by Eva. Originally, I meant to have a week-long tour with 5 bloggers, one for each weekday if they all said yes. I compiled my list and initially sent emails to 5 women, crossing my fingers that they would all be on board. Then I got a very clear intuitive pull — something that I’ve been working on paying more and more attention to these days. I knew I was supposed to contact Eva. A little voice whispered firmly, “With love by Eva”. Her blog name alone reveals her sweet nature. Once I reached out, she responded quickly. As a university student in Belgium, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to participate due to her exam schedule. No problem, I told her, just keep me posted. As it turned out, all 5 said yes, and then Eva’s exam schedule cleared up just in time for the tour. After a little readjusting and after listening to more intuitive recommendations, I came up with a plan for 9 participants. My intuition is turning out to be mighty trustworthy.

I hadn’t known that Eva had been battling a chronic health condition for the past two years, and I had no idea that my own struggle with health would connect us on a deeper level. I read her post here and I cried – happy tears for her lovely descriptions about Sewing Happiness and her gorgeous pouches and camera strap and for the way she’s patiently working through her illness, but also tears of knowing how hard it is to feel enervated and listless, to feel cut off from things that once brought so much enjoyment or comfort. I’m not a doctor. I’m not a sewing expert — I’m not an expert in anything actually. Most days I bumble around, fairly confused and half worried that someone will tell me to knock it off, stop making books, stop writing, stop trying to create things. Reading Eva’s words (and Ute’s and Lara’s and An’s and Trine’s and Shelley’s and Annika’s and Olu’s and Emi’s) generated a feeling I don’t even know how to describe. Gratitude is probably the closest I can get. I’ve been over the moon seeing all the projects made with such care and like Eva’s blog name, with love. Thank you all so so much, my heart is full. xoxoxo

Wasn’t that awesome?

I have some more goodness lined up for next week, and until then have a wonderful weekend, my friends!!

Next week there’s a treat:
Ute-made tutorial
Right here on this blog*

*The ever generous Ute created a tutorial to up-level the Dopp Kit which I’ll share next week!