NOTE: This page was compiled over time in my pre-Pinterest days. I am no longer updating it, but I know lots of people still use it, so I will leave it. To see what I’ve been bookmarking since then, follow me on Pinterest!
Categories
- Personal
- Places I Hang Out
- Design/DIY
- Knit/Crochet Resources
- Knit/Crochet Patterns I Like
- Diaper Sewing/Knitting/Crochet Patterns (For Purchase)
- Diaper Sewing/Knitting/Crochet Patterns (FREE)
- Knit Sleep Sack Patterns
- Clothing Patterns/Tutorials
- Fabric Sources
- Natural Toy/Craft Retailers
- Soft Soled Shoes Patterns
- Soft Soled Shoes Retailers
- Tote & Bag & Purse Patterns
- Dishtowel Tutorials
- Nursing Bra Retailers
- Mama Pad Patterns
- Miscellaneous Crafts
- Christmas/Advent
- House Plans
- Home Decor
- Bulk Dried Herb Retailers
- Seed Companies
- Gardening
- Inspiration
- Local U-Pick
- Home Management
Personal
- My Kids’ Blog
- Our House Blog
- My Old LiveJournal Blog (archives)
- My Kids’ Amazon.com Wishlist
- My Amazon.com Wishlist
- Our TheThingsIWant.com Wishlists
Places I Hang Out
- The Babywearer
- Diaper Sewing Divas
- Sewing Mamas
- Mothering.com’s Forums
- Craftster
- Mothering By Grace
- Diaper Swappers
- DiaperPin
- Backyard Chickens
- Hearth.com’s Forums
Design/DIY
- ReadyMade
- Domino
- Design*Sponge
- John Bridge Tile Forums – the best tile forum on the ‘net
Knit/Crochet Resources
- KnittingHelp.com – great knitting how-to videos
- Emily Ocker’s Cast On – a circular cast on, using a crochet hook, to start a piece of circular knitting in the middle; great for top-down hats, socks, table cloths, etc.
- How to Knit Small Circumferences With Two Circulars – knitting small stuff in the round with two circs instead of four or five dpns
- How to Knit Small Circumferences Using One Long Needle – also called “The Magic Loop”
- Random Stripe Generator – great tool for previewing how stripes might look on a sweater, scarf, blanket, etc.
Knit/Crochet Patterns I Like
- Knitted French Press Cozy – I usually put my leftover french press coffee in a pre-warmed stainless steel thermos, but this is way cute and great for short-term coffee temperature maintenance
- Swatch-Free Top-Down Hat Pattern by I’m Knitting As Fast As I Can – Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Spiral Top Hat: Calculator – a great top-down hat pattern calculator that lets you choose your own size; also gives instructions for ear flaps
- Knit Pixie Hat by Lulubeans – cute pointed hat knit top-down, with ear flaps
- Top Down Ribbed Hat – 1×1 rib; more general instructions than pattern
- Double Layer Hat Pattern – knit a double layer hat without double knitting; hat is knit in one piece (top-bottom-top, like a sausage shape) and then one hat is shoved inside the other
- My So Called Scarf – beautiful knit scarf pattern
- SusanB’s Easy Ripple Afghan – great, simple crochet pattern that looks great in stripes of many colors
- Crazy Mom Quilts Crocheted Rag Rug Tutorial – use old clothes to crochet a rectangular rug!
- Vintage Chica’s Rag Rug Tutorial – crocheted in the round from old fabric/clothing scraps.
- Jen’s Sweetie Pie Hat Pattern – cute knit hat; good intro to cables
- Zeebee Hat – totally cute knit beanie
- D-made Knitting Patterns – lots of free knitting patterns, including socks, hats, scarves
- Knit Recycled Jar Cover/Cozy
Diaper Sewing/Knitting/Crochet Patterns (For Purchase)
- Very Baby – AIO, fitted, side snap cover, velcro cover
- Chloe Toes – AIO or pocket, using FOE (fold over elastic)
- Sew Darling – AIO, training pants, pocket fitteds
- New Conceptions – one size fitted with gussets, side snapping fitteds, variety of covers, training pants, swim diaper, sleep dry briefs for older children
- Fattycakes (DSD forum; log in to forum, send a PM to username “admin”) – side snapping AIOs, pockets, fitteds, or covers
- Mile High Monkeys – pull on diaper cover, sewn from fleece or wool
- Sweet Baby Soakers & Skirties – pull on diaper cover, sewn from fleece, wool, or PUL, with additional instructions for adding a built-in skirt
- Littlebums Wool-on and Fleece-on Diaper Cover Pattern – reversible pull on cover pattern
- DiaperKit – buy the kit, and all you have to do is sew
- Little Turtle Knits – a variety of wonderful soaker and longie patterns; I love these!
- WoolyWonder – soaker and longie patterns, and a helpful knitting forum
- Fern & Faerie’s Diapering Patterns – knitted soaker and longies, wraps, tights/footed pants; also sewing patterns for fitted diapers and all-in-ones/all-in-twos sewn from all recycled materials
- Dandelion Dreamers – knit AND crochet patterns for soakers, longies, skorts, and the innovative sleep sack (an open-bottomed soaker, great for quick changes)
Diaper Sewing/Knitting/Crochet Patterns (FREE)
- Fern & Faerie’s Frugal Diapering Pages – Fantastic resource; learn to sew flats, prefolds, fitteds, and pocket fitteds
- Fern & Fairie’s Free Knitted Soaker Pattern
- The Nappy Network (Wee Weka Patterns) – so many great patterns here, in .pdf format, with instructions and pictures; includes pockets, fitteds, covers, gussets, trainers, FOE, contours…everything!
- Curly Purly Soaker Pattern (.pdf) – knitted, adorable, really cool waistband
- Miala Projects – a blog with lots of tutorials and links, including cloth diapers and wool
- Tiny Bird Organics – knit wool longies pattern, knit flat and seamed
- Aubrey DoodlePants – knit wool longies pattern, in the round
- Ottobre Knit Wool Diaper Cover (.pdf) – knit flat and seamed
- Ottobre Fitted Diaper (.pdf) – two sizes, both run large
- Punk Knitters on LJ – wool soaker to knit in the round
- Boise Cloth Diapers Recycled Wool Longies
- Boise Cloth Diapers Recycled Wool Cover – with elastic casings and velcro closures
- Sweaterpants Tutorial – recycled wool longies
- Making fleece and/or wool longies out of old sweaters – a Flickr set
- Katrina’s Sew Quick Soaker Pattern – a pull-on cover; great for use with recycled sweaters; browse the whole blog for helpful hints and tutorials
- EasterBunz – training pants pattern with side snaps
- Celtic Cloth – AIO, wet bag, and changing pad
- Anayaliss’ Diaper Pattern – velcro in the back!
- Diaper Sewing Blog – lots of stuff, all free
- Mama Bird – fitteds, AIOs, pockets
- Darling Diapers Newborn Fitted – great for snaps
- Rita’s Rump Pockets – one size flannel pocket fitted; easy and quick to sew, fastens with one pin! Runs small on bigger babies/toddlers.
- Rita’s Rump Pockets OS AIO & Cover Patterns – more variations on the same theme
- Diaper Sewing – older, but good; lots of stuff, with pictures
- Diaper Sewing Tutorials – fitted, contour with elastic, AIO, FOE cover, side snapping cover, doublers
- FuzziBunz-like diaper
- Pull-on Fleece Cover
- Adding Gussets to Cloth Diapers (SleepingBaby.net)
- Make Your Own Bum Sweaters – recycled wool
- Tickle Turdle Wool Wrap – crocheted diaper cover, with Snappi or button closures
- Diaper Jungle’s Cloth Wipes Tutorial
- Wigglebum’s No Elastic Fleece Pull Up Cover – could try with wool, too
- MatNap – One size cloth diaper made from beach towelling
- My Free Diaper Pattern – One size cloth diaper
- Turn Prefolds Into Fitteds – a no-serger-required tutorial (with pictures)
- Not So Flat Wrap – no-elastic, quick-sew fitted; basically a slightly shaped prefold with snaps. Turn & topstitch or serge. Very easy, very cute, no elastic to wear out!
- Tighty Whitey Hipsters
- How to Draft A Cloth Diaper Pattern – by Erin Joy Quilts
- Tie Diaper – tutorial set on Flickr; I really want to try tie diapers!
- Do-It-Yourself Waterproof Training Pants – designed for elimination communication, but could be great diapers or covers (sized up)
Knit Sleep Sack Patterns
- Knitty Zodiac (FREE) – sleeveless tank-style top, long flowy bottom, zipper along bottom for easy changes
- Sleepsack by Niki (FREE) – basically a shaped tube with ribbing at top and bottom; newborn sizing provided only
- SheepyTime Knits Sheepy Sack (FREE) – another shaped tube with a drawstring, newborn sizing only
Clothing Patterns/Tutorials
- oliver + s
- Jalie – one pattern includes sizes toddler through plus size!
- Built By You/Built By Wendy – classic yet trendy clothing patterns for women, available through Simplicity
- Sew U: The Built By Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe – a basic how-to sewing book, with patterns, teaching you how to sew, custom fit, and turn basics into your style
- Kwik Sew
- New Conceptions – home of the famous Baby Essentials!
- Favorite Things – for women & children; clothing & accesories
- Baker Lane – dresses for pregnancy, nursing, and beyond
- Recycled Sweater Jacket Tutorial – by Flint Knits; a lot of recycled sweater love, with a little knitted trim thrown in to make it special
- Bandana Pants – Blue Yonder’s tutorial for cute pants for kids out of two bandanas
- Spring Ruffle Top Tutorial – Waaaaay cute pattern that you draft yourself following these easy instructions; customizable for children and maternity (see the comments for the designer’s thoughts on modifying for maternity)
- Ruffle Skirt Tutorial (.pdf) – Draft your own skirt pattern, customized to fit you, with this free tutorial
- Create a Child’s Tee Pattern – at indietutes; simple tutorial on how to draft a child’s t-shirt or lap tee pattern
Fabric Sources
Natural Toy/Craft Retailers
- Nova Natural Toys & Crafts
- A Toy Garden
- Hazelnut Kids – a Michigan business
- Oompa Toys
- North Star Toys
- EllieBelly – playsilks!
- Stubby Pencil Studio – eco-friendly art supplies
Soft Soled Shoes Patterns
- Tacky Living: Tacky Baby Shoes (FREE)
- Ohelene: Make Your Own Soft Soled Leather Shoes (FREE)
- Miala Soft Soled Leather Baby Shoes (FREE, $$$)
- Stardust Shoes Cloth Shoe Pattern (FREE)
- On Pins and Needles Soft Baby Shoe Tutorial (FREE)
- New Conceptions: Three Seam Baby Footies (.pdf, FREE)
- Heather Bailey Design: Bitty Booties (FREE)
- Sole-ful Slippers (FREE)
- Recycled Wool Slipper Tutorial (FREE)
- Make Them Yourself: Soft-Sole Leather Baby Shoe Pattern ($$$)
- Chloe Toes Soft Leather Shoe Pattern ($$$)
Favorite Soft Soled Shoes Retailers
- Bugaloo – $15 soft soled shoes, in three sizes up to 18m; very cute!
- Soft Star Shoes – sizes from newborn through adult!
- Bobux – sizes up to 4-5 years; these have been very durable for us
Tote & Bag & Purse Patterns
- Tiny Happy Shoulder Bag Tutorial (FREE) – I just love this bag!
- Breastfeeder’s Diaper Bag/Purse (FREE) – with options for larger version for cloth diaperers
- Sack-style Bag (FREE)
- Fabric Diaper Case (FREE) – very basic pattern and tutorial (I would enlarge it for cloth dipes); great for keeping things neat in the diaper bag
- Super Eggplant Tote Bag Tutorial (FREE) – Your basic tote bag with lining; great place to start sewing gift bags and grocery bags
- Artsy-Crafty Babe Pleated Tote Pattern (.pdf – FREE) – roomy, would make a great diaper bag with inner pockets added
- Artsy-Crafty Babe Phoebe Bag (.pdf – FREE) – such cuteness! I really want to make one with applique.
- Happy Things Mama Backpack (FREE) – cute drawstring-style backpack tutorial
- Bundles of Love Diaper Bag Pattern (FREE) – tote-style with inner and outer pockets; easily embellished
- Amitymama Messenger Bag Sew Along (FREE)
- Quilted Patchwork Strip Purse Tutorial at Creative Little Daisy (FREE)
- Basic Purse Tutorial at Creative Little Daisy (FREE)
- Lotus Bag Tutorial at Craft Apple (FREE)
- The Purse Project (FREE) – links to loads of tote/bag/purse tutorials
- Mari’s Bias Tape Purse with Zipper Tutorial (FREE) – so simple, so cute; good pics on this tutorial; make great little gifts
- Curved Bag Gusset Tutorial (FREE) – reusable shopping bag with comfy bag handles and bag cozy for itty-bitty storage
- Martha Stewart Dish Towel Tote Tutorial (FREE) – good pictures, easy tote
- Box Bag Tutorial (FREE) – would make a great gift for a guy; hand toiletries bag, too
- Wristlet Tutorial by Splityarn (FREE) – so handy; I’ve made these and like them
- Straight Sided Triangular Cosmetic Bag (FREE) – basically a zippered bag; I like the part about adding squares to the zipper
- Amy Butler Nappy Bag ($$$)
- Craft Apple Diaper Bag ($$$)
- The Hot Mama Messenger-Style Diaper Bag by Wired Up Designs ($$$)
Dishtowel Tutorials
- Dishtowel Apron Tutorial – for ages 8-11; click here for modifications for ages 2-4
- Little Library Tote – all that’s required is a dishtowel and thread
- Sewing Machine Cover at Martha Stewart Living
- Write Mama Write’s Martha Stewart Dish Towel Tote Tutorial
- Quick and Fun Apron Made From Two Dish Towels – at Instructables; grown-up size!
- Quilted Garden Tote – I think this would make a nice diaper bag
Nursing Bra Retailers
- Breakout Bras – free shipping and repeat customer discounts
- Blue Canoe Jane’s Bra – famously comfy organic crossover bra
Mama Pad Patterns
- Adahy’s Cloth Pad Patterns (FREE) – includes pantyliner and three different styles of pads
- Sew Green Cloth Pads Tutorial (FREE)
- Diaper Sewing’s Cloth Menstrual Pads (FREE)
- Sleeping Baby’s Cloth Menstrual Pads (FREE)
- Tiny Birds Organics Cloth Pads Instructions (FREE)
- Brightonwoman’s Two-Part Pad Tutoria (FREE)
- Making Cloth Pads (FREE) – patterns and instructions
- Kristin’s Cloth Pads ($$$) – I use and love these; stuffable pads that come unstuffed for easier cleaning and faster drying
- New Conceptions Personal Things ($$$) – lots of stuff here, including pads, underwear with velcro for attaching pads to, nursing pads, and more
Miscellaneous Crafts
- Peasant-Style Nursing Top by Rowena – wear it as a shirt, or take the bottom piece out and use it as a skirt! Genius.
- Chenille-backed Blanket Tutorial – super easy baby blanket tute
- Chenille-backed Patchwork Blanket – great first patchwork project, good instructions
- Super Easy Keychain Tutorial
- Scrap Strips Squares/Quilt Tutorial – I’m dying to try this piecing method; so easy and fun
- Handmade Holidays – 30 days of handmade tutorial bloggity goodness
- Casey’s Wood Products
- Water Bottle Carrier Tutorial – would be great for our Klean Kanteens!
- Cardboard Dollhouse
- Make your own Easy Herbal Cream
- Homemade Deodorant – by Angry Chicken
- Homemade Coconut Deodorant – at Passionate Homemaking
- Recycled Lunch Containers – at Family Fun Magazine; turn old milk jugs into sandwich boxes!
- Paint Your Fridge with Chalkboard Paint
- Kids’ Craft Cabinet Cover – could be used to sew a slipcover for a bookshelf, armoire, cabinet, etc.
- Decoupaged Window – old window, craft paint branches, decoupaged fabric birds – love it!
- Felted Sweater Basket – this would be great for toy storage.
- My Special Day Chair Cover Tutorial – great for birthdays!
- Nursing Cover Tutorial – by Made by the Mama
- Nursing Cover Tutorial – by Sew Much Ado
- Upcycled Denim Child’s Wallet w/ Zippered Pouch – by Balancing Everything
Christmas/Advent
- St. Nicholas Center
- The Season of Advent: Anticipation & Hope – article & resources at CRI/Voice, Institute
- Advent Conspiracy
- Jesse Tree Family Devotions: Advent 2007 – devotions and pictures to color/turn into ornaments from the Reformed Church in America
- Christianity Today’s Advent Resources
- Christianity Today’s Christmas Resources
- Christmas in Cyberspace
House Plans
Home Decor
- DIY Handcut Felt Mural – genius, simple, cheap
- Design Your Own Trivets/Hot Pads – for less than $1/ea, at Design*Sponge
- Recycled Cake/Cupcake Stands – more Design*Sponge DIY genius
- Criss-Cross Coasters – make cute, quick little gifts
- Recycled Bath Mat Tutorial – I love the embroidered feet!
- Rag Rug Tutorial – crocheted from old fabric/clothing scraps.
- DIY Table – make a table out of an old door
- Swatch Portraits at The Purl Bee – showcase your favorite fabrics in embroidery or quilting hoops
- T-Shirt Latch Hook Rug Tutorial – so plush!
Bulk Herb Retailers
- Mountain Rose Herbs – they sell so much great stuff, including organic unrefined coconut oil by the gallon!
- BulkHerbStore.com
Seed Companies
- Johnny’s Selected Seeds
- Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
- Sand Hill Preservation Center – sweet potato varieties galore!
- Ronnigers – hundreds of potatoes
- Fedco Seeds – seed potatoes, onion sets, fruit & nut trees, untreated vegetable seeds
- Gourmet Garlic Gardens
- SW Michigan Seeds & Trees Resources – by Fast Grow the Weeds
- Territorial Seed Company
- Seeds of Change
- Seed Savers Exchange (SSE)
Gardening
- IDigMyGarden.com – heirloom Gardening forum
- GardenWeb Forums – forums for everything under the sun
- Dave’s Garden
Inspiration
- Bella Dia’s Studio
- SouleMama’s Studio
- SouleMama’s House
- Vintage Simple’s Kitchen
- Lifeingrace’s Kitchen
- Colorful Eco-conscious Budget Kitchen Remodel
- Pure Style Home’s Kitchen
- The Old Painted Cottage (and more)
- Anne Turner’s Kitchen – painted raised cabs, like I want to do with mine
- APAK’s Creative Cottage – love the vintagey, handmade, modern feel to this home; it feels like someone actually lives there
- The Lettered Cottage’s Kitchen
- Meg’s Kid-Friendly Vintage Chic Playroom
- Baby Emmett’s Room
- Phoebe’s Room
- Chris & Heather’s Happy, Hippie Haven – I adore this house! Take the tour.
- resolved2worship’s amazing $10 kitchen makeover – gorgeous.
- Matt & Blair’s Fresh Retro Kitchen – I am in love with the colors in this kitchen. And the sink.
Local/Regional Organic U-Pick
- EverGreen Lane Farm & Creamery – organic apples and goat cheese
- Country Mill – organic apples and lots of harvest time family attractions
- Kismet Organics – organic pears and raspberries
- Earth First Farms – organic apples; you can rent your own tree!
- Pleasant Hill Farm – organic blueberries
Home Management
**Broken links? Please comment and let me know! Thanks!**
I am also a Christian, and I love your web sight! I am into recycling things. Have homeschooled for years. I am looking for a pattern for mittens made with old sweaters. I love to make homemade gifts for my family for Christmas. I have six children and six grandchildren now. There is a pattern I have for slippers that calls for leather bottoms, haven’t been able to find the leather bottoms tho. Thank you for all your information and free patterns. God Bless You!!!