I made kangaroos! It was so easy, and they’re soooo cute! Here’s a video, so you can see all the steps, and feel confident to make a tiny animal (or two or three) yourself.

These little animal hand sewing kits come with everything you need, including a needle and 6-strand floss. Floss works, but I substituted Ellana wool thread by Wonderfil because it melted into the wool and my stitches looked better. You can also use Perle Cotton if you want to add details in places.

Each kit has the materials to make one animal but you can use the pattern to make lots of animals. Use card stock (EPP paper would work) and Laminate to make templates of the pattern shapes and you will be good to go.

Judy made a puppy for Bear who looks just like Bear’s dog.

And then she made two more pink puppies for Bear and his friend. She used a variety of Hand Dyed Wool scraps for the puppies and Sequins for a collar. Good idea, Judy!

Our friend Keri made Ellie the Octopus. She replaced the eyes with her own bobbles.

You can personalize these animals to truly make them your own.

We have a special Dinosaur Deal that has the Brontosaurus, so don’t miss that for your little paleontologist. Includes the Brontosaurus Animal Kit, the Dinosaur Land Puzzle, and the Giant Shiny Dinosaur Dominoes. You can still get them separately as well.

You can make cute couples —lions or cats or foxes! Charlotte & Felix, below, sweet!

We have so many different adorable animals, you are sure to find the perfect one(s) for yourself, and a friend! You can make gifts, or give the kit itself. You can give the gift of time to a child in your life who wants to sew with you. Click here to shop all the Animal Hand-Sewing Kits.

And of course, back to school! It’s the rhythm of life. If you’re not feeling it yet, here are a few suggestions for the students in your life. Maybe it’ll spark your enthusiasm.

Blackwing pencils are my favorite, both on fabric and on paper. They have the best feeling in your hand as you press them to a surface. They come in soft, firm, and extra firm graphite. As you can imagine, the softer the graphite in your pencil, the less pressure it takes to write or draw with them.

Most of the time, I prefer the firm graphite (602 & Volume 200), my grandson Jack, who is 14, prefers the extra firm (Naturals & Volume 651). The soft graphite (Matte & Volume 93) would be ideal for those times when you want to make a softer, more expressive lines, drawing or sketching. (Also, the lines are thicker, because softer graphite. Not super soft, just softer.) If you’re not sure what you might need, see below for a solution and a special code.

While we keep the basic 3 types of Blackwing pencil all the time, we have several beautiful limited edition volumes in stock right now that will not be coming back. Each new volume that comes out has an inspiration, a story that highlights a movement, an idea, or a person. You can click the photo or link to find out the stories behind each of the volumes we currently have.

Volume 93, below, soft graphite. These are so happy with their bright colors, and there are just a few of the slate notebooks that match left in stock.

Volume 200, below, firm graphite. My favorite pencils to date, these are beautiful sitting on my desk.

Volume 651, below, extra firm graphite. A tribute to Bruce Lee, and could be perfect for school colors.

The Blackwing Starting Point Set is perfect for the person who needs to try out Blackwing. AND I’m giving you (who read my blog) $10 off of this set for back-to-school good vibes. Use code BWBACKTOSCHOOL. (This code will last until we sell out of Starting Point Sets.)

This is the first set that has come with my favorite sharpener! The One-Step Sharpener is more expensive, but I like the way it works, and because the blades are replaceable, it lasts longer. The Two-Step Long Point Sharpener also works to get that sharp point, and Jack happily uses his.

For the student moving out this semester, a needle and thread are a must! They might be the only one in their dorm to have a way to fix a button or do minor mending. Pebbles Needle Sets can be paired with the Neutral Bobbin Set for a quick fix when they need it.

And of course, the Lap App. For hand sewing, sure, but also, tablets, iPads, phones, etc. Help your student be mindful of their neck and posture. Take the pressure off!

And don’t forget, I have the most fun Lap App covers!

I’m wishing everyone happy back-to-school prepping! You can do it!