Whether known as plushies, softies, or stuffies, stuffed children's soft toys are a delight to sew using a few fabric scraps or knitted fabrics. Soft stuffed simple shapes and whimsical animals make for creative play especially when sewn using colorful and appealing print fabrics.

Fleece is a deep pile polyester knit that provides warmth without weight washable and machine dryable. Fleece has a soft and fuzzy texture and comes in a rainbow of solid colors and prints as well as novelty and licensed designs. Gifts can be quick and easy to sew with this very forgiving fabric.

Having a front door wreath is a common even year-round custom with a different one for each season or to announce a special occasion. Often assembled out of fragrant evergreens, the Christmas door wreath seems especially welcoming as it signals for all that hospitality is no stranger at that home.

As a national U.S. holiday, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It is a day to remember that first gathering of English settlers and Native Americans for a harvest feast in 1621. At that time sewing quilts, clothing, spinning and rug making were vital daily endeavors.

The tiny sewing machine push in light bulb that all sewing machines and sergers seem to have as default lighting is barely adequate to illuminate even the intended sewing area. Today's lighting options can mimic natural daylight and keep any sewer from enduring an inadequately lighted sewing area.

As summer wanes and reveals nature's bountiful harvest, the last of outdoor seasonal gatherings are celebrated. The blistering heat of summer temps will wind down and mellow into the still warm but cooler days of autumn. Time to gather for seasonal festivities sharing good food and good times.

Summer is gratefully winding down in the Northern Hemisphere leaving behind scorching record-breaking temperatures. Cooler weather is tantalizingly around the corner. Time to gather fabric perfect for autumn and to sew a few treasures.

Back to school/off to college/Labor Day, and end of summer are upon us so can thoughts of Halloween costumes/cool days of autumn/Thanksgiving feasts and Christmas decorations be far behind? How quickly time can feel in its passing. How to make time to sew?

Beautifully staged online photos of finished sewing room makeovers do evoke inspiration galore when contemplating a sewing room do-over or organizing the chaos of a cramped sewing area. However, what is practical, budget conscious, and ultimately functional when tackling such an organizing chore?

Aging well is an aspiration we all strive for. There are times when a few stitches of kindness and a few fabric scraps lovingly saved for just the right sewing project that sparks inspiration can bring practical function to those challenged by daily living.