Category: Creative Spark Online Learning

Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, Interviews With Crafters

I’m making a new class, and I’d like your input!

Today’s blog post will be brief for me, but I’d really like everyone who reads this to PLEASE add to the comments section. So this is more about what you have to say than what I do, okay? I’m designing a new course for C&T Publishing, and I need to know these things as I build my class: What doll or dolls do you sew … Continue reading I’m making a new class, and I’d like your input!

Chelly Wood8 Comments
The thumbnail image shows a purple patch sewn onto a turquoise cloth. The words "doll clothes sewing chat" are written in the center of the purple patch. Floating in a circle around the patch are graphics of various sewing notions, from scissors, to a tape measure, to bobbins, to thread, and more. This feature on Chelly Wood dot com, is an open discussion about a sewing concept. The article will begin with a definition of the sewing concept, and then a discussion question will follow. This is a great place for people to ask questions about and/or give advice on sewing concepts related to making doll clothes.
Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Holiday Crafts, Tips for Beginners

I’m going to design a new class… What are your thoughts? #SewingLesson #DIY

I’m ready to start planning my next class, for C&T Publishing’s Creative Spark online learning platform. In the comments, please let me know what type of course you’d like me to teach next. Here are some thoughts I’ve had: How to design your own doll dresses How to design your own doll shirts and blouses How to design your own skirts How to make a … Continue reading I’m going to design a new class… What are your thoughts? #SewingLesson #DIY

Chelly Wood4 Comments
The image shows a quilted frame around the Chelly Wood doll (really a re-painted Spin Master Liv doll that looks like the doll clothing designer, Chelly Wood), and a thought bubble displays that she is having red and white striped jersey fabric thoughts.
Creative Spark Online Learning, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Vintage Barbie

How do you stop obsessing about a project? #SewingProjects #VintageBarbie

  My brain has been stuck on the idea that I need to sew the red and white striped T-shirt from my Simplicity 8281 vintage doll clothes pattern for not just months, but YEARS now. Of course I have other, more important projects underway. And now it’s time for my disclaimer statement: many of my links are affiliate marketing links. As an Amazon Affiliate, I … Continue reading How do you stop obsessing about a project? #SewingProjects #VintageBarbie

Chelly Wood7 Comments
The photo of Chelly Wood shows a woman with blond hair turning white. She wears glasses and a denim jacket. She poses with her hand resting against her cheek, while her arm, bent at the elbow, rests against the back of a wooden bench (outside the frame of the photo). The frame includes lines of stitching, a button, and a tan linen background, indicating that the woman pictured is best known for her sewing accomplishments.
Charity Work, Creative Spark Online Learning, Favorite Books

A little-known fact about Chelly Wood, the doll clothing designer, YouTuber, and writer…

Okay. Brace yourselves. I’m about to reveal something very unusual about myself. Are you ready for this? Ahem. I am a near-death experiencer. Yes, you read that right. I have had not one but three – count ‘em THREE – near-death experiences. As a social media personality, writer, and YouTuber, I have an agent. Her name is Liz. She called me a couple of years … Continue reading A little-known fact about Chelly Wood, the doll clothing designer, YouTuber, and writer…

Chelly Wood8 Comments
The thumbnail image shows a purple patch sewn onto a turquoise cloth. The words "doll clothes sewing chat" are written in the center of the purple patch. Floating in a circle around the patch are graphics of various sewing notions, from scissors, to a tape measure, to bobbins, to thread, and more. This feature on Chelly Wood dot com, is an open discussion about a sewing concept. The article will begin with a definition of the sewing concept, and then a discussion question will follow. This is a great place for people to ask questions about and/or give advice on sewing concepts related to making doll clothes.
Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, Favorite Books, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics

Can I teach myself to sew online, or do I need an in-person instructor? #Sewing #Tutorials

I’m back with another question from Kim, a follower who reached out to me a few weeks ago with a series of questions that beginners sometimes have when they’re learning to sew. In essence, Kim wanted to know if she could teach herself to sew, or whether or not an in-person instructor would be needed. I will address my answer to Kim’s question below the … Continue reading Can I teach myself to sew online, or do I need an in-person instructor? #Sewing #Tutorials

Chelly Wood2 Comments
The thumbnail image shows a purple patch sewn onto a turquoise cloth. The words "doll clothes sewing chat" are written in the center of the purple patch. Floating in a circle around the patch are graphics of various sewing notions, from scissors, to a tape measure, to bobbins, to thread, and more. This feature on Chelly Wood dot com, is an open discussion about a sewing concept. The article will begin with a definition of the sewing concept, and then a discussion question will follow. This is a great place for people to ask questions about and/or give advice on sewing concepts related to making doll clothes.
Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, Interviews With Crafters, Sewing Chat, Tips for Beginners

Do you HAVE to know how to read a sewing pattern? #SewingForBeginners #QandA

Two weeks ago I posted the first of a series of questions from one of my followers, Kim. Today’s blog post addresses the third of Kim’s questions, and today I’ll be addressing her question and my answer here, on ChellyWood.com, as the third blog post in a four-part blog post series. Before I do that, though, I need to make my official “Affiliate Marketing Disclaimer” … Continue reading Do you HAVE to know how to read a sewing pattern? #SewingForBeginners #QandA

Chelly Wood2 Comments
The thumbnail image shows a purple patch sewn onto a turquoise cloth. The words "doll clothes sewing chat" are written in the center of the purple patch. Floating in a circle around the patch are graphics of various sewing notions, from scissors, to a tape measure, to bobbins, to thread, and more. This feature on Chelly Wood dot com, is an open discussion about a sewing concept. The article will begin with a definition of the sewing concept, and then a discussion question will follow. This is a great place for people to ask questions about and/or give advice on sewing concepts related to making doll clothes.
Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, Interviews With Crafters, Tips for Beginners

Did you learn to sew for people first? Or did you sew for dolls first? #SewOver50 #QandA

Last Wednesday I posted the first of a series of questions from one of my followers, Kim. Today’s blog post addresses the second of Kim’s questions, and today I’ll be addressing her question and my answer here, on ChellyWood.com, as the second blog post in a four-part blog post series. But I want to hear the opinions of my followers as well, so please read … Continue reading Did you learn to sew for people first? Or did you sew for dolls first? #SewOver50 #QandA

Chelly Wood2 Comments
The thumbnail image shows a purple patch sewn onto a turquoise cloth. The words "doll clothes sewing chat" are written in the center of the purple patch. Floating in a circle around the patch are graphics of various sewing notions, from scissors, to a tape measure, to bobbins, to thread, and more. This feature on Chelly Wood dot com, is an open discussion about a sewing concept. The article will begin with a definition of the sewing concept, and then a discussion question will follow. This is a great place for people to ask questions about and/or give advice on sewing concepts related to making doll clothes.
Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Fan Mail, For Sale in the Store, Interviews With Crafters, Tips for Beginners

How can I improve my sewing game? #SewWithMe #QandA

In my inbox, from time to time, I get questions about how to sew an item of doll clothing that I’ve designed, how to design a specific item of doll clothes, or generally how to improve one’s sewing game. Back in the middle of December, I received the following question from someone named Kim: “Since I’m a beginner… you know how a mother bird teaches … Continue reading How can I improve my sewing game? #SewWithMe #QandA

Chelly Wood2 Comments
On a purple gingham background, a hand holds a sewing needle for hand stitching, and the entire image is surrounded by a heart shape made by the thread from the eye of the needle. This is a silhouette image on the purple gingham background.
Creative Spark Online Learning, Interviews With Crafters, Tutorials: Crafts

A Christmas Gift Idea to Give Yourself #SelfLove #Christmas

I’m a school librarian in my “day job,” but I’ll be retiring this summer. And once retired, I was hoping to make more classes like the two I’m currently offering through C&T Publishing’s Creative Spark online learning platform. Last year, most of the money I did earn toward maintaining this website, was through my online courses. But to be perfectly honest with you, the year … Continue reading A Christmas Gift Idea to Give Yourself #SelfLove #Christmas

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
In this image, the Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll with a Chelly Wood makeover) holds up the McCalls Crafts pattern number 5462. The image is framed by a blue and purple quilt.
Creative Spark Online Learning, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners

Alterations on the fold line with McCall’s Crafts pattern number 5462 #Sewing #DollClothesPatterns

See that T-shirt in View B with the three-quarter-length sleeves? I’m going to focus today on how to make alterations to that shirt, which is found in the McCall’s Crafts pattern number 5462. I’m going to show you how you can turn this T-shirt into a jacket or stretchy-fabric sweater, just by altering the way you cut it on the fold. In the image above, … Continue reading Alterations on the fold line with McCall’s Crafts pattern number 5462 #Sewing #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly Wood2 Comments
A vintage Skipper doll models a red bolero jacket over a black and white gingham dress. She stands beside Simplicity vintage Skipper pattern number 5861 for sewing doll clothes. There's a quilted blue and purple frame surrounding the whole image.
Creative Spark Online Learning, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Sewing Basics, Vintage Skipper

Is there an easy way to sew sleeves? Yes! And it begins with your choice of patterns…

Over the summer, I purchased Simplicity 5861, a vintage pattern for the earliest version of Skipper dolls. This pattern offers pattern pieces for a coat and three different shirt styles, plus a bolero. These garments’ sleeves were remarkably easy to make! You might wonder why that is. Well take a look at the skipper T-shirt that I designed, displayed on a more modern skipper below: … Continue reading Is there an easy way to sew sleeves? Yes! And it begins with your choice of patterns…

Chelly Wood2 Comments
In this image, the Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll with a Chelly Wood makeover) holds up the McCalls Crafts pattern number 5462. The image is framed by a blue and purple quilt.
Creative Spark Online Learning, Old Patterns from Chelly's Collection, Tips for Beginners

Alterations on the fold line with McCall’s Crafts pattern number 5462 #Sewing #DollClothesPatterns

See that T-shirt in View B with the three-quarter-length sleeves? I’m going to focus today on how to make alterations to that shirt, which is found in the McCall’s Crafts pattern number 5462. In fact, I’ve spent much of the month of April fiddling around with that View B 3/4 sleeve length shirt pattern as well as the regular-sleeve T-shirt in View G, so I … Continue reading Alterations on the fold line with McCall’s Crafts pattern number 5462 #Sewing #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
On a purple cotton fabric with tiny white polka dots (the backdrop color) we see an orange cat wearing spectacles, seated at a sewing machine. Pink fabric is in the machine, and the cat's facial expression clearly shows her frustration, even though she carries her white-tipped tail high as she sits at the sewing machine with grumpy whiskers.
Charity Work, Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Interviews With Crafters

There’s a CAT in my Sewing Room! #CharityProject #FeralCat

It has always been my goal to build a sustainable business income that will help me endure any hardships my family and I may face, once I retire from my day job as a school librarian (my retirement is scheduled for 2026 — three years away). However, as I said in my March 15th blog post, the income for this website actually dropped by about … Continue reading There’s a CAT in my Sewing Room! #CharityProject #FeralCat

Chelly Wood8 Comments
Surrounded by a purple fabric with white polka dots, is an image of the Chelly Wood doll holding up her business ledger, while seated in her sewing room/office. Beside this photo is a green circle with a white dollar symbol in the middle, and above both of these images are the words, "twenty twenty-two income full disclosure". This is the thumbnail for a blog post on the Chelly Wood dot com website, about the amount of income ChellyWood LLC earned in the year 2022.
Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Interviews With Crafters

How much money does Chelly Wood make? Here’s a quick look at the $$$ I made in 2022… #TaxTime #DollClothesPatterns

Every year, since this website began to earn money, I’ve been divulging how much money I make on this website and what charities I have given to. You can see sums of income and charitable donations of the past when you click on “About the Designer” in the main menu. The scribbly-scrawls in today’s blog post are from the actual pages of my business ledger … Continue reading How much money does Chelly Wood make? Here’s a quick look at the $$$ I made in 2022… #TaxTime #DollClothesPatterns

Chelly WoodLeave a comment
This thumbnail shows the Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll) seated at her computer and over the top of her desk are the words "free canva course!" In the lower left corner of the thumbnail is the Chelly Wood dot com logo.
Crafts and Hobbies, Creative Spark Online Learning, Interviews With Crafters, Links, Selling Your Crafts, Tips for Beginners, Tutorials: Crafts

Let’s take a FREE Canva class together on March 23rd!

Have you ever wondered how I create my thumbnails, colorful blog images, and business logos? I use a type of software that’s available to everyone who has internet access, and the software is actually free: Canva! Today’s blog post is a simple announcement with a helpful tip for those of you out there who are small-business owners, making doll clothes and selling them online. Or … Continue reading Let’s take a FREE Canva class together on March 23rd!

Chelly Wood10 Comments