
The crafty lady behind the blog
Handmade by Alissa is a pretty sweet sister. When her sib Cate moved into a new house with a very unfinished cement blocked patio, she decided to give it a much-needed facelift by sewing some cheerful cushions and pillows. She sewed one long cushion to run along the cement block bench, two arm rests, and a handful of throw pillows.

If you're an avid Casa reader, I'm sure you've heard of
Amy Butler, whose textiles are all the rage these days. Aside from designing beautiful fabrics, Butler is also the author of
Midwest Modern and
Found Style, which I've told you about in the past. Her book,
In Stitches ($12.48, reduced from $24.95), a collection of 25 sewing projects ranging from floor cushions to handbags, which includes inspiring photographs, easy-to-use pattern sheets, and how-to illustrations, along with descriptive text, is on sale at Kate's Paperie.

If you've never sewn before, this is a great project to start you on your way. No machine is needed, as everything is hand sewn. Hand sewing is a great skill, as you can use it to complete simple repairs on clothing, from patching jeans to sewing on buttons to hemming skirts.

Kristin from
Sew Mama Sew has presented an adorable project just in time for the
Easter bunny. She writes,
A couple of years ago I started sewing fabric eggs. I love the feel of them and so do kids.

I love Lotta Jansdotter's
super-easy and stylish sewing patterns. The former San Francisco resident is now cozily ensconced in her East Coast studio, sewing up a storm. I think Lotta's lovely space incorporates many of the organizational and style elements that readers used last week in our
Casa Craving Challenge.