Some folks ask us what we do on the boat all day. Pa-shaw.

Well, in between boat chores, exploring anchorages and islands, and just the everyday living stuff, sometimes I get to being all crafty with my sewing machine.

When we’re not sewing sails, sometimes I sew fun stuff.

Like these easy-peasy baby shoes.

And, other times, it’s a way more involved project, like totally re-doing the boat’s interior, making new curtains, pillow cases (with molas from the Guna Yala) and creating wash-able slip-covers for our settee.

For an overview of how I made our wash-able, remove-able slipcovers, check out the video below.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NeAhSnDhxo]

And, here’s a series of pics that show our little salon transformation:

**You smarty-pants readers might notice that the cover on our back cushion of our settee isn’t tight – it isn’t on. I just happened to make the video the morning of a day of sewing – in which I planned to modify that cover that afternoon. Why modify? Well, I had been living with a bad design for 6 months, so I changed it! How’s that for smarts!?! The bad design was one uber-tight fitted tube of fabric we’d wrestle on and off. I changed the design to an easier fit by cutting the tube, sewing a strip of soft-sided velcro to the top and bottom of my new cover and stapling the rough side of the velcro to the back of the cushion. Vi-ola!**

Annnnddddd, back to some more fun stuff . . .

This past week, I worked with a local seamstress here in Caye Caulker, Belize to turn my mama’s old mumu

into a modern maxi-dress

Fun huh?

To get started, you don’t need a ton of experience or a fancy machine (I have a basic Kenmore). All you need is a bit of creativity and the willingness to learn – of course, the generosity of some amazing seamstresses willing to guide you doesn’t hurt!

Off you go, now, have fun!