Seams Like a Story

September 29, 2026September 29, 2026

How to Make Patchwork-heart Cards

an (almost) no-sew project

After browsing through the card section at a local store recently, I walked out disappointed by the selection (and the price.) Inspired by something I saw at a craft store, I wondered if I could make my own cards. What did I have on hand? Scraps. Lots and lots of fabric scraps leftover from various sewing projects.

I came up with this simple and (almost) no-sew project using what I had at home. Here’s how:

1. Make your “patchwork”

I used cotton or cotton blend pieces leftover from previous projects. Using my rotary cutter and mat, I cut random sections into squares, triangles, and strips ranging from 1″-2″. I then arranged the fabric bits on a 7″ x 10″ piece of fusible fleece, with the sticky (bumpy) side up. You could also use fusible interfacing if that’s what you have, but I like the puffy effect the fleece gives the project. I tried to cover the entire fleece, playing around with colors and shapes, trimming as needed to fill the space.

2. Adhere the patchwork to the fleece

Carefully take the patchwork to the ironing board, cover with a pressing cloth, and press to adhere the fabric to the fleece.

3. Cut the Hearts

Make a heart pattern from cardstock, then trace the shape onto the backside of the patchwork piece. Cut the shapes out. I think it would be fun to experiment with different patterns: Christmas trees, balloons, flowers. Simple shapes would work best.

4. Stitch the hearts onto blank greeting cards

I purchased a pack of plain white 4″x6″ greeting cards and envelopes (from Amazon). Then, using a zig-zag stitch, stitched around the edge of the heart. You might notice I added a button. ( You know I can’t resist adding buttons from my vintage button stash to my sewing and craft projects) If you want to do this, sew it on before you stitch the heart to the card.

I love the way the stitching secures the edges of the heart and gives a quilt-like effect. Not a sewist? No worries! You could always glue the heart onto the card.

5. Add a message

I used a black sharpie fine point pen (and my best kindergarten teacher printing) to write a message at the top of the heart. This is where you can really personalize the card.

That’s it! Have fun!

Threads of Thought

You make my heart happy! What other messages and shapes can you imagine?

Books by Debra VanDEventer: Out of the Crayon Box Until Italy

When not sewing or crafting, I’m writing! Be sure to check out my books: Out of the Crayon Box, and Until Italy!

https://amazon.com/author/debravandeventer

September 2, 2026September 1, 2026

Technology: the Good, the Bad, and the Astonishing

Ocean simulation at The Arte Museum, Las Vegas

One only needs mention technology and, based on the listener’s recent experience, you will receive a mixed bag of responses. Over the past few weeks, I’ve experienced it all:

The Good

It’s modern technology that allows me to write, edit, and send my work out into the world. I spend a lot of time in front of my computer and, with ergonomics in mind, I recently purchased a new wireless keyboard. My new keyboard has a slight wave design and a padded wrist-rest. At first, I worried I wouldn’t be able to adjust, but as the keys are all in the same place, I was soon up and running (typing…. not literally running.) Now, I love it and can’t imagine going back to my old keyboard.

The Bad

Having used my new keyboard to type a recent submission for my critique group, I prepared to print. My computer refused. In a series of back and forth “conversations” my computer informed me: No printer installed. Unplug your devices and restart. Clear your queue. Do you want to fax? Check your internet connection, and finally, Computer not communicating with printer. Great. Apparently my computer and the printer had a fight and weren’t speaking to each other. I gave up. Later that day, when I wasn’t looking, the printer spit out one page of my document.

Last week, my husband and I went to Las Vegas to celebrate our wedding anniversary and upcoming birthdays. When we arrived at our hotel, instead of finding a welcoming counter and crew of hotel staff members waiting to assist us, we faced a long row of computer kiosks.

The first thing the machine wanted was our confirmation number. We didn’t have it. Or maybe we did, but couldn’t locate it on either of our phones. Had it come to us in an email? Text? Was it forever lost in the information-soup we receive daily? For the next 15 minutes we pecked away at the keys: name, address, etc., and still “no reservation found.” Perfect, I thought. I guess we can stay up all night or sleep in the casino. Some do.

Finally, we found a live person, a staff member, who located our confirmation number on her iPad. Then, she directed us back to the kiosk to fend for ourselves. Sigh. Twenty minutes later, after we had programmed our own room keys from the “room key kiosk,” we were on our way to our hotel room. We dodged a giant-sized Roomba sweeper machine vacuuming the carpet in the hallway outside of our room.

The Astonishing

Once settled in at Vegas, we found the most astonishing events brought to life by technology. Just steps away from the noisy, crowded, and 108 degree Vegas Strip , we found the Arte Museum, a massive 30,000 square-foot immersive digital art exhibition. “Eternal Nature” was the current theme, and through technology, we experienced a stories-tall waterfall, a walk along an ocean beach, a stroll through a forest, and a walk in a garden, as if we were actually there .

In another venue, Michael Jackson came to life through his music interpreted by a dazzling Cirque du Soleil performance that could not have been imagined without today’s technology. At one point, Michael was actually dancing with the cast, though I’ve yet to figure out how that happened.

And finally, The Wizard of Oz movie at Vegas’ newest attraction, The Sphere, where the original movie played in practically 360 degree detail using 4D features including wind, snow, leaves, apples falling. and monkeys flying. Truly astonishing.

And then…

Perhaps there is a fourth category…a hybrid of good, bad, and astonishing.–maybe technology that is on the horizon, but not quite there yet. In Vegas, driverless, robot-taxis are becoming more commonplace and we saw many of them in operation. Called “Zoox” they operate through an app. Our Uber driver told us that he recently saw one stalled in the median. Wave of the future? Perhaps. For now, I prefer a human driver.

Threads of thought

What have been your recent tech stories?

Would you ride in a Zoox?

Wizard of Oz?

Available here! amazon.com/author/debravandeventer

August 17, 2026August 16, 2026

Sing: A Playlist for Life

A girl with long, brown hair playing a guitar — Me and my guitar, dorm room, 1972

You know how music can take you back? According to the Harvard Medical magazine, music lights up nearly all of our brain, evoking memories and emotions, and engaging our motor system. That explains why we tap our hands on the steering wheel keeping time with the latest beat blasting through the radio, or tear up when a song brings back memories of where we were and how we were with.

I grew up in the seventies to the sound of the Beatles, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Carole King and James Taylor. As a young teen, I saved babysitting money and purchased a guitar. I took a few lessons and dreamed of being a folk singer. When it came time for college, I brought my guitar, a few plants, some pop-art posters, and my 8-track player. To this day, when I hear a certain songs, I anticipate the “click” right in the middle of the chorus. My roommate and I joined a “Friends of Folk” group on campus, strumming and harmonizing to songs like Blowin’ in the Wind .

I never achieved folk singer status, but I kept my guitar with me throughout my teaching career. I used to laugh and say I could play any children’s song with three basic chords (G,D, and A, the only ones I’d remembered from my lessons. ) The guitar retired when I did.

The other evening, when my husband and I were scrolling through our television viewing options, the movie Song Sung Blue popped up. Neil Diamond music was never in my repertoire, though I was familiar his songs. “Worth a try.” I said, and we started the film.

(Spoiler Alert:) A few minutes in, we realized the movie wasn’t about Neil Diamond , it was based on a true story about Mike and Claire Sardina, a couple from Milwaukee who performed for decades and a Neil Diamond tribute act. I found the movie to be rich in content and full of all the classic Diamond songs belted out in true-to-life fashion by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.

All week, Neil’s music filled my mind and escaped out of my mouth as I went about my everyday life. I found that Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show is the perfect accompaniment for cleaning the kitchen. At my computer it was: you are the words, I am the tune..play me. And in the car I had to reenact the famous scene from Big Bang, where Amy and Howard belt out Sweet Caroline….bum, bum, bum…

I dug my guitar out of storage. I need to add a few more chords to my repertoire, but maybe, maybe its not too late.

Threads of Thought

Ok…your turn! Tell us about the playlist to your life:

What music influenced you? What memories do those songs hold? What music do you enjoy today?

Available here

July 20, 2026July 15, 2026

Stitching Up Memories of New Zealand

the author wears an apron she made from New Zealand fabric

What souvenirs did I bring back from my trip to New Zealand? Writer Me, brought back a journal full of detailed notes, words and inspiration for future stories and posts. Like my zip lining experience! https://seamslikeastory.com/ziplining-over-new-zealand

But Sewist Me collected yarn and fabric!

Since returning from New Zealand this spring, I have been working on completing my second draft of book #3. My yarn and fabric waited patiently in my sewing/writing studio. Now, with my manuscript in the hands of my beta readers for review, I needed to step away from writing for a bit–the perfect time to pursue other endeavors. It’s good to exercise my brain with creative ventures of that are visual and tactile.

This week I turned my attention to the lovely bird and fern print I had purchased at a sheep ranch (of all places!). the perfect amount to make a simple apron. I used a pattern I’d drafted years ago, adding in a yard of fabric from my stash to make it reversible.

But wait! An apron? Won’t it get all stained and dirty? Yeah, I thought about that too. But why not make something that I can use? Something that will remind me of our trip each time I wear it.

Hubby Ed does most of our coking, but I love to bake bread. Now I can travel back to New Zealand each time I make a loaf!

Threads of Thought

Have you done any traveling lately? If so, where did you go?

What are some of the things you bring back from vacations?

What creative endeavors do you enjoy?

You can find more of my adventures here!

https://amazon.com/author/debravandeventer

July 6, 2026July 6, 2026

Beta Readers

an open manuscript, red pen and a cup of tea

This week I finished the second draft of my third book, printed out copies, and hand-delivered the binders to my beta readers. (Probably most authors send out digital copies, but my betas and I like to mull over and mark-up paper copies–plus I love to feel the heft of my words! ) This step is important. It’s the first time the work, in its entirety will travel from my mind, into the hearts and minds of others.

So, what exactly is a Beta Reader?

As the alpha (first) reader , I have completed the manuscript to the best of my ability taking it from the rough draft to the self-edited second draft. The beta (second) readers act as a proxy for the target audience, and provide me with honest feedback.

What does a Beta Reader do?

The beta reader’s job is to focus on the big picture. Does the story flow through the story arc? Is it believable? Is it entertaining? I depend on my beta readers to note any places where the story doesn’t make sense. What needs elaboration? What can be cut. Will my readers be emotionally involved with my story ?

What Beta Readers don’t do:

Betas identify what isn’t working, but don’t rewrite the script. Ultimately, it is the author’s work and after reviewing the feedback it will be up to me to make the edits I deem appropriate. Though my beta readers may point out spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors, that is not their primary role. A separate proofreader will handle this later in the process.

On a personal note:

It’s an anxious moment, sending my work out there. I’ve taken it as far as I can go on my own. Of course, it would be lovely if my work is perfect as is, but it’s not, and I value my trusted betas. Their honest feedback will my my work stronger before it’s ready for you, my dear readers. I’m on my way! Stay tuned!

Threads of Thought

Go forth, my words and be brave. It’s a big world out there. It’s time for you to test the waters.

Find them here at https://amazon.com/author/debravandeventer