LOOK UP! Did you notice? I’ve got a brand new website design and I’m super excited about it! Can I have Woot-Woot!?
The new design has been in work for quite some time and if you have ever tackled a site re-design in any manner you know it’s a lot of work! Well, we finally launched it last week and I’m over the moon about it! There’s still a few housekeeping details to follow up on and some tweaks to make here and there, but it feels like an amazing accomplishment.
Everything has been re-organized to make things easier for you to find. For starters, in the main navigation bar there’s eight years (8 years, people!) worth of tutorials that can be found under the How-to’s tab. My books and ones I recommend can be found under the Books tab. My entire collection of Make New or Make Do™ patterns and Wildlife with Love™ patterns are found under the Sewing Patterns tab. All of my fabric collections are displayed under the Fabric tab. And of course there are links to my Blog and Etsy shop. The blog has been reformatted to accommodate larger photographs plus tags and categories. I even have a brand spankin’ new betzwhite logo and tagline, how ’bout that? The whole thing is like a mini-history of everything I’ve done in my online life so far, all under one “roof”! So check it out, take it for a test drive and let me know what you think!
In celebration of this momentous occasion, I’m throwing a launch give-away, just for you! The winner of the give-away will win any 3 of my PDF patterns, your choice! To enter, comment on this post telling why you read my blog and what kinds of things you like reading about here most. Sewing tips and tutorials? Creative re-use ideas? Behind the scenes projects in work? Photos of me acting like a goof-ball? (oh please, no) Other stuff? Let me know, I’m ready to listen. The winner will be chosen randomly after the giveaway closes on Friday February 7th at 10pm EST. Be sure to leave your email address, link or another way I can contact you.
***Update February 8th: Comments now closed and winner is being notified. Thank you for your comments!***
I love your patterns. The knitting and sewing. I would love to dive in an make a few of your bags.
Beautiful redesign!
I click over for sewing tips and and projects, when I see something interesting via twitter 🙂 I like the new design!
Love the new website, Betz! It looks great and is well organized.
I love all your sewing tips and tutorials.
I read your blog for many of the great reasons you listed. Patterns, the how to’s you share, what you are working on can inspire me to try something and the goofy moments keep you real. For readers, bloggers can get a bit too big for life. It helps the reader see the silly parts and even posts about mistakes as then we feel like we are among friends and fellow life-long learners.
Thank you for sharing your creative wisdom
Hi. I like seeing what new patterns you have out. I just made the 2 penguins for my grandson and they are ADORABLE. The instructions were great and they were easy to do. Yeah!! Now I want to make one of your bags.
I love your patterns and tutorials. I also enjoy some quick projects to do with kids. Great job on the website redesign!
I love coming here to follow your creative career and the path that it’s taken you on.
I discovered your site years ago when you created the felt cupcakes. I enjoying seeing the professional projects you tackle (i.e. the tissue box covers) and the tutorials. I also reading about the challenges & learnings in running a creative business (one day I hope to make a go of it too).
I found your blog from the Bag of the Month club. I will be purchasing the Bag of the Month club. I love making bags and using them or giving them as gifts.
I love to see all the creative things you do with repurposed wool!
I just started sewing, and I really like the how-to’s informative.
Congratulations on your new website, it looks great! I love tutorials and reading about your projects.
Thanks!
Love your patterns and tutorials.Especially like seeing how you repurpose items.
Betz, You are an inspiration! I own your books and read your blog and have made your designs! Thanks for keeping up your blog, it’s awesome!
Love ALL your creative ideas but most of all the re-use ideas – especially any sweater re-use.
I love your tutorials, love what you do with felt, and cheer for your success.
I love tutorials. Seeing the photos and instructions together make it easy to create fun projects.
I love the new site! I come to read about your patterns and your tutorials. I also LOVE your posts about felting and working with felt. I had never done any felting until I started reading 4 years ago!
I love the variety of crafts. You are so inspirational.
Hi! I’m new to sewing so I LOVE your tutorials and tips 🙂
I love your felt projects! I loved the holiday ornaments this year! Tips and upcyling tutorials are wonderful! thank you – I love the new blog set up!
Love the new design! I enjoy your tutorials and especially seeing how you re-use items. It’s very inspiring and gives me lots of ideas. I also follow you on Twitter and enjoy hearing about your creative life and life with a family of boys!
Woot, woot on the blog makeover! Since I am crazy about your books, I always have to check your blog to see your latest inspiration. Many thanks for sharing your creativity.
I love your patterns. But I love finding out new sewing tricks. I feel no matter how long you sew there are always tricks that you don’t know yet that could make a tremendous difference in how you create. Thanks for the giveaway!
I love the tutorials! The you acting goofy bit is a bonus.
I love tutorials! I come looking for creative reuse ideas.
You hooked me years ago with your sewing green book. I spent my birthday, in a chair, slowly devouring each page while camping with my family.
Your Warm Fuzzies book has been a staple and started my love of repurposing with felted sweaters.
So yes, you have a fan.
Thanks for all that you share and congrats on the web rehaul!
I read your website for a little “someday” escape plan. While I don’t have a craft room or a felt stash or an afternoon at the moment to dwell uninterrupted, I am inspired by the future possibilities. I love the charm of your felted items- they remind of my sister-in-law, who is a master of the “little touches”.
I just started following your blog recently, but I’ve read a lot of the archives. I really like seeing what you make. It gives me inspiration for my own projects. I also really liked the idea of the holiday stitch along (although I came in after all of the ornaments were released).
I just want to say thanks! I’ve been reading for quite a while and love to see all the goodies you make with recycled materials. I made cupcake ornaments for family and friends years ago and they still rave about them. I have one of your courses and love to revisit it! I’ll keep the book forever!
Again…thank you for years of inspiration!
I’m interested in your felt and sewing tutes. I was so sad to miss out on the scarves that you were selling a couple of years ago. Not that I’m stalking, but I’m definitely keeping a close eye on your blog!
I like stuffed animals and tutorials. Thank you!
I love your dippiness! I know you said not this one..but levity is so nice and refreshing. Ok, in seriousness….I love your repurposing ideas. And I would love to get my hands on those 3 giveaway patterns…or 1.
I found your blog a few months ago and I get your newsletter. I love the new site, very user friendly and still chocked full of goodies:) I come here for everything but my go to favorite is the sewing patterns. Congratulations on your new launch!
I really enjoy your bag patterns. The stitch and stash bag in particular is so creative and useful! Your new blog looks fantastic. I will surf around and check out the nooks and crannies now!
I found your book Sewing Green last year at my local library and was keen to try some of the projects. I looked at your website, joined your blog and was pleased to see the tutorials and lots of interesting ideas there. I love to recycle garments.
I think I love reading your blog for the inspiration! I especially like your pieces on make new or make do….. Thanks for all your hard work… Unbelievable that you have been doing this for 8 years! Congrats.
I admire your work from years ago as you appeared on the Martha Stewart show – love those cupcakes!
Love your tutorials and your new site.
I read the blog because you’re so inspiring! I feel like I can tackle new projects when I see your beautiful pictures and I’m always happy with the results!
I first got to know your work when I picked up Warm Fuzzies at the library and kept it much longer than I should have. I love re-purposing wool sweaters that I purchase at our Goodwill store. I so wish you’d teach wool felting closer to my home. Like any good crafter my passion just keeps on rolling onto new fields. Keep it coming Betz.
What a nice new look! I enjoy all the creative inspiration on your blog, especially projects with recycled wool.
I love your books and started following your blog after reading them. I like the repurposing ideas.
Love to felt – buy old sweaters and felt them – your ideas help a lot….
I have loved all the ideas you have given (and the great books) on the subject of using wool. Love those darling cupcakes the most!
Your website is really neat. Well laid out and organized and appealing to read.
Great inspiration! Keep up the good work.
Nettie
Hello, I’m Manuela, an italian woman. I read your blog because I like your bags very much. In a short time I will sign up on your Travel Kit Workshop on Creativebug because I love it and I would like to learn more tips about making bags. I don’t speak a good English, I’m sorry about that 🙂 Happy sewing!
I started reading your blog because I Love felt. I like small hand projects the best…like ornaments.
I like the easier to use design.
The DIY and how to make do is my favorite part.
thanks for what you do!
I am in awe of the all the great totes bags you create. I love a good sewing challenge.
I love reading about your knitting and sewing patterns or items you have made or repurposed.
Love the new look of the website -the background colour is great!! Love your use of felt and really enjoy checking out your patterns
Congratulations on your blog redesign, Betz! It is so ”clean” & well organized. I love working with felt, & began following you back in 2008 when your felt rosettes came out. I remember back then it seemed like there were very few tutorials for felt rosette-type projects, & from there I was hooked! Shortly after your felt rosette projects (the tree, pomander, etc.) were published in one of the BHG Holiday magazines, I began seeing “knock-offs” (if that is a correct term???) of your felt designs all over the web. (The corsage!) I have followed your blog ever since; mainly for your felt designs, but I love all your other work as well. Thank you so much for sharing your creative skill & knowledge with us!
I love your new site, especially the colours and the clean layout:). I’ve always liked bags & purses that are handcrafted. I enjoy your patterns and tutorials, they are very inspiring, practical and creative. You have such a knack of putting together such fabulous fabrics! Thank you for all the time and effort you make every day to share with us. Have a happy day – Heidi. [email protected]
I love your tutorials/patterns; love your new look ~!!
Thanks for putting this blog out in cyberspace for all of us to read and learn from !
Betz,
I especially love what you do with recycled sweaters. That’s what got me hooked on following you. I have your books and the first project I did was the teacup pincushion. I also made the wreath. I do love your knitting bags and especially the fabric that you did them in.
Carol b (Cln crs)
I enjoy your creativity an tutorials, smaller projects are my go to this year!
I love your blog and have been reading for over 5 years.
It was one of the first blogs that I found on line. I love
what you do with wool sweaters. I also have both of your
books! Thanks for the giveaway!
I’m always on the lookout for Christmas crafting ideas and inspiration, and your website has consistently been one of the best. Nice website, BTW!
Oh, I love your how to’s and tutorials…esp the scarf to shrug tut!!
You do such creative work, your blog is an inspiration! I always learn some interesting technique to tuck away into my “tool belt”.
I’m a novice crafter, so all of your tutorials, tips and patterns are very helpful. Thanks for the chance to win!
Ciao Betz, I am an italian great fan of you, I follow your blog since 4 years and bought your books Sewing Green and Felt so Good. I love the simplicity of your creations that become great and beautiful objects thanks to your great creativity… I check daily or at least weekly your blog to see what’s new and get some inspiration for some home experiment..(i also have 2 boys, 2 years and 20 days the second one..just arrived!! and I have very few free time for now..)
Congratulations for all the beautiful ideas and thank you for sharing with us… I hope to make soon a blog too…
Sara
Betz, it looks fantastic!!!! You’ve been busy. It’s always hard for me to get all the info on my site organized well (I think we’ve been blogging about the same amount of time) and you’ve done a great job!
I have a lot of fun reading your blog posts. I love all the cute photos and projects you are working on. I love your silliness as well. You blog is an inspiration to me as I journey out into the world of felt crafts. Thanks for giving all of us a chance to win some of your patterns.
New site is bright and cheerful! I was drawn to your website after purchasing Warm Fuzzies. Have completed many of the projects and still have a few on my TO DO list. This year, I participated in your Ornament Club and had a blast. Looking forward to this years.
I fell in love with your Warm Fuzzies. I had already started hoarding wool sweaters and just love all your projects that utilize this great resource. My sister has requested a hooded scarf for her winter hikes, so that’s next on my to do list. I wouldn’t mind making one of your bags too. I also have a mens tie collection waiting for me to create with. Thanks for sharing your wonderfully creative ideas. Your new website is awesome!
Well, I enjoy it all. Re-using wool, especially, since I have a great thrift store near me…
Thanks!
Your patterns are fun and look doable. And I’m always on the lookout for fun Christmas ornaments.
Read your blog for years now,love to see new patterns,what you made from sweaters,like the colors of it,like your bags,patterns and colors.Love the new look too.Lovely giveaway,great that is open to all,thank you for the chance to win it.Have a great weekend.
Congrats on the new redesign. I read your blog because i love the inspiration wither i only take the idea of color from a project you have put together or complete one our your tutorials. Thanks for the inspiration.
I love all of the sewing inspiration you give me…you make even the most difficult projects look achievable! Your photos are also lovely, especially those lovely summer lakeside ones.
I’m a big fan of upcycling, and especially enjoy any projects using thrifted (or gifted) felted sweaters. As well, have been in love with printed fabric as long as I can remember, early 1950s I guess, and come from a long maternal line of seamstresses and needlework and knitting experts. So just about anything you do turns my crank I would say. Hope this contest is open to Canadians!
I like reading your tutorials and how you sew different projects.
I really love your patterns! I enjoy your books and tutorials too!!
I love your creative patterns and your upcycle wool crafts.
Hi Betz! I’m new to your site (which looks great) but I’m looking forward to reading! If love to try your patterns too! Have a great day.
Congrats! It’s beautiful! I love getting a little peak into your creative process.
I found your site when I was first starting some felting projects. I like reading your tips on working with felted wool sweaters as well as other re-purposing projects. I’ve also been enjoying the other sewing tips and patterns you share as well.
Congrats on the new look! Cheerful, clean and fresh, job well done.
This makes it even a greater joy to visit you here. You have a nice mix of clean lines, attention to detail, fuzzy woolly recycling and well written words. I appreciate it especially when you write honestly about the behind-the-scenes-things of designing, creating and life in general. Life is no cupcake, and all the more interesting for it.
But is there life without a Metro bag? I certainly will make one.
Good luck to you!