A recent medical emergency—an unexpected retinal detachment—left Julie sidelined for nearly three weeks. While recovering, she had limited mobility and vision, but thanks to excellent care and the support of loved ones, she found new ways to stay inspired. And yes, the credit card statements confirm there was a bit of online shopping therapy!

With time to rest and reflect, Julie dove into two new hobbies: sourdough bread baking and cold-process soap making. Both have surprisingly strong ties to sewing and quilting, and she’s excited to share how these creative pursuits are now fueling fresh sewing projects.

Sourdough Bread Meets Sewing

Sourdough baking is a world of its own—complete with its own tools, terminology, and techniques. As the starter matured (a 7–10 day process), Julie discovered the joy of baking loaves and using the discard for treats like sourdough cookies. She also learned that sourdough is diabetic-friendly and deeply satisfying to make.

Naturally, Julie wanted beautiful ways to store and gift her bread. Enter: bread baskets and beeswax bread bags. She purchased some from Five Oaks Farm to start and now plans to sew her own using patterns from Bernina’s We All Sew blog. These reusable bags are perfect for baguettes, boules, and sandwich loaves—and they’re a great way to use up fabric scraps.

Try these tutorials:

• Beginner Bread Basket

• Beeswax Bag How-To

And this is just the beginning! What about napkins for the bread baskets? Julie has made lots of dinner napkins before, but as a recent owner of a new Bernina L890 serger, she’ll have them flying off the machine in no time! She has fabric already set aside and will be starting those soon once she takes the Serger Mastery Class with Gypsy.

Soap Making: Chemistry Meets Craft

Cold-process soap making is more science than cooking, but it shares the same precision and creativity we love in quilting. Julie took online classes through the Big Red Barn in Iowa and started with simple recipes before adding colorants and scents. My favorite? A green apple and lavender swirl inspired by her love of purple.

Soap making requires specific tools—molds, scales, gloves, goggles—and careful measuring, just like sewing a perfect ¼" seam. Once cured, the soaps are ready to be gifted, and what better way than in handmade bags?

Gift bag inspiration:

• DIY Holiday Gift Bags

• Mesh Soap Bags — great for small bars and slivers

Sewing Projects That Support New Hobbies

Whether you're recovering, reinventing, or just ready to try something new, sewing can support every hobby. From practical accessories to heartfelt gifts, our craft connects us to creativity and community.

If you’re local, check out our class calendar at www.cupcakequilts.com for project workshops and machine tutorials led by the amazing Gypsy.

What hobbies have inspired your latest sewing projects? We’d love to hear how you’re stitching joy into everyday life.