Can you believe it's the end of July already? Didn't we just celebrate the fourth?
It's time once again to send out the monthly news letter. In my news letters I usually give a special discount to sewing classes. I've decided to post the discount on the blog this month because the summer is just going by so quickly, I want everyone sewing before it ends.
So whats my next discount? A Free Hour of Sewing Class. That's right FREE! It's a $15 value.
How do you receive your free hour of sewing? Just refer someone to the sewing center. If you know someone who wants to learn to sew, when they enroll to any class offered at L2S have them give me your name by either writing it on the back of my business card I give you or just telling me when they enroll and you receive a free hour of sewing class. The more people you refer the more hours you receive. So next time you're in the sewing center grab a hand full of my business cards, write your name on the back and give them out to your friends and family. Oh, and I have new business cards - aren't they cute? I just got them yesterday. I can't wait to give them out to everyone.
If you would like to receive other discounts like this one all you have to do is sign up for my newsletter each month. The link to sign up is on the side bar of this blog.
I only have one class today, a cutting class starting at 11am. The rest of the day I hope to be sewing since one child will be in camp and the other one at Nana's house.
Until next time, Enjoy your moments ~ make them "sew" much fun, Cindy
Your Project Runway All-Star Challenge Wagering Guide DefamerWed, 22 Jul 2009 If Project Runway is fashion's World Series, then Lifetime's new special, that pits eight of the show's alums against each other for a $100,000 prize, is the sewing All-Star Game. The winner...
About People:
4-H all sewn up early The Seymour TribuneMon, 20 Jul 2009 BROWNSTOWN â When 11-year-old Krystal Waggoner saw the material she would be using for her 4-H sewing project, she knew she was going to have a standout piece of clothing. âMy grandma bought it and I thought it was really cool because
From Russia with fashion; Sewing since she was 10, Russian-born seamstress now runs a business in Bend The BulletinTue, 21 Jul 2009 Nelli Millard, born and raised in Russia, has transported her background and skills to the High Desert, where she operates an alteration and custom clothing shop off Greenwood Avenue in Bend.Sewing By Nelli Millard, owned and operated by Millard, 39, offers same- or next-day alteration services, custom clothing creations and cutouts of custom patterns for customers to sew themselves.
Stitching together her dreams The Monroe Evening NewsFri, 24 Jul 2009 â Evening News photo by KIM BRENT Sue Nichols has been sewing for 35 years, and after moving to Luna Pier over a year ago, she recently was able to afford to fulfill a dream: opening her own sewing shop.
Thread of hope The Columbus DispatchSat, 25 Jul 2009 These sewing lessons aren't the traditional sort.
Huggable “friends” The New Straits TimesSun, 26 Jul 200921:17 PM PDT BEFORE last October, Yue Jun Mei had never sewn a stitch in her life. But her desire to try it out prompted her to buy a sewing machine and make her first pillow.
Girl Scouts sewing project helps kids facing tough times Culpeper Star-ExponentMon, 27 Jul 2009 Kids who have a family member admitted to the hospital will soon hopefully find the experience slightly more bearable thanks to the efforts of a local Girl Scout.
Giving Back:
'Tis the Season to be Sewing WKBT La CrosseTue, 21 Jul 2009 It's the middle of summer but some people are already thinking ahead to the holidays and it's all to benefit our troops serving overseas.
Reuse, Remake, Restyle - September is National Sewing Month PRWeb via Yahoo! NewsSun, 26 Jul 2009 September is National Sewing Month and the Sewing & Craft Alliance and the American Sewing Guild are the proud co-sponsors of this month-long celebration of the art and craft of sewing.
Until next time,
Enjoy your moments ~ make them "sew" much fun,
Cindy
I can't get enough of sewing. When I'm not teaching or sewing myself I'm reading other people's sewing blogs to see what they're sewing. One blog I love to read is Carolyn at diaryofasewingfantic.
I started reading Carolyn's blog last summer. When I signed up to follow her blog I think I was number 78 as a follower. Today she has over 200 reading and commenting on her blog. Carolyn's starting a new series to help beginners at sewing not to give up when things get hard or something doesn't come out the way you thought it would. In the comment section of her last post Sewingmama said she wanted to give up sewing because she can't cut a straight line. Other people said they couldn't sew a straight line.
I notice in my classes this is a problem for a lot of people. When someone can't sew a straight line they feel like giving up right away. There's a few thing you can do to help you sew a straight line.
The first trick to sewing is sewing the right sides of the fabric together (as apposed to the wrong sides) when making your seams. The next trick to sewing is making sure the edges of the fabric together and lined up when you sew the seam. You have to take your time pinning the edges of the fabric before you sew.
Here's the trick to sewing a straight line. Find something on the machine to follow. Most of the time it's the 5/8" line on the inside of the needle on the machine. If you have a hard time following it you can buy a little thing that sticks to your machine and has a lift on it - you put it at the 5/8" line - follow the fabric at the edge of the lift and you're sewing a straight line. Say you don't want to buy the little thing for your machine. I put a little piece of tape on the 5/8" line for my students to follow.
Ok now, lets say you want to do a top stitch. (a top stitch is a stitch you see on the right side of the fabric. imagine the stitch line that's at the edge of a collar. A top stitch adds detail and looks better when you do it closer to the edge of the fabric). Sometimes I put the zipper foot on the machine so I can follow the edge of the zipper foot with the edge of the fabric to get a straight line close to the edge of the fabric. I find anything I can to follow the edge of the fabric on the machine to sew straight lines.
Another thing that causes people not to do straight lines is "they drive the car crazy" as I call it. Sewing is a lot like driving a car. How ever fast you go determines on how hard you push the foot peddle. And when you're driving a car you don't turn the stearing wheel back and forth. You guide the car to stay in your lane. Think about it like driving a car and stay in your lane driving straight. Another thing that could help you "drive the straight line" is don't go so fast, slow down. The slower you go the more control you have.
Many people have a hard time sewing straight lines when starting out their adventures in sewing. Believe me you will get better. You just have to try new things. If you keep doing the same things you will get the same results. If you're having trouble sewing a straight line try sewing down lined paper to practice. We get better with time. It depends on how much time you have to give to the art of sewing.
Parting video: My daughter started sewing when she was 6 yrs old. She's now 9. When we were sewing together yesterday I made a video of her sewing her bag. She is showing how to sew a straight line following the tape.
Until next time Enjoy your moments ~ make them "sew" much fun, Cindy
Another week of summer camp has passed with a good group of girls attending.
Two sisters have taken sewing camp before and took their sewing to another level making dresses that they didn't get to complete because they were out of town on Monday and couldn't attend. They will be back for the last week of camp to finish their dresses and to start new projects.
A couple of other girls just started learning how to sew, one using her hello kitty sewing machine. Because I let the girls sew what they want by the end of the week they can get really creative with all the scraps laying around. Just making different kinds of stitches can be fun for them.
Some of their projects were pj pants, aprons, dresses, pillows, tote bags, fabric belts and shorts.
All the girls had a great time making new friends and exchanged phone numbers before they ended the week.
My daughter was my assistant this week bring me things when I needed them, filling up my wrist pin cushions so I could pint things together for the campers, pressing when she could. She did a great job and it was a big help having her there. One of the day's my son didn't want to go to his summer camp and tagged along with us to sewing camp.
Today my daughter and I stayed for a couple of hours after camp ended so we could have some "sewing time" together. She made a bag (picture on the left) and I fussed around the shop making ironing board covers and more curtains. She has caught the sewing bug. I can't believe how good she has gotten at sewing. She's troubleshooting the machine and knows how to fix it when it jams. I have the best time sewing with her. We have the best conversations. Today she asked me when we were going to get a sewing machine to keep at home so we can sew more. How cute is that! She can't get enough sewing like her old mom :)
The last week of camp runs from August 3-6 from 2 to 5pm. I have one seat available if there is someone who would like to attend. You can enroll online.
Until next time. Enjoy your moments ~ make them "sew"much fun, Cindy
I find after teaching, the hardest thing for people to grasp when learning how to sew is terminology. Once you know what the terms mean the sewing experience is much easier.
About.com is a great source of information. I often use it to look up all kinds of things. They have a very good list of sewing terms. They also have a lot of other links to help you when you don't know what the terms mean.
Sewing Term Glossary
Don't let not understanding a sewing term stop your creative process. Follow the sewing glossaries and definitions to understand and see what the term means.
alter: To change or revise a pattern or garment to suit individual sizing or desires. This could be making an item larger or smaller, adding darts, lengthening a bodice, etc.
applique: Sewing a piece of fabric on top of another after folding under a small bit of the fabric to create a clean edge. When done by machine, many use a satin stitch (tight zig zag). By hand, blind stitching is often used. Applique can be done with or without a fusible or stabilizer.
awl: Tool with pointed tip used to push out corners when fabric is turned.
backing: Fabric used as the back layer of another fabric.
backstitch: Used at the beginning and end of a machine sewn seam to anchor the seam in place; it involves a couple of extra stitches back and forth.
ballpoint needle: Ballpoint needles are designed to penetrate knit fabrics without nicking or damaging the fabric.
bar tack: A group of closely sewn stitches via zig zag that is used to tack a belt loop or similar item in place, and is often used in buttonhole making. This is not a basting stitch and should be repeated several times on the machine to make a very short run of satin stitching.
baste/basting: Temporary stitching used to hold a sewing project in place and is removed when the permanent sewing is done (usually long or large stitches).
batting: Fiberfill, cotton, wool, or other material that is flattened and usually on a roll and purchased in precut lengths or by the yard.
bias: Runs diagonally to the straight grain of the fabric. This is the stretchiest part on the fabric.
bias tape: Strips of fabric cut on the bias, often turned under and pressed, and used for bindings, facings, or other application where there is a need for stretch or accomodation to curves.
binding: Encasing the raw edges of a blanket or quilt with another piece of fabric. Binding also refers to the fabric that is folded and used for the encasing of the raw edges.
blanket stitch: Used to neaten the edge of a buttonhole, blanket, vest edge, or other seamline. A blanket stitch can be done by hand or machine.
blind hem stitch: Sewing stitch that is not meant to be seen on the right side of the fabric, usually accomplished by picking up one thread of the fabric at a time rather than going through the full fabric or several threads before completing a hand stitch or machine stitch.
block: A block is the individual unit used in a quilt top. Blocks can also be made to create pillows or a length of fabric from which a garment is cut.
bobbin: The piece of your sewing machine that holds the bottom thread (the bobbin thread) and is placed in the bobbin case. It generally is under the area the needle penetrates and it loops with the needle thread to form a locked stitch.
bodice: The part of a pattern or garment that runs from shoulder to waist.
bolt: A large roll of fabric on a tubular roll or a rectangular form. Fabric is usually folded right sides together lengthwise on a bolt.
buckram: Strong, heavy woven fabric used for stiffening baseball cap brims and some drapery applications.
butting Bringing two edges together so they touch but do not overlap.
buttonhole: A bound slit in the fabric to allow the passage of a button for closure. Buttonholes are mostly made by machine these days, but many people do still prefer to make them by hand, using a special buttonhole stitch.
When you're not sure what the words mean try to look them up. If you still don't understand then come to a sewing class and I'll get you over your hump so you can move on with your project.
Until next time, Enjoy your moments ~ make them "sew" much fun, Cindy
This is a weekly series where I share sewing news I receive with you. Enjoy your reading....
Project Runway News:
'Runway' finally ready for takeoff San Diego Union-TribuneMon, 13 Jul 200902:19 AM PDT Let the sew-off begin: After a massive delay, “Project Runway” is revealing its new batch of aspiring fashion designers, including San Diego designer and boutique owner Gordana Gehlhausen. Until now, they lurked in the shadows, sidelined by a legal battle over the popular design-challenge series, which began on Bravo but ended up in the hands of Lifetime.
It's back to the vamp on 'Runway' ramp San Francisco ChronicleFri, 17 Jul 2009 Let the sew-off begin: After a massive delay, "Project Runway" is revealing its new batch of aspiring fashion designers. Until now, they lurked in the shadows, prematurely sidelined by a legal battle over the popular design-challenge series, which began on...
About People:
4-H members model their works Wabash Plain DealerMon, 13 Jul 2009 Wabash County 4-H members took to the catwalk on Saturday night, showing off their sewing and modeling skills during the 2009 Wabash County 4-H Fair Fashion Revue.
So far sew good for Fitzhead fete This is West CountrySun, 12 Jul 2009 THREE Fitzhead women have clocked up 86 years between them sewing for their annual village fete â and theyâre still going strong.
Libbey's finishes move to Sherrill The Oneida Daily DispatchMon, 13 Jul 2009 SHERRILL â Libbey's Good News Gift Shop and Sew Blessed has reopened at its new location in Sherrill, with more room for parking and sewing. Owner Elizabeth Haley said she couldn't be happier now that her gift shop, sewing room and home are all in one location.
Sewing shop offers classes, services in the community The Atascocita ObserverTue, 14 Jul 2009 A fixture in the Humble community for more than 25 years, the HumbleSewingCenter allows people to indulge in their favorite hobbies.
Fashion students have designs on success Newham RecorderTue, 14 Jul 2009 THREE fashion students are on track to sew up a career like their heroes Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. They have won through to the finals of the Fashion Futures 2 Awards, where they will come under the eye of industry scouts.
Former host of HGTV show conducts Joplin workshop The Joplin GlobeMon, 13 Jul 200920:13 PM PDT Sandra Betzina loves to sew more than anyone she has ever known. And Betzina, 65, has made a living sharing that passion with people across the nation and now, Joplin.
A night of fashion TechnicianTue, 14 Jul 2009 Last night, high fashion took up residence in the Court of North Carolina as 15 designers from the Colleges of Textiles and Design showcased months of designing, sewing, weaving and building.
Teen talent has success sewn up ThePress.netWed, 15 Jul 2009 SaraTrail is only 14, but the Antioch teen hopes no one will hold it against her. Despite her youth, the high school sophomore is developing a reputation as a sewing and quilting phenom; a teenage Rachel Ray.
Ex-Prisoners Re-Entering the Workforce FOX 24 MaconWed, 15 Jul 200914:59 PM PDT Sewing is Alfraido Thomas' speciality. "I can take a pattern and start from the raw material. I can cut it. I can assemble it. I can also pack it, Thomas says.
Trio's fair creations proof sewing for young ladies, too Kearney HubThu, 16 Jul 2009 ORLEANS â Donât try to tell the young people who modeled and presented their home-sewed garments and items earlier this week that home sewing is only popular with their grandmothers or their mothers.
Guild a place for women to connect and help their community through quilting The PhoenixSat, 18 Jul 2009 Phoenix Intern The fellowship hall of the United Church of Christ gradually fills with long folding tables, sewing machines, stacks of fabric and increasingly more women as the hour approaches ten o'clock. The women putter around the room, setting up their individual work areas and chatting with multiple people at once. At the sound of a cow bell ringing from the side of the room, attention is ...
San Bernardino artist to be featured at Redlands gallery The Press-EnterpriseSat, 18 Jul 2009 When artist Diane Grant was growing up in Riverside, her bedroom doubled as her mother's sewing room. Her early exposure to fabrics and fibers through her mother, and oil painting through her grandmother, fueled her passion for art, which she will share in a show at the Redlands Art Association from Saturday through Aug. 15
About Businesses:
Chinese sewing-machine firm buys two German businesses EARTHtimes.orgFri, 17 Jul 2009 Beijing - A Chinese private sewing-machine company has bought two German textile machinery businesses for a total of 45 million yuan (6.6 million dollars), reports said on Friday. The New Jack Sewing Machine Company, based in the eastern city of Taiz...
HERO CENTRAL: Help for Ronald McDonald House 13 WMAZ MaconTue, 14 Jul 2009 The Macon Chapter of the American Sewing Guild presented the children at the Ronald McDonald House with handmade pillowcases.
Economy Related:
The Herald Democrat serving the Texoma area - The Herald DemocratSat, 18 Jul 2009 The sewing and crafting section of Sherman's Walmart is looking a bit bare these days. Gone are the rows of bolt fabric that once dominated the area near the automotive department
Events:
Stitches and Stuff: The laws of sewing, with apologies to Murphy The Daily NewsTue, 14 Jul 2009 Last week I was working hard in my studio to meet a deadline for a quilt show. I got really frustrated by the âlittleâ things that kept going wrong. First, I discovered I was about six inches short on the fabric I had for the backing. Then as I was sewing a strategic and important seam, the bobbin thread ran out. I decided that Murphyâs Law was a work.
Artscape 2009: What's new? Baltimore SunWed, 15 Jul 2009 The Baltimore arts festival just keeps getting bigger and better Shorts at The Charles, Sew Me What You Got Competition, a VIP lounge and more
4-H Fair kicks-off "in style" Paris Beacon-NewsSat, 18 Jul 2009 THE 2009 EDGARCOUNTY 4-H Fair got underway Friday afternoon with the judging of the Sewing and Textiles followed by the popular Clothing and Textile Fashion Review. The fair will continue through Wednesday with a full schedule of activities on the schedule for everyone to stop by the fair and enjoy. In addition to the judging visitors can enjoy the homemade food offered at the HCE and 4-H ...
How To:
Sewing Vocabulary - Darn to Draping BellaOnlineWed, 15 Jul 2009 Familiarize yourself with sewing terminology with this handy glossary of sewing terms.
Summer sewing for sunny (and rainy) days Capital City WeeklyWed, 15 Jul 2009 Okay, it's Saturday, and that summer beach bonfire is not going to happen unless you can find something besides fleece and rubber boots to wear. Sound familiar?
BOOKS:
Spend the weekend sewing The Tuscaloosa NewsTue, 14 Jul 2009 Dust off the sewing machine and sharpen the shears. Heather Ross wants to get Americasewing again. Ross is a lifelong sewing enthusiast who designs fabric, fashion projects, sewing patterns and stationery goods. Her new book, 'Weekend Sewing,' is intended to inspire people to carve out time for sewing as a creative outlet.
Until next time,
Enjoy your moments ~ make them "sew" much fun,
Cindy
5 campers attended making 1 hand bag, 2 pj pants, 1 pj top, 2 robes, an apron, 1 dress, 2 skirts and one top.
Some of the campers didn't get to finish their projects (the gold dress) and will be returning for another week of camp or joining an adult sewing class for the older campers.
I'm very proud of all the campers this week for accepting the knowledge I was giving them. I had one girl who had never sewn before attend last week and she blew me away how fast she caught on. I can see all these girls sewing for many years to come.
Until next time, Enjoy your moments ~ make them "sew" much fun. Cindy
We're in the middle of the second week of summer camp. Out of the 5 campers, 4 of them already know how to use their sewing machines and have sewn before.
The first day we cut out our projects and started sewing them. So far the campers have made an apron, pj's, hand bag, 2 skirts and a beautiful dress.
Here are some pictures from the past couple of days along with a couple of videos.
We have 2 more days filled with lots of sewing fun and more pictures to share of finished projects.
Until next time, Enjoy your moments ~ make them so much fun, Cindy
This is a weekly series where I share sewing news I receive with you. Enjoy your reading....
PROJECT RUNWAY NEWS:
Ready...Set...Sew! PR Newswire via Yahoo! FinanceThu, 09 Jul 2009 Summer sizzles on Lifetime Television with the premiere of the Emmy®-nominated and Peabody® Award-winning hit series Project Runway, on Thursday, August 20, at 10PM ET/PT, followed by the all-new companion series, Models of the Runway at 11PM ET/PT.
'Project Runway' contestents revealed York Daily RecordThu, 09 Jul 2009 NEW YORK -- Let the sew-off begin: After a massive delay, "Project Runway" is revealing its new batch of aspiring fashion designers.
`Project Runway' reveals new batch of aspiring fashion designers Minneapolis-St. Paul Star TribuneThu, 09 Jul 2009 NEW YORK - Let the sew-off begin: After a massive delay, "Project Runway" is revealing its new batch of aspiring fashion designers, including Christopher Straub, of Shakopee, Minn., and Ra'Mon-Lawrence Coleman of Milwaukee, who made his first splash in the Twin Cities.
Lifetime unveils new 'Project Runway' group Aberdeen American NewsThu, 09 Jul 2009 NEW YORK -- Let the sew--off begin: After a massive delay, ''Project Runway'' is revealing its new batch of aspiring fashion designers....
16 Project Runway' contestants revealed Fort Wayne Journal GazetteThu, 09 Jul 2009 Let the sew-off begin: After a massive delay, "Project Runway" is revealing its new batch of aspiring fashion designers. Until now, they lurked in the shadows, sidelined by a legal battle over the popular design-challenge series, which began on Bravo but ended up in the hands of Lifetime. Photo caption: Heidi Klum returns as host and a judge for Season 6 of "Project Runway" on the Lifetime ...
About People:
Sew much to remember The Bakersfield CalifornianWed, 08 Jul 2009 Woman threads scenes from interesting life of service into a 'memory quilt'
‘Quilt cars’ star at Sisters display; 1,200 colorful quilts hung from everything Saturday in downtown Sisters - ... The BulletinSun, 12 Jul 2009 SISTERS â At the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show on Saturday, sisters Jan Pfifer and Joan Hollister hid in the shade of a giant billowing quilt hanging from a second-story balcony for an afternoon snack.Pfifer, 56, from Battle Ground, Wash., and Hollister, 60, from Gresham, said neither of them are quilting enthusiasts â Hollister said she thinks she lost her sewing machine when she moved a few years ...
So far sew good for Fitzhead fete This is West CountrySun, 12 Jul 2009 THREE Fitzhead women have clocked up 86 years between them sewing for their annual village fete â and theyâre still going strong.
About Businesses:
Boston Ventures Portfolio Company New Track Media Acquires CK Media PR Newswire via Yahoo! FinanceTue, 07 Jul 2009 Boston Ventures, a leading middle market private equity firm that invests in the media, information and publishing, entertainment, and communications sectors, today announced that its Fund VI portfolio company, BVK Holdings, owner of the consumer enthusiast publisher New Track Media, has acquired CK Media, LLC, a leading publisher of quilting, sewing, and scrapbooking magazines.
Giving Back:
Summer Campers Sew Pillowcases to Send to Haiti dBusinessNews.comTue, 07 Jul 2009 (Clayton , NC ) July 7, 2009 âSome villagers in Haiti will now be able to carry rice and beans more easily and with less waste thanks to pillowcases sewn by Building Blocks Child Care and DevelopmentCenter âs summer campers.
Quilters sew all day for charity Stillwater NewsPressWed, 08 Jul 2009 Every year, Cimarron Valley Quilters Guild members spend a full day at the FirstChurch of the Nazarene for a pro bono quilting day.
Sewing keeps veterans comfortable Arkansas News BureauThu, 09 Jul 2009 The sewing ministry at the Little Rock Air Force Base chapel started with a friendship and continues to fashion new ones tied together and united for a good cause that helps people around the world.
Events:
Sew-sew dolls The New Ulm JournalWed, 08 Jul 2009 Instructor Tanya Lee works with two of the students in her 'Learn How to Sew with Tanya Lee' class at the Wanda Gag House Wednesday in New Ulm. The week-long class teaches basic sewing skills for children to create clothing for their dolls and stuffed animals.
Books:
‘Weekend Sewing' The Tuscaloosa NewsTue, 07 Jul 2009 Dust off the sewing machine and sharpen the shears. Heather Ross wants to get Americasewing again. Ross is a lifelong sewing enthusiast who designs fabric, fashion projects, sewing patterns and stationery goods. Her new book, 'Weekend Sewing,' is intended to inspire people to carve out time for sewing as a creative outlet, as she does.
A Different Kind of Sewing News:
Firefighters rescue textile worker trapped in a sewing machine Macclesfield ExpressWed, 08 Jul 2009 FIREFIGHTERS had an unusual call-out to a textile factory all sewn up last week. A worker at DHJ Weisters shirtmakers had to be freed from an industrial sewing machine by firefighters after a needle went through her finger and trapped her.
Until next time,
Enjoy your moments ~ make them "sew" much fun,
Cindy
Location: Hollywood, Florida Adult sewing classes starting all the time. Learn the sewing machine, how to cut and sew using a pattern of your choice, clothing construction, alterations and fun creative projects. Make your own schedule to fit your lifestyle.
If you know how to sew and are good with people sewing could be a form of income for you in these trying times. Depending how much time you put into your business, you can be very successful if you find yourself unemployed.
BUY IT NOW!
I can help you get started as a consultant too!!
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business cards, write your name on the back and give them out to your friends and family. Oh, and I have new business cards - aren't they cute? I just got them yesterday. I can't wait to give them out to everyone.
