Hello Sewing Friends, With National Sewing Month behind us and Halloween just ahead, DON’T BE SCARED…It’s time to plunge into sewing head first! In the beginning any new life skill can seem difficult, time consuming and intimidating. Do you remember the first time you made pasta? How about scrambled eggs or French Toast? The first time down any new path can seem scary or adventurous, the choice is yours! I remember that my first sewing project at age ten was a pair of slacks. I cut them out, stitched them together on my mother’s Singer 401 and couldn’t get them over my hips. Turns out that I had cut and sewed four fronts!! Oooops! Lesson learned. I never did that again!
The point is that we get inspired and really want to develop a new hobby/skill but sometimes fear creeps in and keeps us from our full God-given potential. If you have designer dreams on any level and need a perspective adjustment, I made a few notes for you to ponder:
- “I may not be able to understand/follow the directions, and then I’ll feel stupid” ----- With all the resources out there on the web, ASK! Write me, Google it or call a sewing guild in your area. My dad always said, ”The only stupid question is the one you don’t ask!!”
- “What if I goof it up and ruin it?”------ In my lifetime of sewing costumes, home decor, alterations, quilting and dress making, I have found that there is very little that can’t be repaired. Every goof up (and yes, I still make plenty of them!) is an opportunity for a new spin, an unexpected design detail or a different outcome than originally planned. Sew what? Who is going to know except for you? I guarantee that making mistakes will increase your creativity and overall sewing knowledge. Appliqué, Machine Embroidery, fabric piecing, darts and redesigning as you go can often bring a great sense of accomplishment and a surprisingly pleasing result! (On Wickedly Perfect, I crushed my overdone butterscotch Oatmeal cookies turning them into a crust for a pumpkin cheesecake …and it was delicious! Now I purposely make the cookies and crush them for the crust every time. Yum!)
- “It’s too expensive to buy fabrics today”-------- That is exactly the reason why I encourage recycling, repurposing and reusing items you already have, especially if you are practicing. If those old curtains are in the ‘thrift store give-away-box’ anyway, you don’t lose anything if it doesn’t work out as planned… and if it does work out, you have an impressive mind-blowing story for your friends!! I like hunting for old chenille bedspreads to make bathrobes and matching pillows or teddy bears. (because I haven’t found store-bought chenille as beautiful as those vintage spreads from the 1940’s through ‘60’s). Each set is unique, is already soft and broken in and feels like a giant hug to the recipient. In our travels this summer I found three classics. Take a look at our projects page for the full scoop!
- “I don’t have time!” ------ It is true that it seems as though our world is spinning faster and faster and we may feel stressed out, tied up, locked in and overwhelmed. The thought of tackling a dress is OFF THE CHARTS, which is why I love to sew! It calms me, causes me to focus only on what I’m doing and all the other cares of life melt away. The key here is to take small bites. Do you have 30 minutes? An hour? Maybe today you simply wash the fabric, tomorrow you cut out the pattern, the next day you sew the skirt together and prep the waistband, etc…. by the end of a week or month you will be surprised at how all the bites of time add up to a finished project! We all want results in 60 minutes or less but remember the old saying, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day!’
- “I tried to sew once and I was terrible”------- So? That was then, this is now. With today’s electronic machines , whenever you spend time sewing, your skill set will improve. Besides, go into your closet and look at your store bought clothes. Closely look at the hems, the topstitching, the zippers and buttonholes…they are not perfect AND you paid someone else to make it!!! Don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s good to have high standards but try not to get snared in the perfection trap. I always strive for “Excellence”---doing the best you can with what you know and what you’ve got------Perfect would make me a psychopath with an ulcer! Excellent is my happy, satisfied place!
NEW ITEMS:
This month we have a brand new beginner sewing machine from SINGER. It’s called the “Pixie Plus” and it’s a cute and functional craft machine. It has dial-a-stitch with eight selections ranging from three zigzags, a blind hem, a bridge stitch and three straight stitches. There are two speeds, a pull-down reverse, battery capability and a top loading bobbin. It winds bobbins, has a built in carrying handle, a stamped 9” measuring tape on the front and the footprint of a small single slice toaster. Couple that with the quilt friendly “C-Frame”, the AC adapter and the foot pedal and you have a compact machine on the go. It’s the perfect “Try-Me” piece for the enthusiastic novice.
Answers:
- The turkey that was used as a prop on my table was from a pre-printed panel that I bought several years ago at JoAnns. Check out your local store’s panel section to see what you can find!
- The Brother HE240 with the USB port is exclusive to HSN. If you have questions, I’ll be happy to help you. As far as Vista compatibility with the PE 700ll, I checked with the people at Brother and the answer is YES! I know you’ll enjoy your new machine.
OCTOBER'S Top FIVE Must Haves:
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Melrose Sewing 380-yard Thread 24-pack
Item: 360-462
50 wt. 100% polyester thread for all your general sewing purposes. This balanced collection has a thread color for all seasons. Colorfast, non-shrink, extra strength and smooth delivery make this thread a smart investment to add to your sewing palette.
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Singer Package of Spare Bobbins and Ballpoint Needles
Item: 369-480
I always find that I need more bobbins than the few that come with the machine. Singer is offering 30, size 15J bobbins (with abeveled edge for electronic and computerized machines) in a box with a set of 5 ball-point needles. If you are planning to do any stretch sewing from t-shirts to swimsuits to stretch jeans, you need to use a ballpoint needle. Ballpoint needles sew without damaging the fabric and help eliminate jumped stitches! Ordinary needles often cause tiny holes that can run on stretch fabrics. These bobbins will also work on our Brother machines.
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My-T-Fine Cordless Electronic Cutter
Item: 352-936
These cordless cutters do it all. From leather to silk, they cut flawlessly and maneuver effortlessly around corners, notches and curves. Rests on its own recharging cradle and lasts for hours!
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Dritz Packaged Cheesecloth - 36" x 9'
Item: 103-7414
When you press hemlines or lapels or cuffs on the right side, it is best to use a damp press cloth. I have used cheesecloth for decades. It is an open weave that allows heat and steam into the fabric without letting the ironing plate to come in contact with your project…avoiding that ugly irreparable shine!
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Trim-It Clip-It Embroidery Scissors Set of 3
Item: 325-514
You can’t go wrong with this Terrific Trio. The double bent embroidery, (on left) the duck billed appliqué (center) and the Kelly Bent (on right) will make trimming your embroidery threads and appliqués so much easier! Using the bent scissors helps reduce the possibility of damage to your designs caused by accidentally poking the embroidery with sharp scissor tips.
OCTOBER SEWING SCHEDULE:
October 25th--- 3-4pm
October 27th --- 9am, & 4pm
Make sure you check out our new projects on the sewing page. Give one of them a whirl and let us all know how you made out so we can celebrate with you!
- Chenille Bedspread bathrobe
- Easy, Fleecy, Foot Pocket Blanky! (Say That Three Times Real Fast!)
- Embroidered “Crumb-Catch” bib
I hope you take time to enjoy the seasonal change this month, let your creativity whirl with the falling leaves and remember that an Excellent job is a job to feel great about!
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