Category: Uncategorized

Make It Sew Closes-New Class Location

With the closing of Make It Sew on Saturday (we wish Cathy and all of her wonderful staff the best of luck in future pursuits) we are pleased to move some of our classes to the Chanhassen Vacuum Center. Virginia and Mike have been very accommodating and hope you will have a wonderful experience learning to sew in the classroom they have set up.

The shop is located at 551 W. 78th St., which is halfway between the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre and Country Inn and Suites-the same place as the old Sampler store.

Rick Engel, the technician at Make It Sew, is also fixing machines through the Chan Vacuum Center so you can still bring your machines to him for cleaning and repair. We hope he can keep us supplied with good solid machines for us to use in class and also available for purchase.

For the month of December we are offering our After School Sewing class and any private lessons or group classes you might want to set up. We will have a more complete calendar starting in January.

Thursday Fashion Sewing Club will take place at Hancock/Southtown in the classroom (far back righthand corner of store).

As always, we welcome your feedback as things keep changing 🙂

August and September Club Photos Online and More


We’ve been chomping at the bit trying to get everything caught up after moving to a new (to us) house and a long weekend with the twins!

First sand experience

Show and Tell has been wonderful! We went over 50 people attending Fashion Sewing Club in September and new faces keep coming. There were 23 people at both the Tuesday and Saturday meetings! Make It Sew, look out as we try to increase numbers at the Thursday meeting also. Any ideas are welcome 🙂
Bridesmaid’s dress (after a trip to the dry cleaners:))

Su is back in the saddle and sewing up a storm!

These pictures make it look like we all sew children’s garments but the truth is, the children’s garments are much easier to photograph (and the models are much less discriminating:) We will try to do a better job of capturing the fashion garments that everyone is sewing so the inspiration can be shared online.

All three stores, Treadle, Make It Sew and Hancock have new calendars and they’ve been updated (whew) so help yourself around the website and keep that creativity flowing!

School’s Out, Sewing’s In

Wanted to share some of the fun we’ve been having with summer classes–

Mom and daughter team at Eagle Creek Sophia Trench Coat class

Our first summer sewing class for budding sewists was Jr. Project Runway-see end of post for more classes for girls and boys.
Maxi’s, maxi’s…


…and more maxi’s

Pretty lace trim

Serger Club Cami

Another version of the camp and flat locking

Summer Sewing for Kids

Beginners-for those new to sewing
Projects will be the same for all sessions of Beginners

Dates, Times, Locations for Beginners
Tuesday-Friday, July 30-August 2, 10:30-12:30
Make It Sew, Chanhassen
Tuesday, August 20 and Wednesday, August 21, 10:30-2:30
Bloomington Hancock Fabrics

Advanced Beginners-for those who have sewn but not worked much with patterns
Projects are different for all classes so students may take 1, 2 or 3 sessions

Dates, Times, Locations for Advanced Beginners
Monday through Thursday, June 24-27, 2:00-4:00 OR
Friday, July 30-August 2, 2:00-4:00
Make It Sew, Chanhassen: call 952-767-0701 to register
Tuesday, August 20 and Wednesday, August 21, 10:30-2:30
Bloomington Hancock Fabrics

Junior Project Runway-for those ready to tackle a project of their own choosing
with guidance from instructors

Dates, Times, Locations for Junior Project Runway
-Thursday, July 18, 1:30-4:30
-Tuesday, August 27, 1:30-4:30
Make It Sew, Chanhassen

For questions or more info:
http://www.materialgirlsewing.com
Call: 952-201-3863
Email: materialgirlsewing@gmail.com

To register for classes:
Make It Sew-952-767-0701
Bloomington Hancock Fabrics: call 952-201-3863
or register online at materialgirlsewing.com

Check out the listings under “Classes” above and come join us!

May Fashion Sewing Club Posted

Club sheets and garment photos have been posted. Thanks to all who attended. Show and Tell was awesome and inspiring. We’ve started having people walk out without paying so if you could make sure you do, that would be appreciated.

Tomorrow (Thursday) is Serger Club at Make It Sew. We have enough people to do both the 10:30 and 6:00 session. You can still sign up by calling the store-952-767-0701. The project is a zippered pouch using flat lock and optional coverstitch.

I’m a big fan of magnet pincushions so I thought the wrist magnet pincushions would be handy. Bottom line is: save your money!
I started with the Dritz version. The velcro rubbed against my skin so I took the velcro off and glued it to the top of my notions box.


Then I tried the slap bracelet version from Nancy’s Notions. The magnet kept sliding to the underside of my wrist so I put a piece of tape on the bracelet. But then I had to remember to take the bracelet off every time I tried on a garment. Many pins fell on the floor before I remembered!

Last but not least was the Gypsy Pin Pal. Sixteen powerful magnets that make it fold up like an accordion and propel any pins across the floor. It also took two hands to hold it open and velcro to my wrist. I haven’t figured out a second use for this one.

I’m going back to my magnet pin dishes next to each machine even tho they seem to be someplace else every time I need one 😛

Two New Magazines


Just in case you want to find a sunny window and read a good magazine, the latest issue of Sew News and a special Fitting edition of Threads just hit the newsstands and have the Material Girls’ stamp of approval-our humble opinion, of course! And we are discriminating 🙂

Cute blouse idea, bag by Linda Lee,sashiko, pretty blouse details and then the ever relevant, sought after fit information. If only reading could make it sew (so)!

This and That

I collect tidbits here and there and must make room for new items before the old are forgotten-

We’ll be at Treadle on Saturday morning (10:30) for Fashion Sewing Club AND Beyond Basic Sergery (2-4:30). Great chance to further your serger skills, get inspired to sew for warmer weather-all in one trip!! Call the store to register-651-698-9690 for the serger class. Just show up for Fashion Sewing Club-no need to register-first time free!


Debbie and I both made spring jackets and while I was perusing Joann’s the other day I came across parachute cord which would make a great cording option for a jacket.


I solved the problem of putting a longer garment on my duct tape double! I had my garment on the double and sitting on a table but the hem was too long. I could hang it from a clothes pole but then I remembered I had a plant stand in the basement-bingo! It is skinny enough for a garment to hang freely and is about the right height. If you don’t have a duct tape double, we are wrapping at Treadle on Monday, April 29 and there are still 3 spots left.

Thursday am Fashion Sewing Club Cancelled

Old Man Winter is messing with us today! The reports of the roads sound pretty awful-Debbie would have to leave now to get to Chanhassen on time and we don’t expect any of you to spend that much time on the road. So we will be sewing by ourselves this morning instead of meeting at Make It Sew.

We will watch the weather and decide whether or not to meet tonight.

If you don’t see anything here at 2 pm we WILL meet tonight at Make It Sew. I’m keeping my fingers crossed 🙂

We still have Saturday morning at Treadle if that would work for you.