Stitch, Des Moines

Taking full advantage of a duct tape dress form request, I traveled to Des Moines to visit my youngest daughter, take in the Broadway show, Once, and discover a great new fabric store!
Stitch is located in East Village-a happening place in Des Moines with lots of local businesses and restaurants. The shop carries cotton fabric, patterns and yarn.
I had to pick up a few things and support my daughter’s friend and one of the partners of the business.
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Great displays-made me want my own store. I hope to use a few of the patterns I picked up for Club next week. Good luck, Jessica and Madie!

April Calendar, Easter Bags and ??

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I knew that would get your attention 🙂
You just never know what you’re going to get at Show and Tell. The comment that made our day was, “If I wore those, my husband would have the big one…….I mean like heart attack!!”
This is a free pattern on Craftsy. Download link is here. Our sewist got her stretch lace at SR Harris for $.99 a yard. I think there is some at Joann’s too. She’s made a pair for herself (and loves them) and her niece. Maybe something to put in an Easter basket?

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It’s our April bag of the month. Quick and easy to whip up and made inside and out from laminated cotton. Have fun making them at Chanhassen Vac Center on Thursday, April 17 or 24th, afternoons or evenings (see calendar below) or at one of our Sewing and Serging times at Hancock. Use your fabric or ours.

And then there’s the calendar:
April Fashion Sewing Club Dates:
Saturday, April 12, 10:30 at Treadle Yard Goods

Classes:

Treadle Yard Goods: 651-698-9690,www.treadleyardgoods.com
Kids After School Sewing Club
Tuesday, April 8, 22, May 6, 20, 4:30-6:00
Basic Sergery and Beyond, April 26, May 3, 10, 1:00-3:00

First Sewing, Bloomington Hancock Fabrics
*Please register with Material Girls website or call us at 952-201-3863
Sewing and Serging with the Material Girls
Monday, April 14,10:00-12:00, 2:00-4:00 and 6:00-8:00
Monday, April 21, 10:00-12:00, 2:00-4:00, 6:00-8:00
After School Sewing
Monday, April 14, 4:30-6
Monday, April 21, 4:30-6
Serger Club, April 17, 10:30-12:30

Chanhassen Vacuum Center: http://www.chanvac.com
*Please register on Material Girls website or call us at 952-201-3863

Sewing and Serging with the Material Girls
Thursday, April 17, 1:30-3:30 or 6-8 pm
Thursday, April 24, 1:00-3:00 or 6-8 pm
Kids After School Sewing
Thursday, April 17, 4:30-6:00
Thursday, April 24, 4:30-6:00

March Club Show and Tell

Just a little teaser to get you in the mood for Club this week-we had so many great “Sew and Tell” garments last month-the bar is high!
March Club Sheets and Garment photos have also been posted under bar above.

Two great coats-hope we don't need these any longer!
Two great coats-hope we don’t need these any longer!
Great use of Pendleton
Great use of Pendleton

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Pattern for black and white dress above.
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Fashion Sewing Club Week Coming Up!

(Yes, Virginia, you are in the right place-the website format is new!)

Next week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (4/8, 10, 12), will be April Club meetings. The weatherman is calling for warm weather and we hope he’s right. As an added bonus for those of you attending the Treadle meetings, they are having a great sale to get everyone in the mood for the new season’s latest fashion sewing (we’re just a bit confused as to which it is-spring or a replay of winter-“winternity”?). The sale started April 3 and continues to April 13.

With spring comes spring cleaning and some of you were excited about doing a pattern swap so if you are cleaning out patterns, bring them to Club and see if anyone might want them. It can be pretty eye opening when you see what you thought you might have sewn one day…
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Here are three winners from the website Simple Simon and Co. Check out the link and see what they did with their contest for the ugliest pattern. We’ll post any that come close to these examples 🙂

I made the first delivery of Bags for Kids on Thursday at Carver County. There were 20 bags, 18 blankets and 23 toothbrushes! Thanks for the great response. There will be an opportunity to help finish up a few bags and blankets at Club meetings; any tubes of toothpaste would be appreciated.

Last month’s show and tell was fantastic at ALL meetings. We can’t wait to see what you’ve all sewn up for spring.

And a shout out to my tech support and marketing advisor-Thank you!!!

Bagmaking

Amy and Stella
Amy and Stella

Monday was very productive at our Southtown Hancock site. Several people dropped by to sew, tie and leave their finished bags with us. We are at about 25 completed bags and two tied blankets.
Marianne and Orion
Marianne and Orion

Thanks very much to all of you involved in this project (see earlier posts if you are new to the site).
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Sue

We will be working on bags/blankets again on Monday, March 31 at Southtown Hancock from 10 am-8 pm if you’d like to join us or drop off your bags.

Today (Thursday) is open for classes at Chan Vacuum Center from 1-3 pm and Monday at 10, 2 and 6 at Southtown Hancock. The first week of April we’ll be busy sewing garments for Fashion Sewing Club.

More Items in Bags For Kids

Sooooooo…
When I contacted the social worker who requested the bags she mentioned that the kids really loved the blankets.

Blankets? We didn’t do blankets. And then there were toothbrushes and toothpaste. We didn’t do that either.

But being a sucker for helping others, I am putting it out there to see if there are any Girl Scout groups or others who might be interested in buying, cutting and tying polar fleece blankets to put inside our bags or donate some toothbrushes and toothpaste.
It could be a great reason for a spring break party for kids and we would be happy to let another group make the delivery and see where the bags are going if you would like. I guess we are looking for a partner or two who would help us keep up the standards of the project without being too much at one time for one group.

It’s been 3 years since 40 bags were given to Carver County so we don’t have to get them all done at once. The response from all of you has been fantastic. At the time of this writing Nancy has sewn 6 bags, Pam picked up 4 and Barb 2. Lisa wants to make them and has enlisted her daughter, sister and niece and we have three people coming on Monday to work on the project.

Thanks so much!!

This Week’s Classes

March Serger Club
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This month’s project is the E-shrug from Linda Lee’s Sewing Workshop. It is a downloadable pattern for $6 on her website. Quick to sew and a wardrobe staple.

Debbie used a melon colored knit from Treadle Yard Goods.

Serger Club meets this Thursday, March 20, at 10:30, Hancock Fabrics, Southtown.
Sign up on this website under Classes at Hancock above.

Bags For Kids Project

Several of you stopped by Hancock yesterday and picked up kits-thank you! We sewed a few together and realized that the directions were a bit confusing. The bottom line is a 24″ wide by 30″ tall bag with a drawstring at the top and a 12″ wide by 15″ tall pocket on the outside. Serged seams or french seams keeps it clean on the inside. If you use a 60″ wide fabric, the fold will be at the bottom and the selvages will be at the top so they can simply be turned over to the outside or inside and stitched down to form the drawstring casing. Very quick to put together. We can always add the drawstrings if you just want to sew the bags at home.
We will be at Hancock the next two Mondays if you’d like to come and sew. Finished bags can be dropped off at the First Sewing desk inside Hancock Fabrics at Southtown. Kits can also be picked up but please call us or email before you do so there will be a good supply for you. 952-201-3863 or materialgirlsewing@gmail.com

Basic and Beyond Serger at Treadle
We’ll be at Treadle tonight (6-8 pm) for a three part class to take you from threading your serger to whipping up a tee. Only two spots left…call Treadle to sign up 651-698-9690.

Sewing & Serging in Chanhassen
1:30-3:30 pm or 6-8 pm Chan Vacuum Center, Thursday, March 20
Make a bag, learn to serge, get fitting help, sew the E-shrug. You decide what you’d like to do.
Click on Classes at Chan Vac Center above to register for one of the classes.

Bags for Kids

Two years ago, Nicole Bailey,a Minnetonka senior, approached us about helping her with a project. It seems that when children in Carver County were taken from their homes by law enforcement they were given a garbage bag for their possessions. Nicole wanted to make drawstring bags that could be given to the children instead. We(you) helped out three years ago and we have been contacted by Carver County because their supply is almost gone.

We would like to help them out again and of course, we could use some help. We have fabric, notions and a pattern. If you could help by sewing or cutting or both, we’d love to see you at Southtown Hancock on any of the next three Mondays (March 17, 24, 31 from 10 am-8 pm). You can pick up fabric or a kit or stay and help cut and sew. We will have machines for you to use so you can just stop by or bring your favorite sewing tools with you. We’ll just have fun and do some good at the same time. Please send an email or call to let us know you are coming.

Here’s a link to the original story.

Here are the instructions in case you just want to make them at home and drop them off at Southtown Hancock. The bag should end up being about 24″ x 30″ with a drawstring top and pocket on the outside and made from a medium weight to home dec fabric.

BAGS FOR KIDS Instuctions rev1-122810

March Fashion Sewing Club Begins Today

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We hope the thaw has warmed up your sewing machine and you are thinking of spring sewing. Just returning from Mexico means that you may see a few bare arms at Club this month.

Debbie and I will be at Treadle today, Tuesday, at 10:30 and then Southtown on Thursday, 10:30 and 6:30, and back to Treadle on Saturday at 10:30.

Here’s the March calendar and one more warm thought-

March Fashion Sewing Club Dates
Tuesday, March 11, 10:30 at Treadle Yard Goods
Thursday, March 13, 10:30 or 6:30 at First Sewing, Bloomington Hancock Fabrics
Saturday, March 15, 10:30 at Treadle Yard Goods

Classes

Treadle Yard Goods: 651-698-9690,www.treadleyardgoods.com
Basic Sergery and Beyond, Tuesday, March 18, 6:00-8:00 (part 1)
Tuesday, March 25, 6:00-8:00 (part 2)
Tuesday, April 1, 6:00-8:00 (part 3)

First Sewing, Bloomington Hancock Fabrics, 952-884-1938
*Please register with Material Girls website or call us at 952-201-3863
Sewing and Serging with the Material Girls
Monday, March 3, 10:00-12:00, 2:00-4:00, 6:00-8:00
Monday, March 17, 10:00-12:00, 2:00-4:00 and 6:00-8:00
Thursday, March 13, 2:00-4:00
Serger Club, (E-Shrug) March 20, 10:30-12:30

Chanhassen Vacuum Center: 952-938-7838, http://www.chanvac.com
Sewing and Serging with the Material Girls, Thursday, March 20, 1:30-3:30
Thursday, March 27,1:00-3:00
Kids After School Sewing, Thursday, March 20, 4:30-6:00
Thursday, March 27, 4:30-6:00

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Back in Portland after the second day at Puyallup 2014 and still no snow!!!

From Roving Reporter Kay Dole

My second day at the Puyallup Sewing Expo was as busy as the first! Although I didn’t spend as much money at the Marcy Tilton booth today as I did yesterday!

The four classes I attended today included one on monograms to use with my embroidery machine, a bag the jacket class with Connie Crawford, an industry insider class with Louise Cutting and an embellishing class by Barbara Crawford ( no relation to Connie). Lots of good ideas and practical information. I had a personal fitting with Connie Crawford which was a great experience as I have been focusing on fit with the last few things I have made. Very helpful.
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But the highlight of the day for me was the fashion show by Linda Lee (right, above) of The Sewing Workshop and Louise Cutting (left, above) of Cutting Line Designs. Loved it, loved it, loved it. Their designs are so beautifully created with the home sewer in mind who wants to look great at any age and of any shape or size. (Patterns are listed at end of post in case you want to see how well you know the pattern lines-or you don’t know them well and would like to).
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Louise has several new patterns and I don’t know about you, but I find that I don’t always visualize her designs well from the pattern pictures so seeing them made up is especially helpful. One of the other members of our group said the same thing so I don’t think it is just me. Her clothes were a mix of casual and more professional pieces using the same pattern but with changes in fabrics and colors. I am anxious to try “Snap to It” and “A New Angle“!
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Linda’s newest pattern “Helix Tee” looks interesting to sew with only two main pieces. The pants in this pattern had a nice narrow leg which looked very flattering while not being too tight. She revisited several older patterns while updating her approach to them. Especially interesting was the Origami Skirt which I would not have considered until today. Take a look at these pictures and see what you think.
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So all in all if you get a chance to come to Puyallup next year, do consider it. I am heading to the airport now to take the red eye flight home, tired and loaded down with 11 new pieces of fabric, 10 new patterns and a lot of sewing to do!!

(If you haven’t seen enough pictures yet-check out Marcy Tilton’s special Expo edition newsletter.)

Patterns shown above:
1-3-Louise Cutting, Dimension Jacket
4-Linda Lee, Alex Top
5-Linda Lee,Eureka Top, Plaza Pant
6-Louise, Anything but Ordinary Jacket, Artist in Motion Top, One seam Pant-Narrow
7-Linda, Sienna Shirt, Mix It Tank, E-dress Skirt
8-Linda,Opal Jacket, Mimosa Top, Plaza Pant
9-Louise, Fun With Fabric Top, One Seam Pant
10-Linda,Balboa Topper, Mix It Tank, Ikina Pants
11-Linda, Helix Tee and Pant
12-Linda, Trio Top Adaptation, Eureka Skirt
13-Linda, Helix Tee and Pant
(How did you do, Cheri and Kathy? :))