Show and Tell on Valentine’s Day! We even got birthday treats and bookmarks as we celebrated Ruth’s birthday at the Treadle morning meeting. Yet another good reason to come to Club 🙂
This month’s offerings came from a larger pool of sewists. Thanks to Cheri and Carrie for filling out the line up as Laurel improved her vision and Debbie and Kristin worked on an early tan. Thanks to all of you who attended and keep up the wonderful show and tell.
Here are pictures of most of the garments: Debbie's Silk Banded Tee
Debbie's Boat Neck Dress
Carrie's Embellished Cardigan Carrie's Arty Cardigan Flower Embellishment Cheri's 2x4 Top Cheri's Liberty Tee Laurel's Vogue 8611 Kristin's Ruched Tee Kristin's Red Wool Tee Kristin's Lizzie's Tee
And a few Show and Tell highlights: Katherine Tilton's Zip Tee in a Girl's size Christening Gown Tunic dresses with trim belts Little Girl's Outfit
Another month of weather that wasn’t on our side but thanks to all of you who braved the weather to see this month’s offering plus all the great show and tell.
If you don’t have the Club sheets, click on “Club Sheets” in the top bar.
Don’t forget the arty t-shirt challenge for February. Check out Marcy and Katherine Tilton websites for inspiration-shopping is also great for picking up ideas. We’ll have a few new presenters in February as some of us have other time commitments. Carrie in Laurel's LBD Kristin in Laurel's Hudson Top Knit Jacket a la Von Maur Debbie's Corduroy Tunic Little Girl's A-Line Dress Zona Jacket Hong Kong finish inside Zona Jacket Ribbon Tee Detail Classic Tailored Coat An Ren Coat
As promised, here are pictures of other An Ren jackets. Dugo carries the one you saw at Fashion Sewing Club. I’ve also seen them at Macy’s and Von Maur. Wearing them can make cold weather a little more fun.
Lots of things going on here, trying to winnow the things we do and try to do only what we do best. There was some talk of going to the sewing expo in Novi, Michigan. It’s supposed to be the best for fashion sewing. After looking at the vendors and classes, I’ve decided that it looks alot like the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo that will be here in November so I’m going to pass. I’m taking it off of our calendar.
The event I’m really looking forward to is the Creative Connection. It’s September 16-18 at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. Amy Butler and Mary Jane Butters (do you know who she is? I’d call her the Martha Stewart of the back to the farm movement-she’s got a great mag but, come ‘on, who could possibly do all she does and look that good-my main complaint about Martha-like we all need another perfect woman to emulate!) Where was I? Oh, yes, wonderful creative women will be speaking; there’s a handmade market that I’m guessing will look like something out of a Somerset Studio/Stampington & Co. magazine. The part I am personally excited about is “social media and your business” speakers and panels. There are also classes that look like fun but are mostly handwork as far as I could tell. If you live in the Shakopee area, the Eagle Creek Quilt Shop is taking a bus downtown on Friday and Saturday. Too bad the Sewing and Quilting Expo people can’t see what’s going on and change their focus a bit.
Peggy Sagers (Silhouette Patterns) has a new set of 4 patterns for fall. I’ve ordered them and especially want to try the cape pattern. There are so many in the fashion magazines for fall but they’re not that great for a pear figure. Check out her version. The set of four sale ends today (Wed.).
After a frustrating jacket fitting, I’ve decided to take the plunge and get a dress form. Any advice out there? Uniquely You was recommended as I was searching for answers to my jacket fit problem. Bernina has one. What do you have?
On the subject of fit-check out The Fashion Code. It’s a $30 option for getting your perfect neckline, hemline, sleeve length. You take your measurements and upload them on the website and get your perfect measurements, based on the Golden Proportion, and a pdf file of a 30 page book to explain your best look further. The measurements are taken from the floor and are a bit tricky to do alone. If you’d like we’ll do them before or after Fashion Sewing Club for you.
Yes, it says “July”. A bit of catching up to do. I’m back from the first wedding. Such a wonderful weekend! Pictures in next blog. But now I have to catch up with the garment pictures from July.
Remember-We’re not meeting in August!!! We’ll be meeting at Hancock Fabrics in Southtown (Penn and 494) in September. I also just received an email from Judy at Associated and they’ll be moving to St. Paul-their lease is up.
Here are July’s pictures: Laurel's blouse Laurel's Top Back View Laurel's Black Jacket Debbie's Blouse and Skirt Debbie's Jacket Back Detail Debbie's Bejeweled Tee Wedding Dress No. 1 Wedding Dress No. 2 Back View Peek-a-boo Pleated Skirt College Laundry Bags
Remember the mini wardrobe challenge? Well, we all found out how hard that is but will keep working at it. Our winner was Kay Dole from the Treadle group. She took home the designer Gingher scissors. Thanks for inspiring us always, Kay! Just a sample of Kay's Mini Wardrobe
My sons just spent their last days in my house as single men(!). We had a great family potluck shower at my sister’s and now the weddings are becoming a reality. Decisions need to be made, etc., etc., etc.
July Fashion Sewing Club will reveal a few dresses as options for the mother of the groom but I’ve got to admit that Nordstrom’s is my fall back. Club meetings begin this Thursday at Associated Sewing in Bloomington (10:30 and 6:30) and Saturday at 10:30.
You may want to take in the Eagle Creek Garage Sale in Shakopee on Saturday (9 am-2 pm) after Club. I haven’t been for a few years but I remember some great vintage notions and fabric. Click here to go to the website.
On Tuesday, we’ll be at Treadle Yard Goods (10:30 and 6:30). Their big summer sale goes from July 8-18. Some of their dress silks are on my MOG dress list.
We’ve had a few requests to hold Fashion Sewing Club at The Sampler (551 W. 78th St.) in Chanhassen, so this is our trial month. Wednesday, July 14th we’ll have our meeting at 6:30 pm only, but we will have it no matter what. We’d like to see eight people to continue the meetings into the fall. Email us or call The Sampler (934-5307) to let them know you’ll be there. Bring your friends-first timers are free (at any meeting). The store is starting to carry more fashion fabric so support them if you want great fabric in a west metro location. Pics of some of the fabrics are below.
Remember Kathy’s scarf from last month? Here is a picture of it laid out. It’s a 32″x22″ rectangle and 7″ wide until it goes down to the points. Hopefully we’ll see a few from the serger class at Club meetings this month.
And then there’s the half of an oak tree that fell on my deck last night. No one woke up, no holes in the roof or broken railings-at least as far as we can tell at this point. Someone is coming later this afternoon to get the tree off so we can look more closely. Life is never boring!
One last clean up detail-last month Sarah Tufford told us about a group in the Madison, Wisconsin area. New homes are found for sewing machines that still work, and in the process gives new hope for the future to poor people. They sew for themselves, their families, and to make a little money to live on. Here’s the website: thesewingmachineproject.org. Some of us have been thinking about a trip to Gayfeathers in Madison and a trunkful of donated sewing machines would be a great impetus! Any takers?
Other calendar details (listed on the website)-Join us Tuesday, July 27th for a trip to SR Harris. Imagine the treasures to be had when a bunch of us start looking! We’ll car pool up to Brooklyn Park and have lunch because it will be hard work 😉
If you’re looking for a sewing related getaway, you may want to consider the Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan. What if we got a group going together? Novi is supposed to be THE expo for fashion sewing. Here’s the link to the registration: americansewingexpo.com. The dates are Sept. 24-26.
Well, that’s all for now folks. I better get back to my sewing. The tree is being removed piece by piece (and distracting me just a wee bit). Every once in a while everything shakes as it falls more and more! Glad I slept through it.
The March installment of Club brings a wide variety of garments-
And some great Sew and Tell-
Fashion Sewing Club meets monthly and features garments with design changes, pattern review and sew and tell. All are welcome. Cost is $10. Click on Club to see dates, times and locations.
We enjoyed having Fashion Sewing Club at Hancock but with our new business set up we could no longer work within their corporate structure. To accomodate everyone for Fashion Sewing Club, we have added meeting times at Associated Sewing at 86th and Lyndale and Treadle Yard Goods on Grand Ave. in St. Paul. We hope this causes a minimum of inconvenience for you and more flexibility for us. We’d like to hear from you if you have ideas for other meeting times or places.
Thanks to all of the loyal Sew Amazing customers, Fashion Sewing Club has taken off with great success. To manage all that we’d like to do, we’ve decided to call ourselves “Material Girls” and see where it takes us. At this website you can find the schedules for the various locations of Fashion Sewing Club and classes that are taught by Debbie, Kristin and Laurel. For now you can register for the classes by emailing us. You can also register by calling the store where the class is held. Â You’ll need to pay at the class. We hope to be able to handle payment online soon.
We’ll also be blogging about things we’re doing, events around the Cities and anything we come across that we think might be interesting to sewing divas like yourself.
Material Girl Sewing 