Kwik Sew comes through again!

In case you are wondering what these goodies are: KWIK SEW once again donated these to the DC Threads Sewing lounge! This donation came unsolicited. Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, a KWIK SEW employee emailed me and just said they want to donate some measuring tapes. On Monday, 11/30, I came home to find a box full of min catalogs, the measuring tapes, and note pads (picture of those didn't turn out well).

Thank you KWIK SEW!

Sew thankful for you!

Hello. I want to thank each of you for your generous support, kindness, and assistance over the last year. I am thankful for the entire sewing community. Each one of you have been a great encouragement to me.

I trust that you will have a prosperous thanksgiving.

Thank you and many blessings to each of you.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! -JC.

Sew Glad We had this time Together

Laura and me.

Allison and yours truly.

A car packed with machines, material, notions, etc. Lots of hard work.

All good things must come to an end. :-( . Wrapping things up.

More fun!

Laura (co-fonder) lending a helping hand.

A few of the many projects.

Sew much fun: DC Sewing lounge!

Ready to go with a reversible handbag.

Sisters (below). Both learning how to sew. I was asked to guide them.

Sewing various stitches before beginning a project.

Allison (co-founder) gathering supplies.

The lounge meets every second Saturday of each month from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. We were very busy! At least 25 people and 4 volunteers (including myself).

Greenberg & Hammer keeps sewing alive!!

Comment from last week's NYC trip:

We all had a really great time meeting all "fellow sewers". I do so enjoy having parties and get togethers. Keep in in the loop for yourfuture endeavors.....keep sewing alive!!!

Frank Piazza
Greenberg & Hammer, Inc.

My "take home."

Doupioni from Metro Textiles (Two yards each). This may stay in the stash for a minute. :-)
Muslin (2.5 yards), pins, quilting pins, etc.

A happy JC :-)
By the way, I didn't spend an arm and a leg!

Standing in front of Parsons School of Design.

The "Big Button."

Lovely African fabric.

Back tomorrow

Greetings! I gotta go and get ready for work tomorrow! Thankfully, I am off on Wednesday for Veteran's Day. Anyone else off?

Someone asked what did I purchase? I have to post it tomorrow. Until next time......

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW.

Next stop: MOOD Fabrics

These were my two buddies: Barbara (front) and Harriet (back).

Me.

I couldn't resist snapping this old fashioned elevator! I was reminded that back in the day these elevators were actually in DC! The thought never came until I saw this guy!

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

More NYC

OK. You get to see what Greenberg & Hammer had waiting for us! Folding scissors, Keepsake Needle card, "Mark B Gone"
Very generous of Greenberg and Hammer.

This was the spread as we walked in. We had no idea that these were for us until we headed out and someone said: Take one! :-)

Next stop for myself and two other kind souls: Metro Textiles.

(No, this isn't my stash. It's coming). :-)

More of Metro Textiles.

These two stores opened on Saturday just for us.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE!

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Our ASG NYC Garment District trip!

Welcome Tee and the ASG!
Tee and a fellow sewist!
First stop for yours truly!

More shoppers....and stay tuned for more pics!

We had a great time in NYC all day yesterday.

Poll on sewing classes

We would like to hear from you.

Question: Does your child's school or your niece's or granddaughter's, etc. school have sewing classes?

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

November project

Simplicity # 2690

Looking to start hopefully in mid-November. One of the DC Threads volunteers showed this pattern to me back in the summer. I think it's cute!

All points North

In just two short weeks, I will be meeting and greeting for the first time many ASG members from the Maryland chapter plus taking my first Garment District trip with the group!
Was also told that Lindsey T will be on hand. I am looking forward to meeting and greeting her as well.
Hey, any other NYC or nearby bloggers be on the lookout!

PS: I'll try not to go broke, but who knows?!! :-)

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

A "Sew" Demo

Being a Toastmaster affords great opportunities to speak on various topics. I belong to a club at my workplace. So about two weeks ago, I figured what better way to give a "demonstration speech" (as this was the theme) than to do a sewing demo. I showed the group "How To Make A Drawstring Bag from a T-Shirt." This was minus the machine. At least it got the listener's creative juices flowing!

And The Winners Are...

Oops! I told everyone I would post the winners on Friday, October 16. Sorry! I was too tired from the work week to even get online last night. SEW with that said, the winners of the blogoversary give-away are:

1) Trudy
2) Joyce

See their unedited comments below.

Trudy said:

JC, I have learned so much from creating my own blog. I don't even know if I can list everything. At the very beginning it was a real challenge because I was not computer literate at all. I've learned how to retrieve pictures off of the internet and get them into the computer and then onto my blog. I've learned how to get pictures off of my camera into the computer and then onto my blog. I've learned lots of different ways to makes posts interesting from other blogs. I've learned and am still learning to be more creative. My writing abilities are improving. I've also learned many sewing tips and design ideas from other blogs. I've learned that I enjoy sharing information with others and helping them to improve their sewing skills. I've also made many friends in the sewing community, which I did not expect. Having my own blog also provides more accountability for me to continue to sew up projects knowing that others will be coming to see what I've done recently. You, JC, were actually the first person to help me with my blog when I first got started. You helped me figure a few things out. And you were the first person to start commenting on my posts. Thank you so much for your help and support. I consider you one of my friends.Have a wonderful day! Trudy Callan

Joyce said:

1) What have you learned and/or gained from creating your own sewing blog or what have you learned from another sewing blog?From others blogs I have learned many new techniques. I mostly get inspiration for others creations. Sometimes I see a project made from a pattern that I would never have even selected and it looks fabulous. Specifically after reading Trini's blog, I selected the same pattern, and made a great dress for myself. The cover photos on the pattern looked so plain that I would never have considered purchasing the pattern. After I saw her dress, I had to have the pattern. It is one of my best dress patterns in my stock. The Inspiration is wonderful!!

These were the only respondants.
I am contacting each now so that they can receive their Baskin-Robbins certificate!
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT!

It's not too late

Hi everyone. It's not too late to participate in the giveaway (see post below for details). Last day is Thursday, October 15. Hope everyone is having a great week!

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW.

Hey you Quilters!

Check out Amy's annual Blogger's Quilt Festival! All of the details are on the blog. (Click on her name right here for the blog).

Blogoversary Give-A-Way

Greetings! The actual blogoversary day is Friday, October 9.

Yes, these are real $2.00 off coupons from Basking Robbins!

I know...this is SEW unrelated to sewing, but we just want to thank you for your support and visits.

This will not be complicated: no quizzes, no trivia questions-none of that!

The only thing you have to do is be among the first three people to email me an answer the following question:

1) What have you learned and/or gained from creating your own sewing blog or what have you learned from another sewing blog?

Is that simple or what?

We are running this tonight: Thursday, October 8 and it will end Thursday, October 15.

The winners will be posted on the blog Friday, October 16. From there, I will contact each winner individually and mail the coupons to you.

Blessings. Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW.

Memorable Expo Moments

Fat quarters from Hancock's: On sale + discounted.
Two DVDs from Cynthia Guffey:
Preparation for Sewing Part 1
Preparation for Sewing Part 2
(I asked Cynthia what DVDs would cover most of what was taught in "Core Sewing Skills").

Cynthia Guffey, Expo Presenter

The day wouldn't be complete without this!

Expo: Binding and Batting workshop

Teri at work
Teri's work!

The Expo continues

Nice jewelry

Made from sweatshirts!

Lovely quits, aren't they?

A picture paints a thousand words!

Sneak Expo preview!

Kim finding a notion to display.

Kim displaying a lovely blanket.

Goodies, goodies, and more goodies!

A partial view of a vendor's quilt.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Please forgive the fuzziness in these pictures. Next set will hopefully be clearer. I didn't want to distract anyone while taking these. More to come. Gotta go!

Sewing and Quilting Expo

Hi everyone. Just a quick note to let you know that I attended my first Original Sewing and Quilting Expo in our area (Chantilly). I was only able to attend yesterday (Saturday). I really enjoyed myself and can't wait until next year. These are the workshops that I took:

• Notions Commotions (Kim Montagnese)
• Core Sewing Skills (Cynthia Guffey)
• What You Need To Know About Batting And Binding (Teri Chandler)

Thanks to Tee for suggesting anything by Cynthia Guffey. Everything she told me was true and more. She is one delightful instructor.

Even though I am not quilting, I figured the workshop on batting and binding would help in the future and it would not be too overwhelming (and it wasn't).

Oh, and I didn't go broke, either. :-)

Please check back soon. I was able to get some pictures of this memorable experience.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

DC Threads: Sewing and Blogoversary all in one!

You may or may not know this, but Laura and Allison are celebrating not only a year of blogging, but also, October markes one year anniversary of the DC Sewing Lounge.

Please stop by either the blog or the website. They have done a great work in the DC area in raising the level of interest in sewing. Additionally, they both are ASG members for which I am sure that the ASG is very thankful for.

Thank you ladies for all that you do!

Kreativ Blogger Award (Double nominee)

A gracious thank you to Tee for nominating me on 9/25/09. Please forgive my delay.

I am suppose to list seven things you don't know about me. Here we go:

1) A member of my employer's Workforce Wellness Program.

2) Award winning writer (poetry and essay).

3) Have numerous fitness certifications and have been involved for 15 years.

4) Placed second in an Area Toastmasters Table Topics speech contest on 9/29/09.

5) Attended my first "Original Sewing and Quilting Expo" today.

6) Fall is one of my favorite seasons. :-)

7) Love drinking lots of water.

Thanks again for this honor. Looking forward to another year of learning. :-)

UPDATE: Faye just nominated this blog for Kreativ Blogger Award today (10-5-09).

Now, I can go back and name the seven other blogs that I forgot to my first go around:

Elizabeth. She's not afraid to try new things, Stacy for her encouragment and talent, Judy @ Is Sewing A Sport. The title alone is "kreativ." Angelia,

Betty N, Sharon's blog for you vintage fans. Hard to close because there are so many. The Mimsy Muse: very kreativ.

BLOGOVERSARY MONTH!

It was one year ago that I started this blog....not knowing what to expect. I initially started it to motivate myself to re-enter and relearn how to sew. I had no idea it would grow to any followers, let alone 37!

A big thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit, for your encouragement, cheers, input.

THANK YOU!

Please stay tuned for more in a few days.

I will be attending my first Sewing Expo on Saturday. I wish I could attend the entire event.

See you soon. Stay tuned.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Don't forget

Hello everyone. We are about halfway through September and it is still NATIONAL SEWING MONTH. Please promote sewing. Here's just a few ideas: share some of your knowledge to a beginner and/or a wanna-be sewer, maybe do a demo on a quick project to friends/family members, sew something different...the list goes on.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Coming Attractions

Only 26 more days left and we will be celebrating our one year blogoversary!

The actual start date was around October 3, 2008-so give or take a couple of days. :-)

Stay tuned!

Sewing lounge: Great day!

Always great to meet new sewing buddies!

DC 's Haute Spot: The Sewing Lounge!!

Mary sews!
Allison assisting a sewer with a handbag.

Laura helping Mary with her pattern.

CORRECTION: Here's Lauren, Laura's niece!

Don't they look so much alike? :-)

More sewing fun!

There's Allison helping again.

Even thought I didn't sew, it was great returning. Very motivating! All age groups were present: from 8 to nearly (if not) 70.

So So Sewing along!

More So So Sewing fun

These are a continuation of a sewing group that met a few weeks ago. These pictures were posted by an attendee a week or so after that meeting. Looking forward to learning and meeting more like-minded sewers!

NATIONAL SEWING MONTH

Remember, September is National Sewing Month. Please remember in your own way anything you can do to promote sewing.

Yes, we can!

*For more information and ideas, please visit The Sewing And Craft Alliance or The American Sewing Guild.*

Look at Laura!

You can tell I'm still catching up. I just spoke with Laura a few days ago and she was so excited about her class with Kenneth King: Laura and Kenneth

She forgot to mention this pic I found on Lindsay T's blog. Our very own personal celebrity! :-)

Catching up

Greetings everyone! I haven't forgotten about you and have thought of each of you often.

First off, I returned back to work on Tuesday, August 25 after being off for a few months. Still adjusting to that.

Secondly, my internet has been down since last weekend until today. I've never had a problem like this. It wasn't on this end and I am thankful that everything is restored.

Looking forward to going back to the DC Threads Sewing lounge next week.

What little sewing I was doing will probably be on the weekends now. I am glad for the break this weekend! Take care and I'll be back soon.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Inspiring and encouraging

This email was titled "Inspiration" from a reader. The following are the exact comments. Name and contact information removed for privacy reasons. This email is an inspiration to me!

Hi JC:

Just wanted to say thank you for your blog has been an inspiration for me! I recently have begun to teach my grandchildren back to the basics of Life! I have 13 grandchildren and there are 5 that live in the same town that I reside!

I'm a product of Home Economics, from the 60's!! I'm 58 and @ the time my grandmother was trying to instill in me that Home Economics was a good thing, and that it would carry over into my years of course, I didn't grandma knew what she was talking about, but now I know and see for myself,the importance that Home Ec provides to one!

Just where is your group meeting, and how do you join your group, if that's not possible do you Know of a group here in XXXXXXXX??

I grew up in YYYYY and moved here in 98, for my son was stationed here, and I just Stayed, for the economy was real bad from where I came from. Looking forward to hearing from you!!

Thank You,

Thank you KWIK SEW!

Many thanks to KWIK SEW for generously donating MANY "KWIK SEW sewing guides measuring and basic alterations" brochures for the DC Threads Sewing lounge. This donation was unsolicited and came as a result of last week's Washington Post article.

Click individual picture to enlarge.

Another successful sewing meet-up

A neighborhood ASG member.

Participants eagerly engaged.

Helen, the neighborhood group coordinator for the MD chapter speaking. Helen is also a sewing coach with the DC Threads Sewing lounge.

Two representatives from the American Sewing Guild came and spoke to the group. We then proceeded to work on our future project: sewing children's clothes and ultimately donating them to children that are hospitalized.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

More donated items

Various notions

Another generous donation

Kudos again to WalMart!

Interfacing
Isn't this pretty?
Unique

Adorable!

THANKS WALMART! Once again, the DC Threads Sewing Lounge in conjunction with the ASG received another generous donation! Oops! Uploading limits constrained me from posting another one...coming shortly.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Tour de la WalMart!

Not too bad. Just chillin and killing some time while the manager was preparing the next stash donation! STAY TUNED!!

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Sewing Article

EZINE #2

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW.

Highlights on bags

The drawstring bag originated from the 6/23/09 "Low Sew-Get Your Sew On" post.

For me, it was easy. I tried to be a little creative by doing the following:

• Used drawstring for some bags
• Used traditional ribbon
• Wrights creative classics

Secondly, I pinned the colors of each t shirt (used for the casing) so that it would not move while I was sewing. This isn't in the video, but I thought it would help me.

Lastly, I also pinned the bottom part of the t-shirt (also not in the instructions), but again, this is something that came to mind so that it would eliminate the shirt bunching up as I was sewing it (especially as you get to to the bottom).

Above are two photos of the pins. It may be difficult to see because the shirt is white and I didn't think of doing this with the other shirts!

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW!

BREAKING NEWS!

We interrupt "whatever" for this breaking news clip:

DC THREADS: Taking the edge out of sewing!!

Hot off the press: DC Threads made Washington Post headlines!

Streaming things

Finished product: Drawstring bags

You may be wondering how did the one above appear out of no where? I did this one over a month ago before I had my digital. I just changed the drawstring out tonight.

Used a ribbon for this one also.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Before

An average t shirt.
Still going strong after 16 years!

I like the feel of this cotton t shirt...but was just a little snug.

This is still considered a before view as they are partially completed drawstring bags minus the drawstring.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

More fun and learning: So-So Sewing

These pattern weights that Laura graciously made for DC Threads volunteers earlier this year came in handy! Someone needed them as the fan begin to blow their pattern!
Each one, reach one.

Estella using some sophisticated (electronic) scissors. We were advised not to cheat and use our own scissors!

Above, my PJ pattern that I was at least able to get laid out and cut...now for the sewing!

Estella assisting with a skirt pattern.

BTW: Check out Estella's blog.

So-So Sewing

Estella instructing a participant.
All smiles!
Estella helping someone with the bobbin.

Continued instruction.

One happy, tired camper!

Please see the "meet-up" logo on the left side of the blog for more details on this new group! This meeting was Saturday, August 1.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Update from last post

Hello everyone. Thank you Tee, Trudy, Omega, and Faye for your honest and helpful feedback.
I received a response quickly and will post it verbatim following these remarks. No comment is ever too long. I treasure each one.

Here's the deal in a nutshell: After speaking with a staff person from the expo (name will be omitted for privacy purposes), she stated that some of the courses could have been worded differently.

This is one reason why I solicited your feedback because someone who has been an expo would know for sure if there are truly any offerings for beginners. Also, I mentioned that there were "few," not any at all.

The Expo staffer took the time to go through the entire brochure page by page (she wanted this option as opposed to reviewing it online), made recommendations, commented on each instructor's teaching style, and provided details.

Ladies, thank you again for your comments.

I thanked her for taking the time out a busy schedule to do this.
Here is the response:

Hi, JC --
Thanks for taking the time to contact us --- we have MANY classes for beginners, some of our faculty are really suited to the entry-level or novice and we can help you choose appropriate classes.

Are you able to call me during office hours? I'd love to chat with you for a few minutes so we can determine what experience you've had and what you'd like to achieve at the Expo.

I see you've really investigated things, but maybe we've not been clear about the experience levels for classes -- if there isn't one listed, which is the case with most all the lectures, it means everyone will learn in the class, and it is appropriate for beginners and those with more experience. The ideas, techniques and skills used do not require a huge sewing background, and the content has universal appeal and good value for those interested in the topic.

Your email is so interesting to me . . . I was at the ASG Conference in Albuquerque a couple of weekends ago, and one of their staff shared with me she started sewing 2 weeks before she attended one of our events. That was 4 years ago, and at this conference she wore a wonderful denim dress with a wide patent leather belt in their feature fashion show. She's much younger than I (I would guess late 20's), and has been sewing like crazy. So there's hope for you in filling a schedule with meaningful, helpful and satisfying classes!

I'll be here today until about 3:30, then again on Monday, at my desk 10am - 6 pm. Please feel free to call! Once we've chatted, I think you'll be able to choose classes and register online with confidence.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Disappointed, but not surprised

I recently received a brochure on the next Sewing and Quilt Expo before I received an email stating that online registration is now open. The expo in our area is from October 1-3, 2009 near Dulles Airport.

This would be (or should I say "may be") my first expo. After reading every single offering, I realized that there were only three things that a true beginner might be able to take without getting lost, frustrated, and/or discouraged.

Those classes were: Home Decor 101: Valances, Basics of Hand Quilting, and Basics of Hand Applique.

I sincerely understand that many conferences, expos, etc. (sewing and non-sewing alike) tend to offer classes, training, instruction, etc. for those that have some type of established skill level in that particular area (in this case, sewing and quilting) with the purpose of the participant expanding their current skills.

Overall, in my opinion, 99% of the Sewing Expo offerings are for the Advanced Beginner (that may be a stretch) , the Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert seamstress and/or quilter.

Dont get me wrong: There is nothing wrong with an organization having educational workshops that are designed to challenge those that have sewing knowledge, background and experience.

However, where does the true novice fit?

It would not even be worth the money to invest in a package deal. The minimum package starts at five classes.

It would be a stretch to locate five that would fit my skill level. Someone may say, take something anyway--you never know. And by the time you get home, it will be forgotten and who's going to be around to help you?

Furthermore, if you can't maintain what you obtain, then it is a waste of resources (time and cash).

Again, it was a little disappointing, but not surprising.

I have learned and am learning that the words:

• Essentials
• Basic
• Quick
• Easy
• See and sew (and it goes on)

..that the "big four" love to sound byte ...... their patterns all presume and assume sewing knowledge and experience.

So much so, one Simplicity's "easy" patterns left out an entire (major) section. I verified this with an instructor as myself and another student noticed this when we were in what was suppose to be a Beginning Sewing I class (Spring 2009).

If anyone out there has been to one of these expos, I would love to hear from you. Take care and as always, Happy Sewing!

NOTE: I emailed the people at the Sewing Expo. If they respond, I'll keep you posted.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Playing a little catch-up

Just catching up here. You may recall, some of the shirts were posted a few weeks ago. I decided to keep one for myself.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

How well do we know our fellow bloggers?
Not necessarily from a personal sense, but do we really notice their likes, dislikes, and other items they may post?

For example:

• Which ones live either in NY or close enough to frequent the Garment District?
• Which ones enjoy sewing for family?
• Which ones prefer not to sew for family?
• Which ones are facing either family illnesses or even death in the family?
• Which fellow blogger(s) are with child?
• Which ones recently started quilting? (not me-I'm still a wanna-be).

Just some food for thought.

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Quilting starter tools

10 x 24 mat
6" x 12" ruler, 45 mm rotary cutter.

Books: Super Simple Quilts by Alex Anderson and Liz Aneloski, Teach Me to Quilt by Leisure Arts, and Your First Quilt Book (or it should be) by Carol Doak.

These quilting tools and resources came from an early July sale that JoAnn's had. All except two books were suggested by a total stranger in June who say me reading quilt magazines in the grocery store. Thank you!

(Now the next action item is locating a class, but in the meantime, I will use these books to teach myself). :-)

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

Another cute, easy project!

Here's a cute low-sew, nice project



Used by permission. Courtesy: alamodestuff
Also visit the blog: alamodestuff
Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW

A Treasure

Laura recently paid me a visit to get the fabric stash (see post below) and was so kind to bring this lovely gift. Thank you, Laura!

Till we meet again, JC @ WANNASEW.

Having fun with Simply Spray

More tye-dye t-shirts using Simply Spray. Hopefully, this is improved from the very first time.

SEW generous of Wal-Mart!

Wal-Mart of Bowie, MD donated all of this to the DC Threads sewing lounge!
Look at this!

Nice ribbons!
Not to mention these lovely spools of thread!

Can't do without fabric. Four bolts! I wish you could see the off-white. Very nice.

One excited, thankful being!

Another view. Again, by the grace and favor of the Lord, we are very thankful for Wal-Mart's generosity. This happened by making one cold call on Thursday, July 2. I wasted no time hitching a ride to pick this stash up!

Final look.

Nikon Coolpix S 220 Wins!

Remember "The Search is On" about three weeks ago? I finally decided on the Nikon Coolpix S220. I really had my heart set on the Canon Powershot IS. Both received excellent ratings from various tech websites, however, for some reason, I liked the Canon.

The places I checked were either sold out and when they received a shipment, it didn't come, or another place sold an upgraded model. The two models above are considered in the mid-price range. And I refused to go over beyond that range!

I got everything set up and started taking pics today!

Greetings!

HAPPY INDEPENDANCE DAY TO ALL!

Consider this:

• Are you teaching someone how to sew?
• Are you considering starting your own sewing lounge, class?
• Do you know where to start?
• Do you know how to assess one's skills?
• Do you have a written plan in place?

Knowledge of a craft DOES NOT always mean one can communicate (teach or instruct) the craft!

If you answered "NO" to any of these questions, then I encourage you to consider reviewing the following site: SEWING PROSE.

Please don't let the fact that this program seems to be geared towards children and teens throw you.

A 30 year sewing veteran emailed me saying that she learned a few tricks.

For the advanced sewers that do peek-a-boos on this blog, this program also teaches fitting techniques that adults have benefited from and for many a seasoned sewer, is a continuous battle (my day is coming).

Trudy's recent post is relative to this conversation. She posted it on 6/24, I drafted this on 6/24.

Again, thank you for tuning in. As always, HAPPY SEWING!

Comment from "Low Sew Project"

Greetings everyone. The following comment came from JoAnn's online community. Someone read the blog and commented on the "low sew" post:

get your sew on
hello I love your video my two girls have several shirts they cannot wear so this projects to do together will be great. keep up the good work and please blog me I am new and my name is coffee and I love to scrapbook.

Low Sew Project

Get your sew on!

Create a simple drawstring bag out of an old T-Shirt! This is a great low sew project for your children, grandchildren, or yourself! I tried it myself and will post it soon.




Courtesy of Sew-What's New?

Here's what a first time crocheter can do...and actually did. A granny square blanket. A dear friend of mine gave me permission to post it. She and her daughters had a private lesson with another dear friend. She is going to use it for her family's next baby girl due any day now!

I think I remember how to do granny squares now!

A Sewing Summit?

Laura (DC Threads co-founder) reviewing notes. JC and Helen.

This was a summit. A recent summit committee meeting of DC Threads. Three others were in attendance--my camera decided not to participate in taking more pictures! (all the more reason for a digital camera).

The sewing lounge is growing. Check out the website. Cheers!

The search is on...

Greetings! I am searching for a digital camera. Since the creation of this blog, I have been using one-time use (AKA "throw away") cameras and/or throw-away digitals from CVS. That gets into some heavy cash after a few clicks.

Any suggestions? Let me know via comment or @ WANNASEW
Please let me know why a certain choice is your favorite. Thanks so much!

PS: I've gone online to various websites and have narrowed my search down, but I'd love to hear from you.

Forgot to tell you

Remember back in March when I posted a link to some potential PJ's that we were making in class? Here's the link: http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2260971070868059878&postID=8973349569729806480

Well, I tucked them away and forgot all about them! So I had to sneak in the basement while the house was empty (I'm suppose to be off my feet--don't tell anyone that I disobeyed) and grabbed these pics!

It's a start. They're probably too big. That's why they're still downstairs in my sewing storage bin. I added them on my Flickr (for now) before I even posted here.

Vintage patterns for the plus sizer

HATS OFF TO TRUDY!

I knew that Trudy loves vintage patterns, clothing, etc. so I emailed her. Not to my surprise, I noticed that many vintage blogs, websites, stores, etc. either do not carry anything for the plus sized person, or if they ever did, it they had a very limited selection.

I've even been to some of the sites that I follow where they sew vintage clothing on a regular basis. Please link to Trudy's site. She was able to find some resources that I did not have access to--but now I have these resources, and now, so do you!

I am a member of...

If you teach, do presentations, etc. and want to improve your speaking and leadership skills, Toastmasters is a practical inexpensive option.

Creative, Crafty, simple project

1) I purchased Simply Spray from Jo-Ann's.

2) Decided to use white large undershirts as T-shirts. Purchased these from Sam's.

3) I used my bed by covering it with newspaper. I also used a table the second time.

4) I also used some thick plastic (this is optional) on top of the newspaper.

5) After spraying "creatively," I am examining the sleeve (as if I know what to look for!)

6) This is after the first attempt.

7) Two finished products. I gave these to my sister last week. She emailed back and said she really liked them. Said they "were cute."

8) Another finished product in the drying stages.

9) These two were done on 6/6/09. One is a small, the other large. Off they went to a mother daughter as a surprise!

Here's how this all got started: In mid- April, I went to our brand new Jo-Ann's superstore in Brandywine, MD. They happened to be doing a demo on t-shirts using the Simply Spray. They got me. The three pack (first few pics) were on sale. I went back on 6/5/09 and purchased individual colors to make the green/yellow set.

On picture # 9, I used my bed covering it with packing paper. I used some strapping tape on a few edges to hold the paper down. Before spraying, you can wrinkle different areas of the t-shirt.

The directions are on the can and the back of the package cover. The spray washes off hands with soap and water. A very minimal amount was on a couple of fingers.

FINAL COMMENTS: They look much better in person (not that I'm the greatest creator) and your finished project will, too. TRUST ME!

**This is great for kids, adults, and fun!**

STAY TUNED!

Hello everyone! Hope you're having a SEW fantastic weekend! Haven't forgotten you. I'll be back early next week with some easy crafting projects.

Again, thanks for  stopping by.  -JC.

Sewing Lounge Shoutout

On Wednesday, May 27 Sara Trail was featured on Diva Craft Lounge as a guest. At the end of the broadcast, she gave a shout out to JC (me) and Allison.

This was an unexpected and pleasant surprise!

Diva Craft Lounge is a part of Blog Talk Radio Network and has listeners in 102 countries worldwide!

If you are trying to teach anyone how to sew: your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, if you are a sewing/craft teacher yourself, Sara's new book and DVD are a must! Even us big kids can learn something.

UPDATE ADDED 5/30/09: Don't forget to check AMAZON and B&N for my review on the book. I just received mine today. If you order from Sara's website (listed above), you will receive an autographed copy.

Notice the complimentary spool of thread? This is on the August 2008 issue. Courtesy: Coats and Clark.

SEWING WORLD MAGAZINE

I ordered the six back issues above: February, March, and April 2009 and July, August and September 2008.

WARNING: Because the magazine originates from Britain, the US subscription price is pricey. They have a US distributor.

Mother's Day Memoirs. Better late than never.

(Please click on image to enlarge)

BREAKING NEWS! (DC Threads & The ASG)

May 14, 2009

It’s official — the DC Threads Sewing Lounge is now a Neighborhood Group of the American Sewing Guild (Maryland Chapter)! This is a fantastic development for us, as it enables us to be part of a national network of people who believe in sewing as an art form and life skill.

What does this mean for the DC Threads Sewing Lounge? For starters, it connects us to a nationwide organization that does on a macro level what the DC Threads Sewing Lounge aims to do for the District: it gives people an opportunity to meet others who share their sewing interests, learn new skills, and participate in community service projects. It also means that the DC Threads Sewing lounge can operate under ASG’s nonprofit status, which enables us to receive tax deductible donations for much-needed supplies and equipment. It’s a win-win partnership that helps us to grow and ASG to fufill its mission of spreading the joy of sewing to more people.

You don’t have to be an ASG member to come to the DC Threads Sewing Lounge sessions, but if you want to find out more about the benefits of membership, there will always be information available at our lounge events. And if you can’t wait until then, you can contact us for more details.

We are so pleased to be taking this step — thanks again to the leadership of the Maryland Chapter of the ASG for helping us to make this possible!

Laura and Allison

Thanks SEW Much!

On May 14, Sara was so kind to visit me. I am showing her Sew Smart book and the Sew Stylish magazine that I had just received when I subscribed to Threads Magazine. Sara is one of the volunteers with the DC Sewing Lounge.
Great conversation!

And if the visit wasn't enough. She came bearing gifts. I was honored to receive SEW FAST SEW EASY by Elissa Meyrich. This is one of the books on my blog bookshelf!

An additional treat: Turkey-sausage and Lasagna.

This is a Biyani recipe. Thank you so much for your kindness!!

FEATURING:

MUSINGS ON ALL THINGS MIMSY

She found me on Twitter. Stop by and say hello.

SARA'S QUILT PROJECTS


MORE SNIPITS OF SEWING WITH SARA

A Blessing

Back Porch Blessings wrote:

"My gal JC at http://www.blogger.com/profile/17087419645536992001 her comments always warm my heart and I know that all I have to do is ask and she will be there to guide me and pray me through whatever heartache or headache I may be dealing with."

We were graciously nominated a second time for this award.
We strive to be of service to any and everyone that is an active sewer and/or who has an interest in sewing.

HAPPY SEWING. PLEASE BE SAFE THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

CHECK OUT MEG'S CRAFY SUMMER SERIES @ BRASSY APPLE
I'M IN, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

TAKE A PEAK @ SARA AND HER MODELS.



SARA'S BLOOPERS WHILE RECORDING

Blogger Buddy Award

On May 17, Omega nominated me for this kind award. Thank you so much. It is always so difficult to select from so many blogs. Ever noticed how my FAVORITES keep increasing?! That's because I enjoy each and everyone of you. Hopefully, I can list some that may be new to you and always worth checking out:

1) Meg @ Brassy Apple

2) Trudy @ Sewing With Trudy

3) Gail @ My Fabrication

4) Natalie @ School of Crafts

5) Amy @ Park City Girl

6) Angelia @ Sew Much to Sew and Crochet

7) Aisah @ Oba Quilts

8) Jini @ Learning-to-Sew

Jini @ How to sew a tea cozy

9) Sara @ Sew Sara Sew This is actually a website. Hope she'll get a blog going. Sara is a 13 year old that has a DVD and two new books.

I enjoy seeing a younger generation take an interest in sewing.

These are some really great blogs!

Thank you each of you and thank you for Omega. When I first had an interest in sewing, Omega was the first blog that I found. She offered much advice and encouragement and after seeing her blog, I couldn't help but to at least try to get in on the fun of blogging.

DC's DIY Sewing Lounge....

Greetings. You may be asking: why the sad face? Well, I wasn't able to attend the May 9th Sewing Lounge .
Sew, thy servant hast no gifts to bear for thee (no pictures ).
In fact, I won't be able to attend for at least three months.

But, the good news is, I heard there were 17 attendees and of those, 10 were first-time sewers!

Now, that is good news!

A Soft Spot

Greetings, everyone. I guess I have a soft spot for those that have never sewn before. The true novice. Most that check out this blog are very versed and talented sewers. Thanks again.

Sure. one day when I grow up, I want to be an Erika B, a Sew Sassy, a Lindsay T, and many more. And one day, we'll get there.

With that said, who knows what might come out of these thoughts? Just thinking out loud.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and Happy Sewing!

Have you joined yet?

I did! I know there are many BWOF fans out there. Here's the direct link. If there's not a club in your area, why not start one yourself?
HAPPY SEWING.

Inspiring: Why we do what we do

VERY MOVING.

You probably already know this, but.....

You probably already knew this. I mean, you probably already about Martha Stewart's website. Here's just a sample of some good projects. Check under Ideas Project Gallery

Happy Sewing!

ADDENDUM: Martha also has a new book just published in March 2009 titled: Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A-To-Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration [MARTHA STEWARTS ENCY OF CRAFTS] . You can get more details on Amazon.

**UPDATED 5/2/09: MARTHA'S WEBSITE UNDER THE CRAFTS SECTION HAS SOME EXCELLENT SEWING AND CRAFTING PROJECTS. I JUST ADDED A LINK FOR "SIMPLE BABY QUILTS."

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/simple-baby-quilt?lnc=38f9cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=showmain_tv_the-martha-stewart-show

Attention closet quilters and wannabe quilters!

NOTE FROM JC: The following is an article written by Becky Wolsk. Becky has been quilting for about 10 years. I met at the Sewing Lounge meetings. She has a passion for quilting so when I asked if she would write an article for interested quilters, she cheerfully volunteered.

RESOURCES FOR LEARNING TO QUILT
By Becky Wolsk

The best way to learn to quilt is to learn from another quilter, in person. Look for classes held at quilt shops, where the instructor and staff members can help you pick out fabric (100% cotton is best), and tools, AKA “notions.”

Book List:

Your First Quilt Book by Carol Doak

The Quilter's Ultimate Visual Guide, Ellen Pahl, ed.

Quilter's Complete Guide by Marianne Fons and Liz Porter

If you’re making a quilt with children:

Handprint Quilts: Creating Children's Keepsakes with Paint and Fabric
and Calendar Kids: Handprint Quilts Through the Year by Marcia L. Layton

If you’re teaching children to sew or quilt:

Sewing Fun for Kids: Patchwork, Gifts & More and The Best of Sewing Machine Fun for Kids by Lynda S. Milligan and Nancy J. Smith

Website List:

http://quilting.about.com/ Skillfully coordinated by Janet Wickell

http://www.quilterscache.com/ Marcia Hohn generously provides free quilt patterns and lots of clear how-tos for beginning quilters.

http://www.quiltcetera.com/Basic-Quilting-Techniques/files/category-bqtc-00231.html
Quiltcetera’s Basic Quilting Techniques Course, by another community-minded, generous quilter, Bradie Sparrow.

Quilt University at www.quiltuniversity.com Diverse array of reasonably priced classes by master quilters, a free sample class, and an excellent links page.

http://quiltville.com/ Bonnie Hunter makes gorgeous scrap quilts, and makes many free patterns available at this site. She’s a great blogger as well.

Here is a link to a free, full-size quilt pattern that is simple and elegant:

http://amybutlerdesign.com/pdfs/LotusQuilt.pdf

Quilting Bloggers:

http://schoolofcrafts.blogspot.com/ This blog is excellent in its own right, and also a gateway to the quilting blogosphere.

http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/ Jude Hill’s online journal is exquisite, subtle, cerebral. She describes it as “a personal journey into gift giving and story cloth.” Great list of links, too.

Charity quilting is a great route for beginning quilters to take (hint, hint).

Project Linus distributes handmade blankets, including quilted, knitted, and crocheted blankets, to children nationwide via many state chapters.
www.Projectlinus.org

You can also peruse Bonnie Hunter’s charity quilting page at http://quiltville.com/charityorg.shtml for other worthwhile ways to spread warmth through quilting.

DC/MD/VA-based Resources:

Since I am from Washington, DC, I can’t resist sharing same of my favorite local links:

“Service Projects” page for Needlechasers (the guild I belong to)

http://www.needlechasers.org/serviceprojects.htm

Other DC-area guilds can be found here:

http://www.needlechasers.org/otherguilds.htm

This guild list includes a link to Northern Virginia’s Quilters Unlimited, with its 12 chapters. http://www.quiltersunlimited.org/

DC Threads, at www.dcthreads.org, was founded by Laura Lee and Allison Lince-Bentley. Through their outreach (monthly sewing lounges, and Stichin’ For Change), and a great website, participants work on their own projects in a collegial atmosphere, learn to sew, or help others learn to sew. The DC area’s craft scene is flourishing right now, in spite of, or even because of, the bleak economic climate, and DC Threads is a part of this larger scene.

For fabric and supply shopping, if you are in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, please consider supporting these local businesses:

Capitol Quilts
Gary & Susan McLaughlin, owners
15926 Luanne Dr., Gaithersburg, MD
301-527-0598
www.capitolquilts.com

Artistic Artifacts
Judy Gula owns a fabulous crafter’s paradise in Alexandria, VA (http://www.artisticartifacts.com). You can sign up for workshops, order products online, and Gula has a link to her blog from the main site.
4750 Eisenhower Avenue 
Alexandria, VA 22304
703-823-0202 x213
judy@artisticartifacts.com

Honfleur Home
8519 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
800-656-3587
http://www.honfleurhome.com
Honfleur Home donates a portion of their proceeds to arts and education. They run classes, and sewing cafes where you can rent time on their sewing machines!

Becky's Quilts

Becky's creation!
A Project Linus quilt created by Becky.

BRIEF UPDATE

Hello. Many thanks to our global bloggers that have shared comments thus far. I truly enjoy your blogs as well and will be in touch with you personally. I may not be posting regularly for a minute. Re-cooping from an accident, but I will keep checking out everyone's sewing projects as I am able.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit. I apologize for not posting more. Thanks for the recent followers. Your blogs have always and continue to be an inspiration and encouragement to me.

IN THE WORKS: A write up from a fellow quilter with pictures!

Global bloggers and friends

LONDON, ITALY, MALAYSIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, FINLAND AND ALL OF OUR GLOBAL FRIENDS:

We'd love to hear from you! Thank you for visiting. Please let us know how you found us.

Are you a seamstress?
Crafter?
What are your interests?