Sew Beautiful Blog

Wrap Your Heart with Lace

2012-01-31T12:06:00.000-06:00

In celebration of Valentine’s day, learn how to shape lace into a heart. This international symbol of love is one that we use to teach beginners because it incorporates both curves and miter techniques used in shaping all of the other lace shapes. If you can wrap your heart with lace, you just might fall in love with heirloom sewing.

Watch video below:

Want to see more? Buy the full DVD at Store.MarthaPullen.com.

The Dish(towel) on Aprons

2012-01-12T09:02:00.000-06:00

By Betsy Iler, Assistant Editor for Sew Beautiful magazine.

Asked to design aprons for the staff of a renewal weekend in my church, I had to come up with something colorful and unique, as well as very cost effective. I bought 14 white dishtowels at a discount market and then raided my stash for embellishment supplies.

In addition to several yards of cotton solids, I found rickrack in assorted bright colors, a soutache braid I bought at the Martha Pullen Company indoor yard sale last year, and lots of buttons. I also found an old pair of blue jeans that my son had long ago outgrown. I just sort of threw all of the pieces out on my sewing table and let the thread and scissors fly!

No two of the 14 aprons will be alike, but all of them will feature pieces of old blue jeans and the soutache braid, which lends continuity to the collection. The cross embroidery is from the Crosses machine embroidery CD, and the pocket embroidery is from MPC’s 2011 Internet Embroidery Club. I used true-type fonts in my Viking software to create the rest of the lettering.

I’ve spent less than $20 and cleaned out my stash, and the program staff will have these fun aprons as souvenirs of their service!

Boys Stitchin'

2011-10-26T17:03:00.002-05:00

Our talented graphic designer Courtney Kyle created the artwork for a delightful collection of machine embroideries that are sure to thrill the boys in your life. The Vintage Boys Stitchin' CD, now available at store.marthapullen.com, includes twenty-one designs for the 4x4 hoop and eighteen for the 5x7 hoop (twenty-one unique designs in all): Spaceships and robots; fast cars and big trucks; trains, tractors, boats and planes, all in vintage style and ready to embroider on clothes, quilts, backpacks and more.

Pair these cool designs with bright mini-checks and matching piping from Martha Pullen Company to decorate a growing boy's bedroom. Make a spread for the bed, window valances and pillows like the one here, and he'll never complain about bedtime! He'll cozy into bed with his favorite robot pillowcase and dream of adventures with all of his Boys Stitchin' friends.

Just for fun, we stitched up a rocket ship and spaceman on a soft knit suit, sure to tickle the fancy of a future astronaut. We also added a robot to a short-sleeved romper for the budding engineer. These delightful designs stitch out quickly and easily, and your favorite little man will wear them proudly.

Does he love motorcycles? Courtney's vintage rendition sports spoke wheels. Boats? He can choose the tug or the sleek speedboat. There are three unique robots, each in two sizes, and three unique rocket/spaceships in two sizes, so he won't outgrow his favorite embroideries even though he outgrows his clothes.

Join the Sew Beautiful Class Club!

2011-09-27T15:40:00.000-05:00

An absolutely easy A-line Christmas jumper tops the Class Club menu this month. Four digitized embroidery designs are included in the download for a jumper project that teaches beginner sewists how to adapt patterns, sew buttonholes and make reversible linings. This simple project can be completed in one day, so you’ll go home from your Class Club event with a finished garment -- two dresses in one!

The 5 x 7 embroidery design on our lime gingham jumper adorns an added hem band with three festively decked trees. We also digitized each tree individually for the 4 x 4 hoop, so you can choose a favorite for the dress front decoration. Apply jumbo rickrack over the seam and pair this delightful dress with a purchased knit top for a fabulous Christmas outfit. Add the tree embroideries to other garments, table linens and gifts to spread holiday cheer.

Express your creativity and design your own dress for the reverse. Make a loving look for a special Valentine, or whip up an easy jumper in a Halloween or Thanksgiving theme. (There were several autumnal ideas in the Sew Blessed pictorial in our previous issue.) We chose to make a second Christmas dress on the reverse, working with one of the super-cute “Isabelle” prints and the new machine embroideries from Anna Griffin’s collection. This is the easiest dress you’ll ever make, so double your fun and make it reversible.

Sign up for a class with your local Sew Beautiful Class Club dealer. Find a dealer at sbcc.marthapullen.com, or invite your favorite sewing store to join by downloading the flyer at sbcc.marthapullen.com/sbcc-share.html. –SB

Sewing community donates to Joplin, Mo.

2011-09-08T15:11:00.000-05:00

After the tornado devastated Joplin, MO this past spring, Susan Stewart encouraged the sewing community to help Joplin recover with Project First Day. Sue shares her effort to provide new clothing to Joplin children for their first day of school below...

Thank you so much to all of you who made Project First Day an awe-inspiring, overwhelming success!!! Give yourselves a hand, and a pat on the back! I received a total of 1474 garments/outfits from generous seamstresses all across the country and Canada. On Friday, Aug. 12, we loaded up 38 big plastic storage tubs and a couple of boxes into a rented U-Haul and took them to Irving Elementary School. Actually, Irving had been destroyed in the tornado, as had 90% of its students' homes, so an old retired school, Washington Elementary, was quickly refurbished to serve Irving's students. Someone had "Irving-ton" T-shirts made for the children! Besides the garments, there were tables of new donated shoes, and boxes and boxes of books for the taking. The distribution was on Tuesday evening, Aug. 16, on the eve of the first day of school. It was crowded, noisy, and exciting. I know we made some children happy, and we also made some mommas get teary-eyed! There were plenty of garments, with lots left over. Those will be taken to other schools which were either destroyed or had a large percentage of students affected.

You may have seen these, but here are links to some of the media coverage...
Local Pittsburg newspaper
Local TV station
Joplin Globe - this article was picked up by the Associated Press, and was published all over the country
Good Morning America
CBS Evening News
Joplin Globe follow-up
I was also interviewed by CBS Radio News (national) and a local radio station in Madison, WI. The Quilt Life magazine, published by AQS, is writing an article about this, and I may even be on The Weather Channel!

Again, thank you!!!!

- Susan Stewart

More Giveaway Winners!

2011-07-06T16:47:00.004-05:00

We have 3 more Hankie Couture books to giveaway, so here are 3 more randomly selected winners:

Alice (alice_white at hotmail dot com)

Cheryl (mrswcheryl at yahoo dot com)

Linda (huntoon4 at myfairpoint dot net)

Congratulations to each of you!

Hankie Couture Giveaway Winner!

2011-07-01T11:21:00.000-05:00

We are excited to announce the randomly selected winner of our giveaway contest! Thanks so much to everyone who entered!

1 copy of Hankie Couture: Handcrafted Fashions from Vintage Handkerchiefs goes to...
Kay (kguillot at gmail dot com)

Be sure to check back with us soon for more contests and giveaways!

Hankie Couture Giveaway!

2011-06-28T11:36:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! It's been a while since our last blog, so we thought we would give you a chance to win the Hankie Couture book by Marsha Greenberg. Hankie Couture: Handcrafted Fashions from Vintage Handkerchiefs showcases more than 100 cleverly crafted fashion doll dresses. You may have seen this book featured in the July/August issue of Sew Beautiful along with a free design download from our website.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this blog post below.

Be sure you include an email address or contact information so that we can contact you if you're a winner. Entries will remain open until Thursday, June 30th at 5:00 p.m. CST. One winner will be announced on Friday.

Wendy Week Giveaway Winners!

2011-03-14T09:28:00.003-05:00

Today we are excited to announce the randomly selected winners of our Wendy Week giveaway contests! Thanks so much to everyone who participated and we hope you had a fun week exploring shadow work embroidery with Wendy Schoen! Don't forget to pick up your copy of the book in our online store to continue the fun.

3 signed copies of the book Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery
Linda (wmsla at bellsouth dot net)
Karen (ksupper1 at verizon dot net)
Lori Anne (lorianne129 at gmail dot com)

2 copies of the machine embroidery disc, Wendy Schoen's Machine Embroidery Collection I
Laurie Guidry (ljg923 at msn dot com)
TexasQuilter (drummers2 at yahoo dot com)

Year of lessons from Wendy Schoen's Embroidery Club (2004)
Jean (jean at roadq dot com)

2 copies of Wendy's instructional Shadow Work Embroidery DVD, each paired with a floche sampler pack
Robin Fonville (robinfonville at hotmail dot com)
Cindy Sews (cindy_sews at hotmail dot com)

Ducky Daisy Pillow Kit from Wendy Schoen Design
Debi (dkerbes at comcast dot net)

Wendy Week Day 5: Free "Ducky Daisy" Design (Plus one last giveaway!)

2011-03-10T16:07:00.006-06:00

Welcome to Day 5 of Wendy Week here at the Sew Beautiful blog! With the release of designer Wendy Schoen’s new book Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery, we’re honoring the renowned artist and teacher with a week of special promotions and giveaways. We hope you have enjoyed joining us on the blog every day this week for exclusive book previews, an interview with Wendy, and our awesome giveaway contests - a different one each day!

Today we are giving away a Ducky Daisy Pillow Kit from Wendy Schoen Design! Details follow the instructions below.

To give you a small taste of what you can expect to find in Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery, we have excerpted Wendy's adorable "Ducky Daisy" beginning shadow work design. Color key and stitch instructions follow below; click here to download the Ducky Daisy design template in Adobe PDF format.

Using the techniques we shared with you yesterday regarding supplies and tracing off your design, prepare your fabric with the Ducky Daisy template, then stitch out design in the following order. (Check out the introductory video here if you missed it!)
1. Working from foreground to background, look for shapes within other shapes. Shadow stitch the wing as you would a teardrop shape beginning at the tip in the “V configuration.” Work the beak in the same manner. The eye and facial features are stitched, as well.

2. Work the neck tie and lower bow loop as you would a rectangle. The top loop is worked as a teardrop, beginning with backstitches down the center line then shadow stitched on the outer edges, ignoring the center line.

3. The head is worked as you would a circle, beginning at the top and worked toward the body.

4. To complete the design, work the body as you would an oval, beginning at the breast and worked toward the tail, ignoring the wing entirely, but piggy-backing the stitches that share common boundaries.

5. Enjoy your completed design!

TODAY'S GIVEAWAY
Today we are giving away a Ducky Daisy Pillow Kit from Wendy Schoen Design!

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this blog post below. Be sure you include an email address or contact information so that we can contact you if you're a winner. Entries will remain open through the rest of Wendy Week and the winners will be drawn at random and announced next Monday, March 14, 2011.

We hope you have enjoyed Wendy Week here on the SB blog! Don't forget you can still enter to win any of the giveaways announced this week by leaving a comment on their respective posts:

Monday: 3 signed copies of the book, Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery
Tuesday: 2 copies of the companion machine embroidery disc, Wendy Schoen's Machine Embroidery Collection I
Wednesday: An entire year of lessons from Wendy Schoen's Embroidery Club (2004)
Thursday: 2 copies of Wendy's instructional Shadow Work Embroidery DVD, each paired with a floche sampler pack
Friday (this post): A Ducky Daisy Pillow Kit from Wendy Schoen Design

Winners will be announced and contacted on Monday, March 14th, 2011. Thanks for joining us this week - it has been a blast!

Wendy Week Day 4: Video Lessons with Wendy (& another great giveaway!)

2011-03-10T08:23:00.006-06:00

Welcome to Day 4 of Wendy Week here at the Sew Beautiful blog! With the release of designer Wendy Schoen’s new book Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery, we’re honoring the renowned artist and teacher with a week of special promotions and giveaways. Join us on the blog every day this week for exclusive book previews, an interview with Wendy, and our awesome giveaway contests - a different one each day!

Today we are giving away two copies of Wendy's instructional Shadow Work Embroidery DVD! Each will be paired with a floche sampler pack (in either "layette" or "spring" colors) from Wendy to help you get started. Details follow the videos.

Have you always wanted to attend our MPC School of Art Fashion and take classes from Wendy, but haven't been able to make it? You're in luck. We produce teaching DVDs that are as close as it gets to the real thing! Here is a quick introduction to Wendy's DVD collection from the designer herself:

Today's Wendy Week feature is an excerpt from today's DVD giveaway, Shadow Work Embroidery with Wendy Schoen. Here, Wendy introduces you to the basic supplies you'll need to get started with shadow work as well as tips on tracing your design. (Hint hint...these will come in handy when we share a free design and instructions on tomorrow's Wendy Week post!)

All of the products and supplies mentioned in the video above are available from either Martha Pullen Company or Wendy Schoen Design. The rest of this DVD is filled with more great information, tips and instructions for shadow work embroidery, and would make a fantastic companion to the instructions found in Wendy's new book!

TODAY'S GIVEAWAY
Today we are giving away two copies of Wendy's instructional Shadow Work Embroidery DVD! Each will be paired with a floche sampler pack (in either "layette" or "spring" colors) from Wendy herself to help you get started. (Visit Wendy's website to order floche in many colors!)

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this blog post below. Be sure you include an email address or contact information so that we can contact you if you're a winner. Entries will remain open through the rest of Wendy Week and the winners will be drawn at random and announced next Monday, March 14, 2011.

If you are a Sew Beautiful fan, make sure you've "liked" our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to keep up with Wendy Week events (and more). Don't forget that Martha Pullen Company is also on Facebook and Twitter – you definitely don't want to miss out on this week's special deals. While all Wendy Schoen merchandise is on sale in our online store for 20% off all week, MPC will be featuring additional, deeper daily discounts on certain Wendy Schoen products!

Wendy Week Day 3: An Excerpt from the Book (Plus another giveaway!)

2011-03-08T15:33:00.008-06:00

Welcome to Day 3 of Wendy Week here at the Sew Beautiful blog! With the release of designer Wendy Schoen’s new book Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery, we’re honoring the renowned artist and teacher with a week of special promotions and giveaways. Join us on the blog every day this week for exclusive book previews, an interview with Wendy, and our awesome giveaway contests - a different one each day!

Today we are giving away an entire year of lessons from Wendy Schoen's Embroidery Club (2004), a current retail value of $105.00! Details follow the stitch instructions below.

Not quite sure what shadow work embroidery is or how it works? Today's post is for you. We are excited to share a short excerpt with you from the introductory portion of Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery, including a brief introduction to shadow work and a few of the "must-know" stitches you'll need to get started. Enjoy!

What is Shadowwork?
This lovely, delicate embroidery technique is most often found in white work and Broderie Anglaise embroideries dating back to the 18th Century. The technique is believed to be of Indian origin and until the 19th Century was worked exclusively in white on white fabric. Technically known as closed herringbone stitch and traditionally worked from the wrong side of the fabric, the stitch is worked over the finger in a sewing motion.

Herringbone stitch is worked along two parallel boundaries alternately, having one stitch placed on the first boundary, and the next on the second boundary. The stitches are always taken in back-stitch motion and worked from one boundary to the other alternately. They are aligned so each stitch shares the hole of the previous stitch on respective boundaries.

Once the work is completed, it is turned over to the right side to reveal a continuous row of backstitches along the outline of the design. Between the boundaries, a band of color shows through the semi-transparent fabric in a shadow-like effect, which results from the dragging of the threads from one boundary to the other. Because of this, the technique is most commonly referred to as shadow work and the stitch is called shadow stitch.

Used as a fill-in stitch, the work is brilliant for stitching flower petals, ribbons and bow shapes. Beautiful swirling shapes and long linear shapes look feminine and romantic, making the technique the perfect complement to baby wear and lingerie. Worked with broader shapes, such as those found in nature, shadow work leaves and flowers work up quickly and are quite attractive, especially for household linens.

Currently, it is more common to see shadow work with colored threads. The introduction of colored threads has changed the character of the technique immensely and the shapes have become more complicated to stitch, therefore working from the right side is the easiest method of stitching. This method of closed herringbone is most often referred to as shadow work.

Contrary to shadow stitch embroidery from yesteryear, the technique of shadow work is a bit different. Small motifs take shape and beautiful pastels are the norm in this new way of stitching the shadow designs. The technique has made enormous strides in the past several years and has evolved into a technique unique to itself. No longer worked from the wrong side of the fabric, the back-stitch is best when worked in an embroidery hoop.

As you will notice, almost without exception, the motifs in this book were designed for embellishing infants and children’s garments. This glorious technique is perfect for adding just a little embellishment to tiny garments, without fear of over-powering the delicate nature of its intended use.

For more information on shadow work embroidery and for many more detailed stitch instructions, designs, tips and patterns, get your hands on a copy of Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery (20% off all week!) and get stitching! For now, here is a short exerpt from the book showing a few of the must-know stitches for getting started with shadow work.

CLOSED HERRINGBONE STITCH
Shadow Work (Closed Herringbone), simply said, is basically a Backstitch. The backstitch is taken alternately from one boundary point to another. The stitches are lined up head to toe with every two stitches sharing a common hole. Usually the stitches are very short, less than 1/16” long, and it is important that they be stitched carefully so as not to “jump the track” of the stitching line. The stitches look pretty when they are placed exactly on the drawn line so take extra care to trace your design exactly.

BACKSTITCH
Working along the design line with one strand of floss, tie on with a split-backstitch directly on the design line. Take a short stitch from A to B and out at C, a stitch length away from B, covering the tie-on stitch. Each stitch should be placed head to toe, each sharing a hole with the previous stitch.

PIGGYBACKING
This term applies to the technique of stitching over an existing stitch. This is only done when two shapes share a common wall. The stitch is taken into the exact two A-B points as the previous section. If the two shapes are the same color, the stitches lay on top of each other. If they are different, they lay side by side, but are still sharing the same holes.

TODAY'S GIVEAWAY
Today we are giving away an entire year of lessons from Wendy Schoen's Embroidery Club (2004), a current retail value of $105.00! (Learn more about Wendy's Embroidery Club on her website.)

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this blog post below. Be sure you include an email address or contact information so that we can contact you if you're a winner. Entries will remain open through the rest of Wendy Week and the winners will be drawn at random and announced next Monday, March 14, 2011.

If you are a Sew Beautiful fan, make sure you've "liked" our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to keep up with Wendy Week events (and more). Don't forget that Martha Pullen Company is also on Facebook and Twitter – you definitely don't want to miss out on this week's special deals. While all Wendy Schoen merchandise is on sale in our online store for 20% off all week, MPC will be featuring additional, deeper daily discounts on certain Wendy Schoen products!

Wendy Week Day 2: An Interview with Wendy (Plus another giveaway!)

2011-03-07T15:25:00.010-06:00

Welcome to Day 2 of Wendy Week here at the Sew Beautiful blog! With the release of designer Wendy Schoen’s new book Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery, we’re honoring the renowned artist and teacher with a week of special promotions and giveaways. Join us on the blog every day this week for exclusive book previews, an interview with Wendy, and our awesome giveaway contests - a different one each day!

Today we are giving away 2 copies of Wendy Schoen's Machine Embroidery Collection I, the companion CD to Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery! Details follow the interview below.

So who exactly is Wendy? Allow us to introduce you! Wendy Schoen is a native New Orleanian who resides there with her husband, William, and their son, Evan who is in his 4th year of college. A regular contributor to Sew Beautiful Magazine, Wendy teaches at the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion and hosts the hand embroidery segments on Martha’s Sewing Room. Through her company, Wendy Schoen Design, Wendy has published five books on the subject of fine embroidery and sewing. She has published over 30 patterns marketed under the name, Petite Poché, of which she is the owner, and countless embroidery designs and kits. Her latest business venture in conjunction with MPC includes the production of three hand embroidery DVDs, Shadow Work Embroidery, Basic Embroidery and Embroidery II, and several machine embroidery disks, featuring Wendy’s original embroidery designs in digital format.

We're thrilled to bring you an exclusive interview with Wendy this week as we celebrate the release of her new book and machine embroidery CD. Enjoy!

SB: Wendy, we are proud and excited to be celebrating the release of your new book, Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some of our questions! Let's start out with the basics; tell us a little bit about yourself.
Wendy: Thank you so much for this opportunity. I have been designing as long as I can remember. I dressed my dolls in custom made outfits when I was a small child and decorated my blue jeans when I was a teenager. I designed and painted backdrops for a school play in the 6th Grade. I became an art director for a weekly newspaper when I was just 17 and worked in the graphic industry until I began my sewing business in January 1994.

SB: How long have you been sewing? Teaching sewing?
Wendy: I taught myself to sew when I was 28 years old. One day I decided it was something I wanted to do, and loving clothes as I do, it came naturally. I remember phoning my mother to tell her my decision to learn to sew. I asked if there was anything I needed to know and her advice was to follow the pattern instructions verbatim without skipping any steps. That was terrific advice, don't you think? I then asked what a selvage was, which tells you how little I knew about the craft. I loved it instantly. I have been teaching since 1994 and one of my first jobs was at the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion in Huntsville.

SB: Tell us how your business Wendy Schoen Design began and has grown to what it is today.
Wendy: I was a free lance graphic designer when I gave birth to my son, Evan in 1989. The schedule was killing me and taking precious time away from my baby. Because sewing was such a joy to me, I became disgruntled towards my job. When Evan turned 2, I attended the Martha Pullen School for the first time. I remember sitting in the lobby of the hotel thinking there must be a way for me to earn a living in the sewing industry. That's when I decided to write a book, which began my career in sewing. Five books, over 30 patterns, embroidery disks and dvds later, I managed to live my dream.

SB: You are an extremely busy woman, from running your own online store to designing patterns, managing an embroidery club, teaching classes all over, and of course, writing books and creating beautiful pieces! How do you stay on top of it all?
Wendy: Truthfully, I am a very motivated person and deadline oriented. I try to focus on the task at hand, and not think of all the other things going on until the task is completed. I attribute my success to my dear husband, Billy who literally bankrolled my business and my sister, Penny who continues to manage my business. Without them, I don't think I would be a success at all.

SB: From where would you say you get your inspiration for your sewing projects and designs?
Wendy: I never run out of ideas; everything inspires me. I can literally wake up in the morning with an idea or inspiration. I have always had a sixth sense of what color will be in vogue and the ability to envision a project to completion even before it has been started. Some of my best ideas come in the shower, when all I can do is think. I need complete quiet sometimes to rejuvenate and other times I can see beauty in the most humble objects.

SB: You have worked with Martha Pullen Company and Sew Beautiful magazine for many years. Tell us how that relationship formed and continues to develop.
Wendy: I think my marketing background helped me tremendously in promoting my business. I made an appointment with Amelia Johanson, who was editor of Sew Beautiful at the time, to show her my garment samples. She was interested in showing my designs in the magazine and scheduled articles immediately, which was quite lucky for me. It wasn't long after that I was teaching preday classes at the School of Art Fashion.

SB: Your new book Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery is now available. Not only are the projects and designs gorgeous, but your detailed instructions make this a must-have for any embroiderer. This book is the culmination of many years of planning and love; how did you make your way from inspiration to publication?
Wendy: This book has been long in coming. It probably would have been published a long time ago, but for the fact I was trying to make the transition from offset printing to digital and wasn't remotely familiar with the new design programs. The new technology intimidated me so much, I put off production for years. Luckily, Sew Beautiful approached me to publish and the project took off immediately.

SB: The book includes everything from an overview of shadow work embroidery to instruction for stitching different shapes, tips and techniques, a number of sweet designs, and two adorable patterns. What is your favorite part of your new book?
Wendy: Having the step-by-step directions for stitching the designs is invaluable. It has been my dream to finally have my original shadow work techniques in print. The techniques are uniquely mine and I was anxious to share the idea with everyone.

SB: Also available as companions to Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery are a machine embroidery CD, Wendy Schoen's Machine Embroidery Collection I, and an upcoming pattern. Tell us a little bit about these "extras".
Wendy: Not everyone has the time or inclination to hand embroider so it is my great pleasure to "introduce" my designs to machine embroidery enthusiasts. The machine stitch-outs have surpassed my expectations and look as lovely as the hand counterparts. The companion patterns are to be released next month and we are quite excited to offer them in a wide array of sizes. I'm very proud of them.

SB: What are some of your favorite go-to sewing tools?
Wendy: I am asked this question quite often, and I don't think I would want to be without a good quality embroidery hoop. Shadow work requires the fabric to be drum tight in the hoop. Those made by Clover and Susan Bates are the best on the market because of the inner rim which grips the fabric well and never slips. Of course, my embroidery needles are the best and I highly recommend them. Many say they are marvelous and I agree.

SB: What about some of your favorite sewing resources (publications, websites, etc.)?
Wendy: I don't really have a lot of time to view websites or blogs, but I do enjoy eBay every day. I love hunting for antique garments and patterns for inspiration or simply to collect. I also scour the boards for thimbles and stilettos, which I have been collecting for years and have too many to count. I actually use them, so I don't think it frivolous. I also keep my eye out for large lots of threads and trims to add to my ever growing collection. My antique books have been invaluable to my design business. I absolutely love reading and studying the old techniques to determine how they can be incorporated into my designs and lessons.

SB: You are a great inspiration for so many sewers. Who are YOUR sewing role models?
Wendy: Without hesitation, I would say Margaret Boyles, Judith Dobson, and Margaret Pierce are the embroiderers whom I admire most. And, of course, Wendy Lee Ragan, who was the best shadow work designer in the industry. Helen Poprick, my Aunt "Red" sewed beautifully and the summers of my childhood were spent watching her diligently at work. I'm certain she had a huge influence on my attention to detail. My mother sewed when we were babies, but her ability to make a silk purse from a sow's ear during my formative years was the catalyst of my creativity.

SB: What would your advice be for a true beginner of fine sewing or shadow work embroidery?
Wendy: Keep working on your embroidery, as it improves with each project. I can give you the tools to learn the techniques, but only you can put the miles on the fabric to further your skills.

SB: Any last words of advice for our readers?
Wendy: Handwork has been around for thousands of years. It has passed the test of time and is still as important an art form today as it was in ancient times. Let's keep it alive for many more generations to come.

SB: Wendy, thank you so much for sharing your stories, advice and talent with us. You are a true source of inspiration for all of us!
TODAY'S GIVEAWAY
Today we are giving away 2 copies of Wendy Schoen's Machine Embroidery Collection I, the companion CD to Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery! To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this blog post below. Be sure you include an email address or contact information so that we can contact you if you're a winner. Entries will remain open through the rest of Wendy Week and the winners will be drawn at random and announced next Monday, March 14, 2011.

If you are a Sew Beautiful fan, make sure you've "liked" our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to keep up with Wendy Week events (and more). Don't forget that Martha Pullen Company is also on Facebook and Twitter – you definitely don't want to miss out on this week's special deals. While all Wendy Schoen merchandise is on sale in our webstore for 20% off all week, MPC will be featuring additional, deeper daily discounts on certain Wendy Schoen products!

Welcome to Wendy Week - Giveaways every day!

2011-03-07T08:36:00.006-06:00

We are so excited to welcome you to Day 1 of Wendy Week here at the Sew Beautiful blog! With the release of designer Wendy Schoen’s new book Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery, we’re honoring the renowned artist and teacher with a week of special promotions and giveaways. Join us on the blog every day this week for exclusive book previews, an interview with Wendy, and our awesome giveaway contests - a different one each day!

Today we are giving away 3 autographed copies of Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery! Details follow the video below.

Today, we have an introduction to Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery from the author herself. We caught up with Wendy at the February School of Art Fashion here in Huntsville, Alabama last month, just as Wendy's book arrived in our warehouse. Check out our video below to see what she has to say!

Today we are giving away 3 autographed copies of Mastering Shadow Work Embroidery! To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this blog post below. Be sure you include an email address or contact information so that we can contact you if you're a winner. Entries will remain open through the rest of Wendy Week and the winners will be drawn at random and announced next Monday, March 14, 2011.

Honestly - the staff here at MPC is in love with this new book. The photography is gorgeous, Wendy's instructions and guided illustrations are wonderful and the final product is a must-have. Be sure to tune in to the SB blog again tomorrow for an exclusive interview with Wendy and another great giveaway contest!

Laurie's Surprise Sewing Room

2011-02-25T11:42:00.010-06:00

Today we have an extraordinary sewing room to share with you from one of our readers, Laurie Guidry. Lucky Laurie attended our February School of Art Fashion earlier this month, and when she returned home, she had a beautifully redecorated and organized sewing room! Drool over her space with us - it is sure to be a bustling hive of inspiration and creativity for Laurie from now on.

Laurie tells us:

When I went to School of Art Fashion in Huntsville, my niece and her mom, my sister-in-law, completely redecorated and organized my sewing room. What I had before was a jumbled mess of hand-me down furniture, stacks and stacks of fabric, boxes of mixed up laces and other trims. Add to that my patterns, my Sew Beautiful magazines and Martha Pullen books and what I had was one huge mess!!

When I got home, I felt like I was on one of those decorating TV shows and had won! I love my room. It is a beautiful soothing color and all of my fabrics folded and color sorted look like an amazing piece of art. My niece is very gifted in design and my sister-in-law is the organization queen. What a blessed month February was. A full week with all of my sewing family at the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion, then to come home to such a beautiful sewing studio. It doesn't get much better than that!! I wonder if I go to Huntsville again this summer is the design & organization fairies will come and redo the rest of my home....probably not, but it's a fun thought.

Enjoy your gorgeous space, Laurie – and happy sewing!

Do you have a beautiful sewing room you'd like to share with us? Send your pictures to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com.

Pattern Preview: Kari Mecca's "More Sewing with Whimsy" Ladies Pattern

2011-02-14T11:34:00.005-06:00

Kari Mecca fans, listen up: the More Sewing with Whimsy companion pattern for women is here and available in the shop! We are super excited to share this new addition to the Sew Beautiful Pattern Collection. It is available in sizes 4-24 and includes both sleeved and sleeveless versions of a round yoke top, a sleeveless square yoke top and two "bottoms" patterns - one of which can be adapted for 4 different lengths, from shorts to long pants. (The pattern is also available in preteen sizes 10-16!)

If you love the look of Kari's Whimsy Stick trims, flowers and other embellishment techniques but have no children to sew for (or just want to use some whimsy on yourself!), this pattern is made for you. It reflects the signature style and design possibilities seen in the More Sewing with Whimsy book and the - but in an adult (or preteen) size.
All of the top patterns can also be made as dresses! We think they would be great for spring and summer in light cotton prints, maybe cinched at the waist with a ribbon or small belt.
Here are all of the the pattern options:

Snag your copy of the pattern in the store for $12.00. Don't forget to grab a set of Whimsy Sticks and a copy of More Sewing with Whimsy to add some Kari Mecca style to your new creations!

Giveaway Winner!

2011-02-09T14:15:00.003-06:00

I'm excited to announce that the winner of this week's giveaway contest is......

Libby Leatherwood!

Congratulations, Libby. You will receive a copy of Precious Baby Daygowns, Round Yoke Collection; a package of Floriani Heat N Sta Fusible Fleece; and a can of Sulky KK2000. Enjoy! Be on the lookout for an email from us so that we can get your mailing address and send your prize to you asap.

Thanks so much to everyone for their congratulations, compliments and contest entries!

Shannon's Elephant Diaper Stacker

2011-02-07T12:15:00.009-06:00

I'm excited to share that there is a new Sew Beautiful baby on the way! I am 29 weeks pregnant with our first baby - a little girl. I have been having a blast planning her nursery and decided on a gray/yellow theme, with little elephants all over. Since my husband and I plan on having more children in the future, we are trying to keep things somewhat neutral so that if we end up with a little boy, reusing our nursery won't be an issue. I have been bargain shopping for the big things and sewing what I can to piece together a room I love, so picking out fabric and making my own accent pieces has been lots of fun for me.

One of my favorite projects so far has been this diaper stacker; I just love how it turned out and I was thrilled that we had a pattern on hand here at work I could use: the "Fancy Trims Diaper Stacker" from our book, Precious Baby Daygowns, Round Yoke Collection. I picked this pattern above many others I had seen because of its simple lines; I knew it would be easy to adapt to our nursery's style. (Below is a picture of the original diaper stacker from the book.)

And now for the giveaway! Since I had so much fun with this project, I want to give away a copy of the Precious Baby Daygowns, Round Yoke Collection book so you can make your own! I will throw in a package of Floriani Heat N Sta Fusible Fleece and a can of Sulky KK2000 as well, since I found both of these products to be extremely helpful when stitching this up. To enter, just leave a comment on this post -- and don't forget to include your email address so that I can contact the winner! Entries will remain open until this Wednesday, February 11, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. CST. Sorry, but the giveaway has ended!

The biggest changes I made are as follows:

The pattern called for 5 different fabrics, but I used only 2.
I did not use any decorative trims.
I did not piece the front top yoke piece as in the original; rather, I used one solid piece for both the front and back. I also omitted the ribbon rose and created my own elephant appliqué instead. (Let me know if any of you would be interested in having the elephant appliqué template and I will create one to share with you.)
I added lining fabric to the front, side and back panels, whereas the original instructions did not call for lining. (I snuck a peek at the actual original diaper stacker, and the fabrics used were just a bit thicker and more opaque than mine. I wanted the same or more stability for my version, so I just cut lining pieces to match the front, side and back panels and adhered them together with Sulky KK2000 during construction. The result was exactly what I wanted - nice firm seams and non-transparent panels!)
I did not use any water-soluble or invisible thread as called for in the instructions. Instead, I hand-whipped the back of every binding strip with my regular sewing thread.
I used a piece of cardboard covered with fabric for inside bottom instead of plastic canvas.
I made a mistake when cutting my front pocket pieces to size, so they are about one inch shorter than the instructions and the original call for - whoops! But the result is extremely similar and the pockets are still plenty large.

So with those adaptations in mind, here is an adjusted supplies list if you'd like to make a diaper stacker similar to mine:

1-1/2 yard Fabric A (yellow floral print; I used a Robert Kaufman print)
1 yard Fabric B (gray elephant print; I used a Japanese import fabric)
1 yard lining fabric (I used white drapery lining fabric I had in my stash)
Fusible fleece (two 16" x 10" pieces)
Steam a Seam 2 (about 6" x 6")
Cardboard (13" x 9")
Sulky KK2000
Fabric glue
One child's padded hanger
Basic sewing supplies

And here are adjusted cutting instructions:

From Fabric A, cut the following:

Two front panels, 7"W x 21"L
One back panel, 14"W x 21"L
Two side panels, 10"W x 21"L
One bottom block, 14"W x 10"L
One scrap piece of fabric for elephant appliqué, about 6" square
One scrap piece to cover cardboard piece, at least 14"W x 11"L

From Fabric B, cut the following:

Two yoke blocks, 16"W x 10"L
Two pockets, 7"W x 9"L
Two center front bindings, 1-3/4"W x 21"L
Two bias strips for pockets, 1-3/4"W x 7"
Two bias strips for hanger opening, 1-1/2"W x 5"L

From Fusible Fleece, cut the following:

Two yoke blocks, 16"W x 10"L

From Lining Fabric, cut the following:

Two front panels, 7"W x 21"L
One back panel, 14"W x 21"L
Two side panels, 10"W x 21"L

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

Because you will be using one piece of fabric for the front yoke rather than piecing the yoke together, you will omit steps 1-3 under the very first set of construction directions for the Yoke. Instead, you will first create the elephant appliqué following Steam a Seam 2 instructions. Iron the appliqué onto the center of your front yoke piece and stitch around the raw edges with a small zigzag. (I also stitched an ear shape with the same small zigzag.) Then, fuse the front yoke piece onto a piece of fusible fleece and continue on to step 4, quilting over the top of your appliqué. NOTE: You could also appliqué piece after quilting for a different look.
Instead of stitching-in-the-ditch or using invisible thread, hand-whipstitch the back of all binding pieces.
Before sewing the major panel pieces together, adhere the front, side and back panel pieces to their matching lining pieces with Sulky KK2000 and treat each as one piece.
Instead of inserting plastic canvas into base as in step 20, trim cardboard base to size if needed and cover with fabric and secure on back with fabric glue (I used Fabri-Tac glue). Let dry and insert into bottom of diaper stacker.
Omit the "Yoke Embellishment" section. Insert padded hanger to yoke and hang for use!

Again, I am giving away a copy of the Precious Baby Daygowns, Round Yoke Collection book, where you can find this patter, as well as a package of Floriani Heat N Sta Fusible Fleece and a can of Sulky KK2000 so that you can create your own sweet diaper stacker. TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY, just leave a comment on this post -- and don't forget to include your email address so that I can contact the winner! Entries will remain open until this Wednesday, February 11, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. CST. Sorry, but the giveaway has ended!

Judy's Embroidered Swirly Tree

2011-02-02T10:04:00.002-06:00

I got the best surprise forwarded to me in my email inbox yesterday - SB reader Judy Gresham had sent us a picture of her version of my swirly tree embroidery from Issue #133! In my "Seasonal Swirls" article, we gave readers the hand embroidery template for this tree design (the original is pictured below). Judy put her own twist on the tree as a gift for her mother by adding a sweet red bird in the branches along with a partial poem by Whittier. Judy tells us:

I thought you might be interested in how I used your design. You will see I added a red bird (she loves birds and I thought it would make it pop the piece). I used overdyed yarn for my tree because I like the variations it provides and stitched on linen.

You can find the hand embroidery template for this tree on the pullout centerfold of Issue #133; back issues are available on our website. A machine embroidered version (pictured below) is also available on our website for purchase and download.
Judy, thank you so much for sharing your creation with us! It turned out beautifully.

Have you put your own twist on a project from SB? We want to see it! Send us pictures of your projects to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com.

Valentine's Day Inspiration from the Pages of SB

2011-01-26T10:57:00.007-06:00

In preparation for Valentine's Day, we have perused some of our favorite springtime back issues of Sew Beautiful for some holiday-appropriate inspiration! All of these issues are still available in our web store, so click on the issue links provided in each description if you would like to purchase a copy. Of course, we know many of our readers faithfully hang on to their collection of SB magazines for years, so you may just find the perfect new project for a sweetheart in your life already hiding on your shelves.

Do you have any Valentine's or heart-themed sewing projects you'd like to share? Send us your pictures with a brief description to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com!

Above, "Hearts & Flowers" smocked dress by Linda Richards is from Sew Beautiful Issue #116. Article includes the adorable heart flower smocking plate.
Our "Sweet Valentine" dress by Linda Richards and Monica Estrada was a popular dress from SB Issue #104. While the article gives readers the smocking graph and instructions, the pattern is available for free on this issue's pullout centerfold in sizes 2-6.

Janet Gilbert created the blue dress above, "Little Heart of Mine," featured in SB Issue #118. The dress is made using our popular "Dainty Designs" pattern from the Sew Beautiful Vintage Collection, and the article instructions include both the smocking plate and instructions for adapting "Dainty Designs" for a smocked panel.

This sweet pink dress was created by designer Debbie Glenn and was featured in "Designer Details" in SB Issue #110. The pattern and smocking plate are from her book, Victorian Treasures: Nostalgic Needlework Projects, which can be ordered on her website.

This gorgeous cover gown entitled "Heart of Roses" is from our 20th anniversary celebration issue, SB #110, and was designed by Cheryl Davidson. The article features both the smocking and embroidery instructions and templates.

This super-cute reversible play top was designed by Diane Bradshaw and can be found in SB Issue #116, entitled "Two of Hearts." The heart templates are available on the pullout centerfold of this issue, and the article includes instructions for both the heart appliqué and dangling chain of hearts.

This heirloom slip article by Nancy McEvoy from SB Issue #104 is full of freebies. While the pullout centerfold includes the heart lace shaping template, you can still download the machine embroidery design (for free!) on our website. (The bear is also included.)

Last but not least, Hope Yoder's "Sweet Heart Jacket" from SB Issue #116 is based on the "Robin's Little Jacket" pattern from The Children's Corner. In the article, readers learn about twin needle quilting, lace shaping in the hoop, and embellishment techniques for ribbons, trims and raw-edge ruffles.

It's Just Charming!

2010-12-16T08:17:00.002-06:00

Juicy Couture, the design house that made track suits chic, carries all sorts of unique and colorful charms that speak to lifestyles, hobbies and frankly a love of fashion and passion for Juicy. But it wasn’t difficult for us to pick out our favorite. Their little pink sewing machine ($58) is a must-have trinket that no sewing enthusiast can resist. It’s sweetly detailed with a rhinestone-encrusted hand wheel, a spool of thread and even a miniature plug. Can you say, Christmas gift? Visit a Juicy Couture Boutique near you, or log on to www.juicycouture.com and click on “Charms.” ~Amelia Johanson, Associate Editor

The White Issue: A Teaser Preview

2010-12-08T11:45:00.007-06:00

You'll need to put Issue #134 on your must-have list! The January/February 2011 edition of Sew Beautiful, is our celebration all things wonderfully WHITE. Newsstand sale date is 1/4/11, and subscriber copies should start mailing out within the next few weeks. Keep your eyes out for this amazing issue - it will be worth the wait.

Apologies and a Christmas giveaway!

2010-12-02T11:04:00.003-06:00

Hello friends, and please accept our apology for the an extended hiatus on the SB blog! We have such a small full-time staff that in the wake of our super-busy schedules getting Christmas and January issues out on time, we've let the blog fall by the wayside. We do fully intend to revive it as soon as we can dedicate some time to developing some new content for you! And submissions for future posts are ALWAYS saved, so feel free to send them to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com.

In the meantime, we just posted a new Christmas embroidery giveaway contest on our Facebook page that we hope you'll enter! We're giving away TWO packages, each of which includes: a copy of our Retro Christmas Stitchin' machine embroidery CD; a copy of our new Craft E-Pad; a Sewline Mechanical Fabric Pencil; a blank floursack towel with red trim; a blank linen towel with dotted trim; and a package of John James Sharps, size 8. Retail value is over $50! To enter, visit our Facebook page immediately, as this giveaway ends tomorrow, Friday, December 3rd at 12:00 p.m. CST.

Thanks for your continued support, it means the world to us!

Celebrate Halloween with Sew Beautiful!

2010-10-25T11:39:00.004-05:00

Happy Halloween from the staff at Sew Beautiful! It's that time of year, and whether you're aiming for spooky or sweet, we have lots of ideas for you to create your own holiday magic. This autumn, we celebrated the release of our new vintage-inspired Halloween Stitchin' machine embroidery CD, complete with 20 multi-format designs (eight 4x4 words or phrases and twelve picture designs in both 4x4 and 5x7 sizes). You can snag one for $40.00 in our online store.

For some ideas on how to use these fun new designs, we featured a spread of projects in Issue #132, including a cute embellished pennant (templates available on the pullout centerfold of that issue), a custom treat tote (instructions and templates also on the pullout centerfold), and simple embellished linens (linen blanks available in our online store). Once you have your Halloween Stitchin' disc in hand, all you need is some ribbon, rickrack, buttons and felt baubles to get creative.

TIP: Don't have the time or patience to sew on all that trim? We are fans of using products like Steam-a-Seam 2 and Fabri-Tac glue when in a pinch! Or use our old favorite, Roxanne's Glue-Baste-It - you can tack it in place now, and sew it later for a permanent finish.

In Issue #132, we also shared some easy costume ideas from designers Audra Kennedy, Kari Mecca and Sis Hutchison that would be perfect for trick-or-treating, or even just playing dress-up.

The top three costumes pictured above are made using our blank skirted bubbles and embellished with sewn-on chiffon ruffle tutus and Whimsy Stick trims, while the bottom tutu is easily made with strips of tulle netting and elastic. Easy instructions for both tutu styles are available in Issue #132; information on the "Not-so-scary Witch" costume is available on our website.

For even more Halloween ideas, we referred back to our Pumpkin Parade feature in Issue #126, September/October 2009. Appropriate for both Halloween and autumn alike, free downloadable instructions are available in the Freebies section of our website for these smocked jack-o-lanterns, embroidered tea towel, stuffed pumpkins and pumpkin pillows.

We hope you feel inspired to create a few last minute Halloween projects with these easy ideas! Sew on, sew well, and Sew Beautiful.

Our Reversible Bonnet Tutorial at Sew, Mama, Sew!

2010-10-13T12:28:00.004-05:00

Our friends at Sew, Mama, Sew! are celebrating two weeks of Baby Shower goodness, and we are thrilled that they asked us to be a part of it! Head on over for a free tutorial on this super-sweet reversible baby bonnet, courtesy of our Martha Pullen Company president Kathy MacMakin. Be sure to enter to win a print from Belle & Boo while you're there.

We have also prepared bonnet kits for you in both red and green, available in our online store for just $8.00 each. Grab one or two to make your own cute bonnets! They're the perfect go-to baby gift.

Amelia's Silver Lace Dress

2010-10-13T08:15:00.004-05:00

"In September, I had the good fortune of being invited to the Kent State University Museum in celebration of its 25th anniversary – the dress code – “Cocktail with a Touch of Silver.” I had been working over the summer on an early ‘50s-inspired dress I had cut from a steel gray stretch suiting; I hadn’t put in the zipper, tacked the lining or the hem. With this special occasion looming, I knew just how I was going to finish my dress. Martha Pullen Company had purchased all that remained of silver-dipped lace edging from Jennifer Osner. (Kathy Barnard and I had snatched it up at the Vegas market a few years back.)

"This vintage trim turned out to be the perfect feminine frill to dress up my fitted silhouette and mannish fabric. I outlined the neck, bust and waist lines of the dress with the ½” edging and added two rows of the 1” edging to the hem. The heading of the lace is beautifully woven in the silver threads, so to attach it, I simply straight machine stitched down the center with a metallic Sulky thread (color #142).

You can still purchase the lace (limited availability) at www.sewbeautifulmag.com; click “Shop our Products, and then “Issue #132). The dress pattern is a discontinued Vogue (#9668), but a Google search reveals that there are some copies still out there. (Great pattern, by the way.) And I did do a little research on cleaning the silver lace. Chestofbooks.com has a section from Henley’s Twentieth Century Formulas Recipes Processes Encyclopedia by Norman W. Henley and others, which offers tips ranging from the use of very fine alabaster power to curdled milk."

– Amelia Johanson, Associate Editor, SB

Portobello Painted Gown

2010-09-16T10:25:00.006-05:00

Our friend Leslie Roe of Rosebasket has offered to share the most beautiful painted antique gown with us. We hope you enjoy her story about this amazing piece of heirloom history!

"Portobello Market, the bustling antiques market on Portobello Road in London, is always a treasure trove for collectors of all kinds. The treasures I look for in the small crowded shops or from a vendor on the street are christening gowns, baby bonnets, and toddler dresses. I touch the materials of the vintage clothes—batiste, silk, and exquisite laces—and am amazed at the intricate work I see, whether of embroidery, or tucks, or lace, and inspired by creative elements in design. When I visited in early July, I had the privilege of seeing three gowns in Julia Craig’s personal collection, brought for me not to purchase but to view and enjoy. Julia purchased this one ten years ago, with no provenance, but she dates it around 1870, because of the style of the gown and the dating of the Maltese bobbin lace."

"I found it so interesting, because of the center panel of ecru silk on the bodice and skirt, on which were painted lovely roses, reminiscent of Redoute. The Maltese lace borders the center silk panel from the neckline to the hem as well as at the waist, forms the sleeves, and edges the neckline. Aside from the silk in the front panel, the gown is cotton."

"Nineteen tucks detail the hem of the front skirt, which is attached to the bodice with the tiniest gathers."

"With the gown were darling bootees, also with roses hand-painted on the silk. Julia has never seen another gown like it. It is a treasure that I take pleasure in sharing with you!"

Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful piece with us, Leslie! -SB

Fancy Tiger Crafts - Denver, CO

2010-09-01T08:41:00.005-05:00

In the newest issue of Sew Beautiful (#132), we took you inside a fabulous Atlanta-based sewing lounge, Whipstitch. Today, we're taking you across the country to another unique hotspot for the sewing and crafting community – Fancy Tiger in Denver, Colorado.

Ironically, two members of our staff visited Fancy Tiger while on separate trips to Denver over this past summer, and both returned raving about what a cool place it was. We've assembled a handful of pictures from the shop (which also offers many classes and community events) to take you there on a virtual trip.

Located in the Baker neighborhood, the oldest community in Denver, Fancy Tiger is a DIY boutique that showcases designer fabrics, patterns, sewing and craft supplies, beautiful yarns, and more. It also hosts a full calendar of fun and interesting industry events and boasts a diverse class schedule.

We hope you enjoyed our quick peek into this great sewing spot! Keep up with the happenings at Fancy Tiger Crafts on their blog and get a full class schedule on their website.

Sensational Sweater Makeovers from Issue #132: A Video Tutorial

2010-08-25T10:38:00.004-05:00

In our September/October Issue #132, the Sew Beautiful staff shared an assortment of ideas for embellishing store-bought sweaters. Two of our favorites from editor Kathy Barnard are pictured here: a cream-colored cardigan with a textured black chiffon trim...

...and a black bolero sweater featuring an interesting pleated ribbon technique.

Kathy shares a quick how-to on each of these techniques in the following 2-part video. Check it out to learn more!

We hope you have fun getting creative with your sweaters using these cool handmade trims. Check out SB Issue #132 for even more embellishment ideas!

Blog Tour Giveaway Winner!

2010-08-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Denise Norris, who has won our giveaway contest!
Included in the prize package is:

a complete kit of materials for the camisole through sizes 3X
the book from which we drafted our pattern, Sleepwear Especially for You
the new issue of SB #132, which includes the camisole instructions and templates
a brand new June Tailor Shape 'n Press board

Denise, be on the lookout for an email from us! Thank you so much to everyone who entered. If you are interested in purchasing the supplies needed to create the camisole featured in the blog tour, we have assembled supply lists for your convenience. Check it out on our website here!

We appreciate every last one of you and know that we could not continue to publish SB without your support. We hope you are enjoying our first ever blog tour. If you're just joining us, visit our blog tour landing page for more information and to see all of the videos.

Whimsy Week Giveaway Winners!

2010-08-16T08:47:00.004-05:00

We hope you enjoyed Whimsy Week here at the Sew Beautiful blog, where we celebrated the release of Kari Mecca's new book, More Sewing with Whimsy! As most of you know, we held entries for different giveaways every day last week. Today, we are announcing the winners!

Autographed Copy of More Sewing with Whimsy
Amanda White and Annie Catlette

Sassafrass Dress Kit
Tamara (sanch5 at frontiernet dot net)

Grab Bag of Ribbons
Ammie Cain and Britni Tucker

Sewing with Whimsy DVD
Belinda Karls-Nace and Pam Hodnett

Whimsy Sticks Combo Set
Karen (KJRum at aol dot com), Kristen B. and RebeccaM

Congratulations to all! Be on the lookout for an email from us so that we can get your mailing address and get your prizes to you right away.

Thanks to everyone for playing and participating in Whimsy Week. We had a great time with you and we hope you enjoyed our week of whimsical goodies. And don't forget – you can grab your very own copy of More Sewing with Whimsy in our online store!

Whimsy Week Day 5 - Whimsy Sticks: How-to and a Giveaway!

2010-08-13T08:22:00.005-05:00

Welcome to Day 5 of Whimsy Week, where we are celebrating the release of designer Kari Mecca's newest book, More Sewing with Whimsy! Visit the rest of our posts from this week as we have shared behind-the-scenes videos, excerpts and previews of the book, a special interview with Kari, and best of all - GREAT giveaway opportunities every day! We will announce a selection of different special "Whimsy" prizes each day this week. Reply to the posts of the giveaway(s) you would like to win and we will announce the winners next Monday, August 16, 2010.
Today's giveaway is 3 combo sets of Kari Mecca's Whimsy Sticks! Head to the end of this post for more information and to enter. Kari Mecca's latest innovative invention, these creative tools are used to make precise loops that are easily transformed into an endless variety of trims & flowers! This simple technique of wrapping ribbons and trims around these "sticks" will have you creating mounds of embellishments for your favorite projects in no time. Made of high quality acrylic, each Whimsy Stick is a different width for varying sizes of flowers and trims.

Be sure to check in with Kari on her blog this week as well, where she is celebrating Whimsy Week with even more sneak peaks and free downloads. Check out her Tips & Tricks and inspirational photo collection!

On this last day of Whimsy Week, we have a great video that we shot at the July School of Art Fashion in which Kari explains how to use a Whimsy Stick to our editor, Kathy Barnard. Tune in to learn more about these cool tools!

Today's giveaway is 3 combo sets of Kari Mecca's Whimsy Sticks! To enter, reply below with your name and email address. We will announce the winner of this and the rest of our Whimsy Week giveaway prizes next Monday, August 16th. Entries will remain open until then!

Whimsy Week Day 4 - Mitered Spaghetti Leaves Tutorial (and a Giveaway!)

2010-08-12T08:35:00.005-05:00

Welcome to Day 4 of Whimsy Week, where we are celebrating the release of designer Kari Mecca's newest book, More Sewing with Whimsy! Join us every day this week as we share behind-the-scenes videos, excerpts and previews of the book, a special interview with Kari, and best of all - GREAT giveaway opportunities every day! We will announce a selection of different special "Whimsy" prizes each day this week. Reply to the posts of the giveaway(s) you would like to win and we will announce the winners next Monday, August 16, 2010.

Today's giveaway is 2 copies of Kari Mecca's first DVD, Sewing with Whimsy! Head to the end of this post for more information and to enter. The Sewing with Whimsy DVD brings all the benefits of Kari’s sought-after teaching style to your sewing room. You’ll be able to watch and listen as Kari shows you how to duplicate the trims and fabric techniques that consistently put her garments on the cover of Sew Beautiful magazine and make her a popular teacher at the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion. Step-by-step instructions come alive through Kari’s voice and hands as rickrack and ribbon flowers bud and blossom before your eyes. You’ll learn Kari’s secrets for contrasting hembands, mitered and layered trims, using your sewing machine’s ruffler foot for gathering and adding the sparkle of beads. Kari’s sewing artistry abounds from beginning to end, and her fanciful designs will leave you completely enchanted!

Be sure to check in with Kari on her blog this week as well, where she is celebrating Whimsy Week with even more sneak peaks and free downloads. Check out her Tips & Tricks and inspirational photo collection!
Today on Whimsy Week, we have a fun technique to share with you from More Sewing with Whimsy as featured on one of Kari's favorite new patterns, "Flirty Girl" (pictured above) – how to make little leaves with lace out by mitering spaghetti bias! You'll find this technique plus many more in the invaluable "Trims & Techniques" section of More Sewing with Whimsy.

Mitered Spaghetti Leaves
Made from bits of spaghetti bias and lace, these cute little openwork leaves add that special touch that says it's an original.

Cut a piece of spaghetti three times longer than finished leaf size. With right sides together, fold spaghetti in half. Hand tack edges 1/8" from fold.
Press open forming point. Overlapping ends, angle to make leaf curve up. Hand tack to hold.
Place lace behind leaf and curve to fit. Hand sew in place and saturate entire leaf in fray stop glue. Once dry, trim lace slightly shorter than leaf edge.
Hand sew in place as desired.

For more great embellishment ideas, check out Kari's new book, More Sewing with Whimsy!

Today's giveaway is 2 copies of Kari Mecca's first DVD, Sewing with Whimsy! To enter, reply below with your name and email address. We will announce the winner of this and the rest of our Whimsy Week giveaway prizes next Monday, August 16th. Entries will remain open until then!

Check back every day this week for more fun Whimsy Week posts and giveaways!

Whimsy Week Day 3 – Behind the Scenes at the Photoshoot (plus another great GIVEAWAY!)

2010-08-11T11:02:00.004-05:00

Welcome to Day 3 of Whimsy Week, where we are celebrating the release of designer Kari Mecca's newest book, More Sewing with Whimsy! Join us every day this week as we share behind-the-scenes videos, excerpts and previews of the book, a special interview with Kari, and best of all - GREAT giveaway opportunities every day! We will announce a selection of different special "Whimsy" prizes each day this week. Reply to the posts of the giveaway(s) you would like to win and we will announce the winners next Monday, August 16, 2010.

Today's giveaway is 2 grab bags of ribbon trims from Kari Me Away for using with Whimsy Sticks and embellishing your garments from More Sewing with Whimsy! Head to the end of this post for more information and to enter.

Be sure to check in with Kari on her blog this week as well, where she is celebrating Whimsy Week with a variety of sneak peaks and free downloads.

On this third day of Whimsy Week, we have a behind-the-scenes video from the photoshoot for More Sewing with Whimsy. We taped this back in March, when Kari was in town to finish up photography for the book. Jennifer Tarkington of Jennifer & Company Photography does almost all of our photography for Sew Beautiful magazine as well as our other publications at Martha Pullen Company. We hope you enjoy this peek into our photography process!

Today's giveaway 2 grab bags of ribbon trims from Kari Me Away for using with Whimsy Sticks and embellishing your garments from More Sewing with Whimsy! To enter, reply below with your name and email address. We will announce the winner of this and the rest of our Whimsy Week giveaway prizes next Monday, August 16th. Entries will remain open until then!

Check back every day this week for more fun Whimsy Week posts and giveaways!

Whimsy Week Day 2 – An Interview with Kari Mecca (plus another great GIVEAWAY!)

2010-08-10T08:55:00.011-05:00

Welcome to Day 2 of Whimsy Week, where we will be celebrating the release of designer Kari Mecca's newest book, More Sewing with Whimsy! Join us every day this week as we share behind-the-scenes videos, excerpts and previews of the book, a special interview with Kari, and best of all - GREAT giveaway opportunities every day! We will announce a selection of different special "Whimsy" prizes each day this week. Reply to the posts of the giveaway(s) you would like to win and we will announce the winners next Monday, August 16, 2010.

Today's giveaway is a complete kit for the Sassafrass dress from More Sewing with Whimsy! (Dress kit makes sizes 2–8; pictured below) Head to the end of this post for more information and to enter.
On this second day of Whimsy Week, we are thrilled to bring you an insider's interview with Kari Mecca, the amazingly talented and creative designer behind More Sewing with Whimsy. Enjoy!

SB: Kari, thanks for taking a few minutes to answer some of our burning questions! We are thrilled to be celebrating the release of your new book, More Sewing with Whimsy. Let's start out with the basics; tell us a little bit about the book.
Kari: A second installment in my Whimsy Series, the book is once again is based on 3 basic patterns and unique embellishing techniques. Each Chapter focuses on a pattern, with 3 to 4 different projects with basic sewing and embellishing changes to create uniquely different projects. I am also happy to introduce my new “Whimsy Sticks” and “Going in Circles” tools. Using these tools, I have developed easy and original ways to make trims, flowers and quick flounces. The patterns included are: a square yoke, a round yoke and bottoms in 4 lengths. What’s really great is that the patterns are very easy to sew and both the square and round yokes are simple pull-over-the-head styles. No need to sew on buttons, buttonholes or plackets.

SB: How does this book differ from your first book Sewing with Whimsy? Tell us a little bit about your favorite features.
Kari: One of the biggest differences is that More Sewing with Whimsy is 1-1/2 times larger, a full 136 color pages! The yoke patterns have both top and dress lengths, the bottoms (pants) are in 4 lengths and there are several pocket styles. But my favorite new features are the “Change It Up” and “Flip Side” views. These are actual samples of projects showing how to make minor changes for yet another look to projects.

SB: From where would you say you get your inspiration for your sewing projects and designs?
Kari: It’s funny you should ask, the first chapter begins with just this question. The answer is really very simple, there is inspiration in everything, you just have to look for it! And remember, it may not be a chilling goosebump kind of a thought, it may just be a small detail that sticks in your mind. I suggest you make a creative file or box to keep clipped pictures, sketched ideas and notes. Then pull out your file or box when planning a new project.

SB: Hand-in-hand with inspiration goes motivation; as creative types, sometimes even though we have plenty of inspiration, we can't seem to motivate ourselves to actually keep creating! How do you combat this struggle?
Kari: Creating is a type of therapy, you have to make time for it because you're worth it! Crazy as it may sound, because I make time, I am happier and more energetic, therefore I can accomplish more! Positive energy is positively energetic!

SB: You have had your business Kari Me Away for quite some time; how did it all start for you?
Kari: I can honestly say I have been “in a business” since middle school! Whatever crafty endeavor I was engrossed in, I had my Mom pedaling to her friends and co-workers. After having kids, I did some custom sewing and then stumbled across smocking stitches in a book. I was hooked. I found a local smocking shop, took classes and found Sew Beautiful magazine. In one of the issues, Martha Pullen had a sewing contest for “The Most Beautiful Clothes in the World”. Well, up for any challenge, I entered and won 1st place for Girls Heirloom Sewing. After that I started contributing articles, started Kari Me Away and began publishing embroidery plates, patterns and books.

SB: Let’s talk favorites. What is your favorite article, pattern and garment from your books?
Kari: It’s hard to pick a single one but here are a few and why they standout for me. Sew Beautiful Article; I would say issue #100, a milestone issue that I was proud to have my pattern Sarah featured on the cover (this was also the first feature with rickrack flowers). As for my patterns; I would have to say Lauren’s Fairy Dress, it’s named for my daughter and because what girl doesn’t love fairies! As for garments in the Whimsy books: Rainbow Sherbet in Sewing with Whimsy – it was the dress that sparked the idea of using a basic pattern to empower sewers to not only create, but be creative. In More Sewing with Whimsy; If I had to pick just one, my favorite outfit is Flirty Girl! The girly flounces, fun print fabric, unique sleeves and “Heirloom Cargo” capris make it an all around winner for me.

SB: More Sewing with Whimsy features new tools called "Whimsy Sticks" and "Going in Circles". What exactly are these and how will it change flower and trim making?
Kari: Whimsy Sticks are a set of tools to make quick and easy looped trims in a variety of sizes. These trims can then be added to collars, hems, yokes, appliqués and more. You can also use the trim to make an endless variety of flowers and flower centers. Loops and be single or double layer and when paired with pretty ribbons and spaghetti trims, the results are astounding. They are the tool that takes the hand rolled rose to the sewing machine!

The Going in Circles tools are clever and easy circle and scallop drawing tools. Precise, quick and fun to use, you will never have to search the house for a perfect size plate, bowl or glass to trace around. Use to make flounce ruffles, swirl flowers, and scallop hems. Also handy for scrapbooking, school projects and drawing targets on pictures of anyone who uses fabric scissors to cut paper!

SB: What are some of your favorite go-to sewing tools?
Kari: In More Sewing with Whimsy I have actually listed my “Favorite 8” tools. They are: Whimsy Sticks, Going In Circles tools, basting glue, fray stop glue, monofilament thread, beading thread, and a ruffler foot.

SB: With the publication of More Sewing with Whimsy behind you, what's in the works next for Kari Me Away?
Kari: Look for my Bullion Whimsies DVD, appearances on Martha’s Sewing Room for PBS, new Whimsy Tools, new classes, a More Sewing with Whimsy DVD, and new patterns.

SB: What would your advice be for a true beginner of sewing?
Kari: Start with a simple pattern, read the instructions from start to finish before you begin and then “just go for it!” Also try embellishing a readymade item or start by taking a class – it’s always nice to make new friends with similar interests.

SB: Any last words of advice for our readers?
Kari: Simply….Live, Love & Sew!

We hope you enjoyed our interview with Kari! Be sure to check in with Kari on her blog this week as well, where she is celebrating Whimsy Week with a variety of sneak peaks and free downloads. By this Friday, you will have been completely showered in whimsy!

Today's giveaway is one complete kit for the Sassafrass dress in pink from More Sewing with Whimsy (sizes 2–8) to give away! To enter, reply below with your name and email address. We will announce the winner of this and the rest of our Whimsy Week giveaway prizes next Monday, August 16th. Entries will remain open until then!

Check back every day this week for more fun Whimsy Week posts and giveaways!

Welcome to the SB Blog Tour! Part 2: Pattern Notes

2010-08-10T08:37:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Part 2 of our first ever heirloom sewing Blog Tour! If you are just joining the tour, take a peek over at our blog tour landing page for more information on this project. We are introducing the web to heirloom sewing techniques in a whole new way by taking you along with us as we sew this beautiful lacy camisole. This segment demonstrates the simple pattern drafting steps you can take to transform a basic tank-top pattern (our example is from Sleepwear Especially for You) into the pattern pieces you will need to construct this camisole. Kathy Barnard shows you that adjusting a pattern is not nearly as scary as it seems!

Don't forget to enter in our huge Blog Tour giveaway on yesterday's Part 1 post. Click here for more information!
To continue on the blog tour, head over to our website for a list of tour stops. Have fun!

Welcome to Whimsy Week! PLUS: A giveaway every day this week!

2010-08-09T11:12:00.009-05:00

Welcome to the kickoff post of Whimsy Week, where we will be celebrating the release of designer Kari Mecca's newest book, More Sewing with Whimsy! Join us every day this week as we share behind-the-scenes videos, excerpts and previews of the book, a special interview with Kari, and best of all - GREAT giveaway opportunities every day! We will announce a selection of different special "Whimsy" prizes each day this week. Reply to the posts of the giveaway(s) you would like to win and we will announce the winners next Monday, August 16, 2010. Today's giveaway is an autographed copy of More Sewing with Whimsy! We will have 2 winners of this prize. More information can be found at the bottom of this post.

Is it possible that Kari’s second journey to her land of Whimsy could be more magical than the first? (Kari's first Sewing with Whimsy book is available in our online store.) Opening this book’s pages is like lifting the lid of a treasure box! And it is filled to overflowing with flirty flounces, waving bias, spaghetti appliqué and Kari’s own touch of fairy dust – her newly created collection of Whimsy Sticks™. Three chapters focus on fresh new patterns and variations including the classic square yoke, a scooped round yoke with sleeves, and an array of bottoms and pockets. Mostly Made by Me is her inspirational chapter showing you how to wave your own magic wand and apply a touch of whimsy to ready-made clothing and accessories.

We caught up with Kari Mecca during our July School of Art Fashion, and put together a little video montage for you with a "hello" from Kari, some behind the scenes pictures and video clips from the event. Enjoy!

Today we have two autographed copies of More Sewing with Whimsy to give away! To enter, reply below with your name and email address. We will announce the winner of this and the rest of our Whimsy Week giveaway prizes next Monday, August 16th. Entries will remain open until then!

Check back every day this week for more fun Whimsy Week posts and giveaways!

Join our Heirloom Blog Tour! Part 1 & a HUGE GIVEAWAY! Giveaway Closed

2010-08-09T08:21:00.011-05:00

Welcome to our first ever Blog Tour! In this post we will cover Part 1: General information and Terms. Giveaway information is at the bottom of this post. **Note: The giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered and we hope you continue to enjoy the blog tour!**

In Sew Beautiful issue #132, we feature a beautiful heirloom camisole (pictured above) that we recreated from an antique nightgown. In the magazine article, "Vintage Inspiration," we give you basic instructions for constructing it, but we wanted to go one step further and take time out to teach the basic heirloom sewing techniques needed to create such a garment. To do so, we have filmed a series of video classes, and we have paired with 5 other fabulous sewing blogs to help get the word out about heirloom sewing in the form of a Blog Tour. Each of our blog sponsors has graciously offered to host a video class on these different techniques. Thank you to our friends at Sew, Mama, Sew!, CraftyPod, La Sewista, Southern Matriarch, and Quality Time for partnering with us!

Come along with us as we teach you how easy these techniques are! Click here to learn more about our Heirloom Sewing Blog Tour and for links to the rest of the tour stops! We hope you enjoy the videos.

In this post, we will kick off the tour with a brief introduction to heirloom sewing terms and materials, and we will introduce you to the special sewing supplies you need to get started with heirloom techniques. (This class has been broken into 3 parts.)

All of the supplies discussed in the general information videos (with the exception of the sewing machine presser feet; contact your local dealer) are available from our online store at store.marthapullen.com. To celebrate our blog tour and to encourage new and experienced heirloom stitchers alike, we are offering a special Blog Tour discount code worth 25% off of your order at our online store! Discount code is BLOGTOUR and this offer expires October 31, 2010. There is no minimum order required. Applies to regular priced items only; excludes pleaters.

To continue on the blog tour, visit our landing page for links to the rest of our stops! Join us tomorrow for Part 2: Pattern Notes.

And now for the giveaway! Including our blog, each of our tour stops are offering a giveaway worth over $160. That means 6 chances to win! Included in the prize package is:

a complete kit of materials for the camisole through sizes 3X
the book from which we drafted our pattern, Sleepwear Especially for You
the new issue of SB #132, which includes the camisole instructions and templates
a brand new June Tailor Shape 'n Press board

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post -- be sure to include your name and email address so that we may contact you if you are the winner. Entries will remain open until Thursday, August 19th and the winner will be announced on August 20th, 2010.

Thanks for joining the blog tour and we hope to see you at the rest of our video classes!

Mary Kennedy's Colorful Summer Dress

2010-08-05T13:47:00.002-05:00

Reader Jerry Roberts sent us these adorable photos of her granddaughter Mary Kennedy wearing her colorful new summer dress! Jerry used a new pattern, "Irby" from SB designer Sara Norris. Jerry tells us,

I used two coordinating quilter’s cottons and chose to bind the overdress with orange polka dots to enhance that complementary medium turquoise which was the main color of the coordinates. Rather than smock the overdress, I just gathered it along with the underdress and bound them according to pattern instructions. Sara is one of my favorite designers, so I was excited to see this new pattern she has just released!

This is the kind of dress I would have called a "rounder" when I was a little girl - it's perfect for spinning round and round! Visit to purchase either a printed or downloadable pattern for the "Irby" dress in size 2-8. Thanks for sharing with us, Jerry!

Behind the Scenes at our School of Art Fashion Class

2010-07-30T08:07:00.003-05:00

Sunday concluded a whirlwind week for us here at Martha Pullen Company – our July School of Art Fashion wrapped up after 7 full days of sewing classes, shopping, special events and more! (Not to mention, we were racing our final deadline for the September/October issue of Sew Beautiful.) But all said and done, we had a fantastic time getting to meet some of our faithful readers and soaking up all kinds of new ideas.

With Associate Editor Amelia Johanson visiting for the week from Ohio, our two sessions on publishing your work in SB were a great success. We hope to see lots of submissions from new designers coming our way in the near future – you are an extremely talented bunch. Don't forget that you can always submit your article ideas to SB! We will create a file for your submissions and review them for consideration at our semiannual editorial planning sessions. Send a picture of your piece(s) and a brief description to kathy@sewbeautifulmag.com. Be sure to specify your article's focus!

Editor Kathy Barnard taught her first ever Pre-Day Class, Beyond the Basic Bodice, where students learned new drafting techniques for modifying a basic bodice dress into 6 different looks. Our students were awesome and Kathy and I had so much fun sewing with everyone. We have put together a little video/picture montage of her class to share with those who couldn't attend. We hope to see all of you in February for the next School!

P.S. Spend five minutes visiting the rest of the school at our other montage with lots of videos and pics from Lace Camp! Click here to see it. Special thanks goes out to our web designer Stacie, who puts together all of our videos for us!

Issue #132 Preview!

2010-07-29T11:07:00.005-05:00

Since we're finalizing our September/October issue, we thought we'd give you a little bit of a tease with a mystery preview! We can't wait for you to receive this fun issue. Subscribe today, order issues online or look for SB #132 on the newsstand by August 31st.

A Custom Wedding Gown for Amber

2010-07-27T08:54:00.003-05:00

Check out this absolutely gorgeous wedding gown made by one of our readers, Rebecca Cook of Plant City, Florida (click on the pictures for a larger view). Rebeca stitched up this masterpiece for the bride, Amber, a family friend who has grown up with Rebecca's own daughters. The wedding was July 17th in Tampa, Florida.

Rebecca shared some details of the gown and wedding with us:

I began with Simplicity Jessica McClintock pattern 5237. The dress had side gathers and we wanted one up the back instead so I redrafted the pattern using theirs for a guide. I also added a gathered overlay to the bodice and a sash. I moved the zipper to the left side seam and used an invisible zipper. I then added a train to the underskirt. This bustled beautifully up under the gathers at he back of the dress. The gown is made of silk Duchesse Satin. The underskirt and sash are doupioni silk in ice blue, and the bodice overlay is white silk organza. The lace is Alencon re-embroidered with a silver thread and silver sequins. I trimmed the netting edge off to make it galoon edged and applied that to the underskirt hem using lingerie thread and a narrow zigzag . I also applied it to the upper edge of the bodice by hand sewing it on top of the overlay. I then cut some motifs from the lace to apply to the center front of the sash and over the gathers at the back of the dress hem. The hem of the over dress is embellished with rhinestone trim. With the white satin over the ice blue underskirt and the shimmery trims it gives the affect of a cloud with silver lining.

We have lived one house down from Amber's family for the past 8 years. They were all home schooled and spent most of their time together. When her mother passed away from breast cancer, Amber was just 17. She met her husband at Belmont Baptist church, as he was the worship leader and she was the pianist. After dating for 2 1/2 years they were married July 17, 2010 in Tampa, Florida. Her husband Heath, has just graduated from USF with a bachelor in engineering and she is finishing her degree in accounting this fall.

Thank you so much for sharing this gorgeous gown and story with us, Rebecca -- and congratulations to the bride and groom! Don't forget you are always welcome to submit your creations to us at blog@sewbeautifulmag.com.

Frannie Pattern Giveaway Winners!

2010-07-21T09:05:00.005-05:00

Thanks to everyone to entered our Frannie pattern giveaway contest! We enjoyed reading all of your ideas and stories. Our two randomly selected winners are...

Amanda Swanson and Sharon Kirkpatrick!

Congratulations, ladies! Be on the lookout for an email from us so we can get a mailing address for you.

Thank you to everyone who entered, and don't forget that our Frannie patterns (Frannie, sizes 6mo - 4; and Frannie's Big Sister, sizes 5-8) are now in stock at our online store, so you can buy one of your own! Check back soon for more giveaway announcements and goodies from the SB team.

GIVEAWAY! "Frannie" and "Frannie's Big Sister" Comments Closed

2010-07-19T12:48:00.005-05:00

If you've read the July/August issue of Sew Beautiful, you already know – we have purchased the ever-popular, out-of-print "Frannie" and "Frannie's Big Sister" patterns by Lyn Weeks, and we have reprinted these dresses as the newest addition to our Sew Beautiful Pattern Collection! In celebration of their arrival in our warehouse, we are offering a pattern giveaway to our readers. Two lucky entrants will receive copies of both patterns.

All you have to do to enter is reply below with your name and email address. We'd love to hear what you plan to do with your new pattern. Have you ever made a Frannie dress from Lyn Weeks's original pattern? Tell us about it!

Entries will close Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. Winners will be selected at random and announced both here and by email, so make sure you include your address. Good luck and thanks for your support of SB!

Emeline's Diagonal Lace Christening Gown Dress

2010-07-12T14:58:00.005-05:00

I was just thinking this morning that we could use something fresh and beautiful from a reader to share on the blog this week, when I returned from lunch to find this gem in my e-mail box! Cindy Farmer sent in these pictures of her size 3T daughter wearing this beautiful dress that Cindy made for her. What's really cool about this dress is that it's an adaptation of Martha's Diagonal Lace Christening Gown, which SB designer Wendy Schoen teaches as a Pre-Day class at our School of Art Fashion:

Cindy wrote, "Wendy thought it would be a good idea to make it into a dress to fit my daughter [...] The changes that I made to make it a toddler dress were simple. There is plenty of room in the dress, and I think Emeline will be able to wear it next year as well. This dress was so much fun to make. As always, Wendy was a really great teacher."

Want to take the "Martha's Diagonal Lace Christening Gown" Pre-Day class with Wendy Schoen? There are still spots open at next week's School of Art Fashion, both in Wendy's pre-day classes and her Baby School! We would love to see you there. Register to attend on our website or by calling 800-547-4176 ext. 4.

Thank you so much for sharing your work with us, Cindy! Don't forget that we are always looking for gorgeous samples from our readers to share on our blog. Send your masterpieces to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com for consideration.

Sue Johnson Estate Sale to be held July 31 @ 10 am – 261 Walnut Street, Ashland MS

2010-06-29T13:18:00.002-05:00

From SB editor Kathy Barnard:

Many of you may remember the elaborate heirloom designs that Sue Johnson contributed to Sew Beautiful magazine. Her family is holding an auction of her estate including several of her dresses and heirloom designs, yards of amazing laces and fine fabrics, as well as a collection of Sew Beautiful magazines. Her home, furnishings, and fine collectibles are also for sale. I was a guest in Sue’s home many times and I can tell you she had some of the most beautiful dishes and collectibles and antique pieces I have seen, so the auction will be a grand one and well worth the trip. All of the proceeds go toward her granddaughter Christie’s medical school expenses. Christie grew up modeling on the pages of SB and I am sure Sue Sue would love to know that her Earthly possessions could send Christie to grad school.

Two Summer Projects from Shirley

2010-06-25T08:59:00.005-05:00

Today we have 2 pieces to share with you from the same very talented reader, Shirley Clark of Logansport, LA! Above is her take on our Toddler Two-Piece bathing suit (a free pattern in issue #130). Shirley stitched her granddaughter Shelby a pink seersucker suit and trimmed it with green rickrack and a green monogram. Super sweet!

Shirley also made another free pattern project from a Sew Beautiful back issue, Erin's Sew Easy Sundress from #119. She made it her own in a chiffon-like fabric by leaving off the bottom ruffle and adding a sweet lace trim. The dress is lined and ties with satin ribbon at the shoulders.

Thanks for sharing your projects with us, Shirley!

Judy's Winter Christening Robe

2010-06-24T12:12:00.005-05:00

We are in awe! Check out this gorgeous version of Kathy's Winter Christening Robe made and sent to us by reader Judy Italiano of Collie, Western Australia. Judy made this gown (pictured above) for her soon-to-arrive grandbaby, who is due in August of this year. Because it is rather hot in Australia, she used silk dupioni for the robe instead of Swiss flannel. She also chose to create a gathered ribbon trim instead of using ruched ribbon, which turned out beautifully. Judy says she is "so proud and pleased with the result," and she should be! The finished gown is a true masterpiece.

Sew Beautiful editor Kathy Barnard designed the original Winter Christening Robe, which was featured in issue #127 (November/December 2009). The gown pattern is offered free on the pullout centerfold of that issue. Back issues and all the supplies needed for this project are available from our webstore.

School of Art Fashion Seminar: Publish Your Work

2010-06-09T10:03:00.003-05:00

Are you attending our July School of Art Fashion in Huntsville, AL? Join Kathy and Amelia at our free SB seminar to learn about getting your work published in the magazine!

Have you ever considered submitting your work to Sew Beautiful magazine? Do you wonder how we find our wonderful designers? Much of what is featured on SB pages comes from readers themselves. So often, it’s just a matter of having confidence in your work and being able to put together a simple proposal.

Join Sew Beautiful editors Kathy Barnard and Amelia Johanson as they present “Publish Your Work,” at a FREE informational evening session from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 21st and from 7:30-8:30 a.m on Friday, July 23rd in the South Hall Welcome Area.

Find out how they plan each issue, discover what makes an article or design appeal to the editorial staff, learn how to present your work in the best possible light, and receive a list of editorial guidelines, including a calendar, which reveals the best times to submit your projects. You could be our next Sew Beautiful designer!

To sign up for these FREE classes, call Sis or Kerry at 800-547-4176 ext. 4 today! Also, check our School of Art Fashion website for updates and Student Supply Lists, as well as schedules and other info. There is still time to register!

From Our Readers: Sweet Summer Pieces for Girls

2010-06-08T09:02:00.005-05:00

Today we have a showcase of work from our readers to share with you, all of which are great examples of summer sewing for your little girls. We hope they will give you some inspiration to beat the heat by staying inside with your sewing machine!

Our first submission above is from Kelly Stockstill, who made up our popular "Toddler Two-Piece" bathing suit for both of her girls in pink seersucker. Don't forget that this is a free pattern in sizes 6-month through 4T in our May/June issue of Sew Beautiful, #130!

The next piece is from Sonia Showalter, who made this cute dress for her granddaughter in "Flower Fairies" fabric from Michael Miller, which coordinates perfectly with the flower clusters on the bodice. Flower clusters were made using freestanding lace flowers from her "Violet Pin" and "Flower Bouquet" designs.

The precious pink bubble above was sent in by Pat Hutchison, who made it for her great-niece Anniston. Made in pink silk dupioni and trimmed with lace, Pat used Kari Mecca's machine embroidery designs from our new Fairytale Finery CD.

Jane De Bruin sent us the photo above, which was inspired by our "Dandelion Delight" free pattern dress from the Easter 1998 issue of SB While the original was published as a formal heirloom style, Jane adapted the pattern for more casual, sleeveless dress by modifying the armhole slightly at the upper edge, so that the yoke becomes the top of the armhole. Made with broadcloth and fully lined, the dress features piping into the yoke and armhole seams, and the bumble bee embroidery on the yoke was taken from the fabric design.

Last but not least, Amie Mleko sent in photos of her gorgeous daughter's 3rd birthday dress. Amie made the dress her own by adding her own touch to the pattern from Kari Mecca's Sewing with Whimsy book.

That's all for today, but we hope you enjoyed seeing these fun pieces made by our readers! Don't forget to send in submissions of your work to us at blog@sewbeautifulmag.com. We love to see and share what you are creating!

June Designer of the Month: Karen Bosch

2010-06-02T09:05:00.008-05:00

We are excited to introduce our featured designer of the month for June: Karen Bosch! Karen is a talented seamstress and embroiderer whose work has been featured in Sew Beautiful several times over the years. Most recently, her designs can be seen in our newest addition to the Sew Beautiful Collection, Karen Bosch's Summertime Baby (available at Martha Pullen Company). Additionally, Karen's handwork designs have been digitized into machine embroidery, such as the companion to Summertime Baby, My Lil' Friends, as well as the popular Blue Ribbon Baby disc. Karen shares more about herself and her sewing with us in today's interview. Enjoy!

SB: Karen, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions that we can share with our readers! Let's start out with an introduction; tell us a little bit about yourself.
Karen: I am from Zimbabwe and had the most wonderful childhood growing up in wildlife parks where my father was a researcher. My lack of human playmates was more than made up with the various wild animals my Mother and Father took care of, my greatest friend being an orphaned baby elephant. After leaving school I went to secretarial college and then worked as a secretary in the Foreign Office. Later on in life I studied to become a Hospice Bereavement Caregiver. I now live in South Africa with my husband, we have two grown-up daughters (both Arts Graduates). Last year I became a grandmother!

SB: Many of us who sew also participate in other crafts and hobbies; do you?
Karen: I am interested in so many things! Apart from heirloom sewing, I enjoy general dressmaking, embroidery, bobbin lacemaking, smocking, knitting, crochet, gardening and baking. I also enjoy going to the occasional antique auction sale in the hopes of being able to buy antique textiles, sewing tools and old needlework books.

SB: How long have you been sewing, and how did you get started?
Karen: I have been sewing since my legs were long enough to reach the treadle on my Mother's Singer sewing machine - I was about 4 when that happened, what a memorable day it was and the beginning of my passion for all types of needlework. Now I am 50+ - that's quite a long time I have been sewing, but I never stop learning and being inspired

SB: What is/are your favorite kind(s) of sewing?
Karen: My favourite type of sewing is heirloom sewing by hand - I like the control that one has over each and every stitch. Yes, it takes time, but I always have a "special" feeling when I'm doing handwork. I now include my handmade bobbin lace in my handsewn articles, so it really is 100% handmade. My favourite type of embroidery is shadow-work, I love the simplicity and gentleness of this technique, it works so well with heirloom fabrics.

SB: From where would you say you get your inspiration for your sewing projects and designs?
Karen: I get a lot of inspiration from my collection of old textiles - my favourite gown I made was a copy of a dear little antique gown I found in tatters. It was featured in Sew Beautiful as "Sweet Serenity", Sew Beautiful issue #74, 2001 (pictured above). It's so satisfying to know the design lives on. My love for animals and flowers inspires a lot of my shadow-work designs.

SB: Hand-in-hand with inspiration goes motivation. As creative types, sometimes even though we have plenty of inspiration, we can't seem to motivate ourselves to actually keep creating! How do you combat this struggle?
Karen: Yes, I certainly know about that! Take a break and do something completely different.

SB: We at Martha Pullen Company are thrilled that our newest book featuring your designs, Summertime Baby, is now available. You worked on these designs with your daughter, Tamzin. Tell us a little bit about your collaboration with her on the Summertime Baby designs and how the book came to be!
Karen: Tamzin (Tammy) is an Honours Graduate in Fine Art. She loves to draw, and if there is a piece of paper available, Tammy will draw whimsical animals on it. She started drawing and painting her animals (the ones featured in Summertime Baby) onto cards and selling them for pocket money, they were so successful she couldn't keep up with orders; I then knew how much people enjoyed her happy little characters - they are especially popular with young people. She was happy for me to use some of her designs on baby linen I was making, and when I showed my sewing friends the designs, they just loved them. I then re-did the designs on wearable articles for Sew Beautiful and they have now turned it into a book! Tammy also does "serious" art, I am so proud of all of her work.

SB: What would your advice be for a true beginner of sewing and embroidery?
Karen: My advice would be try to be as orderly as possible - pre-sewing preparation is good - before you settle down to sew make sure you have all your fabrics prepared (rinsed, and if necessary, starched), threads pulled, pattern pieces traced, a selection of laces to choose from, needles, pins, sewing cottons, etc., readily available. Try and keep your workspace as neat as possible, it is so frustrating to continually look for little items that have a habit of disappearing whilst we sew! I always tidy my sewing room when I have finished for the day, it's helpful to find everything in order when I get back to my sewing. Also, the ultimate joy of sewing is the successful completion of a article, so try not to accumulate too many unfinished projects. Learning to sew and embroider is not difficult, but it takes time, just enjoy it and if possible go to classes - they are fun and inspirational.

SB: What are some of your favorite go-to sewing tools?
Karen: My favourite sewing tools are my little 4" embroidery hoop - wonderful for shadow embroidery - a tape measure which I always wear around my neck, my blue dressmaker's pen and an old silver thimble which belonged to a very special great aunt.

SB: What about some of your favorite sewing resources (publications, websites, individuals, etc.)?
Karen: My favourite sewing publications are Grandmother's Hope Chest, published by Martha Pullen, Sarah Howard Stone's Heirloom Sewing by Hand books - I refer to these books constantly. I don't have a favourite web-site yet, only having just been given my first computer, am still very much a novice and a little intimidated by the workings of my laptop! My favourite heirloom sewer is Margaret Boyles - I was so lucky to have attended her classes on both occasions I went to Martha's School of Art Fashion - her work is beautifully perfect. I am also a great admirer of the work of Jeannie Downs Baumeister, Wendy Schoen and Debbie Glenn - their designs are truly inspirational.

SB: Any last words of advice for our readers?
Karen: Enjoy your sewing, even if you are occasionally disappointed with a project, the next one will be better

From Our Staff: Amazing Masks for "The Lion King"

2010-05-26T08:32:00.002-05:00

We have something a little different to show you today – it's definitely not "heirloom", but we think it's cool! One of our staff illustrators, Katina Logan, is pictured below on the left, while SB editor Kathy Barnard models one of three hyena masks that Katina made for a local performance of The Lion King.

Katina designed and manufactured these extremely cool mask hats all on her own. With a combination of acrylic paints, mixed media embellishments and sewing, the result is impressively realistic.

Katina's children participate in our local Dance Theatre of Huntsville, which performed The Lion King over this past weekend. Awesome job!

Emma Jane's Sassy Skirt and Embellished Sweater

2010-05-19T11:00:00.004-05:00

Would you believe it if we told you that the 12-year-old gal in these pictures is also the seamstress of these great pieces? It's true - reader Cindy Farmer sent us these pictures of her daughter Emma Jane and her latest fantastic creations. Color us impressed!

Cindy tells us, "The skirt is a strip skirt and the sweater is an 'altered sweater'. The skirt yoke pattern was redrafted to a size 14 from Sassy Skirts (Children's Corner). The strips and hem band did not need a pattern. The idea for the sweater came from Sandi Henderson's book, Sewing Bits & Pieces."

Emma Jane has been sewing for 5 years and will be attending the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion for the fifth time this summer. If you don't already know about them, you must check out our kids' Schools for that we offer during the School of Art Fashion! We have 3 schools - one for teens (high schoolers), one for older kids (middle schoolers), and one for younger kids (3rd-5th graders). Scroll all the way down to the last 3 sections on this page for more information. We all know that getting our younger generations involved in and educated about sewing is vital to carrying on the tradition.

We think Emma Jane has loads of talent, and obviously has a long sewing career ahead of her. We can't wait to see what she makes!

Esther's Bishop and Bonnet Set

2010-05-18T09:12:00.003-05:00

Today we have a charming bishop and bonnet set to share with you, made by reader Esther Grant of Keswick, Virginia. We think this little size 6 month pair is just the sweetest for spring or summer, with its ruffled sleeves and bonnet for a baby girl!
Esther tells us that the pattern and smocking are from "Bishop Trio" by Creative Keepsakes. The bonnet is Laura Ashley, McCall's M4424. Fabric is Imperial Micro Chex, Melon, and the trim on sleeves is edging cut from satin ribbon.
Thank you for sharing with us, Esther. Readers, don't forget to send us pictures of your creations to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com!

From Our Readers: The Toddler Two-Piece

2010-05-05T11:17:00.005-05:00

We are so thrilled that Oour free "Toddler Two-Piece" pattern from the current issue #130 (pictured above) has been a smash hit with readers! Web communities have been abuzz about our sweet seersucker suit from designer Jackie Young, which is available on the pullout centerfold of our May/June issue in sizes 6 months through 4T. We have several fabulous examples to share with you today from our readers that we are just squealing over in delight. Hope you enjoy these and feel inspired to make one of your own!

From SB commissioned designer Sara Norris, a yellow seersucker suit with a pink machine embroidered monogram for one of her granddaughters, Lacey:

From reader Ashley Hunter, a black and white check suit with a pink monogram, trimmed in pink rickrack for her daughter:

From reader Christi Watts, made up in a green check seersucker with a yellow embroidered monogram and mini yellow rickrack for her daughter:

From reader Sara Hawk Barnett, an aqua blue suit for her 4-1/2 year old daughter, accented with bright pink rickrack and a matching monogram:

...and from reader Carole Trip, a charming pink suit with white monogramming and white rickrack detailing, which she made after having her magazine for only 2 days!

Thanks to everyone for sharing your great projects! Don't forget to send in pictures of your work to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com. We love to see and share what you have created!

Katie's Hemstitched Blouse and Wrap Dress

2010-05-04T12:07:00.006-05:00

What a nice surprise we got this week when reader Jean Leek Ping of Chico, CA sent us some photos of her daughter Katie (9 years old) modeling a couple of charming SB sewing projects! Pictured above is Jean's version of our "Hemstitching is Hip" blouse, featured in issue #126. SB associate editor Amelia Johanson originally introduced us to the idea of adding hemstitched box pleats to an existing blouse pattern such as Kari Mecca's Bias & Blooms Blouse. We love Jean's rendition in a sweet floral quilter's cotton, a print which she says she has also used for a baby ensemble, a smocked baby dress from The Old Fashioned Baby, and a doll outfit. The versatility of delicate cotton prints like this is just one reason to fill your stash with similar fabrics.

Jean also sent a photo of Katie modeling another Sew Beautiful project - our popular Wrap Dress pattern, which we revisited in casual prints last summer ("Reagan's Wrap Dress", issue #125). Jean picked up this fun brown and turquoise print at her local Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Store. You can find our SB Collection Wrap Dress pattern in our webstore.

Thanks for sharing your projects with us, Jean! Don't forget that you, too, can share your projects with us by emailing them to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com.

May Designer of the Month: Khristal Jouett

2010-05-03T10:34:00.004-05:00

We are excited to announce our featured designer of the month for May, Khristal Jouett! Khristal is a designer we discovered not too long ago who lives locally to our Sew Beautiful office in Huntsville, Alabama. She was first published in SB issue #129, where she shared her fantastic "Panel Discussion" dresses with us. You can also see her work in our upcoming July/August issue, where she has provided readers with a free pattern on the pullout centerfold for her vintage-inspired, apron-style top (or dress) for girls (pictured above in gray and yellow, and below in red and turquoise). We are excited that Khristal has several other upcoming projects planned and can't wait to share more of her design style with our readers on the pages of SB! On with the interview...

SB: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Khristal: I don't talk about myself much, but here goes: I have lived in the Huntsville area since I was about 2 years old. I attended Monrovia Elementary/Middle School and Sparkman high school, and then graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. I am blessed to have my momma, daddy, brothers and sisters still living in this area. I love God, my husband, daughter, family, and friends. I like all kinds of music but shy away from Dixieland and jazz fusion (too busy and chaotic). And, before this starts to sound like some kind of online dating form, I have to confess that I have a "slight" fabric collecting problem. It's starting to outgrow the spare bedroom and is making its way out to the garage.

SB: How did you get started sewing?
Khristal: I started sewing when I was in the sixth or seventh grade. My momma showed me how to operate the sewing machine safely, read pattern instructions and lay out the pattern pieces. She gritted her teeth and let me go for it. I started making doll clothing and pajamas for myself. When I started sewing, money was tight and making my clothes was a money saver. It also gave me a chance to experiment with my look and get out of doing lots of yard/garden work. My daddy's momma was a seamstress, so he let me slide on pulling weeds and picking okra! ;)

SB: From where would say you get your inspiration for your sewing projects?
Khristal: Vintage patterns, ready-to-wear clothing, museum exhibits, watching little kids, fashion designers, and television.

SB: Many of us who sew also participate in other hobbies, do you?
Khristal: Knitting, cooking, and redesigning our home.

SB: How does your daughter react to the clothing you make for her?
Khristal: She likes to pick colors and fabrics so that I can make her "stuff". As long as I don't make her look overly fancy, she's happy. She loves the twirly dresses and skirts, but she likes to run and play; so I pair dresses with capris, leggings, and little shorts you don't see -- just in case she feels a cartwheel coming on.

SB: Your first article for Sew Beautiful, "Panel Discussion", was published in our March/April issue and we have your work planned into more issues over the next year, including your free pattern for July/August: a vintage-inspired, apron-style dress for girls. Tell our readers a little of the story behind how you came to be published in Sew Beautiful. What is it like for you to have your designs in print?
Khristal: It's an honor to have my ideas translated into a tangible product that Sew Beautiful readers can hopefully enjoy making for their little ones. Back in 2007, I took my daughter to have her portrait done at Jennifer & Company (NOTE: Jennifer of Jennifer & Company is our beloved, long-time photographer for Sew Beautiful here in Huntsville, AL.). We were asked if she could model a couple of outfits for the July/August 2007 issue. Jennifer later asked if we would like to fill out a form to have her listed in the Sew Beautiful model pool, and of course, we said yes. Each model profile has a few headshots, and in my daughter's shots she was wearing one of the outfits that I made for her. SB editor Kathy Barnard liked her outfits and asked the photographer (Jennifer) about them, who asked me if I wanted to give Kathy my contact information. After I calmed down (that jumping for joy stuff can be kind of noisy) I said "Why yes, that would be lovely!" I probably didn't sound that refined, but you get the picture; and here we are.

SB: Your pieces have a distinctly vibrant fun, youthful appeal, which we might attribute to your bright contemporary fabric choices and your unique pattern adaptations. How do you go about panning a garment, with so many choices along the way?
Khristal: I like to see my child in bright happy clothing that she can have fun wearing. I "audition" the fabrics and trims by laying them out on the kitchen table (which is near the window). Sometimes the fabrics and trims get moved around and changed for a couple of days; sometimes the combinations come together more quickly. Also, picking fabrics from a designer's
collection is helpful. Fabrics in a collection are usually made so that they complement each other.

SB: What would your advice be for a true beginner who wants to learn how to sew garments for children?
Khristal: Start with a simple pattern (pajamas, play clothing, etc.), a fun woven fabric (no stretch, no plaid, and no prints that have to be matched up). Take time to read the pattern instructions first. Use pattern paper to trace the correct sized pattern pieces. Keep the original pattern as a master pattern for use later. Take your time, breath deeply and enjoy this hobby that lets you express yourself creatively.

SB: What are some of your favorite go-to sewing tools and resources?
Khristal: The seam ripper; I don't like to have to use it, but everyone does. The rubber band and a ruler; I use the rubber band as a seam guide. The ruler helps me to position the band correctly for the right seam allowance. A clear 6" x 24" ruler, a T-square, and a french curve. I also always like to refer to the Internet and great books and magazines for information. You can often find vintage sewing information at the public library. There are plenty of how to videos and articles that can show you how to do a technique you may not be familiar with. Check out Lezette Thomason's videos on You Tube.

SB: Khristal, thanks so much for taking the time to share more about yourself with our readers! We know your pieces are and will continue to be a great source of inspiration.

Spencer's Bubble

2010-04-21T08:57:00.004-05:00

Today we have a sweet boy's bubble to share with you from reader, designer and SB contributor Lillian Menzies. Lillian stitched this springtime suit for her grandson Spencer, size 24 months, whom we are sure will look handsome as ever in it!

Lillian used a pattern from Creations by Michie, #102 Pleated Bubble, in Robin's Egg Blue line pique; the collar is white line pique. The embroidery design is from Kathy Harrison's Custom Keepsakes Heirloom Collection II.

Check out more great looks for little boys on pages 22-25 in our all-blue May/June issue of Sew Beautiful! Have you sewn something great you'd like to share? Send your pictures to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com.

P.S. Please bear with us as we fix any technical difficulties on our new Martha Pullen and Sew Beautiful websites and web store. Don't forget you can call our retail department at 1-800-547-4176 ext. 2 to place orders as well. In the event that you experience issues logging into the IEC site or Martha Pullen store, please contact us at webhelp@marthapullen.com. In the email please include your first and last name, email address and years of IEC purchased. Thanks!

Jillian's Easter Dress

2010-04-20T12:33:00.004-05:00

Check out this beautifully stitched and smocked Easter dress, made by Sew Beautiful reader and friend Audra Kennedy! Audra sent us this picture of her gorgeous daughter Jillian wearing the "Alice Blue Dress" from SB Issue #114. Jillian spotted the original dress while visiting our Huntsville, AL School of Art Fashion, and to her mother's surprise, she asked Audra to make it for her. Audra tells us, "She said she felt beautiful in it," and we agree!

The "Alice Blue Dress" was featured on the cover of our 20th Anniversary Edition (#114) and uses our popular Pascale pattern, available on the pullout centerfold of this issue. You can purchase back issues of #114 and many others at our webstore.

Audra Kennedy has had articles published in past issues of Sew Beautiful, and her daughter Jillian has modeled for us since we was a toddler. Audra has been a teacher's assistant at the School of Art Fashion for years and is a member of a local SAGA Chapter here in Huntsville, AL. Look for an article from her featuring an adorable boy's bubble with silk-embroidered frogs in our upcoming July/August issue!

Jackie's Two-Piece Toddler Bathing Suits

2010-04-19T09:33:00.006-05:00

If you haven't already gotten your copy of our "Blue Issue" (May/June #130) you are in for a real treat! We are so proud of this one, and have been thrilled with the positive responses. One of the most popular articles is our "Toddler Two-Piece" from designer Jackie Young, which is provided as a free pattern on the pullout centerfold (pictured above). In sizes 6 months through 4T, I've read online that many SB readers are already planning to make sweet seersucker swimsuits of their own for the little ones in their lives. Please send us your pictures if you do make one! You can email them to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com.

Pictured above are Jackie's daughters in suits she made for them last summer. We think they look just right in pink and green, accented by girly monograms.

Jackie also sent us a picture of these adorable seersucker swim trunks she made for one of her customers at Three Sisters Heirlooms. Although this pair sports a cute picture-smocked insert on the leg, Jackie says she has also made some with an embroidered monogram to match her two-piece girls' suit. So sweet!

A True Family Heirloom

2010-04-06T08:45:00.004-05:00

When Sew Beautiful reader Nicole Keating of Brookfield, CT shared a picture from the bodice of her family's heirloom Christening gown, I had to see more and share it on our blog. The gown has been worn by over two dozen members of the family over the last 100 years, including Nicole's grandmother and her 4 siblings, helping date the gown to 1907. Nicole and her family also know that someone in their family once made the gown, though sadly they don't know just who did. Regardless, it is a beautiful piece of history that has been (and we know will continue to be) cherished throughout the years.

Nicole noted that the gown is VERY long and made of two pieces including the dress and underdress, and is made of a a slightly stiff cotton. The underdress has a cord at the top waist that cinches to tighten, and there is room at the bottom of the bodice that allows for a wide ribbon to be woven through and tied (this can be seen on the left side of the waistband above).

I spoke with Amelia about the gown to get some further insight, since Amelia has helped write and edit several of our books on antique clothing, including the Martha Pullen Vintage Collection and Favorite Places Series. She told me:

The embroidery looks to be Aryshire, although I can’t tell for sure if it’s hand wrought without looking at the backside and comparing the stitch repetition. [...] What is most unusual is the plaid fabric. I’ve never seen an antique christening gown, particularly one with Aryshire work combined with a plaid like this. I’d say the embroidery may have been pulled from another garment, but if that were the case, it was still a baby garment as the shape of the yoke was designed specifically for a infant’s piece.

Below is a picture of Nicole (second from the left) and family at baby Liviya's baptism, where the gown was last worn, at Suffern Presbyterian Church in Suffern, NY. Liviya is one of 3 children born to Nicole's cousins, Jenny and Carl Whitlatch. Nicole tells us, "They actually live in the parsonage next to the church, so she was able to dress the baby and then walk across the lawn to the back door of the church!"

Thank you so much for sharing this piece of family history with us, Nicole!

April Designer of the Month: Jeannie Baumeister of The Old Fashioned Baby

2010-04-01T09:29:00.015-05:00

Fans, we're so excited to announce that, in this season best known for heirloom, our featured designer of the month for April is Jeannie Baumeister of The Old Fashioned Baby. Jeannie has been teaching, designing patterns and publishing under her business for nearly 20 years, and has been gracing the pages of Sew Beautiful with her beautiful work and and techniques for most of that time as well. Her exquisite designs exemplify everything that we love about heirloom, and we are thrilled to share some of her insight with you today! Don't forget to check out Jeannie's website, The Old Fashioned Baby, where you can purchase her patterns and books as well as other supplies; and her blog is not to be missed (oldfashionedbaby.blogspot.com), where she shares techniques and projects on a regular basis. For now, on with the interview!

Dress featured above was seen in Sew Beautiful and is made from the Emma's Smocked Baby Dresses pattern from The Old Fashioned Baby

SB: Jeannie, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions that we can share with our readers! Let's start out with the usual -- tell us a little bit about yourself.
Jeannie: As the daughter of a career Air Force Officer, I grew up traveling around the country. I guess the longest I lived any one place was Newfoundland because my father had two tours of duty there. I loved the gypsy life. I settled down in Baton Rouge when my husband took a job with LSU 24 years ago. Five of my six children are grown. One son is still in high school and I am blessed with 7 Grandchildren, five of them girls.

SB: Just for fun, what are some of your interests and/or hobbies outside of sewing?
Jeannie: Roses!! I love growing roses although I am a bit of a haphazard gardener. I love the antique, easy to grow roses. No surprise that I would love antique roses, I guess. I love to read and always have a book going. I am a Christian and I love Bible Study groups.

SB: Favorite food?
Jeannie: Well, all I am thinking about eating right now is Lamb for Easter. And we have Yorkshire pudding with it. I love them both.

Dress featured above was seen in Sew Beautiful and is made from the Baby's Smocked Layette pattern from The Old Fashioned Baby

SB: Okay, enough with the silly business and on to our real questions! How long have you been sewing, and more specifically, how long have you been involved in heirloom sewing and smocking?
Jeannie: I come from a sewing family so I didn't think you could be a 'real' woman until you owned a sewing machine. For me, that was at age 18. I smocked my first dress for my baby daughter who is now 37, so I have been doing this a long time. I parade that little treasure before my Smocking Students to encourage them to see the beauty in what they are doing and not find fault in their work. My skills have increased with time.

SB: Tell our readers a little bit about your business, The Old Fashioned Baby, and its history.
Jeannie: I love babies and I love old baby clothes so it was the perfect combination to have a business designing baby clothes. I consider myself a designer first of all. I love designing. But I started my business teaching locally and making special order baby clothes. My Pattern business began around 1991 when I designed my own patterns to look like the old baby clothes I loved. I used my designs in magazine articles and people wanted to purchase them, so I printed them to sell. My first patterns were printed in 1992 I think.

Bubble pictured above is from Sweet & Simple Bubbles and Bonnets pattern from The Old Fashioned Baby

SB: From where would you say you get your inspiration for your sewing projects, patterns and designs?
Jeannie: Old Baby clothes are the biggest inspiration for me. Generous students and friends share their family treasures along with their antique shop finds with me and for this I am grateful. I know a lot of very nice people, I am lucky that way! Old embroidered linens and vintage books and magazines are also a wonderful field of inspiration.

Set pictured above was seen in Sew Beautiful and is made from the Old Fashioned Baby Layette pattern from The Old Fashioned Baby

SB: As a talented seamstress, teacher and business owner, how do you balance work and play when it comes to sewing and being creative?
Jeannie: Any woman will tell you that is the most difficult part. My priorities might be different from another business owner. The creative process is the most important to me and I put that first. Next, I work from deadline to deadline. What ever is up next is what I work on. It might be an upcoming class to teach or a pattern I am trying to get to the printer. I do tend to avoid the parts I don't like until I can't put them off any longer, like paper work!! And I never stop my creative process. Creativity sparks more creativity. When I am working on a design for a new pattern or article I always get sidetracked with ideas that come from the design I am currently working on. Often , the ideas enhance the current project but sometimes they have nothing to do with it. I just let myself flow in another direction and keep the notes and drawings I make. I have learned that if try to keep myself on track, it squelches my creative juices. Sometimes I can't wait to finish what I'm currently doing so I can begin working on my new ideas. In fact, I almost always begin the new project I am excited about before I have finished the current one. I also have a big box full of my ideas and designs that I have never used. I'm afraid that I am more of a dreamer than a doer!! I love ideas!! And I have more than I can ever really do.

Bib pictured above is from Jeannie's book, Jeannie B's Book of Heirloom Embroidery Designs & Stitches

SB: You have a distinctly heirloom style of sewing that many of us would love to master. How would you describe the process you go through when planning and sewing a unique garment that incorporates heirloom styles and techniques?

Jeannie: I am a visual person and I need to see it what it will look like so I draw it first. I usually draw several variations of the garment I want to make so I can see how they will look using different sleeves or hem styles. Once I know the style I want, I choose the fabric and lace. I pull out bolts of lace and fabric and eliminate the ones I don't like until I have the look I want. But I do tend to design as I go and change my mind in the process if it doesn't look like I thought it would. That is why I never have a problem adding to my 'collection' of lace. I like to have a variety to choose from. If you live near a "brick and mortar" shop it will be so much easier for you because you can see the different fabric and laces together before making a decision. In construction, I am a firm believer in basting. All the vintage clothing we admire was not slapped together. It was carefully basted to make sure it didn't shift when it was stitched. Sometimes pins will do the trick (called pin basting) but often you will be wise to baste the lace to the fabric before stitching. Practice a technique before you use it on your garment. The time and money are well worth it.

Pictured above: Jeannie's first smocked dress!

SB: What would your advice be for a true beginner of heirloom sewing who wants to learn more, but isn't sure where to start?
Jeannie: First I will tell them that heirloom sewing is easy! Anyone can do it. And you must use quality materials. It can make a big difference in how a technique turns out, not to mention the overall look of the finished garment. The worst thing you can do is to buy cheap materials to practice on. If a class is available, take it. Classes are the best way to learn! If you can't get away for a class then purchase a book that shows the heirloom techniques (you can never have too many books) and a tried and true pattern and start with a small project. This could be an embellished yoke or a bonnet. Be sure to use a light weight thread when sewing fine fabric. Find other like minded people to sew with.

SB: What are some of your favorite go-to sewing tools?
Jeannie: 1. My See-Thru rulers. I have three sizes. My favorite size is 18"X2". I use it for both designing and sewing. 2. A Thimble. I use a thimble and encourage every sewer to use one. 3. And the Blue wash-out marking pens. I would have to give up sewing with out those three items.

Pictured above: Sweet & Simple Daygown, which Jeannie will be teaching at the upcoming SAGA National Convention

SB: What about some of your favorite sewing resources (publications, websites, individuals, etc.)?
Jeannie: Well, I have to have Sew Beautiful magazine! It is my favorite. I like Australian Smocking and Embroidery magazine too. I must see them both as soon as they come out! Any book is a great sewing resource. You need a library of sewing book. As I said before, you can't have too many books. I have recently discovered the "Blog World" and there is a lot of inspiration there. I now have a blog called "The Old Fashioned Baby Sewing Room". I am showing lessons about some of the techniques needed to sew children's clothing. I want people to see how easy it is to sew for children. I will mention only one individual blog here and that is Southern Matriarch. Martha who is the creator helped me set up my own blog. I could not have done it without her. Her Heirloom Blog is one that stands out!

SB: Any last words of advice for our readers?
Jeannie: Yes. Be Bold!! Don't be timid or afraid to make mistakes. If you are, you will not progress in your stitching. Make that challenging garment that you are longing to do. Read all the instructions, ask questions and stitch it. When you are finished put it on your child and be happy with it! Other people will only see the beauty of your child in the little garment made of love. And NEVER point out your mistakes!

SB: Jeannie, thanks so much for taking the time to answer all of our questions. We loved hearing what you had to say and know our readers will too!

Don't forget to visit Jeannie at her website and on her blog, and be sure to check back next month for our May Designer of the Month!

First-Time Sewing

2010-03-31T10:36:00.004-05:00

Check out this very sweet picture that SB reader Sallie Nold of Summerville, SC sent us, showing her 7-year old granddaughter Eleanor sewing for the first time on Sallie's Viking SE sewing machine. Sallie tells us:

She was a natural at hand sewing…she took a piece of material and started making a skirt for a doll…saying she wanted to donate it to the little girls in Haiti who had surely lost their doll clothes. So sweet! I want her to love sewing as much as I do.

Thanks for sharing, Sallie! Maybe you have a future contributor to Sew Beautiful on your hands. Share your pictures with us by emailing them to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com.

Alana's Christening Gown

2010-03-30T09:48:00.007-05:00

Remember Kathy's robed Christening gown that we included as a free pattern in our November/December 2009 issue? Well, in that same vein, we're excited to share this beautiful similarly-styled Christening gown with you sent to us by SB reader Heather Lirette of Handcrafts by Heather. Heather says:

At my client's request I had drawn up a sketch of a coat-style Christening dress using silk cotton broadcloth and embroidered netting and then not a week later as I was pondering exactly how to make it, issue 127 arrived with the gorgeous coat style gowns. Imagine my surprise and delight. Now I knew it could be done--and how to do it.

Using the Baby Gowns pattern from The Old Fashioned Baby, Heather used ivory embroidered organza fabric and edging (Lily of the Valley, 19T6748) purchased from Baltazor Fabric Boutique, LLC and silk broadcloth dress fabric purchased from Wendy Schoen Design. Heather also used our own Martha Pullen Vintage Baby CD I to machine embroider the gown sleeves (design MPC1948; design was edited to remove cutwork).

One sweet detail of this dress is seen in the bodice trim. Heather used flowers from a coordinating hat and booties set that were purchased by her client, but then added yoyos made from dress fabric and overlay organza. Who knew that yoyo's could ever find their place on such an elegant garment, but they look right at home on Heather's gown.

Thanks again for sharing, Heather! You can see more of Heather's work on her website at www.handcraftsbyheather.com. Don't forget to share your own creations with us by sending your pictures to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com.

Inspiration: Sewing Projects from a Busy Mom

2010-03-29T08:43:00.002-05:00

Patterns used for garments pictured above from left to right are: Sheri’s Cherries by Kari Mecca; Simply Summer Pinafore and Dainty Underclothes (pantaloons) by Kari Mecca; and Shelby Kate Summer Dress Collection View #4 by Bonnie Blue Designs.

When Sew Beautiful reader Kelley sent us some photos of garments she's made for her 4-year-old daughter Sofia, we knew we had to share her story on our blog. Here we have a "real" mom who sews for her daughter, who in turn actually wears her special clothes on a regular basis - and of course, looks adorable every time she does! Without lots of money or time, Kelley told us that she considers Sew Beautiful and her sewing habit to be the little luxury that she affords herself. She does most of her sewing after everyone has gone to bed, which she calls "a special time just for me and my sewing machine to create beautiful things while everyone else dreams".

All of the garments Kelley has shared with us came to life because of seeing the patterns in Sew Beautiful, including those from our book Sewing with Whimsy by Kari Mecca that was first previewed in SB issue #119.

Patterns used for garments pictured above from left to right are: Sheri’s Cherries by Kari Mecca; Sunshine on my Shoulders by Kari Mecca; and Shelby Kate Summer Dress Collection View #4 by Bonnie Blue Designs.

Of her sewing, Kelley tells us:

I learned the basics of sewing very early in life from my mom and grandma and really wish I had paid more attention when they were around and interested in teaching me. I didn’t discover the joy of sewing until I had someone beautiful to sew for of my own 20 plus years later. My Sofia gives me inspiration as well as your magazine!

I also find that I hate for my child to look like everyone else’s child, and that the majority of children’s clothing on the market is entirely too mature and modern. We have our entire lives to look like adults, why not look like kids while we are? I hate seeing a elementary school child dressed like a teen. [...] I am what I consider a average 31 year old mom to a 4 year old preschooler, and I love to see my daughter dressed in smocked clothing everyday with animals, flowers, pantaloons and bloomers. [...] I started sewing to make a few of the things I wanted to see my daughter in. I love that she looks special, like she stepped out of a children’s boutique, and that they were made with love. If I had more time and money I think I would make everything in [Sew Beautiful].

Patterns used for garments pictured above from left to right are: Tea Party Sundress by Oliver + S; Dainty Underclothes (pantaloons) by Kari Mecca (white dress was purchased from The Bumble Boutique and was made by Boutique Shoppe).

Kelley suggests shopping yard sales, secondhand shops, thrift stores and even grandmother's linen closet (she found an Irish linen tablecloth at her 94-year-old grandmother's house, from which she made the white pantaloons above) for new and vintage fabric, sewing supplies and clothing that can be cut up for fabric. She also suggests saving all of your scraps – you never know when they'll come in handy.

Kelley, thanks so much for sharing your projects with us; it's so rewarding to see our magazine projects come to "real" life! If you've made something from or inspired by the magazine, please share it with us by sending pictures to blog@sewbeautifulmag.com. We love to see your projects!

Silk Ribbon Embroidery Giveaway Winner

2010-03-25T08:59:00.003-05:00

And the winner of our silk ribbon embroidery prize package giveaway is...Betsy Pepper! Betsy said:

My first embroidery lesson came from my aunt who was appalled that at the ripe old age of 10 I had not sewn a sampler yet. NO, I am not 200 years old, this was in 1968. So I was immediately whisked off to pick out a sampler..and I was hooked! I loved it! I learned to sew and embroidered my jeans in the 70's. I have sewn over the years for myself, my sisters and my children, neices and now my own grandchildren! My favorites are heirloom sewing, smocking and I dearly love shadow work embroidery! I have issues and issues of very well used Sew Beautiful magazine that have been and still are a wealth of information for me as I thumb through them almost every day! I have not had the opportunity to go to one of Martha's schools yet, that is still a dream of mine! For now...I have Sew Beautiful, and Martha's Sewing Room to keep me going! Thank you so much!!

Thank YOU, Betsy! Congratulations - check your email for a message from us.

Thanks to everyone for playing and please check back often to read our blog and for our next giveaway. Your continued support of SB is appreciated more than you know!

Giveaway Time: A Silk Ribbon Embroidery Package!

2010-03-22T09:21:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow, we ship Issue #130 of Sew Beautiful (May/June 2010) to the printer; from that point onward, we'll spend a few weeks in anticipation of its return as a finished publication. I think this is the most exciting part of putting together every issue of SB: getting boxes of the completed product delivered to our office and thumbing through the glossy pages for the first time! Although we spend a year or more preparing for and creating each issue, it all comes down to these final days of last-minute corrections and sending our digital files off to our publishing house for printing.

In Issue #122 (January/February 2009) we had a blast putting together our "pink issue"; conversely, Issue #130 is our first ever blue issue, and we are so excited for our readers to get their hands on it! In addition to a number of great techniques, templates and embellishment ideas, #130 comes with two free patterns on the centerfold (a two-piece toddler bathing suit and a vintage reproduction toddler dress) as well as 13 different looks for little boys – not including a unique silver-blue boy's Christening gown design. We think it is going to be a great issue and can't wait to hear what you think.

To celebrate our completion of the blue issue, we're giving away a silk ribbon embroidery package, featuring our newest publication, Beverley Sheldrick's Little Blessings: Silk Ribbon Projects for Baby! This is a soft-cover, full-color, 142-page project book with a pattern pullout section with all of the patterns and templates shown in the book. I've got to say, this is definitely one of the most beautiful books we've ever published, and I'm not just saying that because I work here. The photography and book design are stunning, and of course, fans know that Beverley Sheldrick's designs and embroidery are not to be outdone.

Our prize package also contains a sampling of silk ribbon embroidery supplies, including:

YLI 4mm silk ribbon in blue (#125), green (#62) and coral (#76); 5 yd quantities each
A white linen ready-to-embroider gift bag, filled with 3 sample strands of silk ribbon, a strand of floss and a tapestry needle for silk ribbon embroidery

To enter for a chance to win our silk ribbon embroidery giveaway package, leave a comment below – and make sure you include an email address so that we can contact you if you're the winner! In your comment, tell us about how you started sewing; have you done it your whole life? Have you recently begun teaching yourself? Attended a local class or travelled to a Martha Pullen school event? Haven't started yet, but would like to? We'd love to hear your stories!

Giveaway entries will close this Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. CST. We will draw the winner at random and announce the results on Thursday morning, March 24th. Good luck and thanks for playing!

Flip-Flop Ribbon Trim

2010-03-19T09:17:00.000-05:00

Cute, cute, cute... I'm in love with Kathy B's cool flip-flop ribbon trim. It's perfect for adding a fun touch of grosgrain ribbon to a casual summer dress made with fun prints, like this halter-style from our Summer Separates pattern:

With spring and summer quickly approaching, it's time to start thinking about adding some easy, breezy summer outfits to your little ones' wardrobes. Sewing garments yourself is fun enough straight from the patterns themselves, but adding special creative details and really makes it worth your while. For even the beginning seamstress, figuring out how to use what you know about sewing to add details to your pieces is lots of fun.

Ribbons are one of our favorite notions around here (as evidenced by our themed ribbon issue, #129), and the flip-flop ribbon trim that Kathy came up with last summer is just too cute. At the time Issue #125 was published, where we announced the new Summer Separates pattern, we offered free instructions on the flip-flop ribbon trim on our website (click here to download the instructions in PDF format). But since we recently received the new DVD collection of last season's Martha's Sewing Room, we've pulled video for you of Kathy herself teaching the technique. We hope that, combined with the printed instructions, the video helps make sense of creating this great trim on your own.

After we shared the flip-flop ribbon trim instructions on our website, SB reader Elizabeth Vickers shared a dress with us using this technique that she made for her granddaughter. I've been holding onto the photo Elizabeth sent me for six months, and finally, I have the perfect opportunity to share it with all of you:

It looks like Elizabeth has used a wider width of grosgrain ribbon in different colors to add a fun accent between her solid red fabric and multicolor polka dot fabric on the hem and sleeves.

Do you have ideas for using this technique in other ways? I wonder if it wouldn't work to use a thin-width of silk satin ribbon to make a tiny flip-flop trim; I might try it. If you do try this technique, please share it by posting a link below or sending pictures to us at blog@sewbeautifulmag.com. As always, we love to see what you're making!

Tag Binky Directions

2010-03-17T15:17:00.000-05:00

Cut two 17" squares of fleece.

Cut 28 different pieces of trim or ribbon 4" long.

On one square, mark the center and embroider as desired. Be sure to top with a tear-away or dissolving stabilizer so threads don't sink into the pile.

Fold over each piece of 4" ribbon to form a 2" tag. On right side of fleece, pin each tag (raw edges of tag to raw edge of fleece) along edge of second square, seven tags to each side.

Using a 1/2" seam allowance, stitch around outside edge of fleece square to attach tags.

Place embroidered square and "tag" square right sides together. Sew around outside edge following previous line of stitching on "tag" side. Leave a small opening for turning binky right sides out.

Trim corners, turn binky right sides out, push out corners and hand stitch opening closed.

Tag Binky

2010-03-17T14:59:00.000-05:00

Whenever a friend is expecting a baby, I whip up one of these tag binkies. Babies love them. They're a great way to use up small pieces of trim and ribbons; just make sure everything is washable, and avoid any trims with beads or sequins or those that could come apart, like ones with rows of motifs that are joined with just a thread or two; you know how babies like to teethe on things. Mix and match different colors and textures. Invariably the baby will latch on to one special tag, so I'm told. I usually machine embroider one side with the baby's name, if I know what it's going to be, or you can pick any fun, juvenile motif. Use solid fleece on one side and a print on the other if you like. If you don't machine embroider, just pick out a fleece print for both sides. Directions will follow in next post.

Sew Beautiful presents...

2010-03-15T10:34:00.001-05:00

Sew Beautiful is excited to announce that we are now the official sponsors of the biannual Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion! Join us for our upcoming 2010 summer School, which takes place locally here in Huntsville, Alabama, July 19th – 25th. SOAF registration information is now available on the Martha Pullen Company website, including a downloadable PDF brochure. You can also find the entire School brochure in print on the pullout centerfold of the upcoming May/June issue of Sew Beautiful, #130.

We are also pleased to announce our first ever SB Pre-Day class, "Beyond the Basic Bodice", to be taught by our very own Kathy Barnard, editor. In our 3-hour notebook-style class, you will use a basic girl’s bodice pattern to learn a variety of easy drafting techniques for designing five completely different bodices from one single pattern. Scroll down to #41 on the Pre-Day Classes page for more information.

Registration for the School of Art Fashion begins on March 31st. Don't procrastinate -- you don't want to miss out on snagging your favorite classes before they fill up! Visit the School website for more information, and look for our special preview article about the School and our sponsorship in issue #130 of Sew Beautiful.

Amelia's Sewing Office Utopia

2010-03-11T15:56:00.000-06:00

I just have to share my new office/sewing space, eight years in the making. I started in our extra bedroom. When I had to turn that space into a nursery, my office got split between my husband's unfinished workroom and the kitchen desk. Finally, when my high school son needed to complete a dry-wall project for a tech class in school, my real office started taking shape. My husband gave up half of his work room, and between his amazing talents (can fix or build anything) and bits of free time, (not to mention a year of living with my sewing stuff just piled in a half-finished room) I finally have a space to call my own. I feel so incredibly productive. Every woman should have their own creative utopia.

Gown Restoration and Preservation

2010-03-09T08:33:00.000-06:00

Remember our article on Preserving your Family Heirlooms, written by our own Betsy Iler, that we published in Issue #124? (Click here to download the PDF article for free!) Reader Joan Kwasiborski came across the article on our website and sent us a great recommendation for the Imperial Gown Restoration Company, which we knew we had to share with you. Joan says:

If you are not already familiar with the Imperial Gown Restoration Company in Fairfax, VA, or if you have never featured them, you might find them of interest. I once called them, and they were kind enough to let me know that their base price (this was a couple of years ago) to clean a gown, unseen, was $450.00. Their webpage was invaluable to me, because of their description of cleaning gowns, which I wanted to know, because I had bought some store models, and some used gowns, for resale. They avoid alkaline detergents, and I do also, prefering to use Shaklee's Basic-H or Shaklee's Laundry Detergent, although I have used some spot cleaners on small areas.

These gowns sometimes weigh 10 lbs. even when dry, so I droop them over a large fabric laundry basket in my clean extra bathtub, until most of the water has drained. Then I can droop them over other light weight items, set on top of my bed, even using umbrellas for the expansive petticoats and overskirts, I have a fan over my bed, and that helps circulate the air around them.

Imperial Gown Restoration Company has some very interesting information, they have done restoration for the Smithsonian Institution, and you can read more about their process and recommendations at their site, www.gown.com.

Thanks so much for the information, Joan! She is right -- Imperial's website is full of great information. We included the following list of preservation resources in the original article. Do you know of another great company, resource or tip regarding heirloom preservation and restoration? Please comment below to share your knowledge!

Heirloom preservation bags are available at www.affordableproducts.zoovy.com.
Heritage Garment Preservation offers supplies, storage boxes and kits. Visit their website at www.heritagegown.com or call 866-268-4696.
J. Scheer & Co. specializes in wedding gown preservation and the cleaning of museum textiles and ceremonial costume. Visit their website for more information, www.jscheer.com.
Martha Pullen Company carries acid-free heirloom tissue paper and padded hangers. Visit Martha’s online store at store.marthapullen.com.
Prestige Preservation Program, LLC, features cleaning, inspection and storage processes. Visit them online at www.prestigepreservation.com or call 888-542-7709.
See www.veils-by-roxanne.com for tissue, boxes and kits.
Sentinel Archiving, Inc., sells garment bags designed for long-term protection of extra-special garments at www.sentinelarchiving.com.
The Linen Press LLC provides repair services for heirloom and antique textiles. Go to www.thelinenpressllc.com for more information.
The Preservation Station sells a variety of cleaning and storage product options for the care of heirloom garments and other textiles: www.preservesmart.com.
University Products offers a wide selection of preservation supplies, including stain removers, silica gel packs to absorb moisture, and non-adhesive labeling tape. See their online store at www.archivalsuppliers.com.
Visit Whiteworks at www.white-works.com for articles and information about heirloom garment preservation.
Your local department or grocery store carries BIZ, Ivory Snow and other suitable cleaning and storage supplies.

Love Vintage Periodicals

2010-03-02T13:08:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I know this isn't nearly as exciting as our Threads debut, but while Kathy was flipping though her modern sewing magazine, I was flipping through one from 1905. I just love the vintage inspriation you can glean from them. Here's a question posed by one reader to the editorial staff all those years ago. Can't you just picture the "fancy case" in your head.

To Hold A Baby's Layette
Can you suggest something new and dainty to hold a baby's layette? Aunt Mabel

Make a fancy case fashioned like the fold-over handkerchief-cases. Take a piece of figured sateen that will measure when folded in half twenty-seven inches by eighteen; line with silk, and pad and quilt the under side after strewing the wadding with violet orris powder; use fancy silk elastic and make straps across to hold the little garments in place. When the top is lifted all the little articles are handy.

By the way, Orris root powder has a scent similar to violet and is used for scenting perfumes, potpourri and sachets.

Kathy and Amelia's Threads Magazine Debut

2010-03-02T08:32:00.000-06:00

We are so excited to announce Kathy and Amelia's debut in Threads Magazine! Check out page 74 of the April/May 2010 issue to see their Master Class article on Mirror-Image Appliqué. As soon as our copy arrived the other day, we started looking over the issue page-by-page; here is a picture of Kathy and me, Shannon, reading over the cover (please ignore my messy desk)...

...but let's be honest, this picture is more like it! Can you hear the squeals of excitement?!

The article itself was a true joint effort between Kathy Barnard (SB Editor) and Amelia Johanson (SB Associate Editor). Judith Neukam, Threads Sr. Technical Editor, called Kathy last year and said she was watching Martha’s Sewing Room one night when the Mirror Image Madeira method with the wash-away thread was demonstrated. Judith wanted to know if someone from Sew Beautiful would be willing to write for their Master Class segment in Threads using this technique, but based on a non-heirloom, styled design. Amelia and Kathy love fashion sewing so much that they decided to assign themselves the project! Kathy designed the featured dress and prepared the instructional step-out photography, while Amelia stitched it up; they both wrote the instructions together.

Kathy says, "We hope we get to do another article for Threads sometime. Now I know what it is like to be excited about having an article in another magazine. It’s easy for me to publish a design or an article in SB because I am the editor, but when someone else chooses you, it becomes a real honor!"

If you don't already have a subscription to Threads, please run out and pick up a copy to see Kathy and Amelia's article! We hope you enjoy it, as well of the rest of their great April/May issue, and thanks again to Threads for the opportunity - we are honored.

March Designer of the Month: Ivey Crenshaw

2010-03-01T08:27:00.002-06:00

Welcome to the premier post of our first blog series: Designer of the Month. On (or near) the first of each month, we will be sharing a spotlight interview with a featured designer whose work we love. We hope you enjoy the behind-the-designs insight to be gained!

Our first featured designer is Ivey Crenshaw of Hahira, Georgia. Ivey is an employee of Sew Blessed, a sewing shop also located in Hahira. You can see her work in "Spring in Full Bloom," a pictorial published in the current March/April 2010 issue of Sew Beautiful (#129; pages 16-19). We're also looking forward to publishing Ivey's work in yet another pictorial in our November/December issue (#133), this time offering a series of fun, casual Christmas looks in bright cotton prints. For now, on with the interview!

SB: Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Ivey: I am a happily married housewife, who works part-time at Sew Blessed. Before I started working at the shop, I had my own business making curtains and anything to do with decorative textiles. One day, I was hanging curtains for a client and I mentioned to her that I needed a new sewing machine and a part-time job so that I could get out of the house some every week before I go stir crazy. Well, that client was Sharon, who is the owner of Sew Blessed and now my wonderful boss! Eventually I got out of the drapery making business and started sewing for fun again. Jeff and I do not have any kids but that does not stop me from sewing children's clothes. I love it! I have an Art Degree in Fashion Design and when I was in college, children's wear was my forte. Working at Sew Blessed has just given me the perfect excuse to sew cute children's clothes again! I guess you could say that I have been "sew blessed" - haha!

SB: How did you get started sewing?
Ivey: My grandmother was an excellent sewist and as a young child she always fascinated me with all that she would sew. She passed away when I was eight and was never able to teach me. My mom inherited her fabric collections, 2 sewing machines, and U.F.O.'s (unfinished objects). I loved to play with all those fabrics and I would try to make things by studying her U.F.O. projects. Mom noticed that I was interested in sewing and found me a summer sewing class through 4-H when I was about 11 years old.

SB: Many of us who sew also participate in other crafts and hobbies; do you?
Ivey: Yes! Although I try to limit the crafts I get involved with cause it can get expensive and time consuming. My true love is sewing. Next to sewing is decorating. Seems like my parents and I have always got a decorating project going on. Alot of the crafts that I do are because I was trying to come up with clever wall art or decorate for a party.Some of my other crafts and hobbies I dabble in are flower arranging, beading, photography, paper crafts...Give me a book on the subject and I will try to figure it out! I would love to get into gardening.

SB: How long have you been a part of the Sew Blessed shop, and what is your role there?
Ivey: I have been part of Sew Blessed now for 5 years. My role at the shop I guess would be Marketing Director. I'm all about trying to make our shop look good. I make the shop samples, choose fabrics and patterns we sell in the shop, rearange store displays, take pictures for our ads... you know, whatever is going to market our shop well.

SB: From where would you say you get your inspiration for your sewing projects?
Ivey: I find inspiration everywhere!!! It could be from something as simple as a novelty button or a fabric collection from a favorite fabric designer. Magazines are some of the best places to find inspiration and not just sewing ones. I don't scrapbook, but I love to buy scrapbook magazines because they are full of ideas for appliques and unusual color combinations. A movie, artwork, a road trip through the mountains in the fall, pretty packaging; these are all things that have inspired past sewing projects.

SB: Hand-in-hand with inspiration goes motivation. As creative beings, sometimes even though we have plenty of inspiration, we can't seem to motivate ourselves to actually keep creating! How do you combat this struggle?
Ivey: I'm not always motivated to create, but it makes me upset when I go through the day and I have accomplished absolutely nothing.It actually makes me feel depressed. So to avoid that feeling, I will pick out a U.F.O. project and make myself work on it. Well in the process, I will actually start to enjoy what I am working on. When I finish, I usually feel good about what I have done and will be excited to work on another project.

SB: You have such a creative take on children's clothing, from your integration of designer fabrics, patterns and machine embroidery to your own take on appliques and embellishments. How would you describe the process you go through when planning and sewing a unique garment?
Ivey: It depends on my source of inspiration, but I always lay out my fabric and trims so that I can get a visual image of how things are going together. Most of the time I'm not real sure it is going to work out but I will do it anyways because I like that element of surprise with the finished product. That's what makes designing so much fun!

SB: What would your advice be for a true beginner who wants to learn how to sew garments for children?
Ivey: Just keep on sewing! Make yourself try new patterns. I taught myself new sewing techniques by trying out different pattern styles and designers. Don't get caught up in trying to custom fit children's clothing. It should be loose and fun! You know, something they can play in.

SB: What are some of your favorite go-to sewing tools?
Ivey: My favorite sewing tool (besides my sewing machines) is my set of "Fasturn" tube turners! Whew, that's a mouthful! Helps me turn all those sashes and straps out in no time at all.

SB: What are some of your favorite resources when it come to sewing?
Ivey: I love all the A-Z Series of books for sewing. The reason, they have great directions and wonderful instruction pictures. My other favorite resource for sewing are my video collection of Martha's Sewing Room. I don't always practice my heirloom techniques but I can watch those videos and I know exactly what to do!

SB: Any last words for our readers?
Ivey: When I was asked to do the SB pictorial, the first thing I did was find my favorite issue, Issue #100. It was the very first issue I ever purchased. The pages are worn out and there is some water damage cause I took it to the beach with me one time, but I still go through it every now and then. This particular issue is very important to me because it was what inspired me to start sewing children's clothing again! I can only hope that my pictorial will become a sewing inspiration to someone like issue 100 did for me.

SB: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions, Ivey! To our readers, you can check out more of Ivey's work online at her blog and Flickr photostream. And of course, be sure to stop by Sew Blessed if you're ever in Hahira, GA. Stay tuned for our April Designer of the Month, Jeannie Baumeister of The Old Fashioned Baby.