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

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!

Welcome to Wendy Week - Giveaways every day!

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!

Sensational Sweater Makeovers from Issue #132: A Video Tutorial

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!

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

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

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!

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

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!

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**

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!

Behind the Scenes at our School of Art Fashion Class

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!

Flip-Flop Ribbon Trim

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!