The White Issue: A Teaser Preview

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!

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!

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!

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

"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

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

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.