Some of you sew. Some of you don't. But if you don't...is it fair to say you wish you did?
I hear it all the time. "I wish I knew how to sew!". Seriously - anyone can sew! And so, I've been teaching a few classes about once a month on some original and other projects. Fun for beginners. Fun for those advanced sewers.
Last week, we had our TOTES! class. The idea was that I would share how I draft...ha! How I "draft" a bag pattern. Um, a tote bag is a rectangle basically. Add straps. Boom! You're done.
With a few patches and a basic pattern, I introduced them to using offset blocks and a little no sew trick. Two different ways to make the gussets and how to make the straps. How to create pockets from whatever scraps you have. How to use interfacing. How to insert a snap. I think that about sums it up. Wanna see what they came up with?
February, we are sewing up some fabulous accessory bags and learning how to make little rolled roses and more to pin on or attach to barrettes.
March, we are getting ready for Spring with some home dec sewing. Pillow covers and table runners. I love making the table runners actually into placemats which you can use on an end table too.
April, preparing for Mother's Day we will be making aprons.
May, end of school year so we will be making teacher thank you gifts. Notebook covers and coffee cup cozies.
June, ready for the summer - we will be making a classic, pillowcase dresses.
Want to join us? If you sign up for any 3 classes and pay in advance, you'll receive a $20 discount. If you've taken a class with me - I'd love to hear what you think and share with everyone. I love seeing what you all create! Thanks for sewing with me!
xoxo,
Trish
Indian summer has made its way here finally.
A light breeze has been blowing. The kids have been able to go out without a coat. And the farmer from across the street who passed away a few years ago, his boys have been harvesting all the corn lately and we can see their barn again and all the way across their field.
Ok ladies...pull up a chair, warm up your machines, put your foot to the pedal!
I was working so hard so that our family could enjoy a little R&R.
I know it’s taken me awhile to get back to sharing all the details from the girls party. I have had a lot going on. 
Dealing with a husband who has been in training a lot lately and our crazy schedules. I mean, seriously, he came home with band-aids on his wrists because they got cut up while they were in defensive tactics practicing handcuffing. Playing a bit rough aren’t we boys? I’ve been working like mad on fabric designs and trying to decide on what to present for my first line, planning for Quilt Market including things like little giveaways, booth design, and of course, product! I have an appointment with one of the fabric companies on the first day of Market to present my designs so I’m super excited that truly, this Fall, I may have my very own line! That would be a dream come true! And the baby, well, she finally got up and crawled this week and started to pull herself up to a stand all within days of each other. So, keeping up with her just got a whole lot harder.
So, as I do all day while I’m working either on campus or in my studio, I’m usually listening to music on my iphone. Quite frankly, as my husband says, I’m addicted to it. My iphone is never far from my hand – I do love it. And I like to share what I’m listening to because it inspires me and keeps me focused through the day. Lately it’s been 
For each girl, I made them an apron and an 
As each girl arrived, my girls gave them their aprons to put on.
I used little Dixie cups to put each serving of ingredient for each girl. We made chicken enchiladas and I just brought out each ingredient one at a time and had them add, mix and then stuff their tortillas. We put them in one big casserole and then left them to bake.
They loved getting to be creative. I gave them a few ideas and they were off and running. I had set the table with 2 sets of tablecloths. The bottom layer was a vinyl tablecloth we keep. The top was a plastic disposable table covering. When they were all done with the baking and cupcake decorating…I left the entire mess on the table and just wrapped it up in the table covering and tossed the whole thing. It was great! Then, underneath, I had a nice clean table ready for lunch. The girls went off and played for about 10 minutes while I set the table and got the rest of the food out.
I had just a simple centerpiece which consisted of wooden spoons with the chicken enchilada recipe attached. This was one of the favors the girls took home. I also had playdough thinking we would make mini treats for the dolls but we ran out of time so they just took that home with them. I had treat bags to pack their aprons in as well that had cupcakes on them and pretty much their favors were their apron sets.
Here’s a quilt I made this morning and a purse being sent out tomorrow for orders. I’m working next on one my patterns – cute little kitty cat thing. I’ll show you that sometime soon! Within 3 weeks, I’ll have 3 patterns ready to go out to testers and I have only a few bodies to edit and test for me. If anybody else is interested in being a pattern tester for me, let me know asap! Ciao, Trish
Aprons are the hit lately...here's some more on their way to Morroco (is that how you spell it) to 
this was taken when they were 2. They are still just as adorable and sweet and the greatest miracle we could have ever wished for. Thank you God for entrusting their lives into my hands and for these days we have to share and delight in all that they are. They bring such much happiness to our lives. (especially when they are in school - I'm just kidding...sort of! :>) !