Mustard Seeds

SEW LOVELY for girls

Remember when I held SEW LOVELY sewing retreats? Well, I'm ramping up to offer them again--this time to young girls (ages 9 & up). It's in the form of a mother-daughter class/retreat and I have two different sessions, one in June and one in July. 

Now moms, you do not need to know how to sew to come to this class. You don’t even have to pretend to be crafty. The main reason I am having you come is to bond with your lovely daughter (of course) and also to learn alongside her so that when you get home you both know enough to keeping sewing forward. 

Here are the details. Please feel free to forward this to mother-daughters that might be interested. 

First of all, SEW LOVELY is more than just a sewing class. I call it a retreat because along with the sewing class portion, there are sumptuous snacks and meals, vintage sewing decor, party favors, fellowship and more. 

DO I HAVE TO OWN A SEWING MACHINE?

Yes, you do have to own a sewing machine to take this class. One of the greatest benefits of this class is I will teach you how to thread your needle, wind your bobbin and make a button hole using your machine. You will go home confident in how to make that machine hum. You can purchase a reasonable, quality machine at Wal-Mart or Amazon. My best suggestion for beginners is the Singer 2259 Tradition. This one is also a good beginner machine.

WHEN & WHERE IS IT?

At my home in Arvada, Colorado.

Friday, June 19 (6:30-8:30 pm)  & Saturday, June 20 (9 am-5 pm)

Friday, July 31 (6:30-8:30 pm)  & Saturday, Aug. 1 (9 am-5 pm)

HOW MUCH IS IT? $250 per mother-daughter couple

WHAT DO WE GET FOR MY $250?

Your daughter will walk away saying, “Why yes! I do sew.”  She will also take home three completed projects, a binder with patterns and notes and the confidence to sew on her own. You will also get appetizer/dessert (Friday), and breakfast, lunch, and yummy snacks along the way (Saturday). Believe me, you won’t go away hungry.

Rice Pillow

Small Tote Bag

Half Apron

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME?

• Sharp sewing scissors or shears The pair that you have in your drawer, which you use to cut paper will NOT work.
• Box of pins I prefer this kind because they are longer (1 ½ inch) and the pearls make them easy to grab. Don’t worry about a pin cushion (Wink! Wink!).
• Seam ripper
• Sewing gauge
• Spool of white thread
• Sewing machine. Bring all bobbins, parts and instruction manual. Package of replacement needles for your sewing machine. 
• Package of hand-sewing needles
• Tape measure
• Fabric for your three projects

TO REGISTER: Go to joysongschool.com. Space is limited. Submit the registration form and then you will receive an email to proceed with payment.

 

Tutorial: Reusable gift bags

Let's face it, even though we purchase paper gift bags, we use them over and over and over again each year. Last year, I decided to make some fabric gift bags to use for our family gift-giving. I even used some old Christmas PJ pants (just cut off the legs and then seamed the bottom.) Some of the bags were so simple, it literally took the same or less time than it would to wrap a boxed gift. And there's no need for tissue paper.

I also had a stack of fun Christmas-print fabric that I'd been waiting to use on something special. The gift bags were a perfect project because now I will get to see the fun prints again each year. I used beautiful satin or wired-edge ribbon to tie them off.

If the gift is smaller than the package, you can fold it around the gift and then tie it off like a more traditionally-wrapped gift.

The best part of my fabric bags was that at Valentine's Day, I pulled out the red/white bags and clipped valentines to the bags for the kids' gifts.

AND then this last week, I pulled out the Christmas bags, dropped in the gifts, tied the bows (already tucked inside the bags from last Christmas) and whoa-la! Wrapping was done in minutes.

Now, I do still wrap gifts for friends in paper. But for immediate family, these bags are a easy
and cute solution. After the unwrapping is done on Christmas morning, I  just roll up the ribbon, put in the bag, and then fold up the bag.

 

So here is my tutorial.

MATERIALS:

• Christmas-print yardage
• Holiday PJ castoffs
• Sewing machine and white thread

What to do:

• Cut two pieces and put right sides (printed sides) together. Sew on the three sides. Think: pillowcase.

• Trim the bottom two corners. This will create pointed corners when you turn it right-side out.

• Turn it right-side out. You can finish the top edge by hemming it or just leave it raw. It looks cute either way.

• Drop in your gift and tie the bow.

• Give it to someone you love.

 

Vintage Valentines

Christmas decor is all packed up and put away in the basement. I did leave out some of my "snow" and pine trees. It just looks too bare and lonely in January without them. Getting excited to do some new Valentine's Day projects.

Check out these awesome downloadable vintage Valentines.

You can print them out to create a bunting. See full tutorial.

I wonder what else I could do with these cute prints. Any suggestions?