Puget Sound Sewing & Craft

Sew Fun = Sew Stylish Jackets in June

Nothing sparks admiration like a beautiful, custom-made jacket.  This month in Sew Fun, you will learn how to take an ordinary sweatshirt and turn it into a stylish jacket.  In Nancie M Wiseman's latest book, Start with a Sweatshirt, Sew a Stylish Jacket you will be inspired to add couture style to an ordinary sweatshirt by combining your favorite palate of fabrics.  These jackets are easy to make. The illustrations and instructions will guide you through the process.  Once you complete your style of jacket, embellish it with dimensional flowers made from coordinating fabrics.  Learn to create new and exciting flowers using "old-fashioned" methods including prairie points and various ruching techniques. Use the flowers to embellish quilts, wearable art or make a decorative pin for clothing or accessories.  Add embroidered buttons and your creation is complete!

Remember, you do not need to register in advance!  Come and join the fun!

Sew Fun Seminars at Quality Sewing:

• Everett: Monday: 6/1: 1p & 6:30p

• Everett: Tuesday: 6/2: 10a

• Kirkland: Tuesday: 6/2: 6:30p

• Kirkland: Wednesday: 6/3: 1p & 6:30p

• Alderwood: Thursday: 6/4: 1p & 6:30p

• Alderwood: Friday: 6/5: 10a

• Ballard: Monday: 6/8: 1p & 6:30p

• Northgate: Tuesday: 6/9: 1p & 6:30p

• Bellevue: Wednesday: 6/10: 1p & 6:30p

• Issaquah: Thursday: 6/11: 10a& 6:30p  

• Tacoma: Monday: 6/15: 1p & 6:30p

• Tacoma: Tuesday: 6/16: 10a

• Federal Way: Tuesday: 6/16: 6:30p

• Federal Way: Wednesday: 6/17: 10a & 1p

• Silverdale: Thursday: 6/18: 10a & 2p & 6:30p

• Burien: Monday: 6/22: 1p & 6:30p

• Puyallup: Tuesday: 6/23: 1p & 6:30p

• Puyallup: Wednesday: 6/24: 10a

Egg Cozy Cups Dress Up a Special Brunch

It feels like Spring has finally arrived, and none too soon!  We still have a way to go before it completely warms up here in the Puget Sound, but in the meantime here is a 'cozy' Easter project that is quick, easy and egg-stra special to make.  (Sorry, could not resist.)

Egg Cozy Cups
Materials Needed:

Scraps of fabric, 7"x4"
Fusible Interfacing, medium to heavy weight
1/4" elastic, 2.5" long
Vintage button
Trim, if wanted

1.  Cut scraps of fabric into 7 inch by 4 inch rectangles. 
2. Fuse fusible interfacing onto fabric following manufacturer's instructions.  This project is great for using up old, boardy interfacing, or interfacing scraps, as you want enough structure to support the egg.  The example in the photo utilizes two layers of tailoring weight interfacing.  If you are using home decorator or similar fabrics, you may be able to omit interfacing.
3.  Cut trim to fit one long edge, minus 1/2 inch (6.5"), if using trim.
4.  Pin trim, aligning raw edges, along one long edge, leaving 1/4 space on either end.
5. Fold the 1/4" elastic in half and pin 1/4 of the way down one short edge, aligning raw edges.
6.  Fold the rectangle in half, right sides together.  The trim and the elastic should be inside, pointed away from the raw edges.
7.  Stitch across the short end holding the elastic, and then across the long edge.  This should create a tube with one open end.
8.  Carefully trim the corners and turn the tube right side out. Gently square corners and press.
9.  Turn under the raw edges of the open end, and press.  Edgestitch end closed.
10.  Check for fit around your favorite egg to determine button placement.
11.  Stitch button in place and enjoy!

This is a great way to use up all sorts of scraps of trim, fabrics, buttons and interfacings.  Consider beading, embroidering or other embellishments.

Have fun!
--Katrina

Create a New Look With Simply Beautiful Seams

I love to use a variety of seams.  Not only for adapting to a particular construction challenge, but especially for decorative purposes.  When you have a pattern style that is flattering and you've perfected the fit, it's nice to be able to create multiple versions without simply duplicating your work.  Using decorative seams can give a whole new look to a project.

One of my favorites for visual impact and ease of sewing is the bundled fagoted seam.  A traditional fagotted seam has threads bridging a gap between two fabric pieces.  In the bundled fagoted seam, the threads are stitched down the middle with a triple straight stitch, creating a look of little tied 'bundles'. 

The secret star of this technique is: the fringe foot!  We're all familiar with using the fringe foot for fun textural effects.  But it also makes sewing a perfectly spaced fagoted seam a piece of cake.

Here's how it's done:

Step 1:  Using the fringe foot and decreased needle tension, stitch at least a 5/8” seam, right sides together, using a zig-zag that just clears the fringe bar.

Step 2:  Pull seam gently apart and press the seam allowances away from the seam on the wrong side.

Step 3:  Use the triple straight stitch (regular tension) to sew up the center of the fagoted seam, pulling fabric taut to the sides to keep seam open as much as possible.

Step 4:  Use decorative stitches (Angie Spong 9mm stitch shown here - available at this month's Sew Fun presentation) up the sides of the seam to hold seam allowances to the side and give additional decoration.

That's it!  If you'd like to see more of this fun technique, come to a Sew Fun club presentation.  You'll be amazed at the many ways you can add a little more oomph! to your next project.

So Nice to Meet You

Before I joined the buying team at Pacific Fabrics, I loved working in the store at Northgate, and while I don’t want to give up my exciting new job picking fabrics and patterns for all the stores, I do miss the constant delight of meeting crafty folks every day at work. Luckily, one of my new duties is to manage many of our events – which means working at them, and getting great opportunities to meet you good folks.

In July, I got to play “Anna-Elf” at our Christmas in July event – our Demo Queen, Chris “Claus,” and I went to all six of our stores and showed a fabulous trunk show to hundreds of our customers. I confess, I went into this with a little dread – so much preparation, so much travel, and so little sleep! But you all were just wonderful – I spent lots of time in cheery conversations about everything from quilting and crocheting, to odd topics like animal rescue and cooking (I haven’t forgotten, sweet Northgate lady – I will get my crab cake recipe written up and posted!)

Last Thursday was Stitch ‘n Pitch Night at Safeco Field. I had so much fun working at our booth – I was at the Learn-to-Crochet Table in the Pacific Fabrics & Crafts Amigurumi Fun Zone. I don’t seem to be a gifted crochet teacher, but luckily I had the vivacious Pat (from our Everett store) there, who teaches well, and I got to meet everyone and watch with pride as they posed for pictures with the giant octopus I crocheted. I even had the thrill of having a customer from the Puyallup store recognize me as “Anna-Elf!”

The very next day was the opening of our APNQ
Quiltfest booth, which I worked at all three days. It was such an exciting show! I will write about the quilts on display next week (I’ll just tell you, they were sometimes gorgeous, sometimes provoking, often jaw-dropping -where do these people find the time? - but all inspiring.) I spent most of my time in our booth, helping customers from all over Washington, the US, Canada, and even one friendly lady from Norway, who was delighted to find a Heather Ross print she was having trouble finding. If you were there, let me just say again, thank you. You were all so interesting and kind.

There’s just something about the crafty set – we are imaginative, positive, unique and generous. I find these to be frequently shared qualities as I interact with our customers and employees. It’s such a treat to meet others who share my interest in handmade items, and my desire for a world made beautiful through art and craft.

I’m not trying to rub it in – I know that not everyone can have a crafty job, and you sure can’t have mine, because I’m too happy here! But I would like you all to remember, that there are so many ways to find your crafty community. Come to these wonderful events – sure, you will get a chance to shop, but even better, you get to meet others who are interested in your passions. Attend classes – expand your skills and bond with your classmates. Join guilds, groups and clubs, finding a community you can share our skills and experiences with. I’m really looking forward to PacFab’s Knit A Long – two of my friends are joining with me, and we are excited to become better knitters and better friends and I’d love to get to know you there, too!

- Anna-Beth

Needle Felting Inspiration

I love needle felting - it adds textural interest and is very simple to do.  It's also tremendously versatile and can be used not only as an embellishment tool but also as a construction technique and a way to create 3 dimensional objects such as hats and soft sculpture.

The tools are also very simple.  A needle felting tool and something to 'punch' into, either a brush or piece of foam.  I also like to have a small selection of single needles for detail work.  All of these are available at Pacific Fabrics along with rovings and fabrics that work well for exploring this technique.  The Puyallup Pacific Fabrics even has ready-to-block hat felt that I've been eyeing for some time.

I like the look of needle felted designs made with roving (carded fiber that hasn't been spun yet)  on a background fabric but I must admit that sometimes my creative energy stalls a bit when I'm facing a blank canvas.  So I use a design outline.

My favorite way to create an outline on the fabric is to use machine embroidery.  I simply stitch out a running stitch design and then fill it in with roving - just as if I were coloring in a coloring book.  I like the look and it is very simple. 

In this example, I used an iron-on transfer design from a Dover Publishing book on Art Nouveau embroidery designs.  I scanned in the iron-on transfer and then translated the image into a running stitch embroidery design using 4D.  I stitched it out onto the back piece for a jacket I am constructing and now I'm in the process of 'coloring' the design with wool roving.  I'm having a lot of fun with this project.  I especially like playing with the colors, such as blending two different colors of wool to give a little extra dimension to the rose motifs.  I can't wait to show you the finished product!

p.s. It's Fair Time in Pierce County!  I had the good fortune to be asked to judge the Junior division of the 4-H Fashion Revue.  If you've never seen a 4-H Fashion Revue competition, it is an amazing showcase of youth sewing talent.  Each participant has sewn the garment(s) they are wearing and are judged based on their interview skills (many of the questions relate to sewing and garment construction), the construction of their garment (as it appears when worn) and their ability to present themselves and their outfit.  The kids are just incredible, and the many adult 4-H leaders and volunteers who work with them to teach them how to sew are even more amazing.  I hope you all get the chance to get to the Fair to see all these amazing kids at work and to check out all of the sewing and craft items on display by kids and adults. 

--Katrina