August arrivals and a visit from designer RAE HOEKSTRA!!

Sewing Garments with MADE BY RAE!! Wednesday Aug. 28, 6 - 9PM Come and meet Rae Hoekstra: designer, pattern maker, world famous sewing blogger, and all around lovely lady. Rae will begin the evening with a meet and greet, followed by a presentation and Washi Dress trunk show. A wardrobe full of handmade clothing is possible! Rae will walk you through how she conceives and alters a basic pattern to make many different variations using her many samples of the popular Washi Dress as illustration. She'll also share some of the things she's learned along the way about choosing fabrics, taking measurements, using patterns (both printed and digital PDFs), and more. You'll be inspired to sew up a closet full of handmade clothing of your own! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - You can also sign up for Rae's Washi Dress Techniques Workshop. Thursday, Aug 29, 9AM - Noon. This workshop is designed to offer time to work on the Washi Dress with Rae's assistance. Rae will also cover many of the sewing techniques needed to complete the Washi Dress. Possible topics are: sewing a smooth dart, shirring with elastic thread, adding facings, seam and armhole finishing, and hemming. These techniques are commonly used in many other women's (and even children's) clothing patterns as well! Please note that due to time limitations, we will not be able to sew an entire dress from start to finish; however, Rae will be available to assist you and answer questions specific to your dress. Workshop space is limited so call or come in to sign up. In addition to this, Rae has offered some time on Wednesday for those of you who would like a private fitting. Call us at the shop to find out more and to schedule appointments. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have lots of smart prints for those returning to school! [Collage is shown above.] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - It is hard to believe we are already more than a week into August and soon school will be starting once again. Fall is close and new sewing projects are piling up! This mid-season shift is a great time for fabric as we recieve Summer's last arrivals and Fall's firsts.... We are very well-stocked in the shop! Here is a peek at
what's NEW:
Briar Rose!! by Heather Ross, Lush Uptown by Erin Michaels for Moda, Ziggy (and zaggy) prints form Windham,		numbers, masks and other novelties from AH, Nordika by Jeni Baker for Art Gallery, Collage by Carrie Bloomston and lots more....
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fall classes have been scheduled!!! View our listings here. Call or come in to sign up. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Happy August Sewing, Anita, April and the Sew To Speak Team

farmington feathers

Hi! I'm Amanda, and I'm a guest blogger for the shoppe today! You can find me here or here and I also teach some classes at the shoppe.

I got this pretty feather fabric the other day at the shoppe without any project in mind. I just had to have it! Then a few days later, I saw this tutorial by Anna and I knew that it would be perfect for the fabric.

Anna's samples are cute, but I love a sturdier pouch. I want a smaller pouch that can stand by itself, so I used one piece of 12.5" by 7.5" fabric instead of the two specified in the instruction and quilted the exterior piece with a piece of cotton flannel as the batting. Now I have a perfect pouch for my make up bag!

I still can't have enough of that feather print fabric though, so I picked some fat quarters to coordinate with the print in another colorway for a future quilt project. Aren't they beautiful together?

I chose some LouLouthi, Joel Dewberry, and Robert Kaufman for my coordinates. I will use them with some Essex linen/cotton in white, but Kona cotton in Snow would also work well. You can find them all at the shoppe if you'd like to get a similar bundle!

Stashing

I've been feeling a tinge of guilt as of late. I am organizing and rethinking my home sewing/work space. I have acumulated a good bit of fabric over the past 4+ years of "serious" sewing and fabric buying for the shoppe. As I sat folding and refolding pieces (devising a new method of same size, folded fabric storage) I told my hubby I might try and let go of some of it.. I simply couldn't see myself sewing it all up, at least not this summer... I expected his response to be something like 'yeah, you do have a lot' or or perhaps a trite 'hmm' but instead he said "Why?" and proceeded to convince me that I "really don't have that much" and "it doesn't take up that much space".... !!!!!!

My ears rang with glee!! How wonderful is he?

[here's what I've folded so far]

[and here is a peek inside my cupboard.. some of what I have yet to fold]

[ok.. I'll open both doors.. but don't let me mislead you.. there is MUCH more than this stashed in verious other places, pilled on the floor and boxed away in the attic.. I hope to show you some much tidier photos after I've unpacked and sorted it all]

Little does he know how dangerous his encouraging words might prove to be ;)

[In fact I'm buying these just to celebrate!]

Oh and also recently and along the same lines of lessening stash guilt I saw some amazingly, unbelievable stash photos on Amy Butler's facebook page! She linked to a whole stash Flickr group!!!

This one had my jaw dropping!

I feel guilty NO LONGER!!!

You asked for it

and it's about time we gave it to you!

IT'S A GIVEAWAY

For all of you lovely fans and blog followers, many of whom live perhaps a little (or even a lot) too far to come see us at the shoppe, we have a very special treat! One full collection bundle, 30 fat quarters total of Anna Maria's stunning new collection, LouLouThi.

To win leave us a comment, include your name, where you're following from and what you might do with this delicious stack of fabric if it happened to become yours. We will draw one winner at random and announce their name on Monday, July 18th. 

  

Suzy's New Critter Community!

Fabric Giveaway!

This Saturday, July 2nd

If you liked Suzy Ultman's Appleville then you're sure to adore what's coming next. Suzy's new line Critter Community has two, super cute panels picturing a mama and her baby deer, bright eyed owls, 3 little hedgehogs and all kinds of other Suzylike scenes as well as several coordinating character prints.

To spread the news of this fun new collection Robert Kaufman has sent us a generous sneak peak of these adorable new critters as well as some precious Critter Community and Applevile bundles to giveaway to several lucky Ultman fans. Stop in anytime this Saturday, July 2nd, to put your name in the pot and we'll draw the winners...

Stunning Loulouthi!

30 BOLTS!

Are we crazy?

Maybe.

But how in ones right mind could one choose some and not the others when they are all so stunning?

There was no choice but to take the whole lot!

Loulouthi: The newest line of fabric from fabulous designer Anna Maria Horner.

Appleville Season Preview

I received a call from Ali at Robert Kaufman Fabrics a few weeks ago. She had heard that we hosted Suzy Ultman as a guest fabric designer in our shoppe. She wondered if she could send us a bundle of Suzy's new collection, Appleville. FREE FABRIC!! Are you kidding me? Just tell me what I need to do. She asked if we would make up some samples with the fabric. We could pick the samples we wanted to make and then just post a blog in it. Sure, anything for free fabric!

Well, Emily, Janelle and Mary made samples. And they get the free fabric out of the deal, too. I had too much fun playing outside over the weekend and didn't get my sample done.

Here is a look at the fabric. I just adore it, so bright and fun.

I will be sharing the items that Janelle, Mary and Emily created over the next few days. They all turned out sweet. But how can you go wrong with great fabric and creative sewers?

First Emily....

Her fabric art piece in a hoop is so lovely and bright. The pony tail girl actually reminds me of Emily. I love all the stitching she did around the pieces. Maybe she will sell this to me.

Enjoy and look for Appleville to show up at Sew To Speak someday soon. Anita

Ordering Henry from Home

The power is out at the shoppe today, which in fact lead us to a familiar scenario;

My childhood home, Anita (Mom) and myself, a man named Dave, our dinning room table, 3 cups of coffee, and one giant black book of Alexander Henry.

Yep, that's exactly how it all started, over 3 years ago, before our little shoppe door had ever opened.
Our very first buying session. We jumped right in, ordering what we loved, knowing little about what might sell.  Hoping people would appreciate our choices.

Now, only a short time later, we find we are just as opinionated as ever, giggly as usual and truly blessed to know that so many people agree with our picks in fabric. Because, though it's one of the funnest parts of the job, a session with a sales rep can also be quite anxiety producing.
But for the love of fabric, we'll keep ordering!

So anyways,  here's some shots of what we ordered today:
FYI: These are all summer arrivals, due some time in June or July, but hopefully this little sneak peak will warm you up on this icy day.

We hope you like :)

Market Photos: Set 2

Though this post feels long past due, it's truly right on time. 

Photo Set 2 includes all the wonderful Japanese distributors and the awesome Japanese fabrics that we saw at Market. 

Now why is it "right on time?" you might ask.

Because several of these fabrics arrived just TODAY! 

Excited?

I am!

Quilt Market Spring 2010

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Seven Islands

The newest from additions to Far Far Away by Heather Ross 

Gorgeous new prints on double gauze and linen blends, by Nani Iro.

A new fairy tale inspired designer who's name I failed to remember, printed on double gauze.

Fun new excursion inspired designs by Etsuko Furuya, Echino.

Lecien

Me in the Lecien booth, carelessly modeling an adorable sample and caught mid-arm movement! 

Hokkoh LTD 

I believe Hokkoh is a design group working for Lecien, though I am not 100% sure. We got a bit lost in translation?!?

Hoodie for Blank Quilting

Now just to be clear Blank is not a Japanese company but Hoodie is a Japanese designer (not to mention absolutely adorable, super sweet and one of my personal favorites!) So the following is just from Hoodie, none of Blank's other designers.

MoMo for Moda

The same can be said for MoMo as for Hoodie. 

MoMo is an amazingly talented Japanese designer working for an American company. And we just love her. These photo's are of her new line only and none of the other Moda designers.

Want to know what has arrived? Well you'll just have to come in and see ;)

Or you could also sign up/read your upcoming newsletter in which I'll be giving a run down of all Summers First Arrivals!

Happy sunny, summer days to you all!

♥

April