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

Lions and Tigers

animal prints aren't just for the nursery ;)
I really like my new lions and tigers tank!! This fabric could make so many awesome things.. a dress, a skirt, an infinity scarf... it reads as an abstract print at first but then it has that quirky charm.. gotta love it!

Grrr....
Happy Saturday! 
;)
April

Looking Foxy

...a longer and bit more gushy "Made Monday"

This handsome man is Nigel and Nigel is even kinder and more gracious and talented than he is good looking which makes him even more so the latter..  I wish I got to see more of him (though I'll probably blush when I see him next) but I am not usually in when he does his shopping so Janelle took and texted this photo to me knowing how much I'd love his fox shirt! Nigel is 18 19 or 20? now and has been shopping with us for sometime. Both he and his lovely younger sister Dempsey have always seamed so mature for their age and they are a delight to have in the shoppe. Nigel makes mens shirts, bow-ties and ascots and I adore his classic sense of style! It wouldn't surprise me a bit if he were to become famous.. he and Dempsey both have everything that it takes. We all adore them.

Finally if you were wondering what pattern he used Nigel creates his own shirt patterns. In fact last summer he did a project were he made "one shirt every week"! Incredible right?   The fabric for this one is one of my very favorites he's used, the Foxlets in Cloud Grey by Aneela Hoey. You can find them here, plus we also have them in icing which I love. It's so unexpected, quirky, fun and hip and now that Nigel's made up this shirt I am imagining all kinds of women's wear for the white colorway.. a blouse, a full skirt, a little high waisted dress..

Happy Monday day dreams foxy friends!
♥ April

PS- Nigel if you read this.. forgive me, I couldn't help myself. I just think you are great. However I am married. And my husband does know how great I think you are (though I left out the part about good looking.. ) Plus I'm too old for you.

June Events.. NQA.. TNNA.. Sunday Open Houses and more!

A little Mod Podge project to display at the shoppe and later store my buntings and other party decor..

We are very excited about some BIG events happening locally... both inside and outside of our little shoppe and we thought we'd help spread the word in case you haven't already heard..

The first is the 43rd Annual NQA Quilt Show at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, June 14-16. NQA is the National Quilting Association and their show is as they state "one of the largest non-juried national quilt shows." They also say, "We are proud to be the longest running quilt exhibition in the country. Each year, we celebrate the creativity, talents and workmanship of all quilters." The Columbus Modern Quilt Guild will be there and if you are an "out of towner" and find yourself in for this event please come by the shoppe! The Convention Center is located at 400 North High Street and we are just 6 miles north at 4610 North High Street! If you have a car it's a simple drive up High or you could jump on the number 2 COTA bus!

The map below shows the straight shot from the Convention Center to us and back... plus there are lots of fabulous places to shop and eat in-between! Feel free to ask us for recommendations. We love to do both of those things!!!

View Larger Map 

Then later this month is the Needle Arts Trade Show, TNNA, also at the Convention Center, Jun. 23-25. This  show is (unfortunately) an industry only event but at the same time we will be inviting people from the show... designers, bloggers and other shop owners... to come down the street for a special Sunday Sew-In Party and Open House, June 24th from 12-4. We will have tents set up in the parking lot where we will sit and stitch in the shade. Crimson Cup Coffee House will be on site serving up drinks hot and cold. Come join the fun, bring your hand-sewing, quilting, embroidery, cross-stitch and even knitting or crochet.. whatever it is you like to stitch ;) ...to celebrate the art and joy of needlework! Everyone and all needles are welcome!!


Finally, later in the summer we will be hosting at least one or more trunk shows, another Sunday Shoppe Event, contests and various other merrymaking! 


Mark your calendars and stay tuned or sign up for our emails for more details on all the shoppe happenings!

Happy Summer!
April

Home again, home again...

dancing a jig.
Hehe... I truly sing this song in my head every time I go to Quilt Market.. before, after, during.. every time. 

(photo does not relate to post.. other than also having been cool and inspiring and at market...)

This time I truly am dancing a jig! I know somewhere inside I am exhausted after this 40hr non stop trip but I just can't sleep... I got home just before 12AM, laid down in-between my daughters (who were both lying in our big bed, having had a heck of a time getting to sleep for dad since I was supposed to be home by 9:30PM) kissed them, looked at them in their sleep.. in the dark.. thinking about them, about the future and about market. And I couldn't sleep. My mind dancing a jig. So happy to be home, so happy to have gone, inspired, refreshed, enlightened and filled with gratitude.

Last night (or two nights ago if you consider this Monday.. which I don't...it's still my Sunday night) I sat at a table with five amazing women and it was not until later that I realized how alike we all were. Each of us mothers, sewing crafters. Striving to make a living doing what we love while raising young kids and dealing with life as it is... ever changing and complicated, all the while creating and pushing ourselves to our limits. 

It was so refreshing to hear them share bits of themselves and thier families. We spoke of our children's favorite things to play and do and our strengths and weaknesses as mothers...what we wish we could do in regards to work... the delights and struggles of being in our industry, blogging... the others we admire and even idealize...how we view ourselves ...I could go on...It was amazing. 


Later we all attended a meet up arranged by the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild.. and what I originally had thought would be a casual "meet up" of some like minded sewers and fans.. turned out to be a huge ballroom rented to accommodate a pretty large crowd of fabric designers, bloggers, famous shop owners such as the ladies of Sew Mama Sew and Fancy Tiger, pattern makers, editors, publishers and more.

In the end I left with a sense of validation and purpose and most of all gratitude because I am living a dream! I have the best job in the world, two beautiful amazing children, an amazing mother (and boss) who made my being at the table (and in this buisness) possible and I love it!  All of it!

The fabrics, the sewing, the sharing, the gushing over what each-other is doing or making.. the supportive spirit that exists in the craft world. It's beautiful.

In ending let me say if this sparks any ounce of envy in you, know that I've felt that too... when reading other bloggers who seam to "have it all"... make more or cuter stuff then I do or go cooler places than I can... I've felt that way. But it's all perspective. If what you really dream of is to go to quilt market or meet fabric designers or craft bloggers, I believe you can. It is such a big, all encompassing world of craft, warm and welcoming. If what you dream of is something entirely different, awesome! You can do that too! There are an abundance of dreams to be dreamed and they ARE obtainable!


The amazing women at dinner...


Ellen Luckett Baker of The Long Thread and author of 1-2-3 Sew


Carrie Bloomston of SUCH Designs


Tia Curtis of Tia Curtis Quilts and Camp Follower Bags


Shea Henderson of Empty Bobbin 


and Betz White (who needs no further introduction)!


More market photo's to follow.


Amendment ----
I just want to add.. or perhaps correct my self if it seamed as if I were saying "look who I'm chums with" .. I had not in fact met any of these ladies before (other then Carrie who was my fabulous "in" to this dinner... and even her I'd only met once breifly at last market).

I simply wanted to share my astonishment and luck that I was able to meet and chat with them on such a casual level. Each of them exhibited such a great degree of humility while still wonderfully expessing enthusiasm for their work. It was simply a privilege to be in their presence!

When Children (and fabric) inspire....

I'm absolutely in love with the newest line of Aneela Hoey fabric, Little Apples. Not only do I adore the sweet little prints of kids and clothes and turtles but I just love the name, "Little Apples." My husband has grown fond of calling our newest baby his Little Apple or more often "Little-apple-dumplin"!

So after eyeing it for a few days... while pouting because I haven't had much sew-time lately... I decided to bring some of this great "clothing" print home. My hope was to make a simple gathered skirt for AV and if that didn't happen then I'd just horde it away for awhile until the time came when I could sew.

But when the girlie, AV saw it she decided it was to make doll clothes with. When I said that it might be too little to make doll clothes from and that I was planning to make a skirt for her with it she stood her ground like a good little four year old and insisted it'd be for dolls....
Like some kind of mind worm I could not get her little idea out of my head.. I had to make it work. And even more important I HAD TO SEW!
Several days later, after lots of pondering I started playing with some ideas... a few failed prototypes later here is what I have:

I drew a little apple girl of my own and embroidered her (in the style of Aneela) onto felt (because fabric sticks to felt). After she was stitched I backed her with more felt, machine sewed around her and cut her out as seen above. But how (you might ask) did I cut out those tiny little shirts and dresses without having them fray and fall-to-pieces?

Well... MOD PODGE!

I simply roughly cut out all the little outfits (for the doll I went and bought a fat quarter of the clothes print with white background) laid them down on top of freezer paper and coated each one with a layer of Mod Podge. After they have dried I cut them out more precisely. 

It works! When you press the little clothes onto the felt doll they stick on. They will fall off with lots of jostling, but so will the clothes of paper dolls so I think overall this is a success.

I'm delighted and after this little (Apple) success and due to my in-laws gifting me with some much needed toddler free sew-time I also made the skirt I'd been planning. Plus for an extra boost to my creative streak I made up a new reversible version of the simple gathered skirt I always make for her.

I'm even more delighted by the results of this twirly number that I'm gonna have to make time to stitch some more!

This is all a surprise for my little apple when she comes home from her sleepover at Nana and Poppy's so I have to hop off now. I still have several outfits to cut out before Aelyn gets here!

Made Monday

A beautifully stitched Dresden Plate Pillow by Mary Dugan. Checkout the great new Japanese buttons on the back!

Wanna make one too? Sign up for Mary's new Dresden Pillow Class!  

:)

An Eye for Fabric

I wrote a few poems when I was young but I haven't written one since Freshman English at Whitehall Yearling High. I loved my teacher. He was way smart and cute. He encouraged my creativity. In the years that followed I did not write any poems. My creativity was directed toward sewing... dresses and later quilts. (Thinking about a quilt right now, inspired by my friend Joseph from Toastmaster and Mary Dugan and Janelle and April and Emily and too many to name).

I have not slept well this week. Laying awake one night, then two, then most of the week. Maybe I am excited about the new baby. Sure, we all are. Or maybe it's a psychic sort of sympathy for my daughter up all night nursing.

"Any Who", I wrote this poem at 4 AM Thursday. It was inspired by my grand daughter Aelyn who gave me the title and sang it as a rock song for me only. I am the one witness to her genius. I couldn't get her to sing it again. It is interestedly timely since the royal wedding was being televised in the wee hours and on the screen appeared this giant ferris wheel. Did anyone else see the shot of the Eye at 4 AM? I thought I was hallucinating from lack of sleep but I was not.

Meet Me At the Ferris Wheel

The Princess is afraid to sleep for what if she misses it

It goes round and round

Seated high up in the air is the Prince

And the Prince goes round and round

The lights, the colors, the vibrations are so

She coughs, “What if i miss it?”

Her chest is tight, she panics, she freaks out

Oh, the secret, she must take her little dog with her. Can she? He is afraid

Yes, he is afraid but she carries him. She holds him

It goes round and round

I am on my way. Get ready

The air is high but I can ride the ferris wheel for I am a breath of fresh air

They go round

Finally, I found that this Japanese Carnival fabric to very fitting with whole Royal theme and it has been sadly over looked at the shoppe. Maybe I can get Janelle to make an apron from it (wink wink).

Have Fun this weekend. Sew something? ;)

Anita

ps... I think Aelyn will like what came from her song. She is going to be a singer, I predict. Well she is already a singer but maybe she will choose to be famous someday. Or maybe she will marry into the royal family and never work after that. She is already a Princess to me. Her new sister is Princess Camilla, Baby Princess. Remember the one who got the bad wrap in England? She was not named after her. It is only a coincidence. I love her name.

pss..Hey April... I am enjoying doing the blog but come back soon I have stuff to get done.

psss... Thanks Janelle and Emily for correcting my mistakes this week. I will rest up and be ready to do my job on Monday.

Springy Stash Buster

Sewn or not.. pennants are a super simple and springy stash buster. Inspired by a lovely customer and fellow blogger, Erin, I first made this small one for our front window and then set out to make another for above the fireplace. They go together quickly and are just so cheerful that I really want to sew some more! I think it'd be fun to string them around Aelyn's bunk bed, above the kitchen sink or across the front porch...  I wonder how many I could complete before the baby comes??

For more bunting/pennant inspiration and tutorials check out these blogs:

Bloom - No-Sew Pennant Banner Tutorial

Joyful Abode - how to make a Bunting

The Mother Huddle - No sew bunting using vintage handkerchiefs

Made Monday

Sweetly stitched "Sunshine Potholders" handmade by Sarah of sarah stitched!

Be sure to click photo for a larger view of stitched words :)

A perfect day to stay in and sew!

Happy Snow Day!


♥
Aelyn & April

Another Great Taste of Market... via AMY

or alternatively titled: WOW! 

After receiving the 3 huge boxes of Amy Butler's brilliant samples, all we could think was "Wow!" and then  "Where the heck are we gonna put all this gorgeous stuff!" 

But after strategically scattering the beautiful pieces about the shoppe.. they are starting to settle in. 

The 27 piece trunk show gives a great taste of what her loaded Quilt Market booth was like. 

 

So come in, see, feel and aww, as we have been!

And drive safe in this lovely winter weather.  

Happy Sewing,
April

Made Monday

This stunning guest room ensemble leaves me
just about speechless! 

A gorgeous Single Girl Quilt, sunny yellow pillow shams in Oliver & S with cherry red ric rac, a sweet scottie dog and awesome japanese curtains to boot. All handmade by our very talented Janelle. 

Made Monday

A lovely little clutch in Betty Dear and tiny dotted print. Handmade by Andrea of Andrea Creates.

Made Monday

An awesome Schoolhouse Tunic made by Amanda (aka mandakou), in Anna Maria's Diamond Mine Voile. This dress looks so good in this print. It makes me want to sew one up for myself!

Made Monday

Four beautiful flower girls in super sweet dresses, handmade be Julie Biggs. Dresses done in a perfectly simple fabric combination of tiny Japanese flowers and solid brown Kona Cotton.

Made Monday

Precious Patchwork Penny form the book Wee Wonderfuls, made by Amanda Sasikirana.

The BOOK!!! [An Even Better Reason to Blog]

I have been meaning to blog for several days weeks now. I have been thinking of blogging, dreaming about blogging and day dreaming about blogging about the reasons why I have not been blogging.

But today our dear Terry delivered it!

And suddenly I felt that there'd never been a better reason to blog.

Wee Wonderfuls (The BOOK!!!)

Hillary Lang, the creative mastermind of Wee Wonderfuls, the blog, shop and patterns, has now given us the ultimate softie book! 

It's pages are filled with gorgeous, fun doll and soft toy projects with a heavy vintage, danish modern flavor. Her love for old dolls and vintage Fisher Price toys certainly inspires her designs, while they each have a look that is uniquely her own. Her handsewn touches add that special lived with, long loved quality that an old doll holds. 

It really could be my favorite book, however Aelyn's already claimed it for her own. "Make it for me. Please? Please? Please?    Please!?!?"...Aelyn says this in just that way, as to imitate little Tiana wishing on a star, for those of you who've seen Princess and the Frog.

It's her third birthday next Wednesday so this treasure couldn't have come at a better or more tantalizing time. Of corse I want to make every other project! And there are several that she's requested already, but she shows an extra special interest in the Mermaid doll, so we'll start with her. 

I also hope to make a tutu and a Little Red Ridding Hood Cape as well as some simple supper hero capes for her and her 3 little guests. Luckily her party isn't until the following Sunday so that buys me a little more time. Still, I better get started. 

Wishing you all a Happy Weekend!

- April

P.S. She wore it!!! On her own free will too :)

Made Monday

Perfect baby booties by Kunkle Baby, made in supper soft japanese double gauze using a pattern from "Handmade Beginnings."