Change Your Needle

Just a reminder that your sewing machine needle will NOT last forever!  Here are clues to watch and listen for when sewing:

Broken or Shredded Threads

Skipped or Uneven Stitches

Puckered or Damaged Fabrics

Popping Sound Made By Sewing Machine

That's right!  If you see or hear any of these clues while sewing, it's time to . . . .

Change Your Needle!

A small investment to make your machine sing and your sewing soar.  :)

Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda
www.SCHMETZneedles.com

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Sulky Holoshimmer Thread

Meet Eric Drexler, Sulky National Educator.  We met up in Portland OR at International Quilt Market and I asked about the beautiful Sulky Holoshimmer Thread.  I love the special beauty and shimmer that metallic threads lend to sewing projects, but confessed that I am intimated to use metallic threads more frequently.  Eric was very gracious to make this video to share with you and me too. 

Holoshimmer is a thin, flat ribbon-like polyester film that is metalized with an aluminum holographic layer resulting in shimmery, brilliant reflectiveness.  Wow, this sounds like an engineering marvel!  Like Eric mentions in the video a key component to successful stitching with Holoshimmer is using a SCHMETZ Topstitch or Metallic needle.  The eyes of both needles are enlarged . . . and you may need to tweak or reduce the stitch tension.  Visit my February 5, 2013 blog post for the SCHMETZ Needle Eye Comparison chart.

Thanks Eric for your very helpful information.  Eric is a machine embroidery artist and loves to teach.  If you have a chance to take one of Eric's machine embroidery classes at your local shop or a sewing expo, you will be more than glad.  Sulky Holoshimmer . . . I'm going to grab a spool and start stitching!

Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda

www.sulky.com

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Lunch Box Quilts

The curve of the tail, that certain look, that attitude. . . Angie Steveson has captured that certain "cattitude" in her new quilt pattern Cat's Meow.  I have enjoyed the mystery and humor of living with cats, but since I don't have a cat in my life now, a cute colorful cat quilt will more than do. 

Cat's Meow, Lunchbox Quilts

Meet Angie Steveson, designer and owner of Lunch Box Quilts.  Angie has created Cat's Meow - 7 embroidered and applique kitty cat designs complete with optional embroidered paw prints, balls of yarn and fish scales.   I like that the designs are already loaded onto a USB key.  Plus each block is stitched in the machine embroidery hoop.  Easy! 

I met up with Angie in Portland OR at International Quilt Market and made this short video.

Lunch Box Quilts patterns are fun, just like Angie!  Find Lunch Box Quilts patterns at your local quilt shop.  Visit Angie's website to view her full pattern line and her schedule - maybe she will be teaching at a store near you. 

Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda

www.lunchboxquilts.com

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New SCHMETZ App!

That's right.... the new SCHMETZ Needles App is available.  Yahoo!!!!!

There's a reason SCHMETZ makes a variety of needle types and sizes and it has to do with performance.  Stitch quality improves with the appropriate needle.  In the SCHMETZ App take a look at the different types of needles available for your home sewing projects. 



Mark Your Favorite Needle with a Red Heart

Not sure what needle to use with a certain fabric?  Use the Needle Fabric Reference - just select a fabric type and a needle will be suggested. 

For those of you that may think a needle lasts forever, check out the "Change Your Needle" clues.  Yes, you really do have to change your needle.  You will see and hear the difference!  There's a terrific photo of a needle that looks sewing-ready to the naked eye, but close-up views show otherwise. 

On the SCHMETZ App learn about needles, select a needle, then buy your SCHMETZ needles at your local quilt shop, fabric store or machine dealer.

Android users, we love you!  The Android SCHMETZ App is in the works.

Download the SCHMETZ App now.  It's free!

Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda

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Sewing Souvenirs

If you were following SCHMETZneedles on Facebook last week, you got a glimpse into my trip to International Quilt Market in Portland, OR.  This is a wholesale show where fabric companies, industry manufacturers, publishers, authors, designers and educators unveil the newest fabrics, notions, tools, block of the month patterns etc.  Quilt shop owners and machine dealers from around the world gather to sift through all the new products to deal and buy for their retail stores and special customers like you.  Yes, it's colorful and a feast for the senses.  Among 500+ vendors, no doubt I pick up a variety of sewing goodies, samples and lapel pins.   

A few recent goodies on a background of the ever soft and cuddly Cuddle Fabric by Shannon Fabrics.  Lapel pins by Swirly Girls, Craftsy, International Association of Professional Quilters, International Quilt Market, and a thimble from Blank Quilting

I have an expanding collection of pins not only from International Quilt Market, but other shows I have attended or taught including Sewing & Stitchery Expo, American Sewing Expo, Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, Quilt Expo, Creativ Festival, Baby Lock Tech, Janome Institute, Shipshewana Quilt Festival, well you get the picture . . . Mementos galore!  What's a girl to do with them all?

There are a lot of memories and friendships around each pin.  Several years ago after finishing a fabric challenge with former quilt shop colleagues, I made a quilted wall hanging that just begged for my sewing memorabilia. 

Voila!  All my pins, badges, and  little sewing notions make their way to this little quilt hanging near my sewing machine.  Take a look....pins from Australia, I haven't been there yet, but I have Aussie friends that love to sew, shop hops, Come Quilt With Me.  There is even a delicate Swiss hankie with handmade lace from my dear sewing sister Zsuzsanna from Switzerland.  Meeting Zsuzsanna at Quilt Market was always a special part of my Quilt Market experience.  Zsuzsanna is no longer with us, but I always think of her skilled sewing expertise and exquisite design style when I look at that hankie.

This is a busy wall hanging with a quilt frenzy theme.  Adding my pins and show goodies, brings a smile to my face.

Of course, there are a few SCHMETZneedle pins.  After all, every sewing machine project demands a quality needle . . . . SCHMETZ of course!

How do you collect, save and showcase you sewing mementos?  Or are your sewing goodies tossed into a drawer like I used to do?
Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda
www.SCHMETZneedles.com

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Meet Holly Vlasak, Armored in Fashion

Last weekend the Haute Couture Club Chicago presented Elements of Glam Fashion Show celebrating the earth through fashion.  What a treat!  Wind, Water and Fog, The Tundra, Flora and Fauna, Precious Metals and Stones were just a few of the inspirational design categories.  My favorite theme was Water and Sky.  The Shades of Blue garments really captured the allure of daylight and midnight skies. 

I was so tickled to meet Holly Vlasak.  Holly is a design student at the Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago.   She won a 2012 Haute Couture Scholarship.  Holly's designs were featured in a display at the entrance to the fashion show and of course she was wearing one of her designs.

 

Holly Vlasak, Armored in Fashion

Listen to Holly's design inspiration.... armor.  Really loved how she implemented the armor theme from the fabric selection right down to the thoughtful metal clasp on the removable shrug. 

The Haute Couture Club of Chicago is nearly 50 years old with members of all ages and interests.  Joining a club is a great way to refine your skills, meet new friends and widen your circle of inspiration.  Whatever your sewing interest, there is always magic when sharing stories and stitches.  Find a club in your community or start your own club.

Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda

Nancy's Notions Sewing Weekend 2013

Nancy Zieman is a jewel.  And last weekend's Nancy's Notions Sewing Weekend in Beaver Dam, WI was no different. . . a cherished weekend of friends and a love of sewing all brought about by Nancy's unwavering business savvy and passion for sewing.

From Nancy's humble kitchen table to this massive shopping and educational event, the Nancy's Notions Sewing Weekend was impressive to say the least.  This was my first trip to Beaver Dam.  The product selection was extensive from Gingham Square bobbins to Roll The Gold Rotary Blades, SCHMETZ needles along with every notion ever made, fabrics, books, patterns galore and of course, Baby Lock sewing machines.  Designers, authors, educators and consumers from around the world found the love of sewing at feverish level.

Look at this pattern selection!  And this was just a single of multiple rows of patterns for garments, quilts, home dec, crafts and much more!

Nancy's Sewing Weekend is a three day event, but I stayed for only 24 hours, so I had a chance to catch up with Rita Farro and Mary Mulari of the Midwest Ya Ya Sisters.  Well, it was actually more than that since earlier in the day they volunteered me along with Nancy Zieman to model for their evening performance "All Wrapped Up".  Lots of laughs here as Rita and Mary unveiled their whimsical wraps and stylish shawls with stories.  Above Rita and Mary expose their high tech teleprompter - yes, you are right . . .  Magic Marker on scrap cardboard!  

Add this date to your calendar - May 1 - 3, 2014 for the next Nancy's Notions Sewing Weekend in Beaver Dam, WI.  Now I'm off to go sew some of the fabrics and patterns I picked up last weekend!
Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda
www.SCHMETZneedles.com