Sweater Recycling... .... Brrrrrrrrr It's Cold Outside!

No Chicago blizzard blues here.  If you have a sewing machine or serger . . . and electricity, there is always a project lurking to be finished or even better -  started.  It's snowing here again, so I want to show you the project I finished during the last snow storm.

First to my husband's surprise I cleaned - well, purged is a better word - my wardrobe closet, then scoped out my husband's sweaters.  I always love my husband's sweater collection and was able to sneak a couple that he will never miss (I hope.)  Here are seven sweaters laid out on my ironing board.

Not quite certain how I was going to remake a sweater I first chose a base sweater for the body -  in this case the wonderful creamy sherbet green.  Then I got side tracked...  I needed a scarf for a blue snow coat and guess what?  That ice blue sweater was the perfect color, so I cut off the sleeves and sewed the two armholes together to make . . . . . a scarf!  Yes, a silly idea, but I love this scarf.  It's cushy cozy and just the right length.  A bonus was that the scarf ends did not need to be finished since they are the ribbed cuffs.

Back to the sweater I chose two accent colors - trimming the neckline, adding gussets and sleeve insets in the ice blue, then adding sleeves in a creamy dreamy rose.

The neckline was cut deep & wide.  I thought the sweater still needed a little "pop" of color and found little orange triangular buttons to highlight the gussets and a bright yellow 5 petal flower for the front closure.  There's so cute! 

This was a quick project using a serger and SCHMETZ Universal 90/14 needles recycling some favorite sweaters that I just couldn't bear to give or throw away.  So now I'm waiting for some warm spring weather.  This little sweater will be perfect with a little white scoop or boat neck t-shirt.
Now, what am I going to do with the other 4 sweaters?  What are you recycling?

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Kissed by the Sun... in the Bahamas!

Tired of shivering?  Thinking a little sunshine and mild temperatures might improve your spirits?  Think Bahamas!

Last week while relaxing in Nassau, the Stepping Stone Quilters Annual Quilt Show in the Trinity Methodist Church came to our attention.  The exhibit included over 60 quilts - traditional and art.  Like many shows, viewers were asked to vote for their favorite quilts.

Mad As _ _ _ _  (You can guess this 4 letter word.)
Since this was on display in a church the title was changed to
Mad As A Mother Hen!

This was my favorite small quilt  - the furious hen stubbornly looking up at me with her beady eyes.  What an attitude!  Every raw stitch contributed to this irate hen.   

In The Woods

Here is my favorite large quilt.  The color play of green and cascading leaves on a traditional log cabin was very comfortable and soothing. 



Maria Chisnall

 But my biggest delight was meeting Maria the creator of both quilts.  Don't you just love meeting quilters and sewing enthusiasts!  My immediate wish for you is to enjoy a quilt or sewing show with friends on a bright and warm Bahama island!

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Tote Bag Challenge - Sewing & Stitchery Expo 2011

Count down 2011 Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, WA . . . .   If you know Rita Farro, you know that her "Hey Rita" tote bag is a well traveled tote visiting New York City to Seattle and many quilt shops, thrift shops, historical  landmarks and friends between the coasts. Here's Rita in last year's SCHMETZ booth in Puyallup.  She's with Jan and Bonne that started this tote bag craze.

Jan Potter, Rita Farro and Bonne Swett & "Hey Rita" Totes

Jan and Bonne have so much fun with totes, they designed their own totebag pattern for Ghee's.

Quick Zip Bag
Inspired-2-Sew from Ghee's

So here's the 2011 Sewing and Stitchery Totebag Challenge:
First get your FREE show logo for embroidery.  Although machine embroidery is not required on your totebag, in fact anybody that sews their own tote can enter!  Here's a pic of the design.  Doesn't it look terrific!  The logo was scanned - with the show's approval - and digitized using Creative DRAWings software.   Send an email to info@creative-drawings.com with Free Sew Expo Logo Design in the subject line.  You will receive a zip file of logo designs in different formats and sizes.

2011Sewing and Stitchery Show Logo
How will YOU include the logo in your totebag?

Next sew your tote.  At the show drop by the Creative DRAWings booth #150 in the Pavilion.  Your picture will be taken with your tote which also enters you into the Grand Prize Drawing for Creative DRAWings machine embroidery software.  You must be present to win.

Win Creative DRAWings!
http://www.creative-drawings.com/

Plus for fun on Thursday and Friday at 5:00 PM we will take a group picture of all totebag challengers.  On Saturday at 5:00 PM after the group picture the drawing will take place for Creative DRAWings - that a $799 retail value!  Are you the lucky winner?

Rita, Linda McGehee of Ghee's, with Jan and Bonne
. . . . . and their totes!

Start your Totebag Challenge projects now!  We can hardly wait to see all your creativity.  Then I just have to ask... Which SCHMETZ needle will you use on your totebag?

Check out these sites and blogs:
http://sewingandstitcheryexpo.blogspot.com/
http://www.sewingexpo.com/
http://ritassewfun.blogspot.com/
http://www.creative-drawings.com/
http://www.ghees.com/

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Denim Quilts, Sewing & Stitchery Expo

Who doesn't love denim?  It stands up to all kinds of abuse from wear.  Denim is fun to sew, although I admit that sometimes several layers can be thick and challenging.  That's when you need the strong SCHMETZ Denim needle which has the reinforced blade.  Plus there's another little tool that's terrific for sewing over those dense flat fell seams - Luveta Nickels' Jean-A-Ma-Jig.  

Last year at the 2010 Sewing & Stitchery Expo Friday was designated as Recycled Denim Day.  Luveta Nickels of The Junk Jeans People and I saw hundreds of denim projects.  Nearly 300 people, dropped by the SCHMETZ booth for their picture with the SCHMETZ "Super" Needle - you know like our very own Oscar's program!.  Lots of beautiful jackets, totes, vests, fabulous embroidered jeans and even a denim doggie diaper... indeed a wide spectrum of sewing projects and lots of pictures were taken.  If you missed them go back to this blog's archive - April to May and sprinkled throughout the blog -  to see pictures from the SCHMETZ booth.

Kris Rowe - from Montana - dropped by the SCHMETZ booth to say hi.  She too loves denim, but her projects were just too large to bring to the show.  So, she did the next best thing - took pictures.  Take a look at one of her masterful denim quilts.  She create quilts for gifts while capturing the recipient's interests - football, snowboarding, family and more.  Thank you Kris for sharing your love of denim and sewing!  I hope to see you again next month at the Sewing  and Stitchery Expo. 

Check the Sewing and Stitchery Expo website and blog for an announcement next week for a very special show project.  This year I'll be in the Creative DRAWing booth.  I'll have more information on the Sewing and Stitchery Expo project in my next post.

Check out these sites:
http://www.sewingandstitcheryexpo.blogspot.com/
http://www.sewexpo.com/
http://www.creative-drawings.com/

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"Double Eye" Dare You

Did you know that SCHMETZ has a needle with two eyes? 

Yes, the Double Eye needle.  Just like the name says, a needle with two eyes - one eye on top of another eye.  The Double Eye is terrific for texturing and shading.  I have found this needle most successful with straight stitches and the decorative stitches already built into my machines.  There are two helpful hints to using this needle:   Your thread spools should unwind in opposite directions and . . .

Slow down! 
Reduce Your Sewing Speed!

Here's a terrific sample of "stitching in the ditch" using the
 Double Eye needle.  The sample was created by
Bridget Wilson Matlock from TN. 



Stitching in the Ditch using...



Yellow and a Variegated Blue Threads



Stitches are more pronounced with the Double Eye.  Try the Double Eye needle with different thread colors or even different types of threads.  Have some fun!  I "Double Eye" dare you! 

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Home for the Holidays... At Home with Quilts

Home for the holidays ... well at least with my heart in this 2010 holiday season!  Last July I went home to Nebraska for a family reunion and had the pleasure of meeting the Crazy Quilt Guild, lead by Linda Clements and Janet Prior, owner of Prior's Fabrics.  They organized an evening of show & tell and I gave a SCHMETZ needle presentation.  The evening worked out beautifully despite a tornado warning.  The ladies, young & young in spirit, brought quilts that they lovingly made.  And some of the girls even brought their 4-H projects soon to go on to competition at the Chase County Fair.  Take a look at these wonderful quilts from the great plains of Nebraska. . . .




Thank you ladies for the warm welcome and sharing your quilts.  Seeing your quilts and hearing your quilt stories made my heart swell with enthusiasm for the love of our hobby.

I'll be back next year with more stories from my travels, some of my misadventures with sewing and a few new products you will want to try.  So hurry up and finish your 2010 projects, so you can make a fresh start on your 2011 sewing projects!
Happy New Year!
Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda

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A World of Good Wishes

If you sew chances are good that you also dabble in a few other hobbies.  I am not a scrapbooker, but for nearly 15 years my dabbling has been close by being the custodian of family contacts - keeping track of aunts, uncles and cousins on my Mom's side of the family.  Don't use fabric or thread here, but a few sewing tools and stash items sure are imperative.  Here's what I do...

Choose a beautiful Christmas or holiday card.  I combine birthdays and anniversaries in a running list, then dedicate one page per family with mailing addresses and other contact information.  Most of the time I need to trim standard 8/5" x 11" paper to fit the card, so I use the Roll The Gold Titanium Blades.  These blades cut slick... on paper and fabric! 

Roll The Gold
45mm Titanium Rotary Replacement Blades

I fold the family info sheets and secure them in the card with ribbon from my stash.  Plus this year I found cute little 3D poinsettias to further embellish the sheets.

Ribbon From The Stash

Yesterday I combined 18 Christmas cards with the family address book.  Since all the supplies were handy, this project took about 4 hours - printing the address sheets took the longest chunk of time.  Christmas cards are in the mail and will hopefully make their destinations in time for Christmas. 



SCHMETZ Needles,
Iris Pins, Roll The Gold

On behalf of http://www.schmetzneedles.com/ I wish you a very merry holiday season. . . . .  And during the hustle and bustle when you are in need of a little "quiet" time, sit down at your sewing machine and remember SCHMETZ needles make your sewing projects sooooo much better!

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