The trend now is to have both a new machine and an older machine. For instance, a lot of quilters have antique Singer featherweight machines to take with them to their guilds, while they leave their fancy computerized machines at home. I do have a Kenmore computerized sewing machine, which I love by the way, but would love to own a featherweight one.

What I have instead is my grandmothers 1940’s vintage MontgomeryWards sewing machine. It is great machine that works just fine. Since it is a cabinet-style machine, it is not portable, so I can’t take it with me. But that is okay, besides it has many wonderful attachments. I do not use it very often because I don’t have a good location in my home for it. Someday I will have a place for it in my sewing room and be able to use it more frequently.

My Grandmothers Vintage Sewing Machine

It is wonderful to be able to use both old machines and new ones, side by side – they both have their place and serve a function… and they both get the job done!

Happy Sewing, JoLene

My daughter believed one of these blankets would be great for their trip to Reno last Spring. Finding the price of that store-bought blanket a bit rich for her budget she went to the fabric store. With a store coupon in hand she bought the needed cotton and Minkee fabrics – for a ¼ of the cost of a store-bought blanket. Together we made her not only a stroller blanket, but two bibs and burp cloth. I copied the pattern for the bib from another bib she had, and just put together the burp cloth from left over fabric. The sewing went fast and easy, and the project ended up so very cute!

Natalie enjoying her Stroller Blanket

She saved ¾ of the cost of that store-bought blanket she saw, plus she got to pick out her own fabric. You can do the same – I challenge you to make your own Minkee stroller blanket. You start with a yard each of cotton and Minkee. You don’t need to quilt the blanket, just wash the fabric. Place the right side of cotton to the Minkee sew together. You will have to trim some of the Minkee to be the same size as the cotton piece. Leave a 6 to 8 inch unstitched gap on one edge to be able to turn the piece inside out after sewing. Sew, turn, and top stitch… and whalla, you have a cute one of a kind handmade stroller blanket.

Homemade Baby Stroller Blanket, Bib and Burb cloth

Good luck and Happy Sewing, JoLene

As a child the Fair was a highlight of my summer. Now as an adult the Fair is the highlight of my sewing school year. My sewing students are so very excited as the local Multnomah County Fair approaches. The buzz is in the air and you can feel it – you should hear my students talking about which items they will be entering into the Fair, and about sewing carefully and doing their best work. I will have about 30 students entering their projects, totaling about 90 pieces. I am so very proud of all of them and their hard work.

2010 County Fair prize winning student sewing projects

Last year my students experienced much success exhibiting at the Fair. I had 12 kids enter with a total of 21 items. They earned; 14-3rd place ribbons, 5-2nd place ribbons, and 2-1st place ribbons! One of the 1st places was a stuffed rabbit by Ingrid and she also received best-of-show in the children’s division. A great job was done by all – and a great time was had by all. I am so looking forward to another wonderful Fair.

2010 prize winner - sewing projects

Please come to the Fair and see all our entries and take in all those fabulous Fair sights and sounds. Historic Oaks Park with its riverside setting is again the perfect venue and host for the Multnomah County Fair. The Fair is open May 28, 29, and 30, 2011 from Noon to 7pm. All my student’s Fair entries are on display in the pavilion hall – just follow the signs. Good news… there is again this year NO entrance fee – Free admission, Free parking! Hope to see you there.

Check out my Fair blog from May of last year.

As always, Happy Sewing, JoLene

 Well, to my pleasant surprise the typecasting was just not true. The teacher and other students are amiable, caring, common everyday people like myself. I’ve fallen in love with the yoga experience. I feel better and I enjoy the extraordinary relaxation that comes with stretching and mediation.

 My yoga instructor has a private studio in her nearby home. I can take the bus or walk to her studio from my place. Now I needed a tote or bag to carry my yoga mat, water, and maybe a sweat shirt.

 Like most people do nowadays, when I need information I do a search for it on the Internet. I found a real simple unlined bag that would fit the bill. I found the pattern on the Threads magazine web site. (Threads by the way, is one of the best sewing magazines I’ve found.  Since 1995 they have provided help, and inspiration to sewers of all levels and abilities. I highly recommend Threads if you are wanting to learn more about sewing.) Here is the link to that yoga bag page on their web site with the pattern:  http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4620/make-a-yoga-mat-carrier 

Yoga mat

This bag is so easy to sew. It only has three body pieces along with the handle. I made mine a little different from their pattern. I gave mine a lining and cut the main section on-the-fold so it would be one piece. I used some bright, color-coordinated fabrics to personalize my bag. These unique touches made the bag and sewing process all the more fun.

Making sewing projects your own is one of the exciting and rewarding aspects of sewing and handicrafts. Creating with one’s own hands delivers a deep, personal satisfaction along with its distinctive, custom-made results.   

Remember, with any project start simple and make it your own!

Happy sewing and stretching, JoLene

Recently my daughter took a trip to Reno with her husband and kids. She was sure that most of the places they would be going to there would not have a high chair. In preparation for the trip she asked me to sew up something that would hold her eight month old baby in a chair.

Searching the Internet I located a cute, portable fabric travel high chair. I found the pattern easy to follow – in fact it took just me an hour to make one from start to finish.  Here is the link for the pattern: http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/2009/11/fabric-travel-high-chair.html

Here is how the cloth chair appears when laid out

The below photo shows my beautiful granddaughter in the one I made. Both child and mother loved it. It saw a lot of use on their trip. This fabric high chair design holds and supports a child in almost any chair. They can be used at home as well.

The supportive and cute portable cloth chair in use!

Happy Sewing, JoLene

 I teach children students to sew using the award winning, ‘Kids Can Sew’ program and curriculum. This successful sewing program for children enables those as young as six years old to sew. In my experiences seven years of age seems to be the magic age where they are more than ready to learn the vanishing art of sewing.

 I’ve found that the ‘right age’ is child dependent – as it is based on a particular child’s hand-eye coordination, as well as their dexterity level. I am sharing this ‘right age’ question as I recently I started teaching four kindergartners (all are five years old!). I’ve discovered when you empower kids to do things that they and others think they shouldn’t be able to do… you will be pleasantly surprised how well they perform.

I am teaching these kindergartners a little differently than my older kids. I have them sew a simple project each week – and they just love it. They are so cute!!!… and they say the darnedest things. I want to share this cute picture of these five year olds and their first finished project.

5 year olds can Sew!

One of their Moms shared this: “The class was AMAZING! The girls got their materials, pinned their cloth, sat down, turned on their machines and got to work. They knew exactly what to do and were totally focused. I was so proud of them all. And they were very proud of their bags.”

Fabric fun for 5 year olds yields cute bags

 My point being that… if these five year olds can learn to sew, you and your child can too!

 Happy Sewing, JoLene

 A few years back I became the owner of a big door-less cupboard as a local store was going through a remodeling. For several years it had nothing covering the opening. It is the first thing people saw upon entering my home. I finally decided to make a curtain to cover it. Here are before and after pictures. The first picture is the curtain pulled up so you can see how awful it looks without one. The second picture shows the curtain in place – see how much better it looks!

Curtains pulled back

Plaid curtains closed

The cupboard has two sections so I made one curtain for the center and small curtains for the sides. I use upholstery tacks to hold the curtains open. Using plaid fabric requires matching up the plaid pattern. I cut the first curtain and then laid the second one down beside it, matching the plaid and making sure to leave extra fabric for the hems on the top and bottom. They are easy to remove, wash and put back up. I hope to get a real cupboard someday – but until then this works.

 Use your imagination and good luck covering that open shelf, cupboard or cabinet.

 Happy Sewing, JoLene

One of my most cherished gifts is a pillow that my sister Tonya made and gave me a few winters ago. That simply designed and constructed pillow touched me deeply… let me explain how mere fabric could mean so much.

I was blessed with a wonderful father. He had an engaging sense of humor – always cracking jokes, playing practically jokes, laughing and making everyone around him laugh. He also loved to sing us silly songs. Using that sense of humor he would take songs and change the words, or he would take two songs and combine them. As kids we just loved those songs, and as adults we sang those songs along with him and laughed.

He was a man loved by many. He was taken from us five years ago when he lost his battle with brain cancer. Our family truly misses that loving, funny man.

His chosen profession was that of a paint contractor. Many times he remarked that, “everything he owned had paint on it”. While pondering what meaningful Christmas gift she could make the family that would recall our father… that remark came to my sister’s mind. So several years ago my sister took some our father’s old painting pants and made us pillows as gifts for Christmas – on which she embroidered words from those silly songs of his. Words can’t express much I love this special heartfelt, handmade gift. 

Handmade items from our loved ones and dear friends are indeed the most treasured of gifts. This holiday season at my sewing school for children the students will have the opportunity make some of those treasures themselves. I am offering wonderful holiday gift workshops for kids ages 7 to 14. Children will select and make three to five items for gift giving, from 20 unique items – 15 of which are new this season! The items are ready to sew, allowing your child to make those three to five items during the three-hour workshop.  They then go home with handmade gifts guaranteed to touch the hearts of friends and family.

 Those 20 gift items include; a purse organizer, soda or juice can cover, wallet, placemat bag, hooded fleece scarf, stuffed toys, purse, pincushions, book covers, everyday bag, headband and much more.

I’m holding eight workshops in four days, two per day, on; November 13^th, 27^th and December 11^th and 18^th. Workshop times are; 9-12am and 1-4pm. Each workshop has room for just four students. The sewing machines and all sewing supplies needed to complete the projects are provided.

 Children will have a great time while making gifts for family and friends. Workshops are filling fast, so call 503-804-7259 now and reserve a spot.  

Happy Sewing, JoLene