I have a bad habit of buying fabric before knowing what I want to make with it. Do you ever do that? This time it was this lovely black and white cotton/poly fabric with a striped border at the top and bottom and a swirl pattern between. When I bought it, I envisioned a skirt but…
My new sewing studio is finally finished! We moved into a new home with our daughter Stephanie and her family in August 2012. Hard to believe that it’s been over a year already! The first thing we did in our new home was put together my sewing studio, where I held classes throughout the year…
Participating in the fair nudges sewing students to push themselves that little bit further to do do just a bit better.
Students at JoLene’s Sewing School show off their projects at the annual fashion show.
When I think of some of my favorite fabric shops in the Portland area, they are often small, independent, locally-owned stores. I’ve decided that I’ll periodically feature some of these shops here, sharing some real gems for you to explore! As I approach cool cottons fabric shop at 2417 SE Hawthorne, in Portland, I enjoy that…
Children, Grandchildren and Christmas can stir all kinds of creativity inside one’s soul. And I am no different. It is so fun to give from the heart, and I’ve been sewing gifts for Christmas longer than I care to remember. What I most enjoy is that I get to think of something that is made…
As everyone knows, Oregon and rain go hand in hand, at least during this part of the year! When I arrived Oregon for the first time, I was 20 and came to visit a high school friend living in Corvallis. What a wonderful place! I just loved it. I visited during November and the whole…
Third annual fashion show lets students flaunt their finery and show off their skills.
After 13 years, JoLene knew it was time to replace her computerized sewing machine. Sears Kenmore/Janome had all the features she craved!
JoLene’s friend Phil Plummer makes beautiful handmade seam-rippers in his Portland-based business. See the benefits of using the right tool for the job.