Summer style is all about ease and fun, and this blouse from Weekend Sewing

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definitely fits the bill. We made up our version in Kaffe Fassett’s Shot Cotton, with a little hint of Heather Ross’ Mendocino for the placket. Shot Cotton is lightweight and almost gauzy – perfect for the warm weather ahead. This will be so cute with jeans and paired with the Everything Tote!

The pattern is easy to follow and once you finish, you start seeing all the possibilities of making it your own. You can change the length of the hem and make it a tunic or dress. Shorten the sleeves, or remove them all together for a cute sleeveless top or shift. I am making a sleeveless tunic version to wear to Stitch Party this Friday, and I can definitely see more variations in my future! Be sure to check out the Weekend Sewing flickr group for more inspiration for your summer wardrobe.

The Everything Tote is the first project that jumped out at me in Heather Ross’ new book, Weekend Sewing True Lies buy Vacancy 2 divx . Right away, I wanted it made up in this amazing print from Amy Butler’s August Fields Shanghai Kiss buy Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron on dvd home dec collection. I think this pattern showcases the fabric beautifully, and vice versa! We lined the bag with a home decorator weight fabric as well, which makes for a nice, sturdy bag. Great for groceries, picnics, beach towels, and sewing supplies, of course!

Of course, when you don’t need to tote around all your groceries, you can easily fold in the top corners for a cute, hobo style bag. Just enough room for you wallet, keys, phone, and a cardigan in case it gets chilly- now you’re all ready to head out for dinner. I can tell this is going to be my go-to bag for Spring!

The Sleep Well Pajamas from Favorite Things Patterns has become one of our favorite things, indeed! Super cute and super comfy. The pattern is unisex, so you can make them for the whole family. With easy to follow instructions, these pants come together quickly and make great gifts. Once you make the pants, you can try your hand at the top as well. They lend themselves well to wild and whimsical fabrics, things you may not get away with in your out of the house wardrobe!

If you’d like to make some PJ Pants of your very own, class starts March 29th! You will learn to work with a paper pattern, sew an elastic casing, and make a buttonhole. If you’ve been wanting to step into the realm of garments, this is a great place to start. When you finish, you can reward yourself by putting on your new creation and getting some serious lounging done!

Thanks so much to everyone who left such thoughtful comments and sweet birthday wishes for our giveaway. There has been quite a bit of sewing happening this past year!! New sewing machines have been bought and sewing mojo has been found. Lingering projects were finished up and put to good use, and quite a few of you have started up sewing businesses. Kudos all around! I hope you will read through the comments for a little positivity pick me up. You are all so creative!

Our winner, Jessica ( aka lucky #47), was randomly chosen, but I think her comment conveys the sentiment so many of you expressed.

Happy birthday!

My biggest achievement this year was finding my sewing confidence. I’ve always stuck to small projects that I thought were in my ‘range’ – but that limited me too much. I finally told myself that I could do it, and I’ve since made a pretty summer dress, reversible apron, and I’m going to take the plunge and make a quilt. Sewing isn’t about perfection, it’s about imagination.

I love it. Here’s to more imagination and confidence in 2009!

Thanks again, everyone!

Beware the Ides of March, ’cause you might get some free fabric! Today is our 1st birthday and to celebrate, we are having a giveaway. One year ago today we opened our doors, not quite sure what to expect. What we got was an amazing year, filled with fantastic fabrics, creativity and new friends. Just what we’d hoped for!

Looking back over the year, I’d say our biggest accomplishment was helping people get excited about sewing. We taught many newbies the basics and rekindled interest in seasoned stitchers. Connections were made with lovely new internet friends. We fell in love with sewing all over again, ourselves, seeing all the wonderful things our customers have made.

Now for the giveaway! Leave a comment telling us your biggest sewing achievement in the last year, and you could win a Heather Ross Mendocino fat quarter pack. That could mean anything from learning to sew or finally finishing that king sized quilt for your best friend’s wedding. Comments will be open until noon tomorrow, when we pick the winner.

There will be more birthday celebration ( and cupcakes!!) at this month’s Stitch Party. If you’re in the neighborhood, please join us. Thanks so much for a wonderful year!

I’m hoping that the weather gods are so charmed by this pretty tunic that they will send some warm weather our way! The Over the Top Tunic

Happy Feet hd by Indygo Junction is one of our favorite new patterns for Spring. When Craig and I went to the Indygo Junction Booth at Quilt Market, all the women were wearing them. Everyone looked fabulous!

Tunics continue to be everywhere this season, and this flat front, tie-back waistline suits many figure types. Plus, there’s no zippers to fuss with! It can be made in 2 lengths, with or without sleeves and pockets. We made our sleeveless, dress length version in Jay McCarroll’s strawberry fabric for a whimsical look. Wouldn’t this look great over jeans, and with leggings or tights? I think so!

We will be making the sleeveless version with the length of your choice in our Tunic Class. Join us March 26, April 2 & 9 from 6-8 PM. Please call the shop to reserve your space.

Now, hurry up, Spring!

This is a big month for us! Not only are we celebrating our first birthday, but we have fabric designer and author, Heather Ross, coming to visit March’s Stitch Party. Heather’s new book Weekend Sewing is just gorgeous and we find ourselves wanting to make everything in it! There are baby garments, totes, and 5 full size adult paper patterns, just to name a few of the 40 projects in this exciting book.

Heather is also the talent behind the Mendocino fabric line- y’know the one with all the mermaids, seahorses and octopi. It is one of my all time faves, and I know it has become one of yours. West Hill and Lightning Bugs & Other Mysteries are Heather’s two previous quilting lines. These collections include the ever popular Russian dolls fabric and the sweet pony print, both of which are outfitting children all over Philadelphia! Heather will be bringing samples from her book to Stitch Party, and I’m sure she would love to see all of your creations made with her fabrics.

Heather will be signing books at Stitch Party this month on Friday, March 27 from 5-8 PM. Books will be available if you haven’t yet picked up your copy. As an extra special treat, Heather will be giving a demonstration of Weekend Sewing’s Little Girl’s Smocked Dress on Saturday, March 28th at 10AM. She will show how to use elasticized thread and talk about how to size this pattern for an adult. The demonstration is free, but space is limited, so please RSVP to the shop if you would like to join us.

See you soon!

Surviving Christmas video

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Sally has found herself with a proliferation of friends that are having babies. It’s amazing how these things always happen in waves; you turn around and everyone you know is baby crazy! I can tell that Sally is a good friend because she has been steadily working down her list of girlfriends and making each of them a handmade gift. Lovely!

Sally recently finished the Modern Diaper Bag from Amy Butler’s Little Stitches for Little Ones. The exterior is Anna Maria Horner’s Drawing Room fabric and Michael Miller’s Disco Dot lines the interior. These fabric choices solve the problem of a diaper bag that can carry everything baby needs, but that doesn’t look like it was made for a baby. Sophisticated and functional- look at all those pockets! I think this bag’s recipient will be thrilled.

Thanks for sharing, Sally! Your bag is beautiful, and makes a most thoughtful gift!

March has roared its way in here in Philadelphia. It’s snowy and very chilly- a perfect recipe for cabin fever! My remedy is to bring a little Spring inside, even if the outdoors won’t cooperate. Pillow making is simple way to to change your surroundings and infuse some color into your home, all while giving you a new project to work on. Super!

Our wonderful sewing instructor, Cathy, made these beautiful, cheerful samples, and will be teaching a class on each one of them. Bundle up in your favorite cozy sweater, and come over and have some fun while we ride out the end of winter together.

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Ruffle Edge Pillows
Saturday, April 11, 10 AM to 1 PM
$30 plus materials

Get a little girly flair in your life with a ruffle edge pillow! Learn to make a ruffle and install a zipper.

Bolster Pillows
Saturday, April 4, 10 AM to 1 PM
$30 plus materials

Recline in style with this bolster pillow to prop you up. Learn to sew curved seams, install a zipper, and make a ruffle.

Flange Pillows The Border film
Saturday, March 14, 10 AM to 1 PM
$30 plus materials

The zipper backed, flange pillow is handsome and classic. This will be the essential backdrop for your pillow-scape!

Be sure to call the shop to reserve your space, and check out our class page for the details on all of our classes. See you soon!

• Surviving Christmas full

Erik is a wonderful knitter, who has just taken his first steps into sewing. Like so many of our new sewers, he used a sewing machine in 7th grade Home Ec, and it just didn’t take. He has come by the shop to visit many times over the last year, and finally overcome by the cuteness of our fabrics, he took our Learn to Sew class. He was off and running, and is now sewing up a storm and taking custom orders!!

He made these adorable purses for a coworker’s twin girls, and is making a grown version for their mom. Erik used Kaffe Fassett’s fabric to make the Simple Tote from one of our favorite books, Bend the Rules Sewing. I love that Erik took the basic knowledge from our class, dived right in, and is now trying lots of different skill building projects.

Thanks for sharing, Erik, and keep up the good work!