New Law puts Children's wear producers out of business

Please read this letter from Kathleen Fasanella. She writes and maintains fashionincubator.com and is very knowledgeable as well has generous with her time, talent and wisdom in respect to entrepreneurs in the fashion industry as well as with home sew-ers.

Dear Friends
There is a grave crisis in the industry and I haven't been here much lately because of it.

You know me. Yes I can rub people the wrong way but I'm not a kook, alarmist, extremist or conspiracy theorist. What I'm going to tell you is all too true. In a nutshell, as of 2/10/2009, National Bankruptcy Day it will be illegal to sell most products intended for children 12 and younger unless you undergo expensive product testing to certify your products as safe. There are no exemptions or exceptions. This includes wahm or grandmas making items for bazaars, craft shows, etsy, ebay, or just person to person sales. As of February 10, 2009 anything without a General Conformity Certificate is legally considered Banned Hazardous Material.

I have been at the forefront of this fight. I went to Washington DC week before last for a meeting with the biggest brands in the business and if they're scared, you should be too. Contrary to what many people may think, large brands are hurt worse. Small businesses do have some options that large ones don't but this is little consolation if you're small to start with.

Please read up on the topic (list of entries at close). Most of what you'll find on the web relates to toys but this affects clothes, bikes, games, jewelry, uniforms (even boy and girl scout patches!) materials used in science classes in schools, school supplies, books, video games, infant car seats, strollers etc. For example, one of the largest suppliers of science equipment to schools says he can no longer sell telescopes. It will cost $24,000 to test each one. This is not hyperbole or exaggeration. His statements to the CPSC and the estimate from the testing lab are right here.

What you can do:
First, I've opened a section of my private forum to the public. We are calling this the War Room for focused activism.

From this site, you can email all of your legislators by filling out one simple form.

Sign the petition.

Here you can find a lot of email addresses of legislators and CPSC folks to copy and paste into your email program.

The key problems are (for our purposes) clothing doesn't have lead in it but we have to test it for lead anyway. Previously we could use testing results from fabric suppliers to prove for example, flammability. This is not permitted for lead.

Second, excessive testing. Before you could test your components (fabric, zippers, elastics etc) separately since that's what goes into each item. Sure that is costly but it's worse because this is no longer permitted either. Now you have to have one of each completed unit (dress etc) tested. If you're only making one of a kind, you'll have to produce a completed sample garment for testing.

Third, there aren't enough labs. Assuming you had the money ($480-$980 per tested unit), you are only allowed to use a CPSC certified facility. Assuming there was (previously) equilibrium in the market btwn testing labs and the demand for services...well, with a multi-thousandfold increase in the demand for services, they aren't enough labs. Iow, even if you had the time and money, there aren't enough labs to do the testing.

This is the really sad part. Most of the small producers out there got into the business BECAUSE they were concerned about safety. They're using 100% organic materials, no chemicals and food grade finishes (on their toys). This law will put the very artisans who make the best products out of business. The people we want to stay in business and wish everyone made products like they do.

Entries from my site:
Safety Regulations that affect ALL children's manufacturers
National Bankruptcy Day
Unit vs Component Testing
What must be tested
Confusion run amok
Splintering serves no one
CPSIA and small manufacturers

Anyway, I appreciate your time in reading this message and I hope you will join us. If you're a consumer, I recommend buying your gifts for the year very soon. The big stores will be returning non compliant products by mid January in advance of the cut off date so be sure to do any purchasing by then.

Sarah Veblen Pants Fitting workshop in Western NY--outside of Rochester

March 19-20, 2009

PANTS FITTING WORKSHOP -- Hosted by Kim K. in Victor, New York

If you’ve had trouble developing a pants pattern for yourself, this class is for you! And Kim K. has graciously offered to host this two-day pants fitting workshop in her home in Victor, New York (near Rochester).

You can bring your own mock-up(s) of pants you’re interested in, and Sarah will do the fitting. Or you can try on mock-ups of three different pants styles that Sarah has already made up – then you and Sarah can decide which style is the best place to start for your figure. Fitting pants is a process, not a one-shot deal: often it’s best not to make too many alterations at once, in order to track what is working to obtain a better fit and what is not. So after Sarah has conducted a fitting on you, you will make the pattern changes and either make a new mock-up or change your existing mock-up, depending on the extent and type of alteration(s) necessary. Then Sarah will fit you again, starting to fine-tune the fit.

We will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day. Muffins, coffee, and tea will be provided at the beginning of each day; lunch is on your own.

For those of you traveling from out of town, Kim has provided the following information. Victor, New York, is essentially at Exit 45 of the New York State Thruway (I-90). There are four nice hotels located within three miles of Kim’s house: Microtel, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Best Western. For restaurants, there is Eastview Mall about three miles away, plus quite a number of chain establishments (Uno’s, Olive Garden, Burger King, etc.). Directions to Kim’s house will be provided after registration.

For a more detailed description of this class, visit the Pants Fitting Workshop page (click this link or navigate from the Classes page). Class size is limited so that Sarah can give each participant plenty of individual attention. (Class fee: $390.00)

Cool Magazine

I just found this cool magazine that is online and are offering their first issue for FREE!!!!! If you likey, subscribey! We need more garment focused sewing magazines in the world!
www.modernseamster.com

Janet Lutz has out-done herself

Hi, I thought I'd bring everyone's attention to the new Calico Gals' newsletter which is so chock full of stuff, I had to stop reading it halfway through and then pick up the rest the next day just to process everything. I had to mark my calendar to review it again after Christmas so I can make sure to circle in RED all the stuff I want to do there once I consult a calendar.

Janet is another of the Shiny Happy Creative People locally that I had the pleasure of meeting. She has so many good ideas and I think has one of the best teams to hold our hands and teach us stuff.

Check it out at: http://www.calicogals.com/news.html

It is way cooler in color.

Shiny Happy People Part 2

Welcome back Gentle Reader, if you have continued with my short series you have proved to be a determined goal oriented personality, one who is sure to be admired.

The very best part of central NY, one in which is its best kept secret, is our people. I can think of no other better example than the people in our sewing community.

This morning, I find this in my inbox:

Subject: Important: Nadine's 2009 Business Plan Announcement
I just love this time of the year...especially this year! Those of you who know me, know I will never buy into any doom or gloom...I quite simply refuse. And it's not a 'head in the sand' approach...it's a creative approach really.

As talk show host Rick Gary from NewsChannel 9 put it to me a few years back, he referred to me on the air as the MacGyver of creativity...those of you who remember this tv series, this man could make a winter coat out of rubberbands, a found tube of caulk and tissue paper rolls. Those of you who know Rick, know he is very creative in his own right.

If this came from a fellow sew-er I might have been a bit offended about the implication but coming from a man, I took this as quite a rather large compliment. Those of you who know me, know I run my creative business the same way. Often in classes and clubs we take a pile of paint buckets, some leftover fabric strips and an iron and make a wallhanging that would make any guild member turn their heads!

Seems like many in business today are gearing up for a bit of an 'unknown' in 2009...I am gearing up for a fabulous upcoming year! For years (15 to be exact) you have all supported me and my business, encouraged me when I came up with new ideas, visited us during promotions, store events and have followed us from Fayetteville to Fairmount and back to the east...and as many tighten their belt notches, I intend to extend mine.

It is important to me personally to continue to create, share and inspire no matter what is going on in the stock market or repeatedly run by news media. This industry has proven one major thing for sure in the last 60 years... in good times, people sew and in bad times, people sew. Make no mistake, in the last 3 months we have all been thinking but somehow sitting behind a machine creating, quilting or embroidering takes us to a different dimension of sorts. Imagine what one piece of cloth cut up in pieces and a single stitched seam can do for our mind, body and soul?!

2009 Business Plan...it's about US giving back to YOU.
The tailend of 2008 has been quite successful for us and I appreciate your business more than this email could express...As we approach the upcoming year, there is only one thing I'm buying into and one thing only...the importance of time together, giving of ourselves and sharing. Sounds a bit story book but here's my big 2009 business plan: KreativeKindness...I intend on offering you a regular schedule of FREE creative classes and a place for you to come by for regular jolts of inspiration, positive thinking and kreativity!

It wont matter what machine you own or what your skill level is...Our small shop will be positively busting at the seams with new projects and an awareness to create with your stash, try new things and think outside the box a bit...BUT...here's the only cost to you ladies: you have to pass on an act of "KreativeKindness" to someone else.

Your fee for these free workshops is quite simply returning the gesture in some way to someone else. Pass on an act of random kindness: teach someone a new project, share an idea, give a project you've made to someone you haven't met yet, sign up to teach a free class with us or come by and visit with the group.

Sew-ers have been given such an incredible talent and opportunity to overcome through creative venues, share with others and be part of such an inspiring network...so I'm pulling out the duct tape, cheese cloth and the rusty window screen and getting busy for 2009...we hope you will pencil in these classes in your 2009 calender!

Be on the lookout for another incredible announcement coming in your email box and home mail boxes soon! Yahoo!

Watch for the upcoming KreativeKindness class schedule...arriving in your email box just after the Christmas holiday!

Wishing you a joyous and blessed holiday season! -Nadine & Family

She has a blog at: www.ifwishesworewings.blogspot.com, this is listed on our "Links you can Use." I will soon be starting a blogroll feature here on Syracuse Seamsters that will feature our local blogs so we can all transmit this kind of optimism and happiness to each other.

I honestly feel that creativity, our expressions of it transmit happiness to others. We get excited about our projects and how we can adapt other's projects making changes and making them our own. It opens us up to possibilities. When I talk to Nadine, she has infectious enthusiasm. You know that feeling I am talking about. You get it talking with other individuals here and at Expos and classes. You feel it at the solar plexus and it helps to inspire you, it raises you above all your daily barriers to create. Suddenly it seems silly that we let those stop us. We are so lucky to have this kind of dynamism and we have it in spades here in our sewing community.

Nadine is but one of our Shiny Happy People here. We have many. Please. Gentle Reader, be prepared for another.

Shiny Happy People Part 1

Gentle Reader, please find a comfortable spot and a few minutes to read this lengthy blog post. The below article describes the findings of a recent study on happiness done in London. I don't usually copy and paste entire articles from internet news but this one I feel will only increase optimism and smiles.

Study: Happiness Is Contagious
Cheer Spreads Easily, Even To Complete Strangers

(AP) Scientists reported Friday that happiness is contagious, and that you may have complete strangers to thank for the smile on your face.

In a paper published Friday in the BMJ, formerly known as the British Medical Journal, American researchers tracked more than 4,700 people in Framingham, Massachussetts, as part of a heart study from 1983 to 2003.

When they analyzed the data looking for happiness trends, the scientists found that happy people passed on their cheer to people they didn't personally know - and this transferred happiness lasted for up to a year.

"Happiness is like a stampede," said Nicholas Christakis, a professor in Harvard University's sociology department, one of the study's authors. "Whether you're happy depends not just on your own actions and behaviors and thoughts, but on those of people you don't even know."

Christakis and James Fowler, an associate professor of political science at the University of California in San Diego, previously found that obesity and smoking habits spread socially as well.

For this study, they examined questionnaires that asked people to measure their happiness and found distinct happy and unhappy clusters that were significantly bigger than would be expected by chance alone.

Happiness lasted for up to three cycles: to the friends of friends of friends.

Happy people tended to be at the center of social networks and had many friends who were also happy. Having friends or siblings live nearby increased peoples' chances of being upbeat.

Happy spouses helped too, but not as much as happy friends of the same gender. No effects were seen with coworkers.

Christakis and Fowler estimate that each happy friend boosts your own happiness chances by 9 percent. Having grumpy friends decreases it by about 7 percent.

Being happy also brings other benefits.

"Happiness has a protective effect on your immune system and you produce fewer stress hormones," said Andrew Steptoe, a professor of psychology at University College London who was not linked to the study.

Other experts said people shouldn't assume they can make themselves happy just by making the right friends.

"The psychological health of your friends is a predictor of your own mental health, but to say you can manipulate who your friends are to make yourself happier would be going too far," said Stanley Wasserman, an Indiana University statistician who studies social networks.

Because the study was done in a single community, further research is needed to confirm its findings. The study was also conducted before the rise of online social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.

"This type of technology enhances your contact with friends, so it should support the kind of emotional contagion we observed," Christakis said, though he couldn't say if being on Facebook would make you happier.

Fowler said the study was the first tentative evidence of karma.

"The fact that happiness spreads from person to person to person suggests that these waves of happiness we radiate could eventually wash up on our own shores," he said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/04/health/main4649393.shtml

We all have our days where we get crabby about living here; mostly in response to the overcast skies and frequent lake effect weather and sometimes we complain about the lack of economic boom that other regions have enjoyed in the recent past. We have short memories when it comes to the seasons though. After spending some time in many other parts of the country that enjoy better weather reputation, I am always reminded that while we have difficult winters, our Spring, Summer and Fall seasons are unparallelled and I think probably more appreciated because of our winters. We don't have the fear of wild fires, mudslides, or hurricanes and twisters that often mar the summer and fall in other parts of the country. We also have beautiful crisp mornings in the summer that are refreshing, our water comes cool off the tap and is not only drinkable but it tastes good. Our Spring and Fall and a good part of Summer allow us to run our homes without air conditioning or heat and we can open our windows and catch the sweet breezes.

Our lack of boom times is paired with the lack of dramatic downturns. Look on your street, I'll bet there are a few houses for sale but how many on your street is in foreclosure? How many compared to a street in Miami or Las Vegas? How much value has your home lost? Frankly, mine never shot up like a rocket so it hasn't really lost anything. I'm pretty certain, judging from the recent sales in my area that they have remained in the same neighborhood as they were in 2006.

One local phenomenon I have experienced in Syracuse is the lack of congested roadways. Yes, it does get busy at rush hours but it is nothing like the insanity of the Boston or DC area roadways. Our drivers are also very generous to each other. Every day, and I mean EVERY DAY, I either witness or experience one driver helping another out by allowing them in a busy intersection, out of a parking lot, into the lane in front of them, so the waiting car can get on their way. One good act inspires another. I have not seen this anywhere else in my travels, not even down South where people are reputed to be much friendlier than us NYers.

I don't mean to say that there aren't people affected by the economy here in central NY, after all, we are in NY, and there are bound be some big budget cuts because the state is running a deficit that keeps growing as Wall Street keeps busting and as citizens we will be expected to absorb it by doing with less and paying higher tolls and fees. However, as a community, I feel we are in better shape to help each other out. If rainy London can transmit happiness to each other by its practice, I am sure we can do the same.

Gentle Reader, please be patient. Likely you are wondering what this has to do with sewing. My next blog post will reveal all. Stay tuned for Shiny Happy People Part 2

Stash Busters

Do you have a large fabric stash? Is getting your sewing storage and work area organized a constant struggle? Do you seem to find fashion fabric not only on the shelf but also in bins, in the closet, under the bed, in the shed behind the house , in off-site storage? If you answer yes, you just might be a stasher.

Considering our hobby enables stockpiling, it is hard to resist the new fabric store in town as well as great online sales. While the fabric you are stashing might be also doubling as insulation, it is wise to look to the economic downturn, environmental concerns, the latest questionable safety of Asian imports, and the fact that our fabric might quite possibly outlive us and then be dumped by our husbands and children (oh, the waste!), I am proposing a sew-along group called Stashbusters.

In Stashbusters, you must use actual stash -- You are permitted to buy what fabric and notions necessary to complete a project --like lining, batting, trim, fasteners, etc. This can be applied to patterns as we have many patterns in our stash and if I don’t have the exact one I want to sew up, I know someone else must and could borrow and trace it off easily. The more fabric we use up from our stash, the more reasonably uncluttered and productive our sew rooms will be. We can show off our results at Show and Tell at the Chapter meetings and on our Flickr Group that I just started! To join: http://www.flickr.com/groups/957150@N22/ or go to www.flickr.com and enter “stashbusters” in the search box, the page should come up to join. When you enter your item, put your yardage used in description so we can add it all up!

Great Find!

While busily avoiding housework, I was reading the message boards and reviews on Patternreview.com and saw a reference to a great source of interfacing. http://www.sewexciting.blogspot.com/

From their site: Sew Exciting~ FASHION SEWING SUPPLY
FASHION SEWING SUPPLY offers Premium Quality Interfacing for fashion sewing and other Sewing Supplies used by many expert Fashion Designers and the very finest clothing manufacturers. Click on "HOW TO USE IT" for detailed instruction tutorials to ensure your sewing success!

~Fashion Sewing Supply~
12901 North Road
Alden, New York 14004
716-432-0221, weekdays


Never Miss a SALE!
EMAIL~Fashion Sewing Supply~
and send us your contact information

I have to vouch for them. I ordered pro-stretch elastic, pro weft interfacing and the pro tricot interfacing. They are extremely good quality, levels above anything you find at Joann's. It was easy. I just emailed them with my order and they sent me a Paypal invoice which I then paid and soon after (promptly) I received my order. They do have a sample set they sell so you can see how the interfacings work before you commit to yardage. One item I just ordered was the Sheer Elegance interfacing that is low-temp. They sell some other supplies as well and have sales.

I am very pleased with the quality of their goods. And, they are a NY company. I'm adding them to the links list.

Mark your calendar!

The Chapter meeting on December 6th is our annual holiday tea and we ask you to bring a friend. Members typically bring a dish to pass, a can of something for the Food Bank, their Ugly Fabric Challenge Project and a gift to exchange (ornament) as well as their Show N Tell and SOS projects to share with the group. Have a great holiday!

Fabric Spots in CNY

Syracuse area:
I've shopped at Mission Rose, they have a large selection of cotton fabrics as well as patterns, yarn/fibers and some rayons. Mission Rose

There is Calico Gals which is in Fayetteville in the Canal Barn.
Calico Gals
They sell quilting fabrics and lot of other items but not really fashion fabric.

Little Ladies & Lace in Camillus sells quilting and fashion fabric as well as heirloom type supplies and fabric so you can get cotton batiste and stuff like that there.
Little L&L

We are getting a Hobby Lobby on Rte. 31 next to the new Lowe's but I don't know what kind of fabric they sell-- I've never been in one. However, on email lists I have read of others who have bought fabric there. From the sound of the store, it seems like a Michaels.

There is a lady in our area --Peterson sewing school -- she teaches lessons out by Euclid/Westcott area in a church-- I think she also has a fabric business and I plan to find out more-- I've called about classes.

In Fulton there is Herron's fabric store-- they have been there forever but they mostly have cottons, however there is a room with some fashion fabric and they sell the full line of Kwik Sew. I purchased some bathing suit fabric, lining and elastic there. They are right off of 481N in the "plaza mall". Herron's

Linda Poore has Feminine Touch Fabrics on West Fayette in Syracuse and have Folkwear patterns as well as some Kwik Sew. I picked up some great knits last time I was there. They have a warehouse full of fabric and lots of home dec. Feminine Touch

There is also a quilting fabric store in Oswego too--The Quilter's Nook.
I haven't been there. quilter's nook

Patchwork Plus is in Skaneateles--very large selectionPatchwork plus


Cottons Etc. in Wampsville, NY, they have quilting cottons as well as other fabrics. The owner Paula Schultz is amazing, she has done some beautiful quilted wearables and runs some sewing clubs-- one is called Runway Fanatics where she gives the challenge and the members create the outfit similar to PR but without the time crunch. Some of our members are involved in that. She is a charter member of our guild.
Her website
Cottons ETc.

AGR Sewing Machines, they are in Brewerton/Central Square--they sell Janome but also have a small collection of cottons.
AGR

Can anyone think of some to add?

Summer Guild updates

Due to lack of interest, July's Chapter activity "Ladies Day Out" had been cancelled. It is difficult to schedule stuff during the summer as everyone has plans and vacations. The next Chapter meeting will be September 13 at 9 am to 2 pm at the Salina Civic Center. Don't forget to bring a yard of ugly fabric, share your summer projects and be properly impressed over the State Fair Winners.

Fab News--Poore Fabrics coming soon!

I talked to Cheryl Costa last week and was informed that her partner (Linda Poore) will be opening her shop in the beginning of August. Part of me wants to say August 1 but August 2 is also jumping up and down, waving it's arms yelling Me!Me! Pick Me! so I thought I'd honor it if only to stop the nagging. Anyhow, if they Grand Open on August 1, they certainly will be open on August 2.

This FAB EVENT will occur in the Delavan Art Gallery on West Fayette St.-- (not in the actual art gallery-- but the same building).

Anyhow, they are looking for some ahem! mature, sewing experienced women who might like to work a few afternoons each week to assist Linda. She is an amazingly talented, intelligent, warm and versatile lady, however, she still has yet to clone herself! So she needs a bit of help! Interested parties may stop by or contact dragonladymedia@aol.com-- there will be more info in the next guild chapter newsletter.

I cannot wait!!!!!

June CAB meeting

This month's CAB meeting is this Thursday, June 5th at 6:30. We will be meeting at Pat Stempel's house. If you need directions or information, please contact Jennifer Woodburn at jbrwoodburn@hotmail.com

We will be carpooling from Liverpool so you can contact me if you'd like to attend -- (ASG members only please).

Membership Housekeeping

Margaret McNaughton is our Membership chair. Please assist her by emailing or calling her when your address, phone number or email changes. This effects what you receive from us, particularly the newsletter and other timely information in regard to the guild.

Her contact information is 315-445-1539 or mmmcnaug@syr.edu

She will be thrilled to hear from you.

Another reminder of June's event

“Sewer’s Clean Out Your Stash”

What: American Sewing Guild’s Annual Sewing and Fabric Garage Sale
When: June 14, 2008
Where: Salina Civic Center, 2826 Lemoyne Ave, Mattydale, NY
Time: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Free Admission

Reserve a table or come to buy!

$10 for a full table or $5 for a half table (or share with a friend)
For reservations or inquiries contact: Pat Strempel 636-8048 or pat28@aol.com

Travel Fabric Steamers, review from Slate.com

There is a really good review on travel steamers on Slate.

Getting Steamed
WHAT'S THE BEST HANDHELD FABRIC STEAMER—AND CAN IT REPLACE YOUR IRON?
By Laura Moser

Posted Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at 7:38 AM ET
I recently traveled many thousands of miles to attend a college roommate's wedding in Hawaii. For several reasons—the over-the-top destination, the formal toast I was slated to give, my all-but-unprecedented approval of a friend's choice of groom—I decided to splurge on a new dress for the occasion. The simple silk sheath that I bought was perfect: For once, I would look just right.
Except for one thing: My suitcase's contents really did shift while in flight. I mention this because, to my mother's lifelong anguish, I've never been a great believer in garment bags (or umbrellas or hair dryers). And when I opened my suitcase, I was horrified to find my beautiful dress crumpled beyond recognition.
The concierge regretted to inform me that the hotel offered no garment-freshening service, though I could pay $28 to have the dress professionally dry-cleaned by Monday—two days after the wedding. Since ironing the delicate fabric was out of the question, I saw no choice but to hang the dress in the shower and encourage fellow wedding guests to bathe at my place. By the following evening, with the dress no less wrinkled, I could hope only for a fast-setting sun.


Here is the link:

New from KwikSew patterns

Hi Sister Stitchers! Thanks for the invitation to be a guest contributor. Here is something new from Kwik Sew patterns that I thought you might enjoy:

Kwik Sew has added a new feature to their website. Here's the deal: 
KWIK SEW Pattern Company, Inc. announces a new, free web application 
allowing users to experiment with different colour combinations to 
find the perfect colour for a garment or craft. This Colour 
Visualizer; tool enables users to select a colour from the latest 
colour trends or create a colour and apply it to a garment or craft 
photograph or illustration. Now, one can actually see how a specific 
design would look in a wide range of colours, instead of just trying 
to imagine it! 
The Colour Visualizer; tool may be accessed from the KWIK SEW website 
home page. To see how it works, go to http://www.kwiksew.com, select a 
pattern that is "Visualizer Enabled" and click on the Colour 
Visualizer; icon. 

OK - so try this: Go to the website and choose pattern number 3612. 
Then click on Colour Visualizer and play with it. Just drag the colors 
from the pallet to play with the bags. Try out the newest color trends like
red, orange and yellow or maybe periwinkle and celery. 

By the way -  I suggested you try pattern 3612 because we are giving this pattern away at the QCNYS show with the purchase of 8 fat quarters - which is exactly what you need to make the bag in View B. The Show is June 13-15 at Driver's Village in Cicero. For more info on that visit http://www.qcnys.org.

Great talking with you!

Janet

Calico Gals

Bernina now sold at Upstate Vacuum and Sewing Center

(again, I will get some storefront pics, soon...)

Yeah, you heard me. Rick at Upstate Vacuum is carrying the Bernina line again. If you don't know where they are, Upstate Vacuum is located on Erie Boulevard in Syracuse. If you need any accessories, he can help you out.

Rick also has a room in back with a separate entrance and bathroom that he would love to lease to someone who plans to hold sewing classes. His rental needs are modest for the location. If you are interested, give him a call at 446-3212. He wants everyone to know that if they would like to look at the Bernina machines and test them out --there is no need to call, just drop on by!

A Sit-Down with Janet Lutz of Calico Gals

(Again, I promise I will obtain a storefront photo soon!)

I talked to Janet at Calico Gals for a while. Some new things right off the top of my head--
She is selling BabyLock machines and now has financing available for both BabyLock and Elna. If you have any questions about the machines, Mimi is the machine wizard and she has a few staff working with her demonstrating the machines if you want a look. We were treated to some demonstrations of the BabyLocks by Wenda Coburn and she was very friendly and NOT high pressure; instead Wenda was knowledgeable and focused on helping you meet your needs.

Calico Gals is carrying some Kwik-Sew patterns, so call the shop before you order online to see if they have it in stock.

Janet recently returned from QuiltMarket and had lots to talk about. She walked her feet off and bought lots of really cool stuff and has the skinny on the trends for the next 6 months.

Aprons... Not your Grandma's Aprons. These are aprons made with bold modern designs that evoke the style Amy Butler's fabrics. Everyone is doing Amy Butler, --it will be interesting to see where she goes from here. Anyhow, the young women are wearing these aprons as fashion accessories--they are wearing them everywhere.


Bakery goods and Salad Bags.

Well, back in the old days, in order to put together a first rate scrap quilt or water color quilt, one would set about purchasing fat quarters and 1/8 yds or joining online swaps. Now there are jelly rolls which are forty 2.5 inch strips of fabric (all different) and Layer Cakes which are forty 10 inch squares which are all different--the actual amount of fabric for both of these "pastries" are the same. Also offered are what I called "Napoleons" which are charm packs of 5 inch squares (all different). It is a "salad bag" approach to quilting. Instead of purchasing all the elements separately (your heads of lettuce, mesculin, arugula, carrots, radicchio, green onions, parsley, celery) the store sells you bags of lettuce, pre cut, prewashed and preplanned and offers in different combinations "chicken Caesar". Italian, French, American style, taco, etc.

This is a new approach to serving quilters and there are loads of designs and projects to go along with them. In fact, Calico Gals has purchased an AccuCut machine which die cuts the fabric to custom shapes and they will be developing their own original custom jellyrolls, layer cakes and napoleons and maybe even a signature pastry that has not been thought up yet. While they are creating these confections, they will also be cooking up new designs and projects that again, will be exclusive to the shop. To be up on all developments, there is a Jam and Jelly Club and the people to talk to are Kris and Sharon.

I've mentioned four staff members and there are plenty more of whom Janet relies on and she is the first to say that her staff is her store's greatest asset. She explains that they live the mission of Calico Gals. "Today, it is not necessary for people to sew. People sew because they love to, they enjoy it, it is pleasurable to express creativity. We strive to begin the excitement and enjoyment from the moment our customers step into the shop. Our sales people are encouraged to get into the project planning with the customer and have fun with it. " They certainly succeed. I know I always have a blast when I go there and I don't quilt all that often. In fact, Calico Gals always has small projects showcased that I can do up in an evening or two incorporating techniques that I can often use in a garment or a large project if I wished. Janet says she realizes not everyone is able to put together queen sized projects and sometimes people do get bogged down by a larger more time consuming work and it can, judging from our collective UFO's get unfun. She likes to offer alternatives.

She also talked about two programs that have originated with Calico Gals that are sold to shops around the world.

BlockSwappers which is a club, costs $5 to join and runs for 6 months. Each member creates 12 identical blocks each month and hands them in and receives 12 different blocks in return. At the end of 6 months, she has 72 blocks and is on her way to create a beautiful quilt top.

Joan Ford's Scrap Therapy is another club in which there are certain techniques taught to utilize all your scraps so in the end you have a bin of elements you can use to create all manner of blocks. scrap therapy website

If you have any questions or have interest in checking out the diverse sewing and quilting related products and the fabric!, stop by Calico Gals. Check out their great website! Calico Gals

I hope I have all this right Janet!

The Qbot flyer

I had fun catching up with Nadine Knecht

(I promise to get a photo of her storefront here soon!)

Retail partner update: I met with Nadine Knecht last week and she filled me in on the Q-bot and as soon as I figure out to post the flyer she sent me, I will. Much of this is in the newsletter but I had to cut cut cut to keep the word count down to a dull roar. She emailed me with all her news so you have it from Herself.

"Here is a synopsis of our life in retail these days...feel free to delete anything you think does not apply to your write-up...

RETAIL HISTORY AND What's new in 2008!
Opened for business in 1994 inside Joann Fabrics in Fayetteville. Currently on Bridge Street (formally known as Manlius Center Rd. - 690E, exit 17 Left onto Bridge Street and we are 1/2 mile down on the left hand side in the Dewitt Design Home Center Plaza - a brick L-shaped plaza). We are a Pfaff Supreme Dealer specializing in machines, software, quilting machines, frames and education.

This year we started KreateCafe where we hold a monthly demonstration on the last Tuesday of the month (from 10am-6pm) and the public can stop by anytime between those times to get a full demonstration of the mixed media or stitch art technique of the month. We are introducing the art quilt techniques and mix media quilting to quilters and garment sew-ers alike.
This year we also introduced KreativeKindness...Keeping Sewing Growing in Syracuse! ...One machine a time. We take the public's nomination for someone in their life who they think deserves a new Pfaff sewing machine. Each month, we select a winner based on the stories emailed to us. We arrange a surprise delivery to the selected nomination, with the help of the person who nominated them. The unsuspecting person is presented with a KreativeKindess award certificate and brand new Pfaff sewing machine.

Our new class list is out and we are also busily planning Quilting Art classes to get sewers and quilters thinking out the box! We have also been busy traveling and taking classes. Our most recent trip was to Cleveland where we met with the designer of QBOT to be one of ten Pfaff dealers from around the country to train and test one the of the most exciting product launches planned for 2008! Look for our QBOT demonstration and company survey at the Quilter's Holiday 2008 June 13, 14 &15th at the Driver's Village Conference Center in North Syracuse.

This year I am busily designing and preparing to launch our first embroidery design collection under the Cactus Punch Designer Series label. The collection is packed with new techniques for both embroidery machine owners and quilters as we combine new medias and methods and bring them to the machine hoop! I will be teaching these techniques in hands-on classes in Dallas in August and then heading to Quilt Market in Houston to teach shop owners the techniques so they can train embroidery machine owners and quilters in their area.

In June we will head to LosAngeles where we will be featured in Kraft Foods "Celebrating 100 Extraordinary Women" project. Not anything I would have expected to be part of but something I can't help remind my husband of daily! You will see that appearing in People, InStyle and RealSimple magazine publications.

Although not as often due to my crazy new schedule of events, you can still see Knecht's Sewing appear on Bridge Street on Channel 9... love to do it as it keeps me creating new projects.

Well anyway, you can see we are busting at the seams in our little space in East Syracuse but we're having a ball and our main focus still remains to creatively inspire women we meet everyday and to help them color a bit outside the lines!

It was nice to talk to you yesterday...I apologize for so many little interruptions. Some days I feel like a waitress where I am running from table to table! I am doing the ad next for you...
Thanks for everything! -Nadine"

What happens when offices go vacant.

Earlier this week I was doing the East tour of the shops, meeting with owners and trying to drum up some advertising for our newsletter. We have not had a retail liaison for our guild for many months and our current contracts ran out. Since I write for the newsletter and there seemed to be no one who feels up to the job; I thought it would be good to at least start somewhere. My feeling is that we are all members of the guild and enjoy the activities and programs it brings. Many of us are working full time an don't seem to feel that we have much time--probably because we don't. Others have served for years and want a break, I can respect that. But when everyone feels this way, we end up with no one.

When you pay for membership, you certainly expect to get your newsletter. One of the ways we defray the costs of printing and postage is by selling ads for it to local sewing related businesses. This is not a hard sell. We have common goals. One of my goals is to provide you with a quality newsletter.

It is my considered idea and opinion that this is an office that many can share. With the price of gasoline, it is not practical for one member to traverse the counties that our Chapter encompasses. We cover the area between Rochester and Albany and from the Canadian border to Binghamton. I live in Liverpool and can't see driving myself to Skaneateles! But Pat lives in Skaneateles and is willing to stop by Patchwork Plus and other businesses in her neck of the woods to touch base with the shop owners, remind them we are here to support them (and in return, they support us). She is willing to get some ads and drop off brochures, she says "heck! I'm there anyway!".

That is the spirit we need throughout our territory. Please don't be alarmed if I call or email you with a request to stop by a shop near you to drop off a brochure, a contract and a rate sheet. We will be making these documents available as pdf's to be downloaded from Scrib'd. scrib'd If you are willing to stop by a shop after being contacted with a need, please email me at scarlettquilts@yahoo.com and I'll send you an invite to our group there so you can download those documents. I would like to invite everyone to scrib'd and to this blog as authors too! As soon as I can research and learn a less awkward way to do this, I will post it forthwith.

I'd also like to hear from members who are not in the central Syracuse area. I may be missing some good places to solicit ads and build relationships with. If you know of any fabric, machine shop, or sewing related business, please contact me! I'll add them to our list.

Having retail partners is a very good thing. They will work with us for programming, are often willing to help cosponsor a national name here and share their prodigious database to attract more people to the programs they cosponsor and thus further exposure of the guild to others. Some businesses will host neighborhood groups in their classrooms. Some will offer discounts to our members. We have been very blessed with the partners we have. Many have donated door prizes when asked. They are also assets in the community boosting the joy of needle arts to the young. I can say the same things about our neighbor guilds--the quilt guilds, the embroidery or heirloom sewing guilds and the knitting guilds. We are all in this together.

ASG National Conference

The National Conference is this July in Chicago. Our esteemed president Jennifer Woodburn will be attending and representin'-- I think she might even be presentin'.

Here is the link for the conference in case you have a wild hair for some Chicago-style pizza and expert advice and classes from famous nationally known sewing industry geniuses.

ASG Conference 2008

Clean Out Your Stash!

SEWER'S CLEAN OUT YOUR STASH"

AMERICAN SEWING GUILD'S ANNUAL SEWING GARAGE SALE

June 14, 2008

From 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Salina Civic Center

2826 Lemoyne Avenue Mattydale, NY.

Reserve a Table or come to Buy!

$10.00 For a full table or $5.00 for 1/2

For reservations or inquiries
Contact Pat Strempel
636-8048

The Quilting Consortium is going on at the same time. So if you are taking a bit of a break, come on over (we are on the same part of town) and find some priced to sell fabric and notions! If you are not a quilter or don't plan on attending the consortium, rent a table and clean out your stash!

Remember, you have to make room for the new.

Speaking of stash, Patternreview is hosting a contest on sewing up your stash in June. The link is on the right under "links you can use" --check it out!

Sew-er's Retreat

This is not Skaneateles Lake because I have No Pics of it. But I figure that Green Lakes should do as well...
Here is the link: Stella Maris


The retreat this year is at Stella Maris Retreat in Skaneateles. If you click on the link, you will see some gorgeous pictures of the facilities. Look at the picture to the far right, the one with the room with windows all along the wall looking out on the lake. That's where they will all be sewing.

We have 17 signed up and it looks like you will all have a really good time! This retreat is May 29, 30, 31. I don't know if they will take any stragglers, but you might want to contact Pat Strempel, our 2nd Vice President and Programming Chair at pat28@aol dot com and try your best groveling and begging. She might have mercy, but then again...

EXPO!!!!!!

We went to the Expo in Worcester, see my lengthy review below the fab pics.

One of the best things about the trip was our pit-stop on the way home:






OSGOODS!!!!! Fabric Lovers' Paradise.


The Original Sewing and Quilt Expo http://www.sewingexpo.com
was a sewing expo held in Worcester, MA. It was my first sewing expo so I have nothing to compare it to.

The big draw to any sewing exposition is the classes given by national and international industry professionals.

Classes

Lorraine Henry from Conselle taught a number of pattern alteration classes which were valuable. I took 3 of her classes. I ended up visiting her booth and purchasing her book and some other items. I would love to take her seminar in Utah. There were so many questions that she ended up going over her allotted class time which was unfortunate because I was not able to stay for two of them. I think she should have a big one day pattern alteration seminar, that way it would be easier to cover everything that she needs to. Many questions seemed to apply more to other classes and she was so nice and really cared that we understood her information she took the time to answer them and illustrate her answers; it caused the classes to go late.

Louise Cutting did a class on One-Seam pants. I thought it was helpful; she answered a lot of questions but had to end the class a bit early as the exhibit hall was opening and she did not have any help that day. I did pick up 2 of her patterns and a couple of her booklets. She recommended an elastic you can buy at Joann's and usually stitches it on the waistband and then folds it down and stitches again. She was very friendly and made some interesting observations on the grain lines of pants.

Diane Ericson held a class on color. I was not signed up for this; I was working it as part of my Ambassador duties. It was very interesting. She provided a kit (well, there was a kit fee--$12) which had a color wheel and everyone got creative with their colors. She pulled out her inspiration boards--and talked about how to translate these into garments. She was really inspiring. I was unhappy that I could not get into her fashion illustration class the next day as it was sold out. She was selling some stencils and patterns and was demonstrating working with the stencils at the Vogue booth. I did not really participate in this class but listened to her lecture and she inspired people to be more creative.

Barb Callahan (barboringinals.com) held a class called "Easy skirts from rectangles". She was very nice and I was assisting in that class as well. She showed a variety of linen skirts she made from rectangles which she often wears in her home state of Florida. The hems were a neat finish with a wing needle and honeycomb stitch. She had a number of variations on the skirts including adding gores and making the skirt two layers. Her booth had lots of wool (she also held some classes on felting) and European linen by the yard. The linen was gorgeous but $18/yd. I could not afford it for my purposes. She also had patterns but the booth was often very crowded so I did not linger.

Peggy Sagers’ (Silhouette Patterns) classes were great! I went to two of those. Her presentations were very organized and she was very matter of fact. She really gave us some good tips on collars, interfacings, fly treatment, jacket sleeves, easing blouse sleeves etc. One class she went through sewing an entire outfit (pants, blouse, jacket). She says we are too slow! I purchased a series of her DVDs. I have to say, she looks younger in person but is definitely a powerhouse of information. What I find touching is that she makes her number available for any assistance you might need with her patterns. She has some lovely quick sewing patterns for sale as well.

I am sad to say that many were unhappy with Cynthia Guffey's closures class. It was basically sewing three different type closures in 3 hours. It started 30 minutes late. The kit was $20 and included a button, a hook, a snap and a piece of silk to sew these on. She had some lovely silk at her booth that was heavenly in quality and price. I did not linger at her booth because she seemed down. I hope to catch her in a different venue when perhaps she is feeling better and her energy is up. Even though I registered in advance, I could not get into her pattern choosing for your body type class--there were 2 scheduled and they were 3 hour classes and entirely sold out.

My friend took Emma Seabrooke's class and showed us the technique. It was about sewing with stretch lace and those crinkle/pleated stretch knits. Basically she uses a stretch interfacing tape and invisible sew through elastic.

Unique Patterns’ Kathy Ruddy was there and she did a free presentation on the stage talking about her "eat cookies" waist/pants. She measured people at her booth for a number of services, including counseling about what kinds of alterations to make, what type of fabrics to use for your figure type etc. She was very nice and had very good things to say about other vendors. She sold the Swiss pattern paper as well as all her videos, cd's and pamphlets and was very reasonable cost-wise. I liked her and enjoyed her presentation. The other girls took a class with her.

I also took Freshman Embroidery with Katie Bartz who is an independent Viking educator. She was hilarious and kept us awake through this 3 hour class fielding questions about machine embroidery for newbies. I really enjoyed her and the other ladies in the class. She answered questions about thread, needles, and stabilizers and showed us her "foolproof" method of hooping. She also gave us recommendations on the software. She works a lot with Pam DeMore -- they did the pillow book together called "Pillow Talk". She taught a number of classes. I was not able to get into her "Embroidery Lab" scheduled after this class, although she had 2--they were all sold out.

Pam DeMore had a few classes, one was sewing a bag-- I was not in that class but cleaned up after it. She did quite a number of classes and did not have a booth. Most everyone seemed to enjoy her classes. One of my friends took one and had only great things to say about it. I think she is a Viking educator (I'm not sure if she is independent or not).


Booths:

Viking was the premier manufacturer there. The upstairs ballrooms held all their top of the line embroidery machines and they also had a prominent booth with other models. They had machines for sale there-- the demonstration model from the classroom was $5,000. That included the embroidery unit, a bunch of software and about $1,000 gift certificate from the store in Auburn MA. This shop is lovely, we visited it after the expo and they will be featuring Pam DeMore in July so you can plan an overnight roadtrip because she is worth it!

Babylock also had a prominent booth and a stocked classroom where there seemed to be a lot of quilting and piecing classes held. I only cleaned up in there, did not take any of these classes.

Janome had a smaller booth and the sales educators were very nice and helpful and willing to demonstrate all of their machines. One lady from MD was an heirloom sewing instructor for Janome and had some gorgeous samples.

Bernina had no presence there at all. I was told it was because they prefer to have the premier spot and it was already promised to Viking. I don't know how much of that was true but they were missed.

Pfaff had the smallest booth of the sewing machine companies. I was surprised there were no materials from Cyndi Losekamp there.

Fabric
Vogue fabrics had a very large booth and I have to say, I did buy quite a bit from them. However, I have to agree with the fabric selection. They did restock every day but there was only one bolt of bamboo fabric.

There was a booth that had some gorgeous Italian wools and blends-- I think they were from Canada. There were a number of batik/quilting/hand-dye fabric stands as well. There was a vintage fabric and button/trim booth that I found to be very sweet and pricey. Emma Seabrook had lots of slinky and knits. I found a good one in her bargain bin.

The other best thing besides the classes in regards to the Expo and going to Massachusetts shopping wise is the side trips on the way home. We visited Wright's factory outlet in Sturbridge-- which was having quite a clearance because they are closing. Everything was 25% off. We then went to Osgood's in East Springfield which was fabric lover's heaven. It is a veritable warehouse. One third of it is home dec; there is an area of furniture and then, (sigh), rolls of fabric to the ceiling in aisle after aisle. It is 3 hours away from me--all this time... who knew?

The other vendors--I mentioned a number of them that were also presenters. There was a thread vendor, a trim vendor, some others like Bon-ash, and embroidery designs--Dakota I think. I picked up the patternmaster boutique software at a very good price--$50 less than their normal. There were also booths for doing stuff like knitting a baby hat for charity and many quilts were displayed. I spent a good deal of time and money on the exhibit floor as well as time talking to these knowledgeable people who had lots of advice and were very kind. Floriani also had a huge booth, Sulky and Martelli Industries (they had some cool gadgets).

The Facilities at the Convention Hall

Some of the classrooms were just corners curtained off which was not good when one wall was made of glass, facing East in the am and there are overheads to look at. Sometimes the equipment did not work. Sometimes it was just too noisy. In general, the ballroom and classrooms were okay but not optimal. The lady running the organizing of the classrooms was nice and her husband worked with her --they were very helpful. I participated in the Ambassador program where I donated my time (one afternoon as a classroom assistant and am/pm clean-up) and earned a class. This time was credited to the ASG to pay for a booth during the entire expo that was staffed by the Worcester Chapter. As a classroom assistant you also get to experience the classes you are assisting in. One of the friends I went with worked so much all her classes and admissions to the exhibit hall were free.

Regarding the food, be prepared for airport prices. The best thing is to bring your own or eat at the hospital cafeteria across the street. Another great idea is to bring a water bottle. Seriously. an ice cream cone was $6 and a small coffee $2.

I was so busy in classes I missed the fashion shows and other free presentations.

Accommodations

We stayed at the Hilton across the street. There were 4 of us and we stayed 4 nights. We split the >$500 bill which was very cool. The parking is $13/day if by valet or $9/day in the garage. Friday night that area is hopping. There is no continental breakfast but an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet set up every morning for about $10. They have to-go cups for coffee. There is an office center to make copies and check your email, a pool and Uno’s restaurant is connected to the hotel and they deliver to your room.

Our room had 2 double beds. There was an ironing board and iron in the closet, and shampoo, mouthwash, conditioner as well as soap was supplied in the bathroom but no blow dryer. There was a good-sized table/desk and an easy chair with reading light. The temperature was easy to adjust but was on the opposite wall as the heater/ac. It is worth it to be close to the Expo. You get so busy and are constantly going at the convention center; I could not imagine trying to deal with driving around an unfamiliar area at night. There was a convenience store, a number of restaurants and a Starbucks in easy walking distance. We had a dinner with everyone from Region 1 that I attended at a fantastic Italian restaurant about 4-5 blocks away from the hotel.

When you are sharing a room with lots of people, expect to be awakened if you are light sleeper. Forewarning: I snore—not on purpose but it is really something I can’t control—my advice: bring earplugs.

Advice for future Expos
Register for your desired classes as early as possible. The really good ones get sold out fast. Go for the packages. Then, once you fill up on your package, ask them for the number for the Ambassador program and work in a shift there so you can take another class on a whim. The exhibit floor is fun but can get very expensive, plan your forays-- I missed out on stuff (hands on make-and-takes as well as handouts) because I didn't plan them better. Bring bottled water, pack lunches or portable food so you don't have to buy it there. Try to go with a group; the Hilton let us all use our credit cards to pay our portions of the stay. Check your coat for $1, it's worth it.


The Sewing and Quilt Expo was the place to go for all the newest tools and supplies for sewing, quilting, machine embroidery, knitting, embellishment and home décor projects. In addition to attending the sewing workshops and seminars there was the American Quilter’s Society Faculty Exhibit to see.

Everyone is Prom Queen for the Day

Melody Arnold has a charity called "Our Secret". She solicits donations for gently used prom gowns from the public as well as gowns from retail establishments to outfit her "closet" which, every year is opened for young women to browse through and pick out the perfect gown for them to attend prom.

Here is the website: http://www.our-secret-charity.com/our-secret-charity.html

Here is some coverage: http://news10now.com/default.aspx?ArID=112432
The Syracuse Chapter of the American Sewing Guild lent her a hand at their last event and altered the dresses for the girls who needed a little let in, a hem, a tuck here and there. It was a fun event to do.

I ended up bringing a dress home that needed more drastic alterations (see the bodice on my cutting mat above). The young lady looked drop dead gorgeous when it was all done and she will be graduating this year (that is her in the red and white dress).


Time for True Confessions:

I learned some new techniques. I had never used my rolled hem on my serger before. Boy, once I figured it out I was in heaven! I'll be using that quite a bit more. Also, I had not really done formal wear before. Deconstructing the bodice so I could take it in on the sides was an education. I took pictures of every stage so I could carefully reconstruct it back. Later, she brought me another dress to do (two proms!) and this one had a bazillion layers of net and tulle with embroidery and beading. I had to shorten it and while i was, the top layer caught on my cutting table and tore! (just a little). I went online and googled relentlessly on how to repair it and most said I needed to replace the layer. There was no way I could do that. I found one of my embroidery hoops and some very fine clear polyester threat (sulky). I hooped the portion of skirt so that the edges would be together if pressed down. Little by little I took fine small stitches to patch it up. I called and told the girl's mother about it (I was feeling horrible). I took it out and showed her the dress. She sat there holding it looking through the gathers of net looking for the tear. Finally I had to point it out to her, she was holding it! She laughed and told me it was fine.

A good resource for doing this kind of work is Bridal Couture by Susan Khalje.

So, next time, I hope that more guild members will take a chance and join us because there were way more girls that needed alterations that we could handle and even if you can only stitch a skirt or pillow, we need a dress checker. Even with little experience, I was able to fix a few dresses and help some kids an it really felt great and I learned quite a bit.

Oil and Fiber.

International Fiber Collaborative www.internationalfibercollaborative.com

This is the Nottingham Citgo #53 at 2301 E. Colvin St., Syracuse, NY

The artist is Jennifer Marsh

"The goal of the International Fiber Collaborative is to provide an opportunity for people who enjoy working with crafts, whether professional artists, hobbyists, or students to come together from all over the world to express their concerns about their countries extreme dependency on oil for energy."

Me and my galpal were driving along doing errands together and saw this. We had just missed the opening by a few days and I felt regret at not knowing about it before because I certainly would have wanted to participate with our guild. However, I walked around the building looking at all the panels, They were something to see. There was all types. Recycled sweaters sewn together, plastic bags and packaging woven into intricate designs, panels that were like posters proclaiming their purpose, some squares with community organizations embroidered upon them and some were just plain art work together producing a large piece of art that is guaranteed to be keeping the building warm and reminding us of just how important every decision has become--macro or micro. I did actually participate. Drivers at the stoplight were calling out to me asking "what is this?" I was able to tell them and pass out postcards. Well played.

Next CAB Meeting

Just so everyone is on the same page, the next CAB meeting is this Wednesday evening, 6:30 at Jennifer's house.

Q-Bot

Hey all you quilters! There is the coolest new gadget in town called Q-Bot. Your intrepid reporter attended a demonstration at Knecht's Sewing Machines (they are located on Bridge St. by Trillium no matter what the phone book says). Nadine Knecht was demonstrating this wonder.

This is a computer program and communication device that hooks into your wider harp straight stitch sewing machine on a frame that accommodates free motion/long arm quilting. The device plugs into your sew machine and sits atop the frame. You may pick from a preprogrammed design (design and number are on a sheet of paper in a binder) or create your own design (either on the computer and added to the program --I expect there is a usb or sim card that holds saved designs). You can even free -motion a design and save it. I apologize for my lack of correct quilting terms. You can use this on quilts or on clothing, bags --wherever you'd like to put a quilted embellishment.

Once you have selected a preprogrammed design you push some buttons to let it know you want to start a block. Taking the freemotion handles, you show the computer how large your block is by pressing the button at two diagonal corners . Then you let down the foot and press "go". The device (Q-bot) stitches out the specified design to the exact dimensions of your block. Look Mom, No hands!

It really must be seen to be believed. Give Nadine a call or stop by Knecht's to get the skinny (and hopefully see it in action!). This will also be demonstrated at the Quilting Consortium this June.

The last dress I made for my niece

This is the last dress I made for my niece. I gave it to her for Christmas. She will be coming to visit and I am hoping to teach her a little bit about sewing. I also hope to run up a new dress for her for Spring. She lives down South. I have to remeasure her because she is in a time of growth, or more particularly, a time of "rearrangement" as young women mature between the ages of 13-15. She is a cutie, isn't she?

Welcome!

This blog is a meeting place for the members of the Syracuse chapter of the American Sewing Guild. It's purpose is to facilitate communication and community among those that love to sew, provide a window of our guild for interested people and to have fun, show and tell and provide links and help when needed. This is a good place to put your sewing SOS!

If you would like to post and join in the fun, please email me at scarlettquilts@yahoo.com. Please include your name and membership number and I'll add you to the blog!