Holiday Fabric Craft Ideas

Hello everyone!

Kathy invited me to post here at our ASG Syracuse Chapter blog.

Since I was under the weather and missed a nice Neighborhood Group (NG) mtg yesterday (Sat. 11/14/09) of the DeWitt Darts, I thought I would contribute some links to the blog that I found while I was home sipping tea and surfing the www this weekend.

My name is Stephanie and I live in the F-M area East of the city. I'm a newer member of this local ASG Chapter, although I have been sewing since my teenage years (I won't count the doll clothes I made before that ;)

Over the decades, I have continued to enjoy dabbling in various arts & crafts, although as it happens, I lack the drawing skills of actual artists and sometimes feel a bit challenged to fully grasp the total effect a series of various color and texture choices might have on a finished design. Needless to say, I am always learning!

With the Fall & Winter Holidays coming up, I was looking for some fun fabric projects one could do that don't necessarily involve Machine Embroidery (ME). Now I happen to love do to ME work, but I know that not everyone does. Another time I'll post about some ideas that are for ME work, but today I thought that I would share some more general types of holiday craft project ideas.

Over at the Hewlett Packard (HP) site, I found an interesting Vintage Santa Wall Hanging. It incorporates vintage images from yesteryear that are printed off on specially prepared fabric to create a beautiful holiday theme item. I know some gals buy the ready-to-print type fabric, while others prepare some fabric themselves for this type of printing process, but either way it is a neat idea.

You'll find the link here:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/acProject lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&extsubcat=holidayandspecialoccasions&extcat=quilting&extproject=vintagesantawallhanging

or just use a search engine and enter something like the following and the site will come up:

Hewlett Packard Vintage Santa Wall Hanging

Next I found a cute casserole carrier with a country moose design at the Thimbleberries site:

http://www.thimbleberries.com/pdf/THP00173.pdf

After that, I found a couple of versions of a Holiday Card Holder in a Christmas Tree Shape (done up like a memory board) at:

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/holiday-card-holder-669662/

or

http://www.allcrafts.net/f.php?url=www.wrights.com/wrights/class/12_xmas/treecardholder/treecardholder.

A Victorian Angel Card Holder Fabric project I came upon was here:

http://www.sewing.org/files/project/victorian_angel_card_holder.pdf

Then a Folded Star Trivet Tutorial for a neat pair of folded star trivets that intrigued me were here:

http://lieslmade.wordpress.com/2006/11/18/folded-star-hotpad-tutorial/

Of course, Thanksgiving is coming up around the corner, so finally, here's a link for a very nice looking Harvest Table Runner that anyone would love to have on their Thanksgiving table:

http://www.sewing.org/files/project/harvest_table_runner_cranston.pdf

and another table runner found here is also quite attractive:

http://www.cranstonvillage.com/uploadedFiles/falling-leaves-table-runner(1).pdf

Another time I'll share some more ideas I have found on the www, but I'll wrap up for today.

Here's hoping your Fall & Winter Holiday sewing is going well!

Time for some more soothing lemon ginger herb tea,

Stephanie in Fayetteville

Soup recipe from October Meeting

I got this recipe from one of those newspaper inserts where they advertise all the contractors and talk about taking care of your yard and winterizing your house-- I think it was in the Post Standard.

Gro Good Garden Vegetable Soup

Makes 8 servings

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 bay leaf

3 medium carrots, chopped

2 parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped

1 pint Brussel sprouts, trimmed and quartered

1 3/4 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped (can substitute a 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes with juice, chopped)

2 quarts chicken broth or vegetable broth (I used Wegmans vegetable broth)

1 cup baby lima beans

One 15 ounce can of great Northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat.

Add the onions, celery, and bay leaf and cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, parsnips, turnip, and Brussels sprouts and continue cooking until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 more minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices and the stock.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Add the eans, salt, and pepper, and simmer for another 30 minutes.

November newsletter is out!

http://premium.fileden.com/premium/2009/11/12/2648865/November%20Newsletter.pdf

November 2009 Newsletter

Set your radio dial this Wednesday morning!

Janet Lutz from Calico Gals has won a radio spot this Wednesday morning on the Kathy Rowe Show.  Tune in and support our Calico Gal and you might win a sewing machine!  Yes!  She is giving two away!  Stop by the shop and find out the exact time she will be cohosting with Kathy!

Is your sewing machine a hidden goldmine?

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi police are investigating the origins of a hoax that had hundreds of people believing that old sewing machines may bring fortune because they contained an elusive, and probably mythical, substance known as red mercury

Saudi newspapers on Tuesday published pictures of Saudis proudly posing next to old sewing machines awaiting prospective buyers at traditional markets.

The English-language Saudi Gazette newspaper said some buyers were willing to pay up to 200,000 riyals ($50,000) for an old Singer sewing machine proven to contain red mercury.

Mobile phones are supposedly employed as instruments to prove the existence of the phony substance. Popular belief in the Middle East has it that it can help uncover hidden gold treasures, though there are other theories which say it can be used to create a nuclear bomb.

"If the line cuts off when the telephone is placed close to the needle ... that proves the existence of the substance," Saudi Gazette said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE5...

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former" - Albert Einstein.

If Wishes Wore Wings...I'd send this your way

Thank you so very much for the invite to blog with you! I thought I would share my If Wishes Wore Wings trunk show, showing a couple pictures of projects each time I post. I had the fabulous opportunity to work with digitizers from Cactus Punch and turn my doodles and sketches into real live stitches meant for embroidery machine and hoops of all makes and models in the United States, Canada & Australia (oooo, aren't you impressed now??) Now don't tune out 'cuz I said embroidery machine...remember all of these were created originally on a basic sewing machine "thread painting" or in the old days, they called it the darning stitch... Hours of thread painting by machine, playing with colored pencils and doodling (stuffing drawing pads and markers feverishly into every available pocket in my suitcases when I traveled-driving my husband absolutely nuts) has transformed into a project designed to create and pass on to girlfriends, moms, daughters, sisters and hopefully to women whom we have not yet met. These projects were designed to stitch, embellish and then pass on...with surfaces filled with words of inspiration... Florence, this ARtAngel was designed and dedicated to my mom who lived young and large with the attitude 'when I get old, I shall wear purple"...only sometimes there's a bigger plan. I say, don't wait to get old to wear purple! I hope you enjoy my future posts here and pictures to get you thinking hopefully, a bit outside your box!

Think Pink

Calling all quilters, seamstresses,

embroidery owners & crafters! 

We need your help!

ThinkPink Workshop Unveiled

Knecht's is going national with our new program, Embroidered ARt from the HeARt and we are introducing THINK PINK as our kick-off project & event! But, as every successful undertaking would have it, we can't do it without a large group of you by our side!

What is it? We are making MiniWhimsey ARtAngels who's surfaces are filled with words of inspiration and hope. These small creations will then be stuffed, assembled, pin backs attached and placed on pretty tags ...and their mission: they will be passed on to breast cancer treatment centers and women's oncology offices. These small collaged works of stitched art are meant to be a reminder to all women to never give up, fill their day with hope and share a few words of encouragement. Time doesnt alway permit us to make a quilt for every woman we know who could use a lift in this challenging time of her life...so we created ARtAngels. And we think these mini whimseys will be the perfect little blessing!
It's a day of learning, sharing, and creating. . .

Who & How you can help...
Everyone!!!! We are looking for anyone to donate PINK scraps or a fat quarter of PINK cotton fabric...any print , any shade, any size! ...Even tiny scraps will work for our KreativeKollage technique!

Quilters!!! Come and help us stich and assemble...share your pink scraps!

Embroidery Machine Owners!!!! Bring your machine and your largest hoop...we will fill your hoop with scraps and tulle and share the miniwhimsey ARtAngel design.

Crafters!!!! We would love to have your help with the ARtTags, pinbacks and adding beads!

Join us either day!! 

Friday, March 27 10am - 5pm 

Saturday, March 28 10am-4pm

Please, call (437-0962) or e-mail us to let us know you are coming so if necessary, we can better arrange our space!

What to bring:

Quilters & Crafters...any pink pieces of fabric scraps - any size (can be prints or solids) or ribbons, your favorite sized hand needle. It may be necessary that we put you behind an embroidery machine to get fabric kollages done...but don't worry we will show you what buttons to push!

Embroidery Machine Owners...You will be learning our new KreativeKollage technique just introduced nationally on NotionsNow live Webex last week. Please bring your embroidery machine, your largest hoop, favorite stabilizer, pink thread


Thank you...thank you...thank you...thank you...thank you...

Designers stage local version of 'Project Runway' - The Oneida Daily Dispatch Top Stories: Serving Oneida, NY and Madison County (OneidaDispatch.com

Designers stage local version of 'Project Runway' - The Oneida Daily Dispatch Top Stories: Serving Oneida, NY and Madison County (OneidaDispatch.com

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CPSC -- One Year Stay!

NEWS from CPSC


CPSC Grants One Year Stay of Testing and Certification Requirements for Certain Products

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously (2-0) to issue a one year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products, including products intended for children 12 years old and younger. These requirements are part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which added certification and testing requirements for all products subject to CPSC standards or bans.

Significant to makers of children’s products, the vote by the Commission provides limited relief from the testing and certification requirements which go into effect on February 10, 2009 for new total lead content limits (600 ppm), phthalates limits for certain products (1000 ppm), and mandatory toy standards, among other things. Manufacturers and importers – large and small – of children’s products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements.

The decision by the Commission gives the staff more time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve certain materials and products from lead testing and to issue more guidance on when testing is required and how it is to be conducted.

The stay will remain in effect until February 10, 2010, at which time a Commission vote will be taken to terminate the stay.

The stay does not apply to:

Four requirements for third-party testing and certification of certain children’s products subject to:
The ban on lead in paint and other surface coatings effective for products made after December 21, 2008;
The standards for full-size and non full-size cribs and pacifiers effective for products made after January 20, 2009;
The ban on small parts effective for products made after February 15, 2009; and
The limits on lead content of metal components of children’s jewelry effective for products made after March 23, 2009.
Certification requirements applicable to ATV’s manufactured after April 13, 2009.
Pre-CPSIA testing and certification requirements, including for: automatic residential garage door openers, bike helmets, candles with metal core wicks, lawnmowers, lighters, mattresses, and swimming pool slides; and
Pool drain cover requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act.
The stay of enforcement provides some temporary, limited relief to the crafters, children’s garment manufacturers and toy makers who had been subject to the testing and certification required under the CPSIA. These businesses will not need to issue certificates based on testing of their products until additional decisions are issued by the Commission. However, all businesses, including, but not limited to, handmade toy and apparel makers, crafters and home-based small businesses, must still be sure that their products conform to all safety standards and similar requirements, including the lead and phthalates provisions of the CPSIA.

Handmade garment makers are cautioned to know whether the zippers, buttons and other fasteners they are using contain lead. Likewise, handmade toy manufacturers need to know whether their products, if using plastic or soft flexible vinyl, contain phthalates.

The stay of enforcement on testing and certification does not address thrift and second hand stores and small retailers because they are not required to test and certify products under the CPSIA. The products they sell, including those in inventory on February 10, 2009, must not contain more than 600 ppm lead in any accessible part. The Commission is aware that it is difficult to know whether a product meets the lead standard without testing and has issued guidance for these companies that can be found on our web site.

Cake anyone?

i got this in an email from my friend Chris Burgess: the text says:

Everything you see below are entries in a cake decorating contest held in Russia .
Everything included must be edible.
The sewing machine and other items may look real,
but they are simply made of cake, frosting, and candy.

Our Secret

In case you were wondering what this is all about:
This is the prom dress charity that needs ASG volunteer help to alter dresses. We do minor alterations like hems and tucks (no letting out!). Last year we had only three ASG members and we really need more. We worked approximately from 10-3pm on a
Saturday.

With this shrinking economy and rampant job losses, this charity is needed more than ever as many families just will not have money for a prom dress in their budget. I predict the event will be mobbed. Most of the young women are referred by the guidance counselors in the local high schools.

If you would like to participate, give Jennifer Woodburn a call or email her as she will organize us. jbrwoodburn@hotmail.com

We will have to probably be there around 9:30 (tentative-- Jennifer will confirm)
We will have to bring our sewing machines/sergers. I found that last year I used my serger a lot to do rolled hems. If you have one and bring it, don't forget some extra needles, just in case.

Notions-- like thread, scissors, pins, rotary cutters, extra hooks/snaps, hand needle, etc. Someone (jennifer or Sherri) brought a plastic bin full of different threads but again, I defer to Jennifer's planning and organization. She will most likely assign us specific equipment to bring (iron/iron board, etc.).

Below is the letter from Melody Arnold who is the founder of "Our Secret" and has the vision to help young women get a dress for the ball:

Dear Friends,

Our event has been scheduled for 3/22/08. We are able to set up the evening before. We are in need of volunteers!!!

You can visit our web page Our Secret Charity for updated information on our charity.

To find our web page you can also Google “Our Secret Charity”

Thanks for your support!

Please let me know if you are able to volunteer for the event or set up. We also need volunteers to help transport the dresses from our old location to our new storage facility. This will need to be on a week day and before the 5pm. If you are available to help with this, or the event… please let me know.


Melody Arnold
Infection Control RN
Restorative Nursing Program RN
(315) 703-0750 or x 418
FAX 315-703-0753

Anderson Sewing School

I went to the open house on Sunday for the Anderson Sewing School. Barbara has organized classes for the next two months and the classes will continue to be scheduled in two month cycles until Summer.

She has gathered an impressive group of instructors. Some names will be very familiar-- Barbara Peterson, Tanaya Thomas, Dorita Reyen, Pat Henry, Valerie Schadt, Delbra Miller, and Rhea Parks will be teaching classes that cover almost every age group and type of sewing.

The message on her handout says:

"Greetings everyone. Winter has arrived. Living in the Central New York area, seems we just cannot escape Old Man Winter. Sew, we may as well make the best of it.

Here at Peterson Sewing School we will do our part by offering up some scrumptious sewing classes and workshops for the months of January and February.

Some of our new classes include: Beginning Knitting, Beginning Smocking, Fashionista club for kids (teens), Make Your Own Prom Dress or Evening Gown and sew much more!

We have a talented and gifted team of instructors who are excited about sharing their skills and talents with you.

Come join us for some fun, fashion and sewing.

Barbara Peterson

You can reach her at 315-446-4668
Classes are located on the corner of Euclid and Westcott Streets (920 Euclid Ave) in the Erwin First United Methodist Church which is across the street from ECHO.

On Thursdays there is a "Sit and Sew Cafe" 9am to 12 pm. so come on in and check out their course roster and register for a good class. I know I am interested in some pants sloper classes and a techniques class. There is truly something for everyone.

Remembrance Flag

I received this picture from MJ Uttech of the Cortland Neighborhood Group


She says:" These are the sewing group members who made the flag quilt for the family of SP4 Shawn Falter (Homer, NY) who was killed in Iraq in February 2007. It took us a year to make it. We presented it to the family on the anniversary of Shawn's death. They were very touched by our remembering him with this quilt. All of the quilters work in the Cortland County Health Department."

And I get to meet them this week!

Kathy

Hello fellow sewers – I thought I’d drop in and give you my two needles worth of hello’s. I’m new to Blogging – so I’m going to apologize right up front for any mistakes I may make. Sewing is a wonderful and beautiful thing. Its enjoyable, creative, exciting and relaxing – Blogging is Scary – But I’m going to give it a whorl and see how it goes.
Thanks to my friend Lucelu, I now have attempted to bridge this scary thing and acutely give it a try. Without her help I would have never ventured this far (mainly cause I can’t make my way through the maze of a computer). But now the process is done and whelp I’m here. I look forward to hearing what exciting things you are making and doing & possible taking on a few of those challenges myself (given enough time and opportunity to create a challenge of my own). After all if there is a needle and thread out there somewhere there is a machine to put them and a sample of material to place together – the creativity is up to you! Now that’s where the fun begins J
Anyways, thought I’d drop in on those of you whom Blogg (and have the courage to do so) to attempt this new age form of communication for myself. Happy Sewing to All in this New Year.
Sodapop