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

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