Well, I wish I could go to the Renegade Craft Fair that is today and tomorrow downtown at the California Market Center, but alas... I'm teaching people how to sew! Which is a good thing. Our intrepid Daniel braved the crowds today and helped out at the Swap-o-Rama-Rama - I hope everyone had a great time and got to customize their fantastic new re-purposed clothing to their heart's content!

We just finished up our first week of Kids Sewing Camp, and boy, am I proud of our kids. Great listening and paying attention, straight seams and hems, excellent cutting! You guys all did such a fantastic job, and everyone was so fast! Here's a peek at what some of our young talents were working on, first the 8 - 10 year olds then the 11 - 13 year olds:

( follow this cut )

We have started making samples for the late summer/early fall classes, so it's been busy here! I swear I intended to sew all day today, but somehow it got to be 5pm before I could even think about it. One thing I did get to was the sample for a fold-up fabric grocery bag - I made this one out of the organic cotton/bamboo so it's super strong! This will be a class for the fall, learning french seams and working with self-fabric bias tape:



and folded up:



Rebecca brought in the Quilt Making Basics sample today and it is GORGEOUS! The colors pop right off the quilt. I'm so excited for this class!



Lots more work to do! The Button Down Shirt is moving right along, the Button Dress at least cut out, notes being taken and supply lists written down... and then there's the fantasy dirndl that I've been wanting to sew for myself. I even have the coolest embroidered ribbon! Someday...

We had a ton of folks call after the Handsewing class that is scheduled for this Saturday sold out - if any of you all would indeed like to take that class we have had two spaces open up! Just call the shop tomorrow (Friday May 8th) and reserve your space. First come, first served!

I just drove out to Alexander Henry this afternoon to pick up some of the new fabric that is trickling in - we now have these lovely home dec weight cottons in stock:



( Read more... )

Eeek! We are featured in today's Daily Candy for Los Angeles!

http://www.dailycandy.com/los_angeles/article/43140/Told+You+Sew

I have had a little time here and there to work on some new clothes, which is lovely. I'm trying to take pictures as I go along, but sometimes I just get too caught up in the making of it to stop & get the camera. So in love with the handkerchief linen and the chambray we just got in! The linen washes up so beautifully - I have pulled off enough of the peacock blue to make a pair of summer bloomers and a Party Dress for myself. We'll see how long it takes! Here's a Kwik Sew pattern that I just finished up - I made a medium but next time I think I'll do a small on top and a med. on the bottom - it felt to big and kept slipping off my shoulders. Like I tell students - don't get to invested the first time you make it!







I also made a gored skirt (the fitted skirt class pattern, view c) out of my absolute favorite, the linen/cotton japanese "tiger on flower" fabric:



Today I finished a pair of summer pajama pants - black silk/cotton but just below the knee! To wear under all the Tunic Tops I have yet to make...

Work-wise, I'm starting to block out the Button Down Shirt class - I picked out an emerald/black chambray for the women's shirt and a black pimatex for the men's, which I might use gray thread with for a bit of detail. Soon I'll be able to work on the Decades of Style Button Dress class! Don't know what fabric yet but I sure as shootin' have already picked out my buttons.

I am very much looking forward to a small break next week - Josh and I are going to take a few days off to camp at Joshua Tree National Park. We could both use a little down time. Hooray!

I'm really exited! Sarah was looking through one of the books we got in yesterday and noticed that we are listed as a stitch lounge in one of them! I had no idea, and it's really thrilling. Plus, it's an awesome book!



We are listed on page 31. Whoopee!

Congrats to Jessica and Morgan who won the two $50 gift certificates, and to Nicole who won the Janome sewing kit! Fun was had by all. HUGE thanks to Kelley for bringing the delish cupcakes and to Johnny & crew for bringing those amazing samosas! I love parties. There are a few coming up too... I'm working on getting Decades of Style to come back and do another trunk show, there's the two year anniversary in September, and of course Tom Jones' birthday!

I'm frantically working on the summer schedule to get it up on the website very shortly. There will be another Pajamaramathon where we all hang out at the shop for a day to sew pajama pants for our local women's shelter, and a whole bunch of new classes too! I'll do a post and a mailing list shout out when all that stuff is up and running.


( more party people! )

Getting geared up for the open house & party later on today. We have all done a lot of work to get ready! The storefront looks much more finished now:



And we keep getting this awesome fabric! Hedgehogs!



Japanese linen/cotton "Classic Animal":



And hey, does anyone out there know how to translate Japanese into English? Free patterns for whoever takes up this challenge! The patterns are super cute, but we do need to know what kind of interfacing to use:



Hope to see a lot of people later on! I'll have some non-fabric store adventures to post about soon - Heather's visit from Boston and some random L.A. exploring. Where does the time go?

Join us on Saturday March 14th between 5 and 9pm to celebrate our new fabric store! Snacks, drinks, schmoozing, oohing and ahhing... and a drawing for two $50 gift certificates!

Sew L.A.
1637 1/2 Silver Lake Boulevard ( x Lamill Coffee)
Los Angeles, 90026
323-665-7097



Many more pictures to post soon - some classes and the new spacious classroom! And maybe some new old machine pictures - we'll see if I can fit it in my car. It's green and has a treadle...

Here's some of my favorite fabric from the shop:

"tiger on the flower"


mermaid/octopi/seaweed


the colors are amazing...


and some Jay McCaroll!



There is more coming in all the time - it's all so pretty that I want to keep everything! I think I'll have to content myself with keeping a swatch book, Because I do have to sell it, after all.

Met with Hollye and Cecil today, Cecil is an amazing sign/printer guy who is going to be making the banner for the front of the store. He is chock full of ideas for imaginative signs! We'll see what we come up with... a sign for the front is really the first priority. Can't wait for everything to be in one place, in March.

Yesterday was our grand opening, to the tune of ADT testing the alarm all day and accidentally summoning the firemen and police - high drama all around! At least we know that the alarm works now, and the whole neighborhood knows we are open. Thanks to everyone who came to check out the space and to buy fabric! There is even more stuff being delivered today (or tomorrow depending on if UPS can find us). Here are some quick pics, with some more coming as we get everything a little more in place:







Sew L.A.
1637 1/2 Silver Lake Boulevard (x Effie)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Open Tuesday - Sunday from 11am - 6pm
323-665-7097

Rowena Ave. location will be closed at the end of February and all classes & lessons will be at Silver Lake Blvd. starting in March!

Store opening on Feb. 10th. Barely enough time to sleep and eat. Lists - all over the house. Sorry journal for ignoring you! Soon, much will be posted. Soon...

We are working on painting the new store this weekend ('China Cup" white), and then we'll be getting the shelving up and the fabric displayed! I can't wait to post pictures of the amazing fabric that has started arriving. Keep your eyes peeled for the March/April classes that will be posted very shortly - Josh's computer has been battling a mega-virus or it would be up already. Argh technology! 'Tis a double-edged sword!

I have been having a blast going through old pictures and picking out the ones to scan & post. So many memories! It seems like I have lived at least five different lives, and there are different groups of friends that I am now back in touch with. Patience is definitely the key - thinking good thoughts about people you'd like to see again someday, and then all of a sudden they are e-mailing you!

I had to google "lavender" to make sure I was spelling it correctly, and came up with this. Awesome! And who knew they were Scottish?



I know it's very silly, but this song did inspire me to write a lot of very bad poetry in eight grade. Memories...

You can now become a fan of Sew L.A. on Facebook! Exciting!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Los-Angeles-CA/Sew-LA/43250538895?ref=mf

December went by in a blur, but I did manage to take some pictures. Here are some from the last classes of the year.

Fitted Skirts:



Tote Bag:



Vintage Apron and Boxers:





A whole bunch of Emmelines!















I really love seeing the fabric everyone picks out for the Emmeline Aprons.

Vacation was lovely - I got to see my wonderful family for five days, made food & ate it with them and got to hang out for a day in a Barnes & Noble. Hooray for employee discounts! I am now armed with two more cookbooks and a selection of "historical" romances. I read my mom's copy of "Anne of Cambray" by Mary Lide while I was in N. Carolina, and read "Outlander" on the plane, excellent except for the strange torture bits at the end. I'll read the next in the series before I really make my mind up. "Sheild of Three Lions" is one of my favorites - Crusades/Richard the Lion-Hearted - and I got the other two books in the series. Pamela Kaufman's book about Eleanor of Aquitaine is also really good.

I had mostly been working on holiday presents, witness the tall, skinny brother-who-is-into-Nascar present:



I started a Vintage Apron for myself, trying to use up some fabric that has been in my stash for-evah - this fabric actually came from Joann's, I believe. I'm totally spoiled by better quality fabric now, so this felt very flimsy to me. What I did is made the yoke reversible by cutting a second one out of black cotton and sewing it to the printed fabric all around the edges, then edged it all with the bias tape. This is a good trick for anyone who has taken the class and wants to try it for themselves!



The unsewn apron part:



Bonus: awesome winter recipe!

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili

1 TBS olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeno or serrano, minced
14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1/2 c. water
1 c. apple juice
1/4 c. tomato paste
2 TBS chili powder, or to taste
1 tsp salt
1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled seeded and cut into 1/2" dice (hardest part!)
2 15 oz. cans black beans.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over med. heat. Add onion, garlic & jalapeno and saute till softened, a few minutes. Add tomatoes, water, apple juice, tomato paste, chili powder salt and squash, stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 40 minutes until squash is tender. Add the beans, check seasonings and simmer for another 15 min. or so to blend all the flavors. Serve with rice or quinoa! The orange squash and black beans are beautiful together. Edit: from "Vegan Planet" by Robin Robertson. I'm definitely not vegan, but I'm always looking for good vegetable recipes!

Now to sit on the couch with my sweetie and cats to enjoy Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home - happy that it is 2009. 2008 was pretty awful in places.

Phew! It has been quite a year.

Goodbye old sun. Light a candle to welcome the new sun. We have a lovely wreath of pine boughs filling the house with its scent, and a shepard's pie in the oven. Gingerbread for dessert! Mulled wine too, later. A little calm before the hectic-travel-crazy-family. I so needed this day.

Things I wish for the new year: I'd like to be more centered. This past year has been scattered and felt out of control. I'd like to rest easy with my decisions, knowing that I do the best I can with the given situation. This year, I'm going to need more time to myself and time with Josh. It's really important to me to think about (and re-think) family. Balance! I am a Libra after all.

Wishing everyone joy and peace and reflection as the calendar year draws to a close as well...

I have finally created a Flickr and a Facebook profile/group. I must say, I like both of these websites better than MySpace (by a long shot) but still, nothing beats good ole' LiveJournal. I am excited to see what people post!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1517488366&ref=profile

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=39929075885&ref=mf

http://www.flickr.com/people/60093653@N00/

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sew_la/

It has been crazy-nuts here - getting all the stuff together for the new shop, teaching classes, finding teachers, planning holiday travel & gifts & food - that I have literally been moving from one task to another without stop. So, I'd like to take a quiet moment to say that I feel like I'm doing what I'm meant to be doing, and that all the stress and hard work will pay off, and that my students and customers are the most fantastic people I know. Tonight's Fitted Skirt class was a riot - so much fun to teach people who want to learn, who are just plain nice people, who get up and do things. It's classes like this that make me feel like this is the right path!