Give the Gift of Sewing!

The holidays are almost upon us (seriously, even though I'm writing this on my back porch enjoying warm weather-- November is in 2 weeks!) and that means you're probably starting to think about the holidays and gift giving (ok, I started back in July). I love giving gifts and I do my best to follow certain guidelines: 

1. Make it handmade if I have time (hence starting in July).
2. Buy it local if I can't make it, 
3. Buy it from a small business if it's not produced locally, and if all else fails..
4. Make sure it's something they really, really want. 

This year though, I'm putting something at the top of that list: Something I can do WITH my loved ones.

Because here's my truth (and maybe yours?): I don't remember what I got for Christmas last year. If I thought hard enough about it I could locate a couple of items. Instead, I remember playing "Heads Up" with my family after the kids went to sleep and laughing so hard my stomach hurt the next morning.

I don't remember the tchotchkes we bought my brothers (14 and 16 years my junior) when they were little but I do remember going bowling with them and the smile that lit up the youngest one's face when I let him have an orange soda.

I remember a bread baking class with my step-mother. I remember details of trips to NYC with mom at Christmastime. I remember the first UCONN basketball game I went to with my husband (also a Christmas gift).

You don't remember the "stuff". You remember the time you spend with your loved ones. You remember doing and making and laughing and relaxing.

The holidays are crazy. We make them crazy with shopping and entertaining and running around. Wouldn't it be nice if instead of focusing on gifts of stuff we focused on gifts of our time and time together? On giving an experience and making memories?
 

This isn't a totally altruistic post, of course. We offer you an opportunity to do just that! When you're rushing around figuring out what to do for your loved ones, consider a sewing party. Whether it's in the comfort of your own home or at one of our partner venues, you get to gather your friends and family together, learn something new, create some memories and have some fun.

As with all of our parties: we supply everything including the sewing machines, tools, materials, patterns and instruction! Your guests get to choose their fabric and we pre-cut and prep everything so that at the party they can get right to the fun stuff- sewing! No experience is necessary and we every guest we've had has been thrilled with what they made, and impressed that they made it on their own!

Parties are available for up to 9 people in the comfort of your own home or at one of our partner venues. Here are several of the project options we have for you to choose from-- or we can come up with something just for you!

If the thought of adding one more thing to your plate in December is making your eyes cross, don't worry! Do what our other customers have done and plan your party for January or February. Book it now, "give" it at the holidays (we'll make a up a card for you to print and give) and enjoy the time together when everyone at the start of the New Year (when it's cold and dark and you need a pick me up anyways!).

We only book a limited number of parties each month so contact us soon to reserve your spot!

Oooh, Baby Baby!

Phew! We've been doing lots of secret sewing over the past month and now that these gifts have been given, we can finally let the cat out of the bag and share some pictures.  

When our dear friend Jennie announced she was expecting a baby girl, Laura and I remained completely calm and congratulated her politely. Of course by "completely calm and polite" I mean "jumped up and down and more or less harassed Jennie via text message until we got access to her pinterest boards" - totally normal, right?

Once we had access to the design map (Pinterest boards = creative blueprints) of Baby C's future nursery, we set out to do one of the things we do best... buy fabric! Just like some people stock up on canned goods before snow storms, Laura and I know that the best way to prepare for a baby that isn't your own is to stock up on fabric and start sewing!

Jennie picked out the most beautiful palette of aquas and lavenders to accompany Baby C's 'mermaid' themed nursery. 

                                                                                              

Allow me to interrupt myself for a moment to say - buying fabric for a baby shower is pretty much the best. 

1. The fabric itself is gorgeous. Babies these days have no idea how good they have it... trust me when I say NOTHING in the 80s held a candle to these stunners from Sarah Jane, Amy Butler, etc. Fabric 'roll around' heaven!
2. There is 0 guilt. Typically when 7-8 yards of designer fabric shows up at my door, the first thing I do is quickly hide it in the stash so no one (coughmyhusbandcough) can ask any questions. When Laura brought this bag of treasure over I strutted around my house like a peacock showing it off to anyone (coughmyhusbandagaincough) who would listen and didn't need to explain anything because 'it's for a gift.' Ha!
3. Baby things are flat out adorable. Everything is perfectly tiny, whimsical, and pretty much begging to     be patch-worked. Sign. Me. Up.  

Laura and I made a list of items we thought Jennie and Baby C 'needed,' divided up accordingly, and went to work. Our list included: 

tiny baby booties (ithinksew.com)

diaper clutch (made by marzipan)

patch-worked bib (pattern drafted by Laura)

raggy busy blankie (pattern drafted by Sara)

little geranium dress (made by rae)...

... with matching bloomers (simplicity pattern 1826) 

wet bag (sailboat pattern)

burp cloths (the happy scraps)

glider throw pillow (same sailboat pattern as above)

and a lovely bag to put it all in! (McCall's m6905 bag)

Now comes the hardest part of all... waiting for baby C to arrive! What better way to welcome a baby girl than with love, whimsy, and a mermaid motif <3