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Unexpected Things Happen at Sewing Retreat

  I just recently returned from a sewing retreat in Shipshewana, Indiana for the Lansing Clippers, a chapter of the American Sewing Guild.   I love going to these retreats.   They provide an opportunity to get to know our members better and an opportunity to learn by watching what others are sewing.   And sometimes, unexpected things happen.   For example, one attendee learned to use a serger for the first time.   You should have heard her shout when she serged the first seam.   She made her first tee shirt using a serger.   One of our members, Bev D., showed her how to fit and make the tee top.   Congratulations, Elizabeth D.!   You did a great job making your first tee top and using a serger for the first time! Another unexpected thing that happened was I volunteered to give a presentation about sewing a 12-piece wardrobe.   I previously volunteered to give a presentation in September 2025 about draping.   We held an Education Committee meeting during the retreat and I commented th
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Ready - Set - Sew!

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  Ready, Set Sew! You’ve all heard the proverb “it takes a village to raise a child”, highlighting the benefits of community wisdom and support.   Well, it also takes a “village” to learn new sewing skills, practice those skills, and provide encouragement during the process.   That’s exactly what happened during our “Ready, Set, Sew” adventure. It all started when various guild members expressed renewed (or first time) interest in exploring the process of garment construction but weren’t quite sure how to get started.    For some, it had been years since making a garment, some had never made a garment, and others simply enjoyed the benefits of group projects.   Meanwhile, other guild members wanted to participate in a group project but preferred a quilting focus.   So, after some discussion, two simple patterns were selected: the Moss Jacket from Helen’s Closet and a quilted triangle table runner, free from All People Quilt.   Guild members signed up by selecting their preference
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A Quilting Journey

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  Every retreat I try to challenge myself on something new or something I haven’t done in a long time. On the annual retreat in 2022 I sewed an appliqued patch worked baby quilt. Mind you, applique not being my favorite, I wanted to use this time to learn how to do it. Applique being at the top of the cutest patch worked giraffe quilt made the decision easy. During this retreat conversations were about my friend’s children asking her to make quilts for them to have for their grandchildren. She made two which included adorable machine embroidered blocks and coordinated quilt blocks that she designed. Wanting to continue to sew and machine embroider with purpose, I realized I needed a change and challenge. I was encouraged by that same friend to explore quilting and embroidering on a different level. She showed me how to design various embroidered blocks and how to incorporate different quilting techniques on them as well as the coordinating blocks. Graph paper was my best buddy an
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Coloring on Fabric

 These items were discussed at the July 2024 Guild Meeting.  Coloring on fabric is easy as getting out those old Crayola crayons and coloring.  Several other options were presented and here are links to these. 1.  Derwent Arts https://www.derwentart.us Inktense Pencils and Blocks Pencil provides added control for fine detail. Round 8mm barrel; wide 4mm core. Ink-like pigments come alive when water is added. Apply dry pencil to wet page or apply wet pencil to dry page. Color becomes permanent once dry leaving an ink-like stain. Inktense can be layered and keep colors vivid. Inktense water soluble, soft texture pencils are highly blendable Ideal for use on a variety of surfaces including ceramic, wood, and fabric as well as paper Color chart, user guide, expert guide pdfs to download at: https://www.derwentart.us/p/pencils/inktense-pencils-4mm-core/#Support-block 2.  Dharma Trading Co . https://www.dharmatrading.com Pentel Dye Sticks
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