Tips for Hosting a Sewing Day

Tote Bags (self drafted) & Reusable Grocery Bags (pattern by Keykalou Patterns)

It has been a really long time since I have updated this blog~ I almost forgot how to do it!  Recently I hosted a sewing day with new friends.  I am no expert, but I wanted to share a few fun things about a sewing day I hosted for my church's Inner City Ministry Team making bags for a fundraiser.  I have never done anything like this, so I was a little nervous.  Luckily, I have my online SewingMamas friends who always give great tips, encouragement, and support.

The Sewing Day was held at my house~ a standard 1970's subdivision house with what I like to call the Fort Wayne Floor Plan. That is a circular floor plan with a living room, dining room (which is converted in to my sewing room), kitchen, & family room.  We also have a large all season sun room that functions as my dining room.  I wanted to make sure we had enough room so I limited the participants to 10.  We only had 6 show up plus myself and my co-host, Vanessa, my super varsity sewing bestie. We had the day scheduled to last four hours.

We decided to pre-select the fabric combos from my stash and put them on a folding table for people to pick up and sew.  I know that sometimes I can spend hours just trying to decide fabric combos so this was a fast way to keep things moving.

We decided to have two ironing stations (set up in separate rooms to avoid blowing a fuse).
For the advanced sewing project we needed purse hardware~ zippers, magnetic snaps, lobster key fobs and the like.  This was the handy spot on the buffet near the fabric tables for the baskets of hardware.



We set up all the machines in one room at my large dining room table (it has two leaves in it)  with lots of natural light.  I had power bars on three separate outlets and long heavy duty extension cords as a contingency in case we blew a fuse and needed to plug in in different rooms.  Luckily we did not need to use them!

Dining Room was set up for 6 machines.

We used my sewing room as the cutting station.  Two cutting mats pushed together makes a great large multi-person cutting surface.

Refreshments~ everyone loves to eat and chat.  Sewing Day was after lunch and ended before dinner so I had fruit and baked goods/desserts as my refreshments.  I had cold drinks, a coffee station (love french press coffee) and fresh fruit.  It doesn't have to be fancy at all (a Costco run is all it takes...)



















Tips that were gleaned from my Sewingmamas friends that were super helpful...

➤ Set out sewing essentials like chopsticks or tube turners, wonder clips, pin cushions, small scissors, marking pens, extra needles, wonder tape for the zippers and spools of thread on the table where everyone can easily grab them.

➤ Have at least two experienced sewers as hostesses.  I was the lead on making the advanced sewing project~ large tote bags.  Having Vanessa help with all the details on the beginner pattern~ reusable grocery bags, help with sewing techniques and safety was ideal.

➤ Two iron board stations and test out your irons prior to sewing day!

➤ Put all the machines in one room~ no one wants to sew solo.

➤ Cutting station~I put two mats together with rotary cutters

➤ Make a sample of each project and copies of the patterns for everyone to have their own copy.  For future Sewing Days, I would send the pattern to participants to review prior to Sewing Day.  Some people had trouble concentrating in the group setting on the pattern instructions.

➤ At the cutting station my co-host, Vanessa, help people cut the pattern pieces and gave helpful safety tips-- like always cut away from yourself with a rotary cutter, and hold the ruler tightly!  Don't assume your guests have been trained up with a healthy fear of sharp cutting tools!!!

➤ Mark all your supplies with washi tape~ esp rotary cutters and even small things like packages of needles.. just makes it easy and clear at clean up.... avoid the awkward oh is that yours? or mine? or have expensive tools go MIA...

All in all keep your expectations loose and flexible.  With a variety of sewers, be prepared for it to be more of an instructional day rather than a productive day.  I think this will really depend on the sewers' experience level and confidence.  We had some extremely slow sewers, some very meticulous sewers and some sewers that didn't read/follow patterns or take instruction well~  this all lent to more of a fellowship and learning Sewing Day.  The main thing is have fun.  While we only ended up with a few bags but we learned a lot! Several sewers went home with pre-cut reusable grocery bag kits to sew up and bring to the sale.  Have a great time and don't be scared to host a Sewing Day!

As the co-chair of our annual PTL Dinner Auction fundraiser, the fall is a whirlwind frenzy couple of months as we prepare for a wonderful night of fellowship, food, and fun.  We raised a lot of money for our kids thanks to the endeavors of 13 fantastic ladies who have true servant hearts.  As a thank you for all the months of organizing to put on this fundraiser I just finished a mini sewing marathon making 13 thank you tote bags for all the dedicated, talented ladies on my auction committee.  God blessed our evening and we give Him all the glory for the success. 

I just love sewing up gifts from my favorite fabrics. Each creation I make I think I just love this and want to keep it for myself.  Each bag has a pocket, snap closure, and key leash.  It took 2 bolts of heavy interface for these.  My mother always says the best gifts are the ones you love the most.  I used several of my favorite Amy Butler fabrics~ and almost every bag I wanted to keep for myself!

 

The pile of bags....

 

 

Just of few of the ladies at our wrap up party...

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And then a couple I made for the silent auction... This is my go to pattern for a multipurpose bag~ the Ann Marie Horner Multi-Tasker Tote.  It is the perfect medium size with four external deep pockets, internal zipper pocket, key leash, and snap closure.

 

 

 

Garden Party Fun with fabric decorating...

I had a bunch of girls over for a girls night. It was so much fun to eat, drink, and have silly girl fun.  The problem I sometimes have when I go to a  restaurant for GNO is you end up only visiting with two of three people around you.. So I decided to throw a Midsummer Garden Party! It was a last minute throw together idea with my girlfriend, Angie...  but we had a blast!

I decided to do a shabby chic theme because I am a trash to treasure girl.. I love to upcycle old pieces to keep them out of the landfill... have some fun with them and pass them on...  So I started with a little seating area in the corner of the yard. 

 

I threw unfinished sewing objects on some yard sale finds.. a quilt top on a comfy vintage $4 chair from an estate sale, a little place mat on a table I spray painted, and another in process quilt on a padded bench.... I did make the floral pillow on the white chair (from my neighbor's trash)...

 

The coffee table chest is a find from a cute shop my friend, Kari, owns... as well as the silver tray with the candle, and the candelabra on the end table.  And the flowers were from Kari's garden in a vintage blue ball jar. I lucked into a whole box of those jars with original tin lids at an estate sale for super cheap!

 

 

 

 

 

Borrowed a wicker chair from my fantastic neighbor, Amy's sun room.  She has the super cute yellow house across the way.  Her yard make a great backdrop for my garden party! The chandelier with tea lights is a vacation find from last summer that I added a little pink bead bling..

 

 

 

Another pillow cover I made for the matching Adirondack chair from my neighbor's trash.. See the cute candelabra?  Just love that thing~ from my friend, Kari's shop of course!  (Ignore the peeling paint on the fence... it is on the schedule to be painted soon)

 

 

 

I could have gone even more crazy with gauze drapes, more bling but I held my self back! (Ignore the missing slats in the fence- baseball causalties...)

 

The drink station...

 

 

A little easy bunting decoration from some binding and some fabric flags.  The bar station is a trash to treasure dresser I gave a quick coat of paint with some paint I scored at a yard sale for $1 for a nearly full gallon... Then I added some fabric scrap drawer pulls.  The runner is just a piece of fabric folded up and the glasses on trays in a little rolling cart my neighbor scored at a yard sale and gave me earlier this spring. 

 

 

Borrowed this little side table from my neighbor's patio and two wicker sofa tables from her shed.  I just threw two pieces of fabric right over the top for the mojito station...

 

 

 

Wine on ice and the party is in full swing... Sangria iced and ready to go..

 

 

Next time I will cover up the utility boxes... Old metal tub for beer, more wine, and ginger ale for the sangria..

 

Mojito station and other cold drinks... just threw fabric over a couple of sofa tables...

 

 

Another old tub for soda bottles, Fruit for the mojitos on vintage trays, and cucumber water and ice tea cold beverages.  I used garden stakes with dry erase marker labels tied on with ribbon to label the beverages.  Another DIY~ took an old wooden bulletin board painted a board with chalk paint and added the mojito drink instructions. 

 

 

 

 

More fabric folded for a runner on the silverware station.. Used these cute rust flower urns for my vintage silver that I scored at an estate sale last spring.  The paper rolled wreath was a lopsided pinterest failed attempt but after all that work I decided to hang it up anyway!

 

 

 

Linen mismatched napkins in the wire basket with glass plates from a yard sale and some pretty china I found at my fav thrift store down the street... flowers from my friend Kari's yard.. her gorgeous, gorgeous yard filled with beautiful flowers everywhere!

 

 

Food Station~ whoops I should have taken a pic before everyone started in.. it was all delicious!

Sewing Room Clean Up and Makeover

Here are some pics of my recent sewing room make over and clean up. I would like to paint the walls but I have been stymied choosing a color~ so they remain white. I did re-organize, clean up, and I have a new machine table that lets me sew my project without bumping into the wall.  It was a heavy wooden table I found in Craigslist that my boys and DH sanded down and painted for me. I love it!  So here is my attempt at being organized and having an inspiring space to work...

Machine Table, Ottobres and manuals on the wall in a wire magazine rack, and my fav pictures finally hung up.

Machine Table with lots of room to manuever. Ottobres and machine manuals on the wall in a wire magazine rack

Using mason jars and other glass jars for storage... all my Guttermann thread (the only kind I use) separated by color, scissors and rotary cutters on a scissor stand (aka as a tabletop toliet paper stand) and extra thread, needles, size tags, etc in smaller mason jars on a cupcake stand, marking tools in medium size mason jars.

Thread storage and button storage in glass dessert parfait cups

Wooden china cabinet that I plan to refinish shabby chic and add new hardware when it warms up.  Lots of storage for my woven fabrics and tons of hideaway storage for zippers, corduroy, flannel, purse hardware, snap press and snaps, and much much more. Lots of room on top shelf for all my ric rac that I am sorting into mason jars also.

Dinosaur CRT television I someday hope to replace with a flatscreen and my Amy Butler collection below...

Out of control knit shelf that still needs some attention...

Cutting table cleared off and ready to go...

Favorite picture from my sister-in-law of Upik women picking out fabric to sew their traditional Kuspiks...

Scraps neatly stowed in green containers by size, patterns and tracings in metal bins on bottom shelf.

My new Singer 401K~ inherited from my Gramma Jane

My new Singer 401K from my Gramma Jane's estate~ love, love, love , love....

My new baby~ I am so honored to have inherited her from my wonderful 92 year old Gramma Jane who passed away this spring.  I feel like my Gramma is right here with me in my house and especially in all my sewing room.  Now I just need to decide on the perfect name for her.  She is my first truly vintage machine.  All my sewing friends rave about vintage machines especially the Singer Featherweight, 401K, and the 500 Rockateers.  I am so happy to have this 401K in my collection!

My wonderful Aunt Mary Jane had the daunting task of heading up the sorting out my Grandmother's household with my other aunts and my Gramma's sister, Jo.  Gramma Jane had eight children, 24 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.  Thanks Aunt Mary Jane for thinking of me for this wonderful treasure! I can't wait to get her oiled up and running~ she is is great shape. 

She also came with this awesome mid-century modern sewing stool with thread storage and the original manual, cams, and my favorite~ the :Made Especially for you by Jane" sew in labels that my Gramma used on all her handcrafted creations! I am so happy!

The original sewing table and stool with storage filled with thread!

Original manual, Cams, Feet and the tags my Gramma put on all her handcrafted goodies! See the ruffler???

Pin cushion I made for my Gramma long, long ago....