I kept waiting and waiting to see a post about National Sewing Month and I don't believe I ever have. I propose we all do something special this month. How about everyone take time from what they are doing to create something you've either been wanting to make or a new project you just found or something you have yet to find. It can't be something that you make everyday like with me, I can't make a purse since I do that everyday and it can't be something you've made recently. I am going to make something I have never made before, I think we should all do this, but I know that isn't possible b/c of time with all of us. Then, at the end of the month, September 30, we will post pictures of them. What do you all think?

And being National Sewing Month, here are a few tips to help us get more involved in sewing:

(I found these on http://sewing.org/enthusiast/html/e_natsewingmonth.html?

1.Teach a family member or friend to sew.
2.Volunteer your time and teach sewing to a local youth organization like Girl Scouts, 4-H Clubs, and Camp Fire Boys and Girls.
3.Make it possible for someone to learn how to sew. Give employees time off work so they can volunteer their time; or donate fabrics, equipment, and sewing supplies.
4.Consider sponsoring classes at a local store or sewing school.
5.Get together with friends and contact local elementary schools to create an after-school sewing program.
6.Sew more often. If you haven't been sewing lately, find out what's new in the sewing world at a local fabric or sewing machine store.
7.Find out what’s current in sewing on the Internet.
8.Join your local chapter of the American Sewing Guild at www.asg.org and participate in its activities.
9.Register for a class at a local fabric store or sewing machine dealership and take a friend.
10.Contact your local public television station and make a contribution that supports sewing programs.
11.Create your own sewing circle of friends; it’s fun to sew with others!

Sounds like fun. I have been wanting to make something different, but I always think I have to wait till I finish what I have started.
So, count me in.
Deb :mrgreen:

Sounds like fun, but time is tight this month. 2 sundresses, 1 night shirt t-shirt and 1 quilt sleeve & 1 quilt label to get done before I can have fun. There is a new sofa quilt that I am itching to start--may get the top done MAYBE, Maybe !!!! I AM GOING TO GIVE IT A GOOD TRY :!: :D

I'm in!!!! I'm going hunting right now........hmmm, what haven't I made??? Thought it was Nat'l Quilting Month? That might have been in one of my Quilting magazines, who knows.

OK, see you later????


Redrummy, did you use the "f" word? No one ever waits, in my world, to 'F' anything before starting something new. ARE you putting pressure on yourself needlessly??? :shock:

Redrummy, did you use the "f" word? No one ever waits, in my world, to 'F' anything before starting something new. ARE you putting pressure on yourself needlessly??? :shock: [/quote]



I probably am, my mom taught me to finish before starting another. as much as I try to break that "habit" it is hard to get that thought out. I do have 4 quilt tops not quilted, and quilts cut out in a bag, but I haven't been able to have anything started sewing and do anything else. I am still working on this, it will be an ongoing battle!!!!
Deb :mrgreen:

I am like that too. And some things are on deadlines whether we like it or not!

well l2t why didn't you tell me sooner? I had no idea! Now we only have 1/2 mo? lol better get busy

Well...I think if we started in September on something new and posted it by the end of the year, we'd be fine..HAHA>..LOL

Here is my project for this challenge. My little neighbor girl (age 9) and I made this block from a piece of white fabric,coloring book page, freezer paper and permanent markers. I found these permanent markers yesterday at staples in a package of 24 colors for $16. It was a challenging for her, as the ones I bought were the ultra fine points, and it took more time and patience to color in the large spaces. I am going to help her sew a frame around it, back it and quilt it into a wall hanging. Maybe I can get her hooked on sewing/quilting????
I could see a little older child doing this and having fun with all kinds of embellishments, glitter, decorative threads, stitches, etc... They could use geometric designs or whatever intrigues them.
Now, to get my grandkids up here so we can start on their quilts........

If anyone wants directions on how we did this let me know.

Oh Amma that is too cool :P and so nice of you spend the time doing something with your neighbours girl. I bet she doesn't forget, those are the sort of memories that have stuck with me over the years.

Oh wow! That is very cool! I LOVE sunflowers and I love this. Okay...I give..how did ya do it?

adorable. I think it will help her start on sewing crafts!!!!
Deb :mrgreen:

I posted the instuctions for this block in General Chit Chat

Thank you live2teach, I had forgotten how much fun it was to do a sewing project with a youngin'. I had so much fun with her and I am looking forward to her coming back over and completing it. I probably would not have thought about doing it if you had not posted this. She really is enjoying this project and I think it would not take much encouragement and she would probably have my old machine humming right along with me and my new one! She is already eyeballing my stash :shock: :wink: :lol:

I am glad you jumped right in and helped her and introduced her to our world. That is so sweet of you. I always love to see youngin's learning, especially when someone takes the time to do it right, like you have. I am sure she will keep this with her for a long time and always remember her nice neighbor who taught her to sew, like I am sure many on here learned from their neighbor. Uh-Oh about "eyebaling your stash" haha, you definitely started her out on the right foot. HAHA! LOL. I love this project, it is fun and creative. Keep us posted on her progress on this project. :D

Awesome idea.


I've been letting my DD hand-sew a little. she loves "playing" with Mommy!
She loves scrapbooking, too! ;)

MY grandaughter had a toy sewing machine , vere disgusted with it. I put the foot peddle on a step stool and set her in front of the sewing machine I started her sewing lines on paper' Then I threaded her up and she sews my sraps. She was just 6. The more you expect of them the more you get. a school teacher told me that. Look for a old machine at a thrift store. I have several I paid an average of 5 dollars for. Oil them up and they work fine. She will love it and you. Is she about 5 now? Have fun with it :D

Yes, she is 5. I saw a small toy Singer at a yard sale this Spring or Summer. I am sure they wanted very little for it bc all the stuff was priced reasonable, but after I started really looking at it...it had been stored in an outbuilding (I assume). The original papers were with it but half eaten by a rat, and the electrical wires were eaten into! I would've loved to have gotten that for her. It was from Montgomery Ward or somewhere like that, it said so on the box. It was quite old. After I saw the work of a rat, I didn't want it. :(

Also, I was thinking about letting her try sewing on one of my machines. She's asked me, but I'm afraid! I didn't tell her that!
Maybe I can let her try it this weekend. :S

Also, I was thinking about letting her try sewing on one of my machines. She's asked me, but I'm afraid! I didn't tell her that!
Maybe I can let her try it this weekend. :S

I started my daughters out sitting on my lap and just letting them steer, they thought that was loads of fun at her age. Also, does your machine have the half speed function? That might help slow her down at first, LOL I am sure that she will love spending the time with mommy, just take a deep breath and repeat, it will be ok..... The machine companies should come out with a clear plastic finger guard for our new little sewers, we had those on our big metal fab machines, why not for our sewing machines, too?

I think I am going to start the little neighbor girl on a piece of fabric and let her do decorative stitches in different colors all over it, she can meander away and get used to the feel of the machine, then cut those to match her "painted" piece and sew them together patch work style.

If I can get the 2 year old to go outside with Daddy for a while, we are going to give it a go! I haven't told her, yet.

My granddaughter learned on my Janome 6500 when she was 5. She is now 8 and does everything herself, including the rotary cutting (with a Klutz glove and adult supervision.) She recently f******d a very nice doll quilt and is ready to start a new project.

Just a note on the subject of National Sewing Month. September may be National Sewing Month, but March is National Quilting Month. I think that means we have 2 months. You all with me on this?????? LOL More is better if ya ask me!

Boo, I second that! LOL. I can't wait for March!

I decide that I had done enough projects for everyone else and since this was Nat'l Sewing month decided to complete a UFO that has been in the closet for over 8 years. It is a wall hanging that is made up of 2 pieces of fabric scraps from a lady who worked at a bed spread factory. Its the sunshine and shadows pattern. One side is a swirly abstract print with gold thread in it and the other is a polished cotton in black. This may be a bit heavy for a big quilt but they are fine for this little wall quilt. It looked awful too! I couldn't believe that I did it! I started off by ripping off the 2 borders and squaring it up. Added a strip of a gold oriental print and a nice red from Moda's "tis the Season" I got the new borders on last night and spray basted it this morning. Hope to have a picture of it by this weekend. I just decided that it was my turn. I still have lots of projects for others that need atention, but am taking a break from all that and giving myself a present.

Now I am off my soap box and back to work work. If you know what I mean--the kind other people pay you to do.

Great! You should take this time for yourself. You could definitely use a break as hard as you work! I can't wait to see the wallhanging.

Thanks! Well as I said the points don't all point but because of the colors it doesn't show from a distance. That's all I care about. I think I will put it on the wall behind the bed.

Vicky~
Congrats on taking time for you!
I'm with Heather--make sure to post pics...

Yes Ma'am

:D

Well, here is one of my challenges completed. I had many other things planned and decided to make this at the spur of the moment. It is a fabric wreath made from little squares of fabric stuffed and sewn. I love these! This is the first one I have made, and I gave it to my grandma, she loved it by the way. So, this pic is of it hanging on her wall.

That is so cute!

My brain isn't functioning anymore. That's really nice. Great work!! (not just "cute") :roll:

That is so pretty, I bet you made grama smile from ear to ear :D :D :D

Yep...I sure did! :D

Neato! I learn something new everyday on this obard! Good job, great idea :!: :thumbup:

I have also been helping my grandma sew again. This is a woman who used to spend her days sewing and quilting making gorgeous quilts out of next to nothing..or so it seemed. I used to think I'd love to be able to sew and quilt like her someday. She was the one who taught me to sew, propped me right up on her lap and let me take the reigns...lol
My grandma has Alzheimer's disease, she is in the Dimentia stage right now and progressing at a steady rate, even though she is on medicine. She hasn't sewn, let alone quilted for years because she isn't able. Her short term memory is gone, she can seldom remember things that recently happened but usually she can't. I spend Monday afternoon and evening with her and within 3 hours after leaving, she didn't even remember I was there. However, about an hour after that she did remember I was there. So, you never know with her. The whole point of telling this story was to say that I am teaching her to sew again. I took old clothes down to make a scarecrow to stuff with leaves. It just has minimal sewing, but it is sewing. We sewed the legs and sleeves and button holes shut. Then, we made the scarecrow head (it looks more like a snowman b/c it is white, but we're working on that...lol). Then we sewed the buttons on for the eyes and sewed the head and neck to the shirt. Grandma really enjoyed this. We aren't quite done yet, so when we are, I'll post pictures of him. Grandma kept saying oh, Heather, it's been years since I've sewn. I really appreciate you taking the time do this for me.
I never thought that I would be helping her relearn to sew...the woman who made me the sewer and quilter I am today....

Heather, thats a wonderful story about your Granny. I have a friend that
has Alzheimers, she is still functioning on her own, but she does forget
a lot of things now.
We went to Joann's yesterday to get her a stamped cross stitch for her
to do. Have tried to get her interested in quilting, but she just isn't. She
used to do hand quilting of wall hanging panels, so will keep trying to
motivate her. :D :D

Oh my goodness, you do not know how much this has touched me, you are a very special woman to take the time with your busy schedule and spend it with your grandma. I lost my grandma when I was 21 but the memories of her teaching me to embroider are the ones I remember most. Although her memories are fading, I am sure that you sitting and sewing with her brings a smile to her face when she passes by that scarecrow and thinks about the two of you working on it together.

:cry: :cry: I told you before, Livetoteach, how I admired you for helping with your grandma's care.......you just made your halo a lot shinier!

I so wish my granny had lived on to see here great grandchildren. I lost her when I was 19, it broke my heart. She had the best belly laugh in the world!

Sharon