Last Friday, some of our editorial staff spent the day the Rocky Mountain Sewing Expo in Denver. We attended classes, caught up with a few of our contributors and walked the show to see lots of  new gadgets, fabric and supplies.

Here we are gearing up for a day of sewing fun:

Colleen and Kim:

Beth and Colleen:

I learned some really cool tricks and techniques at the classes I attended. First up, I went to Peggy Sagers’ T-shirt workshop. She shared great fashion industry pointers on contemporary knit fabrics finishes and also has some cute new patterns coming out from her Silhouettes Patterns line. I’d really like to try #175 Valerie’s top, but I’m not sure what fabric I’d like to use. I’m always looking for a good source for knits,  so be sure to share in the Comments section if you know of any!

Kim and I also learned a handy system for adjusting your serger tension at Kathy Ruddy’s Serger 911 class. I’ve had a lot fun lately trying out different functions on my serger, and understanding how each the tension of each thread affects the stitching is really helpful.

During our lunch break, we had a chance to catch Linda MacPhee’s fashion show. Always a packed house and a must-see! Here’s a picture, and although it’s pretty hard to tell, the model is wearing the classic wool coat we featured in Sew News Dec/Jan ‘09:

We couldn’t let the day go by without a little shopping as well. Kim stocked up on pretty peach thread cones that she’s actually going to use as a decor element in her new house:

I found some cool vintage-looking brooches, one of which I might use for a closure on an upcoming project. And I couldn’t pass up a great deal on invisible zippers, which always come in very handy:

Overall, it was a really inspiring and informative day that gave us lots of great ideas for upcoming Sew News features. Stay tuned!

Are there any sewing shows coming up in your neck of the woods? Have you attended in the past or do you plan on going to any shows this year?

This past weekend, Kent State University fashion design students participated in the 2nd annual Coats & Clark Design Challenge for the chance to win prizes, scholarship money and lots of designer cred. Each contestant was given only five yards of cotton, four yards of trim and 18 hours to design and create a fabulous ensemble.

One student’s brainstorming-in-progress:

Sophomore Sean Rice took the Best in Show prize for his design, even though he was initially  “mortified” by the colorful fabric he received.  To subdue the bright colors, he dip-dyed the fabric and utilized the fabric wrong side in his design. He also knitted some of the fabric into a coordinating choker to complement the skirt:

Sean at work:

A peek at the dress:

Sean with his winning look:

It’s so much fun to see the amazing things that can be done with a little time, fabric and inspiration. Congratulations to Sean and all of the winners! No one in the challenge went home empty-handed, as every participant received a Bernina goody bag that included gifts from Wrights and Coats & Clark and a copy of Sew News. For more information on the challenge, as well as lots of great sewing tips, check out Coats & Clark Sewing Secrets.

This winter’s CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) show did not disappoint. We were lucky enough to have a booth in the sewing pavilion, right next to the Stitch Lounge–where I taught three Make-It-Take-It projects each day.

Here I am at our booth at the Super Show, waiting for the show to open and the booth to be flooded with people!

Here’s Kim Lee, our editorial assistant, at the embroidery machine, getting it ready for my class.

And here I am teaching an unsuspecting scrapbooker how to do machine embroidery for the first time.

The show was a blast–we found lots of new, fun products to unveil in future issues of the magazine, and we met some great people along the way!
Next up? A second SuperShow at summer CHA in Rosemont, IL. Apparently the first show was a success! Hope to see you there!

The devastating images of Haiti appearing online and in the news have compelled all of us to look for ways to extend help. While following the catastrophic aftermath of the earthquake, the American Sewing Guild began brainstorming a way that we could come together as a community of sewers to offer aid to the people of Haiti. The ASG has a rich tradition of helping those in need through community service projects and fundraising, so they’ve initiated the ASG Haiti Relief Fund. 100% of the proceeds collected will be donated to Haiti Relief. At the moment, Haiti is in dire need of food, water and medicine, so monetary contributions are the the most effective way to help. Don’t hesitate, go to asg.org to make a donation and become a part of this effort!

I hope you’ve been enjoying this year’s American Idol show. I always look forward to watching and seeing what singing talent is out there! I especially love the auditions because there are some zany contestants. If you don’t have the “Pants on the Ground” song in your head by now, check it out on You Tube. This guy is funny!

If you’re enjoying all the fun of American Idol, why not enter your favorite sewer in our amazing Sewing Idol contest? Your sewing idol has the opportunity to win 30 fabulous prizes valued at over $8,000. It’s our biggest contest to date! Simply write a 1000-word essay about your nominee and why he/she is your sewing idol. Maybe your mom taught you to sew, and she’s the most amazing seamstress you’ve ever known. Or perhaps your neighbor makes clothing and blankets for charities and her efforts have inspired you. Anything goes! The winning essay will also be published in the Dec/Jan ‘11 issue of Sew News magazine (so you’ll be a star too!).

Check out the Sewing Idol site and vote for your favorite essay! And then take the time to nominate your Sewing Idol!

Yesterday was a cloudy, chilly, blustery day in Denver, so my sister, mom and I wanted to stick to indoor activities. Luckily, we’re never short on supplies for potential projects. And while sewing is my first love, I really like dabbling in crafts of all kinds and I’ve been itching to try a stamping and glittering technique. What better opportunity than a lazy Sunday in January?

We had a blast making sparkly cards for Valentine’s Day and some upcoming birthdays, and the stamping technique was really easy and satisfying. I definitely recommend glittering, as long as you don’t mind getting a teensy bit messy.

Here’s a view of my-mom’s-kitchen-turned-Craft-Central:

Some of our finished handiwork:

After my sister Wendy finished making a glittery Valentine for her boyfriend, she switched to her first love: crochet.

At the moment, she’s working on this amazingly cute dog sweater that she found in the book Vintage Crochet, by Susan Cropper.

And guess who the lucky recipient of the sweater will be? None other than my best pal Reno! Here’s Reno at her first fitting:

I think the royal blue color suits her perfectly. Stay tuned for pictures of Reno modeling Wendy’s finished creation!

Did you do any sewing or crafting over the weekend? We’d love to hear about what you’re working on!

Exciting news! Last night at 10:34, my new little cousin Taelor was born. She and her mom are doing great. Here’s a peek from Taelor’s first photo shoot:

When I found out that a new cousin was on the way, I needed something special to sew for both Taelor and her five-year-old big sister Marina. Being an oldest sister myself, I remembered all the attention that got showered on my little sisters when they were born, so I wanted to make something that would help Marina feel included in the excitement. Thank goodness for Sew It All! After racking my brain for ideas, I remembered Linda Permann’s super cute and super simple “Tee Time” project featured in Sew It All’s “Kid-Friendly” section. I found a plain ready-made purple T-shirt for Marina and a pink onesie for Taelor at a nearby “big box” store and got to work making these personalized applique tops:

I love this project! It was fun making the first-initial appliques, and it took less than an hour to finish both T-shirts. I’m also always looking for ways to use smaller fabric scraps, so this was a great way to utilize them. Here’s a close-up on Taelor’s initial:

This project is a perfect example of why I love Sew It All. It’s filled with simple, cool, totally doable projects that make sewing fun and accessible.  We’d love to see examples of Sew It All projects you’ve made too, so be sure to send us pictures and feedback!

And if you still need to pick up your own copy of Sew It All, look for it on newsstands or find it here.

Today we learned the cool way that the Springs Creative Products Group, LLC is supporting the fight against breast cancer. SCPG partnered with Hancock Fabrics, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and Creative Home Arts to sponsor the “Brave and Beautiful Design Challenge.” In addition, SCPG also made a $10,000 donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Participants in the design challenge purchased the Anne’s Collection cloche hat and then personalized it especially for a friend or family member affected by breast cancer. Mary Buckley won the first place prize of $500 for her dazzling design featuring zebra-print fabric, hand-sewn rhinestones and feathers:

Second prize ($250) was awarded to Linda Gorrick, whose hat features the pink breast cancer awareness ribbon accented by chiffon and sequins:

It’s fun to see how these ladies used the color pink to raise awareness and make a fashion statement, and I’m always really inspired when I see stories of crafters and sewers using their talents to make a difference. Tell us how you’ll be using your sewing skills to give back this year–like Kari mentioned, you could very well inspire a fellow sewer to get involved!

Today is my first day back to work after a nice holiday break, and to my delight, I was greeted by the first copies of the brand new Feb/March ‘10 Sew News that just arrived at our office. This issue is special not only because it’s our 30th Anniversary, but we’ve also got a fresh new look for the new year. Feb/March ‘10 goes on sale January 18th and we just can’t wait to find out what you think of the new features and projects! My personal favorite is the wrap skirt embellished with crewel embroidery (You can download the free embroidery templates here).

Did you have a good holiday season? This year I tried to make as many gifts as possible for friends and family, which was lots of fun. I also developed a growing addiction to all things glitter. I made glitter gift tags, glitter ornaments, glitter picture frames…and now I can barely look at anything without imagining how great it would look covered in glitter. For the Sew News team, I needle felted these fuzzy penguin ornaments. Here are two of the little guys before they departed to their new homes. Believe it or not, the trickiest part was tying their itty-bitty bow-ties.

Did you get any good sewing loot for Christmas? One of my favorite gifts came from my parents: an embossed silver needle-case pendant like the ones Victorian ladies wore to keep their sewing needles close at hand. I’m always losing my needles, so it’s a plus that the pendant is both pretty and practical. Plus, you never know when you might encounter a sewing emergency. Tell us about the sewing gifts you gave and/or received!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! It’s my favorite part of the year and I’m sad to see it go, but I’m excited for the year ahead. I usually don’t make resolutions (I’m very good at breaking them), but this year I might make just one: give back as much as I can.

For Thanksgiving and Christmas, my husband and I donated money to the Denver Rescue Mission and the Dumb Friends League. They’re both organizations that we try to support annually. The Denver Rescue Mission provides clothing, shelter, food and education to the homeless. The Dumb Friends League is a nonprofit organization that works for the welfare of animals.

Giving back doesn’t just mean a monetary donation. Ask Beth, our Associate Editor, who volunteers time every week to read with children (ask her about it!).

If you’re like me and you’re looking for ways to give back, look no further! This year, helping others is easier than ever.  Sew News has teamed up with the American Friends of Cecily’s Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides education opportunities to  Zambian children orphaned by AIDS, to bring you Operation Orphan Education. We’re asking readers to create a reusable grocery tote bag to send to AFCF, where they’ll be auctioned at events; the money raised will go toward helping children!

Our goal is to send AFCF 1,000 totes by the end of this year. If you have a gigantic fabric stash (like all the ladies here at Sew News do!), this might be a great way to use up some fabric!

Check out the latest issue of Sew News for more information or click here. And keep reading Sew News throughout the year for updates.

Wishing you health and  happiness in 2010!

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We want to know your new year’s resolutions! Maybe you resolve to organize your sewing room. Or maybe you plan to finally finish those UFOs. Comment below!