The first Beginning Sewing Class of the year is tonight!  It’s going to be a full class with 8 students.  We will learn to use our machines, make a pillowcase, pajama bottoms and a tote.  All in 6 weeks!  I love to teach Beginning Sewing.  It’s always a lively group of people who want to learn how to sew for so many different reasons.  Some are coming back to sewing after years of being away, some have never sewn and can’t wait to get started and then we have self taught sewers that would like a little extra instruction.  There’s homework every week with show and tell at the beginning of each class.  I’m always excited to see fabric choices.  Everyone has such different personalities and it always shows by what they bring.  Our 2 books are Sew with Confidence by Nancy Zieman  www.nancysnotions.com and Sew Easy Pajama Pants by Cindy Taylor Oates http://taylormadedesigns.typepad.com/ .  We make the pillowcase a little differently by using flat construction.  It’s much easier to line all the pieces up for sewing when it’s flat and cut off the extra fabric with salvages.  This always works better than trying to line up the 3 finished pieces after they’ve each been sewn into a circle.  You need to be extremely accurate for that to work each time.  My all time favorite way to finish a pillowcase though, is shown on you tube by Missouri Star Quilt Company for the Million Pillowcase Challenge.  It gives a very finished hem and goes much faster. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYWCma9wgM