Category: Sewing

What To Do With All That Fabric?

When you’ve been sewing for a while you will start to accumulate “leftovers”.  I handle different sized pieces of fabric in different ways.

Today we’ll see how to fold fat quarter size.  I take a page from quilt stores for my pieces that are at least a fat quarter (18″ x 21″) and up to 1/2 yard.  This example uses a fat quarter.

  • Lay your piece of fabric flat, right side down and fold both sides to the center.  (If your piece is wider than a fat quarter, start with the fabric folded as it came off the bolt.)
  • Fold again to make the piece approx. 5-6″ wide.  At this point if your piece is larger than a fat quarter you may have to fold again until you reach that measurement.  This will ensure that when you fold it up they will all stack nicely.)
  • Fold down from the top and up from the bottom and you will have a square.  (Some will be thicker as there will be various amounts of fabric.
  • You can now stack them according to colors, fabric lines or even themes.  Mine are a little bit of each.  Batiks are together as well as novelty fabrics and then colors.  It’s easier to find the amounts and colors I need just by looking at the stacks.  They can be stacked on a shelf or even stood up in a drawer.
  • NOW YOU CAN USE ALL THOSE PIECES INSTEAD OF THEM HIDING IN BOXES OR BAGS.  Ask me how I know. 😉

DREAM Quilt Class

DREAM Quilt – Adults – June 13th-15th  9:30am-noon

Group Lesson

55″ Wide x 63″ Long Lap Quilt Top
Do you ever wish that someone else would cut and iron for you??!! This is the class you’ve been looking for. With a quick refresher on using the 1/4″ foot with guide to start the first day and you’re off sewing!! This class is limited to 4 students.
16 Beautiful high quality Batiks and Kona cotton make up this kit! The class will also include Wonder Under for the letters, swooshes, dots and dragonfly. You will have everything you need to finish this quilt top and almost 8 hours to work on it.
THIS QUILT TOP IS COMPLETELY CUT AND THE APPLIQUES ARE PREPARED WITH WONDER UNDER AND CUT FOR THE CLASS! There will be no need for measuring and cutting for this top! The pattern is included so that you can recreate it later.
It is a lap sized quilt top that can be quilted on a home machine or sent out to a longarm quilter.
The class fee is $75 for 3 days and $40 kit fee for the top.
The kit includes: Pattern
63 batik squares
2 batik borders
2 Kona cotton narrow sashings
1 DREAM sashing (including letters, swooshes, dots and dragonfly with wonder under)
1 spool of piecing thread
Matching thread for applique and machine embroidery bobbin thread
EVERYTHING IS PRECUT and PREPPED!!
As always….you will need a sewing machine in good working order, manual, foot control….1/4″ foot with a guide, size 70/10 Microtex (Sharp) sewing machine needle, small pair of scissors, straight pins, 1 spool of piecing thread, 2 empty bobbins and a flat sheet that you can use for all 3 days. The sheet will be used to tranport your quilt.
Join the fun and call today to save your spot!!
Keep stitching!!

Summer Sewing Classes Start June 13th!!

Summer Classes will include kid and adult classes!   There will be classes on quilting, beginning sewing, home dec, gifts, clothing, recycled clothing, doll clothing, Craft & Sew, painting and zentangle on fabrics, etc.

The calendar will be out on May 11th.  If you would like to take a survey and receive $5 off your first summer class email me at  textilesbytawny@yahoo.com by May 10th.

Have a great Mother’s Day.  Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Spring Break Sewing Lessons including a Group Lesson

Next week is Spring Break at Textiles by Tawny!!  There are a few additional class times available because of vacations.  Hop onto the calendar to check them out!

We also have a Group Lesson from Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11:30am.  This class offers over 8 HOURS of sewing time.  It’s a great deal for the price and has a kit that is precut and ready to sew!  It’s a wonderful opportunity to sew for a block of time (of course we will have a break in the middle for a snack!)  The class is open to all sewists who are comfortable with their machine and have made at least 2 projects.

Spring Break always offers a bit more flexibility and the opportunity to work on projects.  Sign up for private or the group lesson today by emailing or calling.

textilesbytawny@yahoo.com

704-957-2805

 

DREAM Quilt Class starts in 2 weeks!

DREAM Quilt – March 29th-31st – 9:00-11:30am
Group Lesson
55″ Wide x 63″ Long Lap Quilt Top
Do you ever wish that someone else would cut and iron for you??!!  This is the class you’ve been looking for.  With a quick refresher on using the 1/4″ foot with guide to start the first day and you’re off!!  This class is limited to 4 students.
16 Beautiful high quality Batiks and Kona cotton make up this kit!  The class will also include Wonder Under for the letters, swooshes, dots and dragonfly.  You will have everything you need to finish this quilt top and almost 8 hours to work on it.
THIS QUILT TOP IS COMPLETELY CUT AND THE APPLIQUES ARE PREPARED WITH WONDER UNDER AND CUT FOR THE CLASS!  There will be no need for measuring and cutting for this top!  The pattern is included so that you can recreate it later.
It is a lap  sized quilt top that can be quilted on a home machine or sent out to a longarm quilter.
The class fee is $90 for 3 days and $40 kit fee for the top.
The kit includes:  Pattern
                              63 batik squares
                               2 batik borders
                               2 Kona cotton narrow sashings
                               1 DREAM sashing (including letters, swooshes, dots and dragonfly with wonder under)
                               1 spool of piecing thread
                               Matching thread for applique and machine embroidery bobbin thread
      EVERYTHING IS PRECUT and PREPPED!!
As always….you will need a sewing machine in good working order, manual, foot control….1/4″ foot with a guide, size 70/10 Microtex (Sharp) sewing machine needle, small pair of scissors, straight pins, 2 empty bobbins and a flat sheet that you can use for all 3 days.  The sheet will be used to tranport your quilt.
Join the fun and call today to save your spot!!
Keep stitching!!

Dream Quilt

Join us in making a beautiful batik lap quilt top! The Dream Quilt top will be March 29th-31st in the mornings.

All the cutting has been done for you!  The kit is ready to sew and I will be doing the ironing if you choose.  This is a fun project where all you have to worry about is the sewing and no prepping or shopping.  If you want to change the pink squares, DREAM and one of the swooshes to blue you need to let me know at least 1week before the start of class!!

More info will follow!  Stay tuned!

Check out all class availability in the calendar.  Have a great day and keep stitching!

Thank You to all the Sewists!!

The first annual Sewing for Others is over and I wanted to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone that made this such a special day!

We were able to make 16 fish, 34 bones, 4 mice, 18 tug toys and 8 beds.  What awesome #’s.  Sewists of all different levels came.  From experienced sewists to ones that came to try it for the first time.  Everyone had a great day and this will be an annual event.  I’m thankful to Spirit of Joy for letting us use their facility.  There was soooo much room to work and share our love of sewing.

 

This wouldn’t have happened without each and every one of you and I wanted to Thank You for taking the time to shower blessings on our furry friends.  Union County Humane Society will receive their donations on Wednesday so they can take some to their booth this weekend at Metrolina.  They are very excited to receive your generous gifts.

 

I’ve attached a couple pictures and the websites that had the patterns. (A quick note on the patterns:  on the mouse pattern we changed the tail and used a braided cotton clothesline for the tail…..it came to my attention that the catfish toy could have been made in smaller sizes also for those little kittens out there!  So there will be different sizes available next year!)

 

If you were unable to join us, please feel free to use these patterns to benefit your local humane society and/or your own furry friend.  The Humane Society always loves donations!

Mouse Toy for Cats

Fish Toy for Cats

Bone Toy for Dogs

And a special thanks to my 2 volunteers:  A big shout out goes to Jamie for all the photos and mad braiding skills and Kathleen for helping all the sewists and making 3 mice at one time!  They were by far the most complicated and I know several people also took some home to work on!  Thank you both again for spending your day helping everyone!

Photos Courtesy of Jamie Birch  Birch Leaf Studio  

Sewing Cat Toys!

We will be getting together September 12th to sew toys and beds for our furry friends at the Humane Society and the Rescue group.

Come and join in the fun and Sew for Others.  We will be meeting at Spirit of Joy in Matthews.

We will be making toys and beds for the cats and dogs in area animal shelters and rescue homes.  All patterns, fabric and stuffing will be provided.  If you have a sewing machine and basic supplies please bring them with you.  You can come for an hour or come all day!

Ages 8 & up and all skill levels, including beginners, are welcome.  Come have some fun, meet other people who share your love of sewing and let’s make some dogs and cats really happy!  The glass doors open at 10:30 am!

Use the Signup Genius button and see you there!

Dyeing Fabric…

Dyeing fabric and taking apart my Grandmother’s chair.  We had a great day dyeing fabric with friends and family.  Then our staycation hit a road bump with us catching colds.  So our chair was taken apart but not put back together again.  We ended our time together with bubbles.  Why?  Because they’re fun and isn’t that what vacation is all about?!!

Sewing and Dyeing Staycation!

A quick reminder that sewing classes will resume on August 25th!

Ken is off to fish and I’ve invited my Mom to visit and be creative with me. We’re going to dye fabric with Neldina and friends. Then we’ll be reupholstering a slipper chair from my grandmother. Hopefully using some design details. I’m thinking of gathered strips in a rose shape for the back. We will see if that works out!

I’ve started my staycation at Mary Jo’s (you wouldn’t expect me to go to Carowinds would you?)

Am limiting myself to PFD (prepared for dyeing) fabric and some denim to make a funny shaped bag for a friend.  Don’t worry. I have 10 days….I’ll be back!!  LOL

Will be posting pics of before and after.