A Modern Sewing Blog.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

How to Stuff a Stocking for a Sewing enthusiast.

It's Small Business Saturday and we're here in the shop! A blog post coming to you from the store. This week in the store is the Lazy Daisy class wed 10-2pm and our embroidery club meets friday 2-5pm (this club is for all levels).

Today I want to talk to you about stockings. The wonderful treasure hunt that is a stocking is not only my (Jessie) favorite Christmas gift thing it is also Sue's favorite. Needless to say we're very pro-stocking over here at SewUnique Threads! My mom was and is a master at stuffing the ol' sock, so is Sue. My husband, sadly, is not the best (though he's certainly come a long way and is getting better every year). As wives and mothers and grown women our stockings are sometimes not what we deserve.
Christmas Open House.
With that in mind we decided to write a post about stuffing a stocking from us to your husbands, or significant others. So pass the computer or e-reader over to your partner, this post is for them (or come into the shop to enter our stocking giveaway we're open until 2):

So, you've just found out that your responsible for stuffing a stocking for a grown woman and you don't know where to start. Take a deep breath and relax we're here to walk you through it. Presumably you're lady likes to sew (since she's on our blog) so this will be a sewing themed stocking but the principles can be converted to all sorts of stockings. Firstly, it's a treasure hunt, go small. However, small does not mean cheap, or dollar store, heavens!

Start by stuffing something roundish in the toe of the stocking. I suggest a warm nice pair of socks or a jelly roll like this one,

Then add in some nice little soaps (Station 66 has some wonderful artisan ones just the right size for a stocking) or other bath products. Remember things that come in boxes (think the gift packs from Bath and Bodyworks or Starbucks) can be removed from their packaging to fit in the sock better. 

Add in some nice chocolate (non of the cheap stuff, I suggest a Green and Blacks or Dove chocolate bar) and another favorite treat (maybe a bag of coffee or fancy hot chocolate). Once you get to the top of the stocking it's time to add in things that are squarish in shape. Like these small patterns.


You'll want something sticking out of the top like a nice magazine, or book.

In a sewing shop small things abound to fill in all your small spaces. Nice thread, extra needles, thread snips, fancy pins, tracing instruments, assorted fat quarters. The best things for stockings are things they will want and use but things that are a step up from everyday like fancy thread, and other sewing tools. She'll use these things but she might have a hard time spending the money on herself (though you can't go wrong with a bit of jewelry).
Fancy pins, fat quarters, nice buttons, precut bundles,
tools, fancy floss, needles and thread.

When you go to stuff  your stocking give yourself some time to fill it properly. It could take a few tries but think of it as a real life Tetris game and this will make you better at packing your car's trunk.

Come into the shop Dec 11th 10am-7pm for a stocking demonstration, chance to win a filled stocking, and sales on all our smalls. Let us do the work for you, your partner will get a delightful stocking and you'll get major Christmas points!

Happy Sewing
Love, Jessie and Sue!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Come See us Saturday!

I wanted to pop in and say Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you and your families are blessed with a wonderful day filled with good food and good people.

We've updated our website with plenty of patterns that will sew into great gifts! Here are a few that are sweet, quick and easy. Click Here to Order.
The One Piece Bag, Escargot, Hexies and Spring Cleaning apron.

And who could resist these two darling pincushions. New to the shop and our website. These would make just as cute stuffed animals as they would pincushions! Click Here to order.


Here's one that Sally made and I think it's the sweetest thing! 


I hope you'll join us Saturday for our Christmas Open House, 10am-2pm. We've decorated the store with a festive feel and put all our precut bundles and Oliver+S patterns on sale. There's also a free fat quarter with every $20 purchase and a grand prize filled with notions, patterns and so much more!
This stocking is up for grabs! Come in Saturday to find out how to enter.
Christmas fabric!

Happy Thanksgiving and we look forward to seeing you Saturday.
Happy Sewing

Friday, November 22, 2013

Free Stocking Pattern and Tutorial.

I'm one day off my normal Thursday post but I hope you'll think it was worth the wait. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for an EXCITING GIVEAWAY! Our Holiday gift to you is a free stocking pattern and tutorial. I am very pleased with how this project turned out and I hope you'll enjoy it. To access the pattern click HERE and print. There are four pages tape them together so that the doted lines are over each other, lining up the same lettered sides (You should be able to see the shape) then cut the pattern out.


This is a pretty easy project. I whipped five of these up in a few days. Even if your a beginner this project is very much within your reach.
What You'll Need:
1/2-3/4 yards of stocking fabric I found 1/2 to be a scosh too small while 3/4 was PLENTY. If your 1/2 yd is a bit small after pre washing just take make the stocking a little shorter no big deal. 
1/2-3/4 yards of lining fabric 
Interfacing Any kind is fine. I literally used up all my small pieces and scraps. Some of the stockings had medium weight, feather weight, and the really tough stuff. As long as your consistent on each stocking it won't matter. We just want to give it a little extra oomph for holding goodies.
Coordinating Thread
Double Fold Bias Tape I made my own out of the lining fabric and Loved the look but you could also use store bought.

Step 1:
Trace and cut 2 stocking pieces, 2 lining pieces and 2 interfacing pieces


Step2:
Attach the interfacing to the wrong side of the stocking pieces according to the manufacturers directions

Step 3:
Pin the stocking pieces right sides together and sew a 1/4 inch seam leaving the top open. Trim seam clip inner curves (ankle place) and notch outer curves (heel and toe). Turn right side out and press.

Step 4:
Pin lining together right sides together and sew a 1/4 inch seam leaving the top opening. Trim the seam and leave the lining wrong side out.

Step 5:
Insert the lining into the stocking, matching the seams and having the top edges even. Baste around the top.



Step 6:
To make the stocking loop hanger thing, cut a six inch strip of bias tape. Sew a scant 1/8 in seam down both long sides.


Step 7:
Fold the hanger in half and pin it to the outside of the side seam (the heel side) with the raw edges of the hanger even with the raw edges of the top of the stocking.

Step 8:
  A.  With the right side of the bias tape facing the right side of the fabric, match the raw edge of the unfolded tape to the raw edge of the fabric and pin along the fold line. Stitch along the fold line.


  B.  Turn the binding to the wrong side of the fabric, enclosing the raw edge. Hand-sew the folded edge down with a slip stitch.


If your interested in making your own bias tape click HERE for a great tutorial from another awesome sewing blog. No sense in my reinventing the wheel. The only thing I would add is that after I'm done running it through the bias tape maker I fold it in half and iron it again so that it looks like the store bought stuff. 
My familys' stocking.
Vintage fabric everywhere! The beauty of making your own stockings
is they can have any look you want.

Voila you have your very own, hand crafted stocking. I think this size is great, big enough for a lot of treasures but not so big that it looks ridiculous. I made four out of vintage inspired fabric for my family and I made one from the Ghastlies for the shop.  If you would like a Ghastlie stocking of your own click HERE or come into the store for the fabric (and keep reading).


"Why did you make a shop stocking?" you ask. It's only the best reason ever! Saturday November 30th is Small Business Saturday, and SewUnique Threads is celebrating by having treats, giving away a free gift with every $20 purchase and the chance to enter and win our GRAND PRIZE! The Grand Prize is this stocking filled with all things sewing. I am very excited to be part of this by creating the stocking pattern and and stocking.

We love you dear readers and I hope you'll enjoy this free pattern as our gift to you. I do hope we'll see those of you who are local on November 30th. Finally if you have any questions, problems with the pattern, anything please leave a message in the comments and I will get back to you asap.

Happy Holidays sweet readers, and
Happy Sewing,
Love Jessie





Monday, November 18, 2013

Cheers!

I hesitate to say this out loud. To actually put down in words what I think is true. I think...I think that the website is up-to-date! I'll pause while everyone gasps and claps. Obviously there will always be new things to put on, that is oh so much fun, but as far as the fabric in the shop that had never been put on the website, it's done.

When I first took this job the thought of all those bolts of fabric was completely overwhelming but now it's done! Where's the champaign, I think we need to toast this momentous occasion. And it's a good life lesson really; One bolt of fabric at a time and the job was done. Sometimes in sewing and life we need to stop being overwhelmed by the gigantic mess of things and just take it one bolt at a time.

I wanted to remind everyone about the classes that are going. This Tuesday is the Judy Neimeyer Club 10am-1pm. Wednesday 2-5pm is our Modern Holiday club, what a fun way to get some Christmas sewing done! Finally, Thursday 2-5pm is our Wool Club. Don't miss out on these great opportunities to set aside time to sew with other fun ladies (men are welcome too) and to learn some new skills.

We will be closed November 28 and 29 to celebrate Thanksgiving, but we'll reopen Saturday 30 to celebrate Small Business Saturday. We are so excited to be part of the small business movement, we'll be offering treats, a free gift with every $20 purchase AND the chance to win a Grand Prize. Stay tuned this week, I am going to give blog readers a sneak peak at the grand prize and I'm very excited.

Lastly we had sold out of kits for the warm Twisty Twirly Scarf and we have gotten them back in stock. These are simply wonderful, luxurious and soft. Make one for yourself and for your best friend!
Twisty Twirly Scarf

Thursday, November 14, 2013

A Fun Non-sewing, sewing project.

It's the holidays and I like it when there are bits of decorations everywhere, even in my sewing room. This small space really becomes ground zero of Christmas making and it seems a shame to not the imbue, at least a little, holiday charm into this most creative of spaces. The one problem for me is that there isn't a lot of room and there isn't a lot of money. My solution, a small tree trimmed in all sewing and crafting themed items.

This small tree is nestled between my sewing desk
and guest chair.

Even a antique measuring tape becomes a tree trimming. 
 I bought this small pre lit tree after Christmas last year for a song. Then I made the garland and decorated the tree with things I already had, little thread scissors, pincushions, and old spools of thread. Of course I'll be keeping my eyes open for other things to go on this tree but even in it's
sparser state it looks cute.

I'm most proud of the garland, which I had envisioned and it actually came together like the picture in my head and was a simple quick project. Here's a quick rundown if your interested.
What You'll Need:
1 bag colored Pom Poms
2 bags of  Bells
One bag of mini wooden spools
One bag of larger wooden spools
Fishing line or nylon Monofilament (for making jewelry)



Using a large needle cut a long pice of line (I made mine about as long as my ironing board because any longer became too hard to work with.) Tie a knot in one end and tie the other end to the needle. Then string on a pom pom, small spool, pom, bell, pom, small spool, pom, bell, pom large spool, leaving a small space between each item and looping the line around the spools and bells. Repeat. I found that the spools and bells tended to shift a little so after everything was strung I used the ol' glue gun to secure them in place. I had enough materials to make about three strands.
Close up of the garland. I like how the bells give it a vintage 50's vibe.
If your looking for gift making inspiration we've started a new Pinterest board filled with gift making ideas click HERE and don't forget to check out our Christmas board for even more holiday inspiration!

Happy Sewing, AND crafting dear readers.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Hello and Happy Thursday fellow sewists! I made it home from my trip in one delightfully tanned, rested piece. I'll be honest I'm having a hard time getting back into the sewing of things. Or really the anything of things. "You want me to cook dinner? You need, clean socks." real life can be sort of hard to get back to.

To help there are some new classes starting up in November. Our one saturday class starts this saturday! Check out our website for more info. Hippy Hippy Shake this saturday. Twisty Twirly Scarf Nov 13. Spice Market Tote Nov 14. Modern Holiday club Nov 20. I hope you'll join us for one of these neat projects.

I received the moda sewing Box charm pack as a gift and I can't decide what to do with it. Usually I have a project in mind, I save my pennies and then buy what I need (though I still have quite the stash). This is so exciting, starting with a clean slate, and I love the fabric so much. Should I make a lap quilt for my sewing room, a patchwork sewing machine cover, or a patchwork purse, or even a patchwork skirt of some kind? Blurg, I can't decide! Help! Seriously I would love your feedback, not that I should be worrying about sewing for myself because it is November already!



The hardest thing about coming from FL back to MI is realizing that it's time to start Christmas! I'm just having a difficult time wrapping my mind around Christmas! I'm listening to Christmas music in the hopes that it helps. This year I'm going to decorate my sewing room for the first time. I bought a small fake tree after the holidays last year (on the cheap) and want to decorate it with all sewing themed things! I'm looking for ideas so if you have any let me know in the comments (along with your ideas for the charm pack).

If your a homemade Christmas kind of gal or guy, then I know your already well into creating. Here's an early play list to get you started (I'll try not to inundate you with too much Christmas until after Thanksgiving, this is just a taste):
I can't wait to hear all your thoughts! Let us know what your sewing up for the Holidays.
Happy Sewing
Love Jessie