My goodness 2015 went fast! It’s January and time to think about Spring Sewing sessions and Summer Sewing Camps. The Camp Fairs are right around the corner…..

This year I am excited to again be at Tower Hill School for most of the summer. I will be offering 4 camps and your sewer can join me for either a half day or a full day. Many of my working parents let me know that they needed a full day of camp so now your wish is my command!

I will also be running 2 sewing camps in August at Tatnall and they will also have the option to join me for a half day or a full day. And, finally I am running 2 camps at Cab Calloway Summer School of the Performing Arts for campers that are in Kindergarten through Second Grade. It’s gonna be a busy summer but sew exciting!!!!

Here’s the link to click to my summer camps. Register early for best selection!

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Summer is often the best way for your kids to experience the joys of sewing. Classes are small and the atmosphere is more laid back than during the busy school year. Kids can choose a variety of sewing disciplines based on their interests. During the week they will be gain confidence in their ability to finish each project and use their creativity to personalize their projects based on their individual personalities. Wherever you may live be sure to investigate your local sewing shops or schools for sewing camps in your area.

Until next time,

Ms Bobbi

I enjoy teaching both kids and grownups how to sew. For the past 12 years I have operated a traveling sewing school making good use of my Textiles and Clothing degree. I think of myself as a Home Economist but the new buzz word for this honor is a Consumer Science Professional. I usually travel with 10 sewing machines, 2 irons and ironing boards, several wheels with outlets, and all the sewing tools, equipment, and kits that we will need to complete the projects that we will stitch during class. I also have a 70 pound hand truck that helps to carry in the machines to the schools.

Once at my destination I have to transport all the tools and equipment to my hand truck, get to my classroom destination, set the machines up and get ready for the kids. I teach the lesson for 90 minutes and at the end of class I ask the kids help me clean up the room. After they leave I take down all the machines and pack up all my equipment, back on the hand truck they go to be packed in the van again to travel to our next destination. And often I do this dance 5 days a week!

When I’m not teaching, I spend my time between working on my website (www.fascinationinfabrics.com), learning the value of incorporating SEO sites like Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter into my marketing mix, and researching or designing projects for my classes. I usually try to plan my projects well in advance of the projected class dates that my students will stitch them. After I know what we will be sewing I either order the supplies or shop for them locally. After the supplies arrive I summon the help of a wonderful friend and colleague and we spend hours cutting and prepping kits that will have everything ready for my kids to sew. Finally I stitch the samples. Honestly, until we start lessons on using a commercial pattern, my kids don’t understand or appreciate how much I do for them so that the class can run smoothly! It’s a process….

The projects that we stitch are geared to 2 different age groups. My first group is my 5 and 6 year olds. These stitchers spend time learning mostly hand sewing techniques in the beginning along with cutting and pinning skills. They spend time learning how to thread a needle, knot the end, and practicing a running stitch, overcast stitch, and a French knot. Several weeks into the session I start to add short lessons on the sewing machine and their journey begins on learning to use the sewing machine.

My second through sixth graders also start with hand stitching. However, these sewers navigate the sewing machine much quicker than the little ones. Sewing machine basics and safety start from the first class as does beginning techniques to master with fun projects to stitch.

The basics of hand or machine sewing start each sewer on their journey into the sewing world. After that their path is determined by their likes and preferences. Like any other skill there are many kinds of sewing that one can enjoy. Many of my young sewers enjoy stuffed animals, quilting, clothing construction, or making bags and totes. The possibilities are endless.

The hardest part of teaching sewing is to remind each student that sewing is a learned skill. It is not a competition with anyone else. It is individual journey. For each project in sewing that you stitch your goal is to understand the techniques used to complete the project. Whether it takes one class session or five class sessions, the mindset should be one of understanding the process and not who is finished before you! The main goal of all my classes are centered around learning to sew and loving it! Sewing is a creative art form meant to enjoyed in a stress free environment. The joys of sewing last a lifetime for my young sewers and each student will have a different journey based on personality and their individual tastes. My continuing goal is that each of my students will have a positive and very rewarding experience learning to sew. And, I am so honored to teach all my students the joys of sewing and will continue to do so for a long time! It is after all my passion and my life!

Many moms of my young clients ask me what kind of sewing machine to buy for their budding sewing enthusiasts. Parents want to encourage their kids to enjoy sewing but don’t want to spend too much money in case sewing is just a passing fancy. Understanding their concerns, I give them these basic tips:

1. One of the most important pieces of advice that I can give my parents is that if all possible, purchase your sewing machine from a reputable dealer. Purchasing from the dealer with any brand might be a little more expensive. However, you will also be paying for that dealer to provide you with any services that you may need over the life of your machine. And, many dealers offer a trade-up on a better mchine within the year of your purchase if your sewer should decide that he or she really likes sewing and wants more features to test their creativity

2. Machine prices start at about $100 and increase as more features are added. Once you have decided how much you can spend for your machine, then begin the process of shopping around to find the machine best suited for your sewer’s needs.

3. Machines will either be mechanical oe computerizzed. Mechanical machines have knobs and levers to turn or dial. Computerized machines usually will have a display panel and buttons to push to sew the different stitches

4. Consider the stitches your child might like to have for their sewing. Ask a sewer in your family or a sewing teacher what features they like having on their machines. The dealer will also be able to help. Some of the features that I like on my machine are:

• Needle up and needle down- great for stopping and starting while sewing. The needle remains in the fabric so the fabric doesn’t move and my line of stitching remains uninterrupted. The needle must always remain down when the presser foot is lifted so that you don’t lose your place when sewing.
• Three Step Zig Zag- Standard on most machines, I like this stitch for finishing seams and it’s a great stitch for mending.
• Decorative Stitches–Some decorative stitches are nice for embellishment. Used with decorative threads, these stitches are great to personalize projects.
• Alphabet- Granted you’ll have to be probably in the $300+ range to get this feature but kids and grown-ups alike love to personalize their projects. It’s just fun to do!

6. Also remember to purchase the sewing tools like scissors, pins, extra bobbins, extra sewin machine needles in several sizes, good quality thrad, hand sewing needles, marking pencil, seam ripper, and tape measure that will allow your child to begin to sew.

7. When lessons fit into your busy schedule, continue to sign your child up for sewing lessons. There’s so much to learn and my young sewer’s love these classes where creativity flows and personal flare are woven into every project.

8. If you can’t get to classes, there are lots of great books for kids to read and have fun making the projects. One of my favorites is “We Love to Sew” by Annabel Wrigley. This book is one of C&T publishing books from their Fun Stitch Studio collection. All the books are fun and jam packed with projects to inspire your sewer and get them sewing up a storm. Learning to sew and loving it!

       

I love using socks to make creatures and other fun creations. You can use old socks that lose a mate in the laundry or socks that have holes that can’t be fixed. Or even better and more enticing, go to any clothing store and be amazed at the array of brightly colored socks in a variety of styles to plan your next sock project One thing for sure is once you get started making sock creatures, you’ll be addicted and I bet you can’t make just one!

Mt first encounter with sock creations was several years ago when my friend purchased several sock creations at a local craft fair near Kutztown, PA. We were absolutely crazy about these creatures and instantly wanted to learn how to make them. I started to research books about making sock creations and came upon the books by Brenna Maloney. Her books were full of wonderful information to make your very own sock creations from start to finish. Brenda categorized them by skill level with plenty of pictures to make her steps easy to follow. Maggie and I were quick to purchase her books and several others to begin our journey into the land of anything goes with socks!

Needless to say, when summertime rolled around and I was looking for wonderful camp projects for my kids, Brenna Maloney’s book “Sock Appeal” came to mind. My campers tend to be 6 years old – 9 years old with little or no sewing experience unless they have been in my classes during the school year. The projects needed to be simple but fun and easy to embellish. I chose the sock snakes and the sock fish and would let them choose which one they would stitch.

The girls loved the fish in all of my classes. So we did a little preparation before we stitched the fish. We talked about knit fabric, how to stitch curves and corners, and how to clip our curves so the fish would be smooth when turned. Depending on the socks I used (the more cotton in the sock the less it curled) we also went over how to deal with the knit fabric curling once it was cut while we were stitching. We were ready to stitch our very own school of fish!

The kids had a blast sewing the fish. Some hand stitched embellishments but others opted for a plain and simple fish. Sock creatures would be a mainstay of my curriculum for future classes!

Join Bobbi as she explores all types of sewing and needle arts. Get ideas for projects and learn lots of tips and tricks to make all your sewing projects easier and more enjoyable. Learning to sew and loving it!