Sew-Special Birthday Party!

Yesterday, I was pleased to host my first ever sewing birthday party at Wendy's Sewing Studio. I wish I could take credit for this idea, but it was the mom who approached me with the idea for her 9-year-old daughter. She explained she had purchased a truckload (that's right) of 60 kiddie sewing machines a few years ago and had either sold or given away all but 12. Her idea was to give each child the sewing machine as a party favor and have a sewing theme. I was approached to teach the girls to sew just before the cake and refreshments. After giving this serious thought for several weeks, I decided I just had to do it. After all, I had the facility, ample parking, lots of chairs and tables, and the mom was so sweet and persuasive, I couldn't miss this opportunity. I wouldn't get rich doing birthday parties, but at least I might pick up sewing students for my Summer Camp or after school activities. I also decided to make a little purse pincushion for each girl as a door prise.

The week before the party, all the little machines arrived and we all began unpacking them. I personally set each machine up and loaded the bobbins and threads. Luckily, they all received a mini sewing kit with each machine so nothing had to be purchased. I was relieved to discover all machines working.

The mom, Angela, purchased cute printed fabrics for the kits and we decided it would be age-appropriate for them to make a small square purse. I requested that each girl have at least one adult assistant attend the party. Angela decided she would serve pizza and box juice in addition to the cake. The cake she supplied was adorable and in keeping with the purse theme. Purple and pink were the desired colors of the day.

The day before the party, I set up the tables, plugged in the machines and cut all the fabric squares for the girls. I also gave them a small scrap of fabric to practice with. I arrived a few hours early the day of the event in order to set up my video equipment and lay out all the little goodies they would receive. When 1 o'clock arrived, the moms and attendees began to arrive. Even though 12 girls rsvp-ed, only 10 arrived and after waiting about 45 minutes, I decided to begin the lesson.

I explained via Powerpoint, how the purse would go together, demonstrating mostly to the moms what was to be expected. I laid out the ground rules such as only adults could use the irons and no food or drink around electrical equipment. I had the girls repeat what I was saying in unison for assurance they had been listening, and I instructed them of the operational basics of the machines. Working on practice pieces, we began sewing. Ka-chunk, ka-chunk, ka-chunk, to the 10th power. Picture ten assistants giving direction at the same time while girls happily pushed the tiny food pedals to make the machines work. I said a quick prayer that none of the machines would break and practiced breathing techniques to keep myself calm. Then I signalled them to stop.

Next, a lesson in how to pin the fabric together. I announced the most important thing to remember is, YOU NEVER SEW OVER A PIN, and had them repeat it out load. Okay, so that wasn't very difficult. Again, they began to sew. Ka-chunk, ka-chunk, ka-chunk they went, diligently stopping just before each pin to remove it, and then stitching resumed. They made it through both edges of their purse outers. Sweew! No blood, no tears...a very good sign. Then, I had them repeat the procedure on the lining fabric. I demonstrated how to turn the upper edges under and the assistants pressed them in place. I explained how to position the lining inside the purse outer and they pinned the layers in place. Straps were inserted between the two layers and pinned in place. I decided that the little machines wouldn't be strong enough to sew through 4 layers of fabric and the straps, so I asked the assistants to sew them together using my machines while the girls had refreshments.

The girls hungrily devoured their pizza and then they sang Happy Birthday to the birthday girl both in English and French, since the girls all attend The French School at Audubon Elementary. Each girl left with their little machines, which were quite a surprise to them, their little purses, a goodie bag, and a well-deserved dose of self accomplishment for having participated in such a wonderful day.

End of Summer Crunch

I received a phone call from a mom who was in town for ten days visiting relatives. She was interested in booking a workshop for her 9-year-old daughter and 10-year-old niece the last week before they returned to school. Having had such a positive experience from teaching my group of 11-year-olds, I agreed. They booked two days of sewing lessons.

The girls arrived bright and early on the first day prepared to work and have fun. I thought it would be a great idea to have them make a pillowcase dress just like the older girls except without the contrasting band on the hemline. I started them off making a simple purse-size tissue paper cover letting them choose the fabric they wanted. They did a pretty good job, but it didn't take long to realize how different their motor skills were compared to the 11-year-olds. They had a bit of difficulty keeping the fabric straight. I found myself using a video game analogy in order to train them to keep the foot even with the fabric's edge. It worked and they completed their projects just before lunch.

As soon as they finished eating, we returned to work. I cut out the fabric blocks to size and had them mark and cut out the armhole openings. They sewed up the side seams and I had them zigzag stitch over both seams to finish them off. So far, so good. Off they went to the ironing boards to press the seams. Yikes! They didn't grasp the idea of standing the iron upward after use and soon, I was literally putting out smoke bombs. I was kicking myself for not supplying iron rests. Lesson learned. They really enjoyed ironing and even managed to scorch a few spots. Oh well. I should have turned the temperature down a bit. Another lesson learned.

We cut out the string ties and they stitched them up. We ended the day on a positive note by using the tube turner on the ties. That was a lot of fun for them and I felt really good about what they had accomplished. The moms were so excited when they saw the completed tissue paper cases.

I spent a good portion of the next day overcast stitching their edges and inserting bias binding in the armhole openings for them. I didn't think stitching-in-the-ditch was something they would be able to do and my goal was to have them wear the dresses home on Day-2. I also turned under all the edges of their pockets and pressed them in place.

The next day, they arrived bouncing off the walls and ready to sew. I had them turn under the neck edges to form the casing and sew them down. Having edge-stitching feet on their machines was a godsend and they performed this task to perfection. They turned under the hemline for a simple hem and stitched them in place. For the pockets, I decided since they were having trouble handling seams with pins, I would glue the pockets in place so they wouldn't slip and the girls could just zip around the edges. That decision was pure genius.

When the dresses were completed, I glanced at the clock in shock to discover we had 2 hours of class time left, so I decided we would make matching purses for their dresses. I had the girls fuse the largest flower with Wet N Gone then had them cut them out. We then applied them to their purse fronts. I decided to zigzag stitch around the flowers for them, as the design was way too tedious for them to handle. I made a long strap from bias binding and they completed their purses in the afternoon.

When the moms arrived, I thought they would start crying at the sight of their daughters. And the girls were so excited they were already making plans to come back during the Christmas holidays when they would be together again. Looks like I'll be busy this December. In November, I'm doing the 11-year-olds during the Thanksgiving break too. These just happen to be my lean months and I can't think of a better way to spend the holidays. I asked the girls what else they had done this summer and among other things, they had participated in a cooking class, which they didn't enjoy because the teacher treated them like little kids, they said. And they had to use plastic knives to cut up veggies, which was a complete drag for them. I was happy I had decided to allow them to iron for themselves and challenged them to work on big kid garments. It made them feel special and made me feel as though I had accomplished my goals this summer. It was a win-win situation all around.

Fun at Martha's

I must say, the past School of Art Fashion (SOAF) was quite unusual. You might remember that I was scheduled to teach at the SOAF this past July, and because of low enrollment my school was cancelled. Well, it seems as though my school wasn't the only cancellation. That doesn't really make me feel better, because what that tells me is attendence is down all around. But, my pre-day classes had respectable numbers and those classes went off as scheduled.

I wish I had the pleasure of telling you I was able to take a ton of photos, but that is not the case. I was busy teaching and didn't have a co-teacher this time so photos did not get taken. But, I did manage to snap a few pictures of some of the artwork from my crayon tinting class. Here are some of the lovely creations. (Remember, these do not contain embroidery stitches or embellishments yet).

One of the highlights of the SOAF is shopping. Martha makes sure there are lots of bargains to be had and these photos highlight some of the events of Teacher's Selling Night.

Students lined up to attend Martha's fabric sale.



All you can stuff into a ziplock bag for $25 sale.

 

Rows of kits from the Wendy Schoen booth.



Loads of Floche for sale.

Pink polkadots are my trademark. Beautiful Embroidery Club lessons for individual sale.

Kari Mecca's dress kits for sale.

Debbie Glenn's Teacher Demo Night booth.

Kari Mecca presents her Whimsy Sticks.

Gail Doan and her pretty kits.

 





Getting Ready for Martha's

In a few weeks, I will be heading north to Huntsville, Alabama to work my very favorite venue, the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion. This school is something I have been doing twice a year for the past 20 years, and I don't know what I would do if I couldn't do it any longer. It's not that they don't want me to teach, because they most certainly do, but if no one signs up for my classes, they are forced to cancel. Well, unfortunately my school was cancelled due to low enrollment. This is only the second time my school has been cancelled and it feels terrible.

I have decided that next February, my school will have a completely different theme. Instead of the Wendy Schoen Baby School, my school will focus on finishing details and construction. I'm calling it "FUNdamentals with Wendy Schoen." I have been racking my brain for new ideas and I think I may have stumbled on the perfect solution. The dilema is people just really want to be able to sew for their children (grandchildren). Period. No earth shattering techniques, no over-the-moon embroidery stitches that take years to perfect, just plain old good sewing. Before you met me, I sewed for myself. I loved it. I perfected it. I want to do it again.

Many of you have been wondering, I'm sure, why I have been teaching children to sew. My motivation is to get people sewing, not only kids, but adults too. I was curious about what would happen if I tried my hand with virtural beginners and it made sense to begin with kids. I discovered it was something I really, really enjoy, in fact I believe I got more out of it than the kids. It's been so long since I have felt giddy with excitement over sewing and the feeling was intoxicating. I'm moving on to adults in the fall. We have young people, men and women, almost on a daily basis who walk in to my teaching studio to inquire about sewing lessons. This is something I want to do, and will definitely do.

At Martha's, we have had an influx of people wanting to learn to sew. Many have steered clear of my school because they felt the curriculum was beyond their capabilities. I truly want to entice a few of those ladies into my classroom. My intermediate sewists have signed up for my pre-day classes, which is great. I have respectable numbers enrolled for those classes, and now that they have opened up the enrollment for outsiders (non-school attendees), I know my numbers will increase. In fact, a few ladies from La Broderie Bayou have signed up for my pre-day class.

I have decided which classes I would like to teach for the 2013 school and I think they are great choices. I have included images below, but remember, they have not been approved yet so they might change slightly. I truly hope you are able to join me in February for at least one class. In a few days, you may read the descriptions on my site which will help in your decision making process. Enrollment isn't open yet, but it's never too early to start planning.

Have a terrific 4th of July weekend, and take a few moments to do a little sewing, won't you?

The Graduate

I'm trying to catch up on my posts, which is why this one is so late in coming. Our son, Evan graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette last month and we couldn't be more proud of him. Earning a degree in Visual Arts, specifically web design and graphics, Evan was scouted by three separate companies before school ended. He decided on the Jones Group of Lafayette, LA where he serves as head of the web department. After commencement, we celebrated with our entire family and friends with a buffet dinner at our home in New Orleans. I'm beaming.

Evan's first congratulations after commencement.

Red velvet cake with chocolate dipped strawberries and raspberries on top.

Billy, Evan and me.

Evan and Andrea.

Dubutante Hoedown

Last weekend Evan and Andrea join Billy and me at a coming out party for the daughter of our best friends, Rhonda and Chris Simmons. This delightful and beautiful young girl is being presented this year and we couldn't be more proud of her. The Western theme party was one of the best we have ever attended. Congratulations, Maddie.

Evan and Andrea "chillin'"

Self portrait of Wendy and Maddie

Cowboy Billy and Wendy. Heehaw!!!

Wendy's Girls

For the past 2 weeks, I have been doing something I never thought I would ever do. I hosted a sewing camp for girls ages 10 and 11. If you have ever been in my class, you'll know I hardly ever teach beginning sewists, as most of my classes are geared to intermediate/advanced embroiderers. And even though I was let's say, a bit hesitant to try, I admit this experience has been the most rewarding of my career.

The first week, I planned to accept only four students in the age group of 9 to 13. I had three girls sign up and luckily, they were all the same age. These fifth-graders had never turned on a sewing machine before, and had never touched an iron in their lives. Before class even started, I was mentally preparing for a challenging week. Class was slated to run 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and I wasn't the least bit sure how the planned projects would be received, nor if the curriculum was possible during the allotted time. If nothing else, this would be a very interesting experience.

With Jane Briscoe at my side, I began explaining how sewing machines worked and how to thread a bobbin and adjust the settings. Okay, so that went well, I had to admit. Two of the girls rented machines from me and started class in the morning. The third girl was arriving after lunch, as she would be getting new braces first thing in the morning. I was worried about whether she would be feeling well enough to participate in the lesson, but I put it in the back of my mind while I concentrated on the two other girls.

We started on a cute and simple little cloth tissue holder consisting of one piece of fabric and three seams. I decided to prepare the fabrics and cut them to size so we could begin immediately. I gave each student a scrap of fabric so they could practice sewing straight. Everything was going nicely. The little tissue holders turned out cute and the students were feeling confident so we decided to stop for lunch and wait for our third attendee to arrive. We spent the rest of the afternoon and most of the next day making cute tote bags, then we decided to make little purse pincushions. Things got a bit hectic the next day without Jane's help, but I managed to keep control of the situation and continued to have fun with the girls. Having both projects turned out darling, I was beginning to feel my sewing school was turning into a great success.

Wednesday, we began working on pillowcase dresses for each girl. I measured them and adjusted the patterns accordingly. We worked on the dresses two days and each girl completed them and wore them home. Even the moms were getting excited now. Friday was spent working on cute Hello Kitty pillows made of terrycloth and satin. The girls learned basic applique techniques while reminising about a wonderful week of sewing.

The following week, two of the students decided to return for another session and were joined by a third girl. I started them working on sewing machine pads with organization pockets in their choice of fabrics. Each one was completely different and suited their personalities perfectly. The next day we worked on a Crazy Patch square and embellished it with machine stitches. Then, we turned the square into an ipad cover. Each girl made a tunic of cute printed fabric and contrasting microcheck flounce. They turned out darling. The last day, we decided to make a lap quilt with puffy appliqued softballs, in homage to their team sport.

If you think your daughter or granddaughter would be interested in joining me for our next session, please don't hesitate to contact us. As of now, we have four spots available in July. I promise, you won't regret the experience.