This is a 90% high wicking, poly microfiber and 10% lycra and such great prints. It may be more suitable for the yoga studio and running, etc. but my pieces are going to be worn on the golf course (and if you’ve done any pro shop shopping lately, I think I’ll fit right in). I’ve been waiting for something like this for ever and now I have no excuse not to sew them up and then no excuse not to play golf (or so my husband would say). Now just for some performance fabric in neutral colors for pants.

Unfortunately these aren’t the only new fabrics…fine linens with a metallic sheen, mesh knits…but you really have to see them for yourself

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Monday-after weather and illness have taken their toll, we’ll finish our Fit Me training.
Tuesday-a full morning class of Basic Sergers at Treadle
-afternoon-either Tailoring Tools (if we get one more) or open appointments for Fit Me sessions
-Sew Studio at Bernina/Hancock from 6-8:30 for anyone in need of assistance
Thursday-Open Sewing or Fit Me sessions at Lake Riley Sewing Studio (Chanhassen) from 3-8

Next Monday our Wool Coat Class meets again and we hope to get all coats assembled. Email or call 952-201-3863 with questions in the meantime.

Speaking of wool-Make It Sew has 30% off wool and wool blend fabrics and machine luggage and rolling bags through Feb. 3 (Friday)

And then it’s time for Fashion Sewing Club beginning Thursday at Bernina/Hancock. What will you bring for show and tell?

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Anyway, Roseanne continues experimenting with Christine Jonson’s patterns. Below is the top and skirt from Travel Trio 3.

Judy was inspired to make a wool coat to display a beautiful silver heart from Norway-

Carol attended a zero waste Vionnet-inspired class at the Textile Center and put together the tunic with vintage jewelry and then made the velvet jacket and pants to complete the ensemble.

Fur scarves also made an appearance at both locations. Sorry I didn’t get a picture but suffice it to say that the oooh’s and aaah’s pushed fur fabric sales for the stores. Scarves were made from the width of the fabric by 9-12 inches. No twist (as in the Infinity Scarf). Twice around the neck would be wonderful on a cold day like today! Negative nine degrees as I read it.

Thank you all for the wonderful show and tell that didn’t get featured here. The more the merrier (or shall we say inspirational). We will revise Club sheets again for next month-your patience and feedback is appreciated.

Click and drag on Club Sheets and Garment Photos above or January 2012 in the right hand column to see the latest offerings from the Material Girls.

Stay warm!

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First, I made Vogue 8597 with this fabric.  I did check out Pattern Review first – and there were a few complaints, pretty minor, most people had good things to say.  One person wanted more drape in the neckline so included instructions of how to create more drape.  However, I’m very happy with the drape of the neckline and I think it really has to do with the choice of fabric.  Isn’t that the best part of sewing – when you hit the right combination of fabric and pattern choice? I’m so glad even some of the experts recognize that this can be a difficult thing to do! This fabric works perfectly for this style.  (One note on the fabric – I did find that it seemed to catch on the metal plate of my Elna Lock, so I had to keep a close eye on feeding the fabric through my serger.) I’ve been finding that when making knit items using Vogue patterns, if I use my regular pattern size -the finished garment ends up too big. So, for this top I compared the finished bust measurement to other patterns I’ve made and either liked or didn’t like the fit. Based on the finished bust measurement of this pattern I decided to size down and it fit exactly how I wanted the first time around. Overall the top came together quickly, nice and easy!

Next on deck for this fabric is a t-shirt using Vogue 8536. I’m always looking for a great T-shirt pattern! I know other ladies at club have made this pattern and it is a great basic fit. They’ve dressed up the basic T by adding a bit of gathering on the side at the bustline and an easy-to-hem side vent. I like that this pattern includes several options- vneck, cross over, sleeveless…great to have in your pattern stash.

One more note on the fabric, I first saw this at Treadle over a year ago, I have since seen variations at Mood in NYC, Christine Jonson online, and even a local independent fabric store – so if you like it you should be able to find it some where!

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Diane has asked me to let you know that her mother, Lois Ericson passed

away peacefully on Monday afternoon after suffering a massive stroke last

week. Diane and her two children went up to Reno as soon as they heard, and

all 4 of Lois’s children and all of her grandchildren came to be with her,

so the entire family had a chance to be together at one time surrounding

her with their love. Her magnificent creative spirit has touched so many

and she will continue to be an inspiration.

There are no plans at this time for a memorial service. If you want to

honor Lois, follow her lead….go into your studio and create, make,

invent. Teach. She continued creating right up to the end, pursuing a

renewed passion for watercolors, and always, always, always fabric and

fiber. She was beloved by many, and forged a path in the fiber arts that is

a foundation of the work we all do today.

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This month’s Fashion Sewing Clubs will be held at the following times and places:

Tuesday, 1/10, Treadle Yard Goods, St. Paul, 10:30 am

Thursday, 1/12, Bernina/Hancock/Southtown, 10:30 and 6:30

Saturday, 1/14, Treadle Yard Goods, St. Paul, 10:30 am

The Monday meeting at Make It Sew won’t be held this month but we’ll try again next month.  Thanks for hanging in there while the Bernina/Hancock location gets figured out.

Some of you also caught my typo-Bernina/Hancock subscription should be $17.50 for Jan/Feb. Oops!

Hope to see you and your sewing next week!

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A coupon is being offered through Amazon Local (think Groupon) for half off sewing classes at Make It Sew!  Through Sunday night, you can buy $50 of classes at Make It Sew for only $25!  And you can buy multiple coupons too.  We have a wool coat class scheduled for January and Guided Sewing (you pick a project) in February, March and April.  Of course, it can be used on any of their other quilting, serging, sewing classes.  It doesn’t HAVE to be a Material Girls class…

Here’s the link: Amazon Local Minneapolis

My faux leather Marcy Tilton bag is featured on Marcy’s blog.  Thanks, Marcy!

A few pictures to share-

I’ve been doing a bit of stash busting and finished the fat quarter bag.  Six fat quarters and a yard and a half of cotton gone from the pile.  Pattern was passed around ASG circles.  Sorry, I have no link.  Alice was kind enough to share her copy.

Debbie finished her coat for the Make It Sew class.  You can choose your own pattern.

Last picture is one of my favorite Christmas presents-a bag from Modcloth.  If you haven’t been to the site, it’s lots of fun.  Many, many dresses that are for the younger woman but the ideas to be gleaned are many.  Indie, retro, vintage.

The other gift was a Fitbit so hopefully you’ll be seeing less of me (wink, wink).

The New Year is the time for optimism and big ideas.  Have fun with all of yours!

Happy New Year from the Material Girls.

Fat Quarter Bag

Wool Coat/Jacket Sample

Sewist's dream Christmas gift

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Here are show and tell pictures from December Club. We hope the receivers of your gifts enjoy them as much as we did. Garment photos are found under the heading Club Sheets and Garment Photos in top bar along with the Club sheets from December.

Dupioni silk quilt

Lucky granddaughters

Sweater vest made at Expo-see dresses on wall too.

A bit of knitting

pretty pillowcases

View December Club garments.

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In 2009 I attended the MN Sewing Expo and watched my friends, the Material Girls, participate in the Peggy Sager’s customer fashion show for a chance to win a trip to NY to shop for fabric in the Garment District. In 2010 I attended the Expo again, but this time I was determined to have a fighting chance at winning the NY fabric buying trip. Luck was on my side – I was one of two customers to participate in the afternoon fashion show. And I had come prepared – I brought two garments with me so I had two chances to win the trip. Surprise, surprise, with a 67% chance of winning the trip – my name was picked out of the hat and I won!

I asked Peggy if I could join the next December trip as the December 2010 trip was already full.
Can you believe I waited just over a year to go on the NY Fabric buying trip? Although there is a spring option – I prefer fall fabrics of wools, heavy knits, darker colors, etc. Although it was a long time off -believe me I didn’t let Peggy forget that I would be on the December trip in 2011!

The trip begins officially on a Thursday afternoon and wraps up on Friday evening. You would not believe the amount of shopping you can do in just a day and a half! Peggy brought us into places that don’t sell to the public, and specialize in designer lines. As part of the trip we had a once in a life time opportunity to tour the design studio of Nanette Lepore, an American designer who still manufactures the majority of her line within the 5 blocks of the NY Garment District. While the shopping and the tour were awesome, the only thing that could top that was sharing this experience with 40 other sewists. Dinner on Thursday night was a room full of ladies chatting about sewing and sharing experiences. Who knew that a room full of sewing enthusiasts could get so loud! Of course the night ended with a round of show and tell of our best fabric finds from the day. The fun of the companionship was certainly as much fun as the shopping!

Luckily for me, my roommate had been on several of these buying trips. She gave me the inside scoop on the places we would be visiting – where to splurge because you won’t have the opportunity to go back, what types of fabric to expect to find in the different locations, and where to browse. A high number of the ladies are repeat attenders, some have been coming since the first one! It’s easy to see that this trip is a great value for the price and a wonderful experience. For those who have been able to attend the Material Girls’ hosted SR Harris shopping trips – The Peggy Sager NY trip is like that experience on steroids. Unforgettable is the best way to describe it ; )

Pictures include: Peggy and friends shopping in NY, me with two bolts of amazing Helmut Lang wool

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Last month I made the Scarf-Collar Top. I was able to put this top together in a couple of hours – and I quickly had a comfortable, fashionable top to wear to work. Jalie has an interesting method for sewing the scarf onto the neck line so that there are no exposed seams. Jalie hit the mark again – another fashionable, feminine, well fitting, easy top! (P.S. please excuse the wrinkles in my picture – my photo assistant wasn’t doing his job ; ) )

Posted by Carrie Diamont

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