Debbie and I were at Treadle yesterday-6 students and 6 different makes of sergers, 3 pressing hams, sleeve rolls and a small sawdust mess…and can you believe it, they had new fabric!

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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We hope you are enjoying the beautiful winter weather and a little bit of sewing. Just want to keep you posted and let you know that each week we seem to meet another wonderful person that sews and this inspires us to keep on sharing what we love to do.

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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Another fine showing of creativity from both Treadle and Hancock this month. The mild winter seems to be helping-if you can’t ski you might as well sew (haha!) sorry

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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Sad news-this email was sent to me so I am passing it on to you-I had to look online to be sure who Lois was.  I have some of her patterns even though I haven’t met her. Her daughter teaches classes with Marcy Tilton and does lots of other things.  I especially liked the last few lines-

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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Sixty five people came for the Saturday morning Fashion Sewing Club and we added a microphone and more lighting and gave away 6 door prizes!

Another great day-more classes and finishing up purchases. Thanks to Debbie’s husband for all the hauling of stuff from our booth and thanks to Bernina and Hancock for letting us use the table and dress forms.

Club sheets and photos have been posted under “Club Sheets and Garment Photos” above for those of you that didn’t make it. Here are a few more pictures of the fun we had:

Material Girls Booth

Show and Tell-Schoolhouse Tunic

Material Baby

And to tempt you to go look at Club photos…

The vest Kristin copied...

Back view of vest/cape

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No Fashion Sewing Club today but plenty of people to talk to. This Expo is very well attended. Treadle got their second batch of fabric in at 4:30 and hungry sewists were hovering around it unable to wait for them to put it on the shelves! We heard that Thursday was the best day of sales, ever, for another vendor.

Peggy Sagers’ customer style show featured two sewing friends determined to win the New York buying trip prize. One of them sewed 23 garments and her friend-11!! Neither of them won the drawing but the winner had made five garments so it seemed a good outcome. And to think that there were only about three garments total last year (but our loyal Material Girl, Carrie Diamont, won so that was OK too.)

There are lots of sewing machines to test drive, unique purses made by tsunami survivors, fabric and notions, patterns and DVD’s to keep us creating for a long time. Many “Material Girls” were taking classes today too. I think our December challenge will be to incorporate something you learned at Expo into a garment.

Hope you can come to Fashion Sewing Club tomorrow at 10:15 in the Longfellow Theatre and make it a day for feeding your passion.

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Wow-are we glad we’re here! Fashion Sewing Club had over 70 attendees this morning! Lots of fun-here are a few pictures. What a great location. Easy to get to. I hear it’s a cold walk in from parking but I haven’t been outside yet today. Many people and vendors. Laurel just took the Vintage Details class and loved it.

Many of our regulars are stopping by and saying hi. Sooo fun. Thank you all. Treadle is right next to us with a stream of customers. The facility is very comfortable and pleasant. Low ceilings so it doesn’t feel like we’re in the Excel Energy Center. Thanks for changing locations, Original Sewing and Quilting Expo.

Gotta get back out on the floor. Hope you can come by and take it all in.

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