3 Quilts are now hung on the walls.  1 of my giant pairs of scissors are hanging and I am figuring out where to put the other pair.  We have a bulletin board, newly painted by Sandy Brooks in the entryway.  I plan to post pictures of students and their projects there.  And any Breaking News, of course.

Over the holidays, more painting will be happening.  Those of you who have been taking classes know that the bathroom and back hallway are way below the standards I usually have for my space.  I love to decorate the bathroom.  It can be a place to inspire you for the possibilities in your own home.  Right now, there is a big hole in the wall between the toilet and sink.  There are places needing patching, and the whole room needs painting.  The back hallway walls are in need of attention and I don’t want it to become some junky catch all.  So, you can let me know what you think when you come see the place early next year.

I have been working on curtains for the front window.  They are almost done.  I used the fabric as inspiration for the paint colors I used around the sewing school.  I have some antique sewing machines on display in the front window.  Recently, someone gave me an old Singer, with Egyptian themed decals on it.  I have wanted one like that for years, so it is fun to put it out for everyone to see.

In January, I plan to have an Open House and will post that here and through a newsletter when I have determined the date.  I wish you all well in the mean time.  Happy Holidays! and thanks for your support.

I am myself amazed that we are ready so soon.  I have felt overwhelmed at times, working 12+ hours a day, most of these past weeks and it’s all been possible with a lot of help from many of you, students, and friends.  Thank you.  I will see you soon in our new space.

Our phone/internet service was installed on Weds. Nov 30th at our 785 Mass Ave location.  We can now receive messages, and as soon as we find the phone (it was packed) we will be able to answer the phone when it rings.  You can email us if you know my email address or use the contact/registration form.  I get email notices on my smartphone, so I am not out of the loop.

Right now, the electrical work is pretty much complete.  Inspection was passed and most of the ceiling tiles are back in place.  There are still some more things that need to be accomplished before we can resume classes.

• Most of the painting is complete, but one more wall needs to be finished
• The baseboards need to be installed (Barry is hired to do that on Dec 3) and painted (by us.)
• The HVAC needs to be checked, which we hope will be done on Monday
• Half of the space has new flooring, it needs to be cleaned and sealed.
• Finally, the furniture needs to be put in place, according to plan, and then unpacking and installation of the gravity feed irons and task lighting.

During the next month or so, the rest of the work can be done around scheduled class times.

Before you head to class the week of December 5th, please check the website or call the school phone to confirm that your class is meeting. We will have a better idea of a reopening date after this weekend, Dec 3-4.

We have been painting at the new place.  Most of it is complete.  You can see pictures in my most recent email newsletter (12-2-11.)  Norma Osborn has been a huge help with painting, at the old space as well as the new.  Sandy Brooks, my daughter, Amelia, and several others have lent a hand with the big job painting entails.  I thank all of you named, and un-named, who have contributed to this move.  It wouldn’t be possible without all of your support.  Thank you!

If you should have some time available this week, especially now that we have passed the electrical inspection, much help is needed to move furniture into place, as well as unpacking.  Anyone who contributes 3+ hours will received a discount on a future 6 week class.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

Laura

We had the opportunity to move into the empty space in the Fabric Corner building and couldn’t pass it up.  We are working on finishing the space right now, so that we can resume classes as quickly as possible.  One of my students said that moving there  would be like a Drug Dealer setting up shop across from a Rehab Center.  How can we control our fabric addictions when my sewing school will be located above the Fabric Store? But, then, why would we want to?

But, imagine, you forget to buy something for your project?  You just go downstairs.  Need thread, a zipper, some interfacing?  Go Downstairs!  Want some inspiration? Go Downstairs!

I think you will love the new location.  Not only for being in the same building as the Fabric Corner, but it is next door to Bagels by US, 2 doors from Cakes Bakery, and next to that is Arlington House of Pizza.  If you feel like you have overindulged, you can go to Get in Shape for Women just past the pizza place.  If you forgot to pre-wash your fabric, there is a laundromat on the next corner and before or after class, you can get your groceries at Johnny’s Foodmaster across and down the street.

We are going to be only a couple blocks from the heart of Arlington Center, which boasts a great variety of restaurants and small businesses.  At least 3 bus lines (77, 79, 67) go right past the new shop, so those of you who do not drive, can easily reach us by mass transit.

At the new place, we had to remove a bunch of walls, put in a new floor, and are having some major electrical work done.  The electrical work is taking longer than expected, so that is delaying how soon we can resume classes.  Also, painting has to take place and then everything needs to be unpacked. Once the dust settles, I will post pictures and show you the ongoing process of fixing the new place, both in the email newsletter, as well as my Facebook page.  You can link to Laura’s Sewing School on FB by clicking here.

If any of you would like to help pack, or clean, or paint, I would welcome the assistance.  I am writing this late on Thanksgiving.  We still need packing assistance on Friday, Nov. 25, and then some painting and cleaning assistance after the move happens to make sure the Warren St place is ready for whoever moves into it.

The new space needs painting and UNpacking help, too.  I was stumped for colors for the new place.  Several friends/students & my daughter (thank you Norma, Sandy, Veronica, Amelia) have been painting the colored walls back to white in the old shop.  They said they were looking forward to painting colors in the new shop.  I said that I thought we should just paint everything white and then add colors later.  Norma made a good point, saying that I won’t be inclined to do any painting once everything is in place.  I was in the Fabric corner on Wednesday, waiting for a friend to meet me, and I found a fabric that inspired me for the colors we will be using.  I am very excited about it.  You’ll have to let me know what you think when you see it.  If you can volunteer 3+ hours of your time, you can receive a discount on a future 6 week class session.  Feel free to call or email, to let us know if you can donate your time to our transition.  We thank you  for your support, both in the past and the future.

Keep checking back for more information.  Within the next couple of weeks, I will be having a Fabric Stash Bash. I have way too much fabric and will not be able to use it all within this lifetime, so I thought I would pass the riches on to you.  Great fabric, great prices and I can put the receipts toward the cost of the move and renovation.  It is definitely a win/win situation.

Also, I have some older sewing machines that I can pass on to others.  I love older machines.  They are all metal, smooth and quiet and need little maintenance.  I usually sit at an older straight stitch machine to sew most of my clothing projects.  I still have the machine I was given in High School.  So, if you are looking for a machine that has been well used and loved, that will be a quiet workhorse in your sewing room, contact me.  I know I have at least 3 to 4 of them.  A couple of them are in cabinets and the others are portable.

Our new address, as of November 26, 2011 is 785 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA  02476.

We are now taking enrollment for our Late Fall session of classes.  Each class meets for 3 hours, one time per week, for 6 weeks.  Our After School classes meet for 2 hours, one time a week for 6 weeks.  If you receive our email newsletter, we are offering an early registration discount through Sunday, October 9th, so check your In Box!

Something totally NEW, and totally AWESOME!!!!!!  Become a Sewing Club member today!

There are quite a few of you who are getting spoiled by my large cutting tables, gravity-fed professional irons and the sewing school space overall.  Plus, it’s a lot of fun to sew with your friends.  You may want to be able to use the space, but not feel you need instruction.  So, we are now offering a monthly sewing membership.  Pay $99 for the option of coming and using our space during non-class times.  You can come up to 8 times per month for as much as 3 hours a time.   We will have weekday, evening and weekend times available for you to come and use the space with no instruction included.  If you come 4 times, the cost is 1/2 what an instructed class costs.  Come 8 times and you are paying 1/4 the price of a instruction lead period.  There is no carry over from month to month.  So, if you only come 5 times one month, you cannot carry 3 over to the next month, you start fresh with 8 session times.  A Second option is to pay $59 for up to 4 times per month.  Your month starts when you sign up for the monthly sewing club.  So, if you sign up on the 15th, you pay again on the 15th the next month.  You can cancel your membership with one week’s notice.  We will send you an email invoice each month, a few days prior to your due date.  If you should have any other questions, please contact us.

LATE FALL CLASSES, OCTOBER 2011

ADULT DAYTIME CLASSES:
All classes meet for 3 hours each week for 6 weeks.
Cost: $270 per student
Class limited to 5-6 students, depending on the level of experience of students
Beginners welcome in all classes, unless otherwise noted.

Monday Morning Sewing/Serging with Jan
10am-1pm

Monday Evening Sewing with Laura
7-10pm

Tuesday Morning Sewing with Laura
9:30am-12:30pm

Wednesday Morning Sewing with Laura
9:30am-12:30pm

Thursday Midday Sewing with Laura
11am-2pm

Friday Morning Sewing with Laura
9:30am-12:30pm

AFTER SCHOOL KIDS/TEENS:
All classes meet for 2 hours each week for 6 weeks.
Cost: $195 per student
Class limited to 5-6 students, depending on the level of experience of students
Beginners welcome in all classes, unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday After School Sewing with Laura
3:30-5:30pm

Wednesday After School Sewing with Laura
3:30-5:30pm

Thursday After School Sewing with Laura
3:30-5:30pm

Friday After School Sewing with Laura
3:30-5:30pm

SATURDAY SEWING CLASSES for ALL AGES:
All classes meet for 3 hours each week for 6 weeks.
Cost: $270 per student
Class limited to 5-6 students, depending on the level of experience of students
Beginners welcome in all classes, unless otherwise noted.

Saturday Morning Sewing with Laura
9:30am-12:30pm

Saturday Afternoon Sewing with Laura
1:30-4:30pm

We often have special sewing workshops on Sundays.  Check back as we will be scheduling them soon.  For example: a Custom Dress form made of Duct Tape; Baskets made with fabric wrapped clothesline; the ever popular Weekender Tote; How to “Knock Off” (copy) an existing garment you love, without taking it apart!; and much more…….

Here are times that are available to our Sewing Club Members (experienced only, no beginners, sorry! and you must be over 18 years of age.)

Mondays 1-5pm     Tuesdays 12:30-3:30, and 6-10pm     Wednesdays 12:30-3:30pm  Thursdays 8-11am and 6-10pm  Fridays 12:30-3:30pm  and 6-10pm     Sundays 9am-1pm and possibly later if there is no ASG meeting or sewing workshop scheduled.

For right now, we would like you to contact us to let us know that you will be coming to one of these Sewing Club times.  That way, we will have someone here, in the shop.  And, we won’t have any of the times overbooked.  You don’t even need to come to sew!  You can use the Living Room space to do your knitting and hang with your knitting/crocheting/embroidering/cross-stitching friends!  We can take up to 10 sewing people and 6+ in the Living Room.  So, the more the merrier!

Please note, if you have never sewn here before, but would like to become a Sewing Club member, we ask 2 things.  First, you must know how to sew, no beginners.  Secondly, if you haven’t been in the space, you need to come for an orientation, so that you know how to use the gravity feed irons, where things are stored, what is available for you to use and what is off limits, or could be rented or bought.  We hope to give you a new home for expressing your passion for sewing.

This past Saturday, November 20, 2010, Nashua Sew & Vac hosted a day with Sue Hausmann.  She has a show on PBS, called America Sews.  She was in town to share much of her expertise and inspire us in our creative endeavors.  It was a little heavy on machine embroidery hints, but there were a few gems she gave us, that I must pass on to you!  And, I couldn’t help but elaborate on related troubles and their solutions.

Bobbins, how to wind them without damaging them.

First, Jan Bickford, our serger/sewing teacher, has been educating us to wind plastic bobbins at a medium, rather than fast speed.  The friction on the thread, as it goes from spool, through the tension discs, to the bobbin, causes the thread to heat up.  Sue elaborated on this info by showing us that the heat can be high enough to actually warp and distort the bobbin!!!  She showed us one that was damaged in that manner.  I have wondered why some bobbins are like this when I go to wind them, and now I know!  Warping will cause the bobbin to feed thread unevenly and therefore your stitches will not be consistent.  (This doesn’t apply to metal bobbins.)  Another thing to be careful of, whether using metal or plastic bobbins, is that high speed winding can stretch the thread.  So, NO lead footing allowed!

Problems for which the Solutions involve the Take Up Lever

Many of you have had problems with your sewing machine, and whenever they happen, you’ll say, “What’s wrong with this @#%$&   thing!!!!     %#^@&$*%!”  Often, the machine gets shoved into the closet and collects dust.

Well, here are some hints for you.  First, whenever you wish to stop your line of stitching and pull the fabric away from the machine, you must put the Take Up Lever to its top position. (See the photo and drawing above.)   If your machine has a Needle Up/Down button, use that.  If it doesn’t , then turn the hand wheel, (on the right end of the machine,) top toward you, until the needle is at its highest position and just starting to move downward.  Or, until the Take Up Lever is at its highest point.  I say “top toward you” rather than clockwise or counter-clockwise, because if you are sitting to the right of the handwheel, it turns counterclockwise, and if you are seated to the left of the wheel, you would observe that direction as clockwise.  Since the machine is usually in front of you, I say “top toward you” to eliminate confusion.  Did that help?  Or, did I just muddle your thinking?

What having the Take Up Lever at the top will do for you, is eliminate 3-4 problems that commonly happen to beginners and even more seasoned sewists. (I have to tell you, that I don’t really like the term “sewist” but as I write “sewers” it looks more like “soo-ers” than “Soh-ers,” not an appealing thought!)

Please click on this link to the How Stuff Works website. It will take you to a page on how sewing machines form stitches.  There are 2 animated drawings showing first, how a chain stitch machine works, then, secondly, how our standard sewing machines work.  When you look at the second animation, note that the needle penetrates the fabric and a hook grabs the thread and brings it around the bobbin.  You can see that the needle exits the fabric before the needle thread completes its journey around the bobbin.  The needle thread is made long enough to wrap around the bobbin, by the Take Up Lever giving slack to the thread.  It “Takes Up” that slack, after the needle thread goes half way around the bobbin.  Most people look at the needle when they sew.  So, they think that as soon as the needle comes out of the fabric, that you can pull it away from the machine.  Unfortunately, the stitch is not complete, until the Take Up lever does its job and returns to its highest position.

What are the problems that occur when you try to stop before the stitch is fully formed?

Problem 1 You cannot pull the fabric away from the machine
Why?  The hook holding the needle thread has not released it  from its journey around the bobbin case.

Problem 2 When, with great effort, you do pull it away, you end up with 4 threads coming out rather than 2
Why?  Again with the needle thread being trapped below, you are pulling the bobbin thread, the needle thread and the 2 sides of the loop around the bobbin, up with your fabric.  You cut all 4 threads and then pull the end of one thread and it comes out of the machine’s throat plate (this is the metal plate that the needle passes through and where the feed dogs pop up.)

Problem 3 When you start sewing again, the thread comes out of the needle and you have to reinsert it into the eye of the needle!
Why?  You cut the thread and the Take Up Lever still has to travel up, before it goes down.  So, it pulls the needle thread out of the eye of the needle and you say, “$@%#^$%%!” and rethread it and continue.

Problem 4.  ALL of these problems can be eliminated, if you do one thing!!!!
When you stop sewing, make sure that the take up lever is in its highest position.  (Circled in red in the photo above, most will stick out of the machine at the top)  If it is not at the top, ALWAYS, turn the hand wheel on the machine, top toward you.  Now, this is counter-intuitive for us.  We bicycle, and walk and crank things in a “top away from you” motion.  But, the motor on your machine turns the handwheel, “top toward you.”  It you turn it the other way, you can jam the machine.

Problem 5 When you start sewing, the machine makes an AWFUL racket and makes a mess of thread underneath, and gets stuck in place.

A.   One of the most common reasons, is that you have forgotten to put down the presser foot.  When you lower the presser foot, you also engage the tension discs, which grab the thread and let it go in a well-timed rhythm.  If the presser foot is raised, the thread flows freely (it isn’t grabbed at all) and when the take up lever rises, it takes the thread from the spool (the path of least resistance) rather than from below the fabric.  Meaning, that the loop that is being wrapped around the bobbin, doesn’t get pulled back up through the fabric.  This will cause a pile up of thread loops underneath.  It’s a domino effect.  Like those classic comedy sketches where a line of people are moving forward, the first person stops and everyone bumps into the person in front of them.   If this does happen to you, don’t just put the presser foot down and try to continue sewing, you’ve made your mess and you have to clean it up before you can sew again,  You’ve plugged the drain and it must be unclogged.

Mickey Hudson likes to call this mess “bobbin vomit!”  Sometimes, it seems the most appropriate term for such a mess.
P.S. Another reason, that I overlooked for thread jams, is that whenever you start sewing, you must have the needle penetrate fabric.  The fabric holds the thread so that the loop comes back up from under the fabric.  If you have the needle go down before the fabric, the loop gets stuck underneath and the same bobbin vomit forms.  Yuck!  I do have an industrial machine that always leaves a small knot on the underside of the fabric, unless I hold both thread tales to the back, while stitching the first 2-3 stitches in the fabric.  If you are concerned about sewing all the way to the edge of the fabric, then start with a1/4″ of fabric behind the needle, go forward one stitch to establish the thread in the material, then backstitch/backtack/or reverse stitch to the edge and then go forward.  This secures the thread tales and keeps you from having a knotty mess underneath.

B. Another time that this happens, is if you are trying to sew past a thick seam in the fabric.  If the presser foot gets tipped high in the front, it cannot move forward.  The pressure on the foot is in the back, if the fabric changes from thin to thick, the foot gets stuck in place.  The way around this is to make the foot level.  You need to shim the back of the foot to be even with the front.  If you do that, there is no problem getting past a thick area of fabric.  You can buy tools designed for this called, “Hump Jumpers” or Jean-a-ma-jigs.  I own these tools, but can never find them when I need them.  So, I improvise.  I find a business or index card, folded to the same thickness as the fabric, works really well.  (for those of you who are more adventurous or lazy, who like danger, use a sewing machine needle case, but wear your safety glasses)

Hump Jumper inserted behind needle to level foot over a thick seam.

Jean a ma jig, inserted before seam, to level foot.

How to level or shim the presser foot:  as the presser foot encounters the increased height of the seam, stop the machine, put the needle down and insert shim behind the needle.  Lower the presser foot, continue sewing across the seam.  It will pop out from under the foot when no longer needed.

Leveling Presser Foot, also does general sewing.

Some machines have a shimming mechanism built into the standard presser foot.  Do you have a presser foot that has a spring-loaded, black button on the side near the back, like the picture above?  Have you ever wondered what the heck that is for?  Well, when you sew and encounter a thicker area, let the foot start traveling over the seam, stop, put the needle into the fabric.   Level the foot and push the button in on the side so that it engages with an indentation in the back “ankle” area of the presser foot connection.  Hold the button in while you lower the presser foot onto the fabric.  Then, let the button go. It will stay pushed in.  The foot will remain level as you sew across your seam.  The button will pop out of place when you have passed the thick area.  It is quite amazing!

Now, for those of you, who have had a problem with the thread coming out of the Take Up Lever, this is for you!  I have been trying to figure this out for a long time.  I don’t have this happen to me, but it happens to a lot of my students when they use one of my sewing machines, in particular, the Kenmore model 16231.  Sue Hausmann talked to us about this and I was so happy to learn this, that it was worth attending the 6 hour seminar, if only for this explanation.

This usually happens for people who have a sewing machine which can stop the needle in either the UP or Down position automatically.  (Though, just today (11/23/10,) I had a student, whose machine doesn’t have this feature, have this problem, so all of you should read this!)

Many times, you may find that that AWFUL sound happens when you start sewing a seam.  When you stop, there are big loops of thread down below and you may or may not be able to pull the fabric away from the machine.  This is caused by using the handwheel, rather than the UP/DOWN button, to move the needle/takeup lever to their UP positions.  Sometimes, your machine’s UP position may vary a little bit from what you expect.  If you turn the wheel  by hand, you may not put it right where the machine would and it forms some slack in the thread, that allows it to come out of the take up lever.  Since I love the needle up down button (you can have it stop in the fabric whenever you take your foot off the pedal, so it acts like a third hand, holding your fabric in place on the machine while you adjust it to continue sewing.)  You can also have it stop in the UP position every time you stop.  If it is in the Down mode, make sure that at the end of stitching your seam, that you push the UP button rather than turning the hand wheel.  The designers of the machine want you to use the button rather than the wheel.

Another task that is effected by not using the UP/DOWN button, is threading the machine using the automatic needle threader. Most new sewing machines come with a needle threader.  How it works, is that you push a lever down, as it is depressed, it rotates forward and puts a teeny, tiny hook, through the back of the eye of the needle.  You draw the thread around a guide and then up the front of the needle until it encounters the underside of that teeny, tiny hook (like a minuscule crochet hook.)  You let the thread in your right hand go, at the same time as you release the lever on the left.  Spring loading allows the hook to draw a thread loop through the eye of the needle.  You then pull that loop all the way through to finish threading the machine.  Most needle threaders look like the one above.  None of them work right, unless the machine is IN the pre-programmed UP position.  If you are not sure if the machine is in the right place, hit the needle UP/DOWN button, until it is.  If you do not do this, it will bend the hook so that this will not work in the future.  Many people do not know this.  Remember………If all else fails, read the instruction manual.   Or, come to a class and we will show you what to do! ]]> http://www.laurassewingschool.com/2010/11/23/common-troubles-with-sewing-machines/feed/ 0 http://www.laurassewingschool.com/2009/12/06/pictures-of-students-work/ http://www.laurassewingschool.com/2009/12/06/pictures-of-students-work/#comments Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:55:34 +0000 Laura Wirkkala http://www.laurassewingschool.com/?p=340 The following pics are from 2009.  These are just a portion of what students have accomplished here in their classes.

All the rage here at Laura’s Sewing School, we are having such fun and interest in making Amy Butler’s gumdrop pillows that I have scheduled a one day workshop for us to go wild and make them together.  I will order the stuffing and patterns and you will purchase the fabric of your choice.  You can see the details (dimensions, materials list) about the pattern on Amy Butler’s website.
These cushions are made of drapery weight fabric.  You can find that weight of fabric here in Arlington, at Fabric Corner, at Freddy Farkel’s in Watertown (also known as Fabric Showplace) and online.  Fabric Corner just ordered a large selection of Amy Butler home dec fabrics and they have received 12 of them! They will go fast, especially because they will be posting them for online sale, too. So, you may want to get there as soon as you can to pick up the fabric.  If the weight is fine, it can be any brand of fabric.  You just don’t want a fabric which is too loosely woven, or unravels easily.  Fabric.com has a nice selection of Amy Butler printed twills if you want to use her fabric designs.  There are 8 panels, all the same, which are sewn together like sections of an orange.  They are packed with a LOT of stuffing.  I found hand sewing the first one, Amy Lou actually did that work since it was her project, rather tedious.  So, when I made MY first one, I used an invisible zipper to close the pillow once it was stuff.  Much easier and quicker.

Kids absolutely love this pillow. They have found it as a great place to sit and bounce and roll on or off.  Adults do find it useful as a footrest.   You can make them with one fabric or two.  If you cut it from one fabric, you fussy cut it, making sure that it is cut in the very same place on the fabric, for all the pieces.  This makes interesting, kaleidoscopic patterns, especially if the fabric has symmetry.  You can see this on both of Amy’s pillows.  Even though I used 2 fabrics in the pillows for my nieces, I did cut all of the large-scale, patterned fabric in the same place.  There is an octagonal patch on the top of the cushion.  I fussy cut that, centering it on a flower or pattern.

I propose that the workshop be on Sunday, March 15th.  From 10am-4pm.  That should give us plenty of time to work and eat and stuff and finish one gumdrop cushion.  The next one, you will be able to do on your own and much faster.  I will provide the stuffing and the pattern. You provide the fabric, thread (good quality polyester like Gutermann or Mettler) and an invisible zipper in a matching color.  The only part of the zipper to show will be the tab.  Buy a 12-14″ zipper or longer.  It will work for either size pillow.  And, if you have to buy a longer zipper to get a color match, it is very easy to shorten.  Better too long than too short!  The Fabric Corner sells invisible zippers and the presser foot to apply it to your project.  I just talked to them about ordering enough for all of you.  The presser foot is adaptable to most sewing machines and can be used over and over again.  It is reasonably priced and worth buying.

I will have to price out the patterns and stuffing.  So, I will have to get back to you on the price for the class.  I think that we can have 5, possibly 6 students for the day.  Let me know if you want to take the class and I will let you know the price.  If the 22nd of March is better than the 15th, let me know.  I am flexible about the date.  If you are available during the day, M-F, I could possibly meet with you for a workshop on a Thursday.  I am excited about this project.

I made 9 shades from some sale fabric I liked, and spent approximately $100 for all 9, including the hardware, wood (for mounting boards and slats at the top and bottom of the shades) and cording.  I even made shade pulls for the ends of the cords out of Fimo clay.  I was able to use a color which went well with the fabric.  Make them the size I wanted and then set the clay by baking it in the oven.  Didn’t smell the best, but the weather was warm so I opened the windows.

I reupholstered a wing chair I have.  It is a quality piece originally from Ethan Allen.  The fabric on it was a large bargello weave.  There was a tack line along the wings, arms and base of the chair.  It took me forever to get the tacks out.  They were only decorative.  I think there were over 300 of them.  I never liked the tacks because they would rub along the bone between my elbow and wrist.  I saw some fabric I liked at Fabric Place and bought enough for the chair.  I thought I would do it myself.  Then I changed my mind and decided to have it done for me.  I was going to cost me $585 without the cost of the fabric.  I waited until I could put aside that kind of money for it.  I forgot about it for awhile.  That was until almost 3 years ago.  I had a student who came to me, who was taking an upholstery class at the Fabric Place in Framingham at the same time as mine.  It was 10 weeks long.  Toward the end of the FP class, she told me that I needed to help her finish her wing chair.  I told her that I wasn’t sure if I was the best person to help her.  She insisted that I could.  And, that I should do my own chair for practice.  I had worked a short time for an upholsterer in Northern Wisconsin in 1988.  I had done cushions and foot stools and many other projects.  But, I was a little shy about a wing chair.  They are a more advance item to work on.  I have a lot of books on upholstery.  I find it very interesting and I have done a few slipcovers.

So, she convinced me to do it.  I focused all my spare sewing time on it for 10 days.  I took very good notes as I removed each part of the original cover, so that I could remember how things went together.  I saved all the fabric panels to use as patterns.  What surprised me, is that once the agony of extracting so many tacks and staples was over, that upholstering the piece was far easier than slipcovering it would have been.  You cut panels of fabric larger than you need in a shape similar to the original.  Staple it to the frame in a certain order and then cut away the excess fabric.  It requires very little actual sewing!  The only things I needed to sew were piping/welting and the cushion cover and arm covers.  It came out very well.  And, even though I spent time on the project, I enjoyed it and continue to enjoy the chair in my Living Room.  One funny thing was that I thought I had bought the fabric 2 years before.  Fabric Place would always place a sales slip on the fabric when you bought it.  I hadn’t removed the slip and when I looked at it, I realized that I had bought the fabric 4 years earlier!  You must use no fabric before its time..it must age appropriately…..(that’s a take-off from an old wine commercial with Orson Welles saying, “We sell no wine before its time.”)

Simpler projects can be fast and easy.  I made my dog 2 different beds from fabric left over from other projects.  I’ve made pillows, valances, bookcase curtains on swing rods.  Placemats, table runners, tablecloths, napkins, sewing machine covers, book covers, (I don’t want people knowing what I really read, “fluff,” or as one of my HS students calls it “Chiclet reading.”)  It’s hard to even think or list all the home items I have made.  Oh, another is a bean bag ottoman cube.  I have one in my school’s living room area.  It is very comfortable to rest your feet on and is simply a cube.

Bedroom items: shams, quilts, duvet covers, dust ruffles, curtains, throw pillows, hanger covers for those clothes which are not worn often, so you want to cover the shoulders to keep off the dust.

Bathroom: Shower curtains (to be used with a waterproof liner), window curtains or roman shades or valances, sink skirts, cosmetic bags or a hanging storage bag with pockets for all of the separate items.

I could go on, and I probably will.  But, it is getting late and I do want to post some pictures for you.  So, I will sign off for now.