Sewing Together

This week has been a wonderful week for sewing!

Brickwall Cushion for Patchwork Class.

For the first time in a long time I have managed to get some patchwork done and not just that I actually got to sit and sew with some amazing people!

My day job is encouraging people to work together, to build friendships and skills whilst sewing. But I find that I often spend my time alone sewing. Sewing in my studio or sitting watching TV with the boys...

Which is why I decided, along with Sonia from Fabric and Flowers, Modern Quilt Guild Chapter in Gloucestershire. This week we had 2 wonderful meetings: a sewing day on Monday and an evening meet last night.

It is such great fun to be in a room with fellow fabric addicts working on our own projects, sharing ideas and chatting about life in general.

As a guild we are new and we are looking for new members who would like to meet other quilters of all levels. Everyone in the group enjoys sewing and quilting, and we all work at our own skills level. Chatting and sharing our projects helps everyone to build their skills and builds new friendships.

So if you fancy meeting other fabric addicts, learning new skills and sharing some cake email Gloucestermqg@btinternet.com for more details.

Adult Classes and Parties

Ever wanted to learn how to sew but not being able to attend a convenient class?

Or just been given a sewing machine by a well meaning relative, but you don't know how to use it?

Fancy having a hen party with a difference?

I will be teaching private sewing lessons in the New Year for individuals and groups in a location of your choice!

You choose the time, you organise the place and I will bring my gorgeous Janome sewing machines, and everything you need to learn how to sew!

Workshops Available:

• Getting to know your sewing machine
• Conquering zips
• Bag making
• Patchwork and quilting
• Hen party sewing

At the moment I am able offer these workshops to groups in Gloucestershire, Bath and Swindon areas.

Costs

For a group of up to 4 people it is £30.00 an hour, plus materials and 40p per mile over 20miles from Tetbury. Each extra person is £10 an hour.

The minimum booking is 3 hours.

If you are interested please contact me and we can organise how to get you sewing!

Thinking on my feet...

Yesterday I had one of those awful moments of realisation that I had forgotten some essential supplies..

Having spent Sunday evening and Monday morning cutting fabric panels and wadding for quilt as you go place mats with my Monday class I had then proceeded to leave them on the desk in the studio...

Not that helpful when I had driven 45 minutes to the class!

The class has quite specific needs that have been covered in the risk assessment and rotary cutters and irons have been removed from the planning to safe guard the learners... hence the quilt as you go approach...

I did however have the fabric strips I had cut for the class, so we set about arranging the fabrics into designs for the top of the place mats:

Then came the bit I was dreading: sewing the strips together:

But because of the slow feature on the new machines, the class were able to set them at a speed they were comfortable with, and although the seams weren't perfect they were pretty good!

So a panic was averted and the need to keep the activity fun, but low risk was met.

Most importantly the group were able to work at their own pace to piece the strips that will form the top of their place mats - a pretty col achievement since 3 of them hadn't used a sewing machine before!

And yes, next week I will remember the wadding and backing I had forgotten!

The plan!

 

It is half term week here in Gloucestershire - and most of the UK - so that means kids at home and little teaching.

I only have 2 days teaching booked in this week. Yesterday on Gloucester was a complete shambles. I turned up with all my kit and the hall was being used as a dumping ground whilst another room in the building was being carpeted. I picked my way through the crap and managed to organise a small space to welcome new learners into, but there were kids running around, music from the painters blaring and just chaos... not my idea of a safe learning environment. So we completed paperwork, set ground rules and chatted about the course objectives.

The good thing about it was that my lovely ladies were relaxed and chatted. Turns out my course gives them a reason to get out of their nighties and do something. It will be a great course with lots of giggles!

So apart from that and a couple of private lesson tomorrow this week is quiet... until I think about the planning...

Next week I start 2 new courses.

Monday is in a drop in centre for people with mental health issues. I have met them and they are a lovely bunch, but it is going to be very different. It has taken some thought to devise projects that fit their ideas - which were numerous and exciting - into lessons that are safe for all concerned. No iron, no rotary cutters and no stress...

I think I have got there, just the SOW and lesson plans to write now!

Tuesday is Gloucester again with my lovely ladies and Wednesday is Tewkesbury with my group of mum who are funny and put up with my jokes! Thursday is private lessons here.

Friday is another new group.  Another day centre, but this time working with women recently released from prison. We are going to be making patchwork and using that process to build relationships and confidence. The planning for this one has a different direction again. These learners will be inconsistent in attendance and actually staying in the class. They also have a tendency to try and remove items... a sewing machine is visible under a coat, other smaller items will need to be monitored, especially rotary cutters... so it presents another challenge.

Add to this Cubs and Beaver Scouts and you get a heady mix of ages, challenges and fun!

Would I go back to the made Christmas rush and craft fairs of last year?

No.... absolutely not. My days are varied (the paperwork stinks!) and I am challenged everyday.... might need intravenous coffee though!

Variety is the Spice of Sewing!

Sewing is a hobby, like many others, that grabs you and holds you fast! One day you are frightened of the sewing machine and the next you have a stash of fabrics that fills a room... even more scraps!

It can be daunting, especially if you are coming as a beginner to the hobby as an adult.

My role as a sewing teacher is varied... I work with keen and confident 10 year old girls, who show no fear, 16 year old veterans who are more unsure, but love the challenge:



My work for Gloucester County Council involves working with adults from all backgrounds. The organisations that approach me want to use crafts to help support adults who have been identified as needing support with confidence and social skills. The aim is to ease them  into a classroom environment without frightening them too much!

Today was no exception. Tenants from the housing association have been offered the chance to learn new skills. I have 5 lovely ladies with varying abilities. They were brought together by one common aim - to learn to use a sewing machine.

2 of the ladies had never used an electric machine - they have hand cranks at home which haven't been used for years.... this is a new one for me! Most people have some experience of electric machines from school, but no experience of sewing machines except of hand crank machines.... Amazing!

The power of 3 hours sewing together in a room of strangers is amazing... they learnt how to set up a machine, played with the controls and made their own pin cushions for use on the course. They all left smiling, happy and with a sparkle... I love seeing that sparkle...

Next week I will have 9 ladies. 9 ladies to pass on some sewing skills to, to guide through the process of measuring, cutting and marking clothing for adding embellishments.

I can't wait!