July Sew-phist-icuts meeting

The Sew-phist-icuts have been working on a number of different projects recently and July meeting had Sandy teaching the group how to make a boxy style zippy bag.

 
These cuties were made by Peggy.  (Of course) she just had to make these using fabrics with a cheery cow print on it :-)







Show &  Tell:

 Peggy has been a super-sewist this summer.

First is a Cross-Body Bag, a free pattern from SewCanShe.com.

Next, is this comfy tunic top that she modified by removing the neck facing and stabilizing with the neckband.  Changing the directions of the stripes provides a lot of interest at the neck and sleeve hems.

 Finally, Peggy created this summer t-shirt using some fabric leftover from a different project and fabric "shared" at the Sew-In this summer.

June Sew-phisti-cuts Meeting

The June Sew-phisti-cuts meeting was one of sharing.  Various small projects that members have made (either recently or in the past) were presented as options for this year's community service project.  We plan to work on items of our own choice at home and will consolidate them together later in the year for distribution to local family shelters.  The focus will be on items that would be appreciated at the holiday time by female clients.  

From top, clockwise:  zippy bags, shoulder bag, snap bags, chiffon and keyhole scarves, mini-zippy bags in different shapes, knit or crocheted cowl neck wraps, fleece hat, mini-purses

Peggy Norton is collecting the directions for as many of these items as are possible.  She will supply them upon request as they are available.

Show & Tell

  

Peggy made herself a white t-shirt and decided to decorate it with some self-covered buttons.  She "fussy cut" the button covers from interesting Asian-style prints and varied the button sizes for additional interest.  Great idea!

Peggy's paper-pieced cat blocks

Maura had always wanted to make a purse with the metal frame and closure.   She recently found this cute pattern in a kit and decided to try it out.  Success! and not hard too do at all.

 Pat's most recent baby quilt in a simple block and strip pattern.

These are Pat's most recent purses.  This style could also be used for our community service project selections.

Connie recently finished this Judy Niemeyer quilt top

Connie's Judy Niemeyer retreat quilt - awesome!!

Connie's Vintage Print Quilt for a retiring friend

Closeup of Connie's vintage  print

quilt

To Market, To Market....so let's make a Basket!

April found the Sew-phisti-cuts making Market Baskets for storing and organizing all their sewing related items (or whatever).  Pat M loves trying the various styles and was kind enough to teach everyone how to make this very easy project.  Enjoy browsing them all:

Market Basket under construction

Notice the 2 different handle styles....

Pat's mini-baskets....

and her Easter Basket.  So cute!!

A couple of the night's creations....

Peggy's basket

Mary's toy basket for little Anthony

SHOW & TELL

Pat's zippy pouch

Pat's latest bag

Sandy's quilt

Judy's latest top

Get Creative with Zentangle and Fabric Doodling 

Last night's Sew-phisti-cuts meeting was an opportunity for us to engage those little brain cells and go back to being a kid again back in art class.

Presented by Maura Kristofik, attendees worked on creating a unique design on paper or fabric with fabric marking pens.  Maura shared with us some of the 'doodling' she has done in the past, as well as her inspiration and uses for her completed items.  In the most recent project she transformed doodled canvas into a decorative zippy bag.  She brought along a couple of books with design ideas, to get those creative juices flowing. 

Maura's doodle book and some sample doodles.

Maura made a quilt with painted stencils enhanced by fabric markers. 

Maura's zippy bag made from 'doodled" canvas.

 

Pat's doodles.

 

Mary's Valentine

 
 SHOW & TELL TIME:

Ever wonder what to do with those fabric scraps?  Maura took some of her knit leftovers and serged them together into a scarf.  Pretty cool!

 

Connie's Mermaid quilt

Connie's Owl quilt

Kathia's quilt for herself is machine embroidered.

Mary's Tart tin pin cushion

Pat's tote with interesting handles

Pat's brother made her these adorable boxes from a vintage yardstick

Here is a list of Sewphisticuts programs for 2019:

January 9:  Holiday Celebration Dinner at the Eveready Diner
This evening we just kicked back and enjoyed a carefree dinner out with lots laughs and after-the-holidays socializing. Enjoy pics of some of the work that we finished over the holidays:

Quilt by Mary D for her soon-to-graduate                              Tote bag made by Mary D.   Patterned
college student niece.                                                    after her favorite travel tote.
                                                                               Sue Kreutzberg....does the fabric look familiar? :-)

Kathia's latest purse creation:      

 Judy has been very busy preparing and assembling "Days for Girls" packages.  This project allows girls in third world countries to attend school during their menses.

 

March 13th: Decorative Stitching

Maura will lead this meeting as I will be traveling.  Each person in the group will play with the decorative stitches on their machine to create a unique decorative piece of any size.  Use interesting threads, bobbin work, etc.  Bring your creation to the meeting and share ideas with the group describing what you did, what worked or didn't work, etc. 

April 10th: Make a Fabric Storage Basket with Handles

Pat Melilli will lead this program.  Bring supplies (a list will be provided before hand) and your machine and sew a storage basket suitable for fat quarters or other sewing room organization that stands up nicely on its own. 

May 8th: Make a Boxy Zippy Bag

Sandy Cussick with take the lead this month in making a boxy style zippered bag.  This style works well for storing a variety of items and is handy for traveling. 

June 12th: Christmas Gift Ideas for the Ladies of Grace Smith House

This meeting will be devoted to sharing of ideas for hand made items to be collected and donated to Grace Smith House as Christmas gifts for the ladies being sheltered by their organization.  Items donated in the past are simple knit or crocheted scarves, sewn items such as zippy bags, wallets, tote bags, shopping bags, etc.  Bring samples of anything you have already made and instructions to share with others.

July 10th: Piping

Group leader Peggy Norton will lead this program which will include how to make piping, when to use straight grain vs. bias cut fabric, and applying piping to straight and curved edges, and joining the ends of piping. 

August 14th: Pot Luck and Sewing Room Tour

This is an annual event.  This year's location is TBD. 

September 11: Squishy Fabric Bowl

Mary DuBois will lead this program where we will make a soft fabric bowl.  Mary made one and donated it to the raffles at the 2018 annual meeting.  These can be made in different sizes to suit your decor.

October 9th: Make a Difference Day Prep

This meeting will be used to prepare for the annual Make a Difference Day sewing event.  A project will be chosen sometime during the year.

November 13th: Make a Non-Slip Sewing Machine Foot Pedal Holder

This item was shown at the planning dinner in January.  It's made with non-slip shelf line bound with cotton fabric.  It's way cool and a nice item to have for home or when traveling!

December 11th: Make a Folded Fabric Star Ornament

Connie Pennisi will lead this program where the group will make one or more star shaped ornaments by folding fabric a certain way.  Come make ornaments as gifts or to decorate your holiday packages!

As this can be a fluid schedule, some of these items could change.  Please contact Peggy to confirm your interest.

COLOR US HAPPY

Last Wednesday evening, the Sew-phist-i-cuts got a lesson in using a color wheel.  Most of us are familiar with rudimentary color wheels that show the three primary and the three secondary colors.  Group leader Peggy Norton demonstrated a color wheel tool (Dritz makes this particular one) that we could use to coordinate colors in all sorts of ways  Although the tool comes with some fairly extensive directions, Peggy walked us through the basics and then demonstrated with fabric samples from her own stash.  Many of us could see immediately how this would help us in choosing fabrics to go together, whether for quilts or clothing.  The color wheel tool is also useful when deciding on colors for home decorating.

A mock-up of the wheel for each of us to experiment with

And.....We're Back

After a brief hiatus (no meeting in December), the Sewphisticuts met in January at the Eveready Diner in Hyde Park to do a little socializing and planning.  Although not everyone could make it that night, some good ideas were generated. That discussion continued at the February meeting this past week with the group deciding on the following schedule:

March - crochet as a way to join fabric
April - Play time: bring your machine to practice or try a new technique
May - T-shirt quilt making
June - sachet/sinus masks
July - community service sewing:  Days For Girls items

The program at this month's meeting was about favorite sewing blogs and websites.  Members listed their favorite go-to sites for information, inspiration, and shopping.  The resulting collection  contained a nice mix of sites from commercial (i.e. shopping) to personal blogs.  Some contain free patterns, while others are more for inspiration (Pinterest, Instagram).  After the list is updated, Peggy will email it out to the group so that everyone will have the clickable links available to them.

And of course, there was Show-and-Tell:

Judy's jacket in progress

Pat's Valentine's Day wall hanging

Pat's Pencil scarf

Sandy's table runner

Connie's placemats

Maura's shoulder bag

Peggy's bike shirt using performance fabric

Peggy's muslin for a bike shirt

How many days until Christmas?

The holidays have a way of leaping upon us rather suddenly, so the Sewphisticuts tried to get a little jump on the season by making some ornaments and decorations at last night's meeting.  Pat Melilli and Peggy Norton led the group through the steps to make two different ornaments, both starting from fabric circles (yes, even the square ornament started as a circle!).  We also had some show-and-tell.

Holiday Ornaments and Decorations

Judy's ruana - a woolen wrap

Kathia's backpack in progress

Kathia's embroidered quilt blocks

Kathia's embroidered cork needle holder

Peggy's zippy bag assortment

Sandi's fall-theme coasters

Maura's knit top