Kids Camp Final Week

Last week marked the end of Kid's Summer Sewing Camp at Eddie's Quilting Bee.  While I am happy to get back to creating , I will miss the helping the kids find their own creative outlet.

This week brought a great monster pattern (McCall 5826) that allowed students to "build" their own monster.  It was great for every ability!  In addition we had alphabet letter pillows and uniquely designed stuffed animals!  I helped one student create a cat and dog to add to her menagerie of elephant and turtle.

The flip and stitch quilting technique also was redesigned to include many more fruits beside the basic watermelon from allpeoplequilt.com watermelon table runner .  These included apple, orange and even mango!

As I am putting away and reorganizing, I am planning to complete a few projects and then dive back into Sew Magical Creations including learning quilting, creating new patterns and focusing on a book proposal.

More from Summer Camp

Here are a couple of highlights from Sewing Camp this week.

First, I love the creative push that we get from students.  Last week I modified a watermelon table-runner into a purse when Ruth requested it and now two other people have made one! (I will post the tutorial for the purse in the future but here is the link for the table runner Watermelon Table Runner).

This week Maddie took her skill in making the flip and stitch watermelon table runner and created a turtle!

That was fun!  We are also creating a toddler "tutu" skirt and doing other pattern modifications!

It can get a bit silly when young sewers cannot quite figure out why a step is needed or what the end result will be.  Take for example Nasrine and Shriya ....Shriya is creating a very full gathered skirt, but before the elastic both she and her friend Nasrine can fit into it! (They are wearing vests they made as well)

And finally..for now...we have advanced students doing amazing things that include designer doll cloths and the raincoat shown below.

Keep your eyes peeled for more!

More on Kid's Sewing Camp

It continues to be quite an experience working with kids on their sewing projects.  Last week was clothing production as you can see by the photos.  I am improving in my alteration of pattern skills and my helper Amy has been helping with the quilting - so new skills for both of us!

The other highlight was the Harry Potter themed stuffed elephant.  One student REALLY wanted to have the houses represented so I brought in a light box and fabric pens.  she did all the outlining and coloring and then we fused them to their blanket (pattern at Hoffman fabrics but be warned many steps are missing).

Kids Camp...times flies

Wow, time sure does fly when you are leading Kid's Sewing Camp.  I have been completely amazed, overwhelmed, excited, and pleased with the kids and their projects for the first three weeks of a six week process.  It has kept me creating but exhaustion has kept the blog entries down.

Several kids just come for one session (three hours a day for a week) while others come for a full day or several weeks.  As a result, my assistant Amy and I have to be flexible enough to work on a variety projects with a huge spectrum of abilities.  The best is watching someone progress from a beginner to a real seamstress.

This is also pushing my knowledge of clothing construction and renewing my interest in that type of sewing.  I am having to teach things I have not done in a loooong time.

I have also done research on many free patterns sites so the kids have a greater variety and I am VERY grateful to the many patterns and ideas.  We have created pillows, pillow cases, aprons, book covers, stuffed animals, quilts, totes, purses, dresses, and more.

Below are some photos from the week 3 Show and Tell Fashion Show and class (thank you Molly for helping with photos) as well as some of the links!  I definitely have to remember that the reading glasses on my head do not create a hairstyle!

All Free Sewing
All People Quilt
Fav Crafts
Martha Stewart - crafts/sewing

New IPAD/ Samsung Galaxy Cover

I have completed some samples, tested the pattern (at last week's Kid's Sewing Camp), had a human trial (thank you Talin) and the design works!  My friend and neighbor Talin complained that the Computer tablet cases on the market were 1. boring and 2. did not leave his hands free when required.

I am printing some patterns this Friday and ready for making finished one to sell.  I will price patterns between $6 and $9 depending the copying for the full size pattern.

Finished cases will be $45 for single fabric tops (top photo) and $60 for pieced tops (bottom photo).  I will take orders for themes and colors combination.

Please help spread the word - if you are interested  - email me.

Catching up yet again - new hats

Long break in postings means massive creative production - so many projects that the postings may go for a several days.  

I will start with the huge Inn-spire©/Eddie’s Quilting Shop Hop Magical Kingdom hats.  My dear creative friend Rachel and I took on this fun project to discover how to use these heat flexible and firm interfacings.  Her math and logic skills and my production knowledge produced some really fun hats ….and there are more on the drawings board.  We are working on the patterns and potentially a book proposal. 

We worked for three weeks (with other projects/classes/events in between) on the set that included: king’s crown, queen’s crown, princess tiara, wizard hat with dragon, jester cap and then several serf’s muffin caps.

Here are the pictures:

In addition – I have taken my lovely niece to Pirate Fair.  A wonderful event and great fun in costuming and play. 

Upcoming:  The Goddess Aine collage, Midsummer Fairy Court Costumes and next week – Kid’s Camp starts.

Where does the time go

Wow just realized that almost two weeks have passed without a post and it seems like just the other day!  Of course, I have been creating.  The deadlines and projects seem to move the clock hands faster and faster.

The Bella Roma class quilts are slowly coming together...interrupted by samples for kids camp, designing hat patterns for Eddie's Quilting Bee event next week, making long overdue shirts for a friends, piecing together a pirate costume for this weekend and fairy costume for the next weekend....not to mention the Goddess collage due in a week and then Cloth Paper Scissor contest I would like enter by July 1st.

Whew....I need a nap just thinking about it.  Instead I will support my niece's creativity by attending the dance recital tonight and then taking her to the Nor Cal Pirate Fest in Vallejo!

Sunday I will update pictures and soon share pictures of our (my friend Rachel and I) new hat designs with a great a new product Inn-spire!