Pillowcase Learn to Sew Class

April 4, 2014 Aleeah McGinnis1 Comment

When people find out I sew, the first thing out of their mouths is one of two things. One response is “I have some pants that need hemming. Can I get you to do that?” The other response is “I bought a sewing machine because I wanted to learn to sew and it is still in the box.” Sometimes that second response will vary in that they have taken the machine out of the box but have not proceeded further. Lately, I’ve been trying to find a profitable outlet for my sewing skills and knowledge. I’ve been pursuing several different ideas until reading the post, The Commitment Phobic Creative, by Braid Creative & Counsulting. They advise making a list of “all the things you can or want to do in your creative business“, then “crossing out the ones that you haven’t actually been paid for in 6 months.” (If you wish to re-live my original drama, see my earlier post.)

So, here we are, weeks later, with list made and items crossed off and some very real soul searching. And, as bad as I hate to admit it, EUREKA! I may have found the answer. Fingers-crossed, hold your breath, I may have found a niche that needs me. All of my paying and non-paying interactions with folks concerning sewing have been the above two responses. So, why not focus on that? There must be a need, right?

A couple of ladies at church used the two responses I mentioned earlier. So I set about to come up with a means to teach them to get that machine out of the box and conquer their fear. I stumbled across All People Quilt’s 1-Million Pillowcase Challenge. I developed a quick little learn-to-sew class around making a pillowcase. The goals of the class were to get participants sewing on their machine with some confidence and completing a project. I made up silly little invitations, booked the church fellowship hall and invited six ladies. Five of them came! I provided assistance to those that needed their machines set up and provide fabric kits from my stash so there would be no stress if mistakes were made on their own personal fabric. Five ladies walked out of the hall two hours later with a completed pillowcase.

You would need to ask them, but I believe from their responses after class, they enjoyed themselves. Many of them have requested more classes. They unanimously have requested an alterations class. So I’ve been researching it and writing a lesson plan. Every time I talk about what I am doing, I gain one or two more interested students. So, here we gooooooooooo.

Product Review: Clover Protect and Grip Thimble

March 28, 2014March 25, 2014 Aleeah McGinnisLeave a comment

My hand quilting has been on a hiatus for a couple years while I have been doing the whole “get healthy, get active” thing. When I returned to my project, I quickly found out there had been a change. My favorite thimble no longer fit. I had no idea a 45lb. weight-loss could affect the tips of my fingers. So I frantically began searching for a new thimble.

REVIEW: The Clover Protect and Grip Thimble is an innovative thimble trying to satisfy two sides of the thimble-wearing community. It features a dimpled and ridged metal tip attached to a flexible rubber body. The flexible rubber body has an unusual scallop design that is “for air flow keeping your finger cooler”. I picked up a hot pink one in a size medium from my local fabric shop. My finger fit comfortably through the size guide that is provided on the packaging although I think perhaps I would find a size large more to my liking. The thimble goes on easily, a problem I usually have with metal thimbles. A round thimble does not fit on my oblong-shaped finger. Once situated, the thimble was securely in place and I did not worry about it slipping off. I tried a few stitches with it. The metal tip seems to be off-balance and perhaps even too thick. It was difficult to judge the tip of my finger with the added length of the metal tip. I generally push with the pad of my finger and that is not possible with this thimble. The flexible rubber sides are too soft and will puncture so there is no pushing with anything except the very top of the tip. I find this awkward considering I’m not quite sure where the tip of my finger is with the added length of the metal tip. Instructions on the back of the package, in fine print, instruct users to remove the thimble by rolling the rubber sides up instead of pulling it off by the metal tip. I imagine that it wouldn’t take many tuggings and the tip would come off the rubber body. All in all, the Clover Protect and Grip Thimble is not a bad thimble but it will not work for me as a daily workhorse. It would be an excellent choice for a beginner that needs to become accustomed to wearing a thimble but is not a good choice for experienced quilters that are accustomed to a metal thimble. I will probably keep it as a backup thimble to use on small projects. It is not a bad value at $8.99, although I would like to try a larger one to see if the metal tip would be more balanced for me.

NOTE: This is an unsolicited product review. All opinions express are those of the authors.

I will revert back to a very old metal thimble that I have taken a hammer to until I can attend the American Quilter’s Society Quilt Week in Paducah, Kentucky at the end of April and search for a better thimble.

Sewing · Tools

Thimble Problems

March 25, 2014 Aleeah McGinnisLeave a comment

I’ve been on the a health and fitness kick for the past 2 years. You know, the whole “Get fit, get healthy” thing? I have been doing Weight Watchers and while, yes, it works, and yes, I did lose weight, I have had to give up so many activities that make my soul sing. In getting fit and adding exercise to my daily routine, I have trashed my knees and feet while being separated from quilting, sewing, and knitting, and all for what? That is for another post and another day.

Now that the knees are injured I have returned to quilting and sewing. Recently, I slipped on my old trusty thimble to find that I could not keep it on. My fingers had lost weight! I know I should be rejoicing but I spent years trying to find the perfect thimble. I have agonized over all types of thimbles and have tried almost every one on the market until I found a wonderful thimble called the PQF thimble. (It is not the thimble shown in the photo.) The PQF thimble was perfect for me. It was made out of an indestructible black rubber and was guaranteed to last a lifetime. I have the hand strength of a lowland gorilla and can snap or bend a size 10 quilting between needle in one stitch. The PQF’s rubber body would conform to my not-round shaped finger where metal thimbles had never been able to fit securely. I was able to push the needle with any part of the PQF thimble through multiple layers of fabric and batting with no fear of puncturing the rubber or my finger. And now, this miracle of modern engineering does not fit!

So, being a modern woman, I turned to the internet to see what the current technology is providing by way of thimbles. First I searched for my favorite, the PQF. Every link to those thimbles leads to a Japanese website or a woman’s fashion store. I had to take a few hours to mourn the passing of my thimble. A lot of good the lifetime warranty has done me. So now I find myself in desperate need of a thimble that fits and works for me and the industry has little to offer.

Stay tuned for more thimble agony as I search for that thing that has gone the way of the DoDo …….the “perfect thimble”.

Pouches

Sew-it…Today Magazine Pretty Little Pouch

March 20, 2014March 18, 2014 Aleeah McGinnisLeave a comment

I am always on the look out for the “perfect little bag” to carry various objects of necessity in my purse. Generally, I find that they are all the wrong shape. I don’t want a large 4in. by 4in. square bag. I want something long, narrow and easy to toss in a small purse. (I am not known for having the patience to pack a suitcase when going anywhere.) I picked up the latest issue of Sew-it… Today magazine on a local newsstand. Being a tech person, I have made the jump to “the cloud”, ebooks and mobile devices so for me to purchase an actual paper publication meant that there had to be something intriguing in it.

Flipping through the pages, I ran across this Pretty Little Pouch. I could not resist it. But I cannot follow instructions completely letter for letter. I must add my own unique spin to everything I make. That is the whole point of sewing, right? The cotton fabric and interfacing used in the article was nice but my thought was “what about some recycled blue jean denim?” Everything in my purse takes a beating and needs to be as sturdy as possible. So here is my version: recycled denim outer fabric which is sturdy enough I didn’t have to add the interfacing along with a kicky lining fabric that makes me happy and some vintage trims from the Grandmother’s stash.

And I love the shape!

Sewing · Uncategorized

Blue Jean Baby Bibs

March 19, 2014September 4, 2014 Aleeah McGinnis1 Comment

I love working with denim. The new Re-purpose, Recycle trend really has me intrigued. I was recycling denim before it was cool. My mother insists that each family member receive a homemade denim throw on the successful completion of a driver’s license test. This denim throw is to go in the car trunk for anything, accidental or otherwise, that might come up. And each time a new significant other has been brought into the family, she very promptly gifts them with one. So it is natural for me to make purses, tote bags, and other fun accessories out of denim. I find it to be a very sturdy serviceable fabric that needs very little special treatment. If it gets dirty, throw it in the washing machine.

I pinned an adorable set of baby bibs on Pinterest that linked back to a Notes From The Patch blog tutorial. I think that image has been pinned thousands of times. It is very well-liked. I printed off her .pdf pattern and set about making my own version of these bibs. I had several baby showers coming up and several pairs of jeans stored up in the sewing stash. I couldn’t help adding the heart nailheads on each. But I did lay my pattern with the wrong sides together and cut out 2 bibs that fastened on the right side and 2 bibs that fastened on the left side. Oh, well. As long as I give them away to separate people, no one will know the difference. Ah, the joys of making mistakes look like a creative twist!

Uncategorized

The Maker Movement

March 17, 2014March 17, 2014 Aleeah McGinnisLeave a comment

There seems to be a revival of sorts in the sewing and crafting industry. A recent article calls it a “Maker Movement”. Call them Maker Faires or Arts and Crafts Shows, they are the same things – gatherings of creative folks displaying and selling their wares. These “faires” seem to have sprung up driven by a new generation that is yearning to learn craft skills, some which have long been forgotten. Despite all of the cutting edge technology at their fingertips, they want to get their fingertips dirty, splattered with paint, burnt on hot instruments, and scarred by sharp edges. My generation, their parents, were too busy finding themselves and making the most of all adult life had to offer instead of passing down life skills to their offspring. I realize that I possess something to give this generation beyond the the resources to write an academic research paper. I am adept at stitching, knitting, crocheting, painting, gluing, and constructing. I have learned many things by trial and error and would love to pass these along to a group of people interested in such things. But through what outlet?

How best can I pass along the skills that I have?

Sewing

Owl Baby Car Seat Cover

March 13, 2014March 14, 2014 Aleeah McGinnisLeave a comment

I forget that not everyone has a friend or family member who sews. I take for granted that I have the skills to easily whip up anything I see on Pinterest. I can choose the colors and the fabrics that I like for any project and then make it to fit whatever situation. I assume that other people can either make what they want or order it off the internet. Then I chat with people around me. In chatting, I find out that very few people have the skill to make things. One such conversation with an expectant mother and coworker led to an adorable baby car seat cover.

While planning this young mother-to-be’s baby shower, we were discussing her gift registries. I enquired as to her chosen nursery color scheme and theme with the plans of sewing her something. Then it hit me. I follow her on Pinterest so I know she has been pinning baby things. So I asked, ” Would you like me to make you something for the baby?” She hesitated only a moment before telling me that she had been looking at baby car seat covers and would really like one but thought they were too pricey on Etsy. A few minutes of internet searching led me to many tutorials and free patterns. We agreed on colors, she emailed me a picture of the baby car seat she planned to purchase and a project was born.

I chose the tutorial, Baby Care Seat Cover Tutorial, from the blog, Make it Do. The dimensions made sense to me and used basic fabric pieces with a minimum amount of cutting. The instructions were clear and easy to follow until I reached the strap assembly steps. I struggled with where to attach the hook and loop fasteners. The instructions on placement of the hook and loop fasteners and attachment of the finished strap to the cover were a little limited. I needed a photo illustrating the placement of the hook and loop fasteners on the strap. I needed another step or two with a couple more photos for clarity. I’m not sure the straps pictured are as they were intended but I hope they will work.

All in all, it turned out pretty cute!

Uncategorized

A Commitment Phobic Creative?

March 12, 2014 Aleeah McGinnis1 Comment

I’ve always considered myself to be brave, to be able to do what is necessary when the need arises. According to the Myers-Briggs test, I’m an INTJ. According to the Enneagram test, I’m a Type 1 – Reformer, leaning heavily toward a Type 6 – Loyalist. But never have I been labeled as “commitment phobic” until now. Spoonflower tweeted an article yesterday that intrigued me:

‏@Spoonflower

Signs you may be a commitment phobic creative, and what to do about it: http://bit.ly/1lSfEtK from @BraidCreative pic.twitter.com/5TrTP2Hrj1

So I clicked on the bit.ly and browsed a blog post from Braid Creative and found that it hit my situation exactly on the head. I’m a creative that desperately wants to be a creative entrepreneur but I’ve been stumped. I’ve been unable to move forward. Braid Creative nailed it exactly on the head.

1. Yes, I hoard notebooks! Not only do I have notebooks, my sewing and design skills demand that the notebooks have custom designed fabric covers. The notebooks were blank but I have made significant strides in the past 5 years to “put pen to paper”. I now carry a notebook with me as often as I can. I write, I design, I sketch and I jot down any thoughts. In my defense, I am also a tech person, thoroughly mobile and cloud-based, so the paper notebook is a little bit of a burden for me. I have apps that allow me to do the designing and writing and then store it in the cloud so it is always with me. Many times, I lack the spare hand to carry the notebook or I have picked up the design notebook instead of the writing notebook. Using a mobile device is not nearly as obvious as scratching on paper. There is no eraser “dust” when ideas and lines change and there is no need for ample elbow room or solid surface. I feel I have conquered this one!

2. “Now, what exactly do you do?” They might as well have typed my name in this one. This is EXACTLY where I am. Hello, my name is Aleeah and I am a “jane of all trades”. And I’m trapped there. In an attempt to use Braid Creative‘s advice to move past this, I’ve tried to write down all the things that I can or want to do in my creative business. It is a LONG list. I am capable of, and have done so many things personally and professionally. Then the post advises to “cross out the ones that you haven’t been actually paid for in 6 months.” I can honestly say that I have not been paid for any of them. I repaired a sweater for someone and she gave me $5. So now I have a list that consists of nothing but clothing repair. My paying clothing repair consists of sewing on buttons and correcting Third World garment workers mistakes. Now what?

I continued through the rest of the symptoms. In reference to number 3, I’ve spent quite a bit of time and effort and expense over the past year to combine all of my ideas into one persona. Thus my new Fruit from My Hands blog and brand. As for number 4, I have multiple social media accounts under my new brand, but I have yet to implement them simply because I’m still back at number 2, needing a direction and clear vision for what I should be doing. I’m a social media coordinator in my day job so I’m prepared and ready for which platform I will focus on and how I will effectively engage my followers and customers. So consider 3 and 4 conquered.

I would add one more to this list. I feel that time management also plays a key role. Developing a creative entrepreneurship does not fall out of the sky. Neither does it walk up to you on the street nor jump off the computer screen and demand to be served. Anyone wanting to advance their creative business must commit to setting aside an amount of time on a regular basis to shut out the rest of the world and focus solely on the business.

So I’m still stuck at number 2. I’m still stuck at trying to find a paying audience for any of my creative skills. But I really appreciate Braid Creative’s post and they have gained a new follower in this “commitment phobic creative”.

Uncategorized

And So, It Begins…….

March 10, 2014 Aleeah McGinnisLeave a comment

I’m a 50-something that was born halfway between the Baby Boomers and the Generation X-ers. I lead two distinctly different lives. One life is firmly rooted in creating and crafting with my hands while the other is equally as rooted in a professional life that manages technology and information resources in an academic library. Caught between two very different generations and two very different worlds, I am ready to try melding them together in the hopes of becoming an even better whole person living one complete well-rounded, skilled, knowledgeable life and ending the the duality that has been my existence for too many years. I’m afraid I tire of the effort of keeping them separate. It has finally occurred to me that I am not required to keep them separate and that by combining them I could finally give in to what has been happening naturally for some time.

I have an insatiable need to understand how things are made and how they function. I can stare at things for hours trying to understand exactly how things work. I am constantly discovering new skills that I feel compelled to acquire and new techniques I need to master all the while adding my own unique flair. This curiosity holds true in both my professional and person lives. Over my lifetime, none of my hobbies were popular among my peers. I was sewing doll clothes when others my age were learning makeup techniques; learning to knit while others were playing video games and drafting and flower arranging while they were rushing sororities and going to parties.

I work in technology as a profession. I administrate servers, monitor systems, manage data, create graphics, and develop web resources in the library world. I’ve written complicated reports, manipulated copious amounts of data and written numerous procedures, manuals, blog posts and emails. I’ve even managed social media and dabbled in marketing. I do all of this for an hourly wage, benefits and the hope of doing something to contribute to the young minds of tomorrow. So why can’t I use all of these skills along with my creativity to become a “complete package”?

So, here we go………

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50×50

September 20, 2012 Aleeah McGinnisLeave a comment

I’d like to take a commercial break before returning to my regularly scheduled blogposts of “fruits of my hands” and share an intriguing idea suggested by a friend’s blogpost. Cari, over at The Printed Peach, created a very ambitious list of things that she wanted to have accomplished by a certain age. Cari sparked an idea in me. I’ve struggled lately with knowing what direction to take next, what project to start, what skill to learn, what mountain to climb. I was particularly impressed by her “strikethroughs”. Do I have anything that I can cross off my list? Have I accomplished anything in my life?

The answers were indeed in the list! Understand that I will turn 50 in a couple of years and have several more years on Cari, so don’t judge either of us. I remembered being 21 and started my list there. Some things are from that time in my life and some are from last week. Laugh along with me as I celebrate with myself.

50 things by 50

~~Fall in love~~
~~Get married~~
~~Get a full-time job with benefits~~
~~Have a baby~~
~~Buy a car~~
~~Buy a house~~
Visit a Europe.
~~Fly in a plane~~
~~Learn to ride a motorcycle~~
~~Get my motorcycle license~~
~~Learn to sew~~
~~Learn to quilt~~
~~Learn to crochet~~
Learn to tat
~~Learn to make baskets~~
~~Learn calligraphy~~
Wear jeans (again)
Buy clothes off the rack (again)
Wear cowboy boots (again)
Line dance
~~Get my concealed weapon permit~~
Shoot a bow
~~Visit Florida~~
~~Visit California~~
Visit the Biltmore
Visit Alaska
~~Meet a celebrity~~
~~Compete in a 5k~~
Learn photoshop
Create my own brand
Develop the perfect logo
Make my own label
Be a successful blogger
Design the perfect line of purses
Write and market my own sewing patterns
Write a sewing book
~~Read a e-book~~
See a broadway show
~~Go to the opera~~
Zipline
~~Have a sewing/crafting/design studio~~
Have my own business selling homemade dog treats
Grow a garden.
Buy & wear fancy lingerie in some color other than beige, black, white, or grey from Victoria Secret
Own a designer leather bag
Learn to swim
Play a mandolin
Ride amusement park rides
Find the perfect “lost art” and learn it from a master craftsman to carry on the tradition.
Assist Max in creating his food product business and give tours through his factory.

Thanks, Cari. That was fun and you’ve helped me think about a lot of things. If I died tomorrow, I won’t have left too many things undone. And the only thing preventing me from completing the list is my lack of time or focus to sit down and do what matters to me.