Summer Craft School for kids

I remember the days when my kids were young and I always stressed about keeping them busy during the holidays.  Well, a quilter acknowledged this need and now offers 2-day workshops for kids between the ages of 9 to 14 during the December school holidays.

Mariëtte Venter will have 2 day workshops available in Bultfontein as well as two days in Bloemfontein on 6 and 7 December 2012.  So if you are looking for something to get your youngster started and hopefully going for the duration of the holidays, contact her ASAP.

She will be teaching them basic sewing, fabric painting, mosaic, beading and anything creative.  Occasionally they even bake cake!!

Looking at these photos from previous workshops, I wonder if I too can sneak in quietly.

For more information, contact Mariëtte at 082 337 3699.

Bow Wow Pincushion

Another delightful blog shared with my by blogging friend Chris, is that of Marjory from the blog Peck’s Pieces.

Marjorie made this cute pincushion but I will easily use it as a soft toy!  She then went further and did a tutorial to show how she made this.

All you need to do to get this tutorial is to visit Marjorie's blog by clicking HERE and then click on the picture which will take you to the PDF tutorial.

 

Prairie Points pinwheel block

Teresa from the blog Sewn Up shares tutorials for several textured blocks as part of a textured quilt sampler.

I took a look at the Prairie points pinwheel block.

To see how this is done, click HERE.

To see all the other blocks in this textured sampler quilt, click HERE.

Another way of using a big print

Our treasurer, Sonja Snyman, shared this.  I often hear shop owner complain quilters don’t buy big prints or then that it is their slower seller.

On the site of Piece o' Cake they showed a rather fresh take (apart from making a Kaleidoscope) on using fabric with a large print.

Even though the specific fabric is sold out, this idea can surely be used with most big prints on fabric.  To see what they did, click HERE and while there, sign up for the eNewsletter and get all their news first.

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How to use a zipper foot

We quilters tend to stick with the machine feet we use the most and forget all about the rest of the feet that came with the machine and occasionally we do need them too.  I’ve placed several posts on zippered bags and this is where this post comes in.

Even though it may seem basic to most sewers believe it or not but I have actually met a lady who has been sewing for years, making clothes for others and all the while her zipper foot was clipped on backwards.  Now you decide….. a versatile foot or a talented lady?!

I found this video by Sewing Parts Online to show us exactly how to install and use a zipper foot.