Kids In Stitches Sewing Classes

In 1990 I created "Kids in Stitches" and taught children's sewing and crafts out of my home. It was a great time and I loved encouraging and watching the girls sew their fun projects. I also loved sewing the class samples. Here are a few random photos of several of my students. I do hope I planted and sprouted a little seed, and that they have continued to sew and enjoy the process to this day. And I want to thank my friend Liz Deck who blazed the trail with her kids sewing classes in Eugene, OR. She freely shared her information and offered so much encouragement for me to develop my own "sewing school". Oh, I don't want to forget to mention that I only had one student sew her finger! That was a plus. A special thanks to the moms who trusted me with their precious children!

Look at those smiles! I still run into some of these kids or have their parents tell me how much they loved their sewing classes. Right now I'm in the process of trying to email these old photos to the parents that I can still get a hold of. And one young lady I recently ran into was expecting her first baby. Wow - they do grow up fast don't they! They're having children and I'm a grandma now - 4 x.

I want to teach a class called "No Customer Service"

Here's a blog that I just found and I know I will refer back to it again for all things sewing and quilting.

http://sheilareinke.wordpress.com/2008/05/01/dyk-coats-clark-thread/

and here’s the comment I left there:

When I Googled for a Coats and Clark thread conversion chart - your blog came up!!! Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! Today I'm heading back into town (a 50 mile round trip) to do more errands, but mostly to pick up thread to continue a project I want to keep going on.

Yesterday a girl at the local Joanne Fabrics wasn't even aware that the new thread #'s didn't match the old thread #'s. I was the one to mention that there might be a conversion chart on the internet and she seemed somewhat interested. Well today I'm taking a copy to the store and will "nicely" suggest that they might want to laminate it and hang it by their thread as a great customer service!  (Oh my, what a concept)

My husband and I want to come up with a class and offer it to businesses, called "No Customer Service". What are they thinking???

So I applaud you for what you are providing to the rest of us!!!!!!

No kidding. Mike and I have talked about it several times. Of course it's always after leaving a store or business where the sales help has been less than helpful and often times downright comatose! We also wonder if we're just getting old and crotchety.

Early Works

Even before quilting, I sewed.  My earliest remembrances of sewing instruction are from taking Home Ec at Oakridge Jr High.  I also loved art classes, so making things was especially fun for me.  The photo below is of me hanging "hippie" clothing that I made under the name of "Son Rise Clothing", which I sold over the course of about 7 years at the Eugene Saturday Market and also at the Oregon Country Fair (my booth below).  That vest hanging to the left of my back (at the back of the booth), made out of black, rust and grey corduroy was one of my first original designs and it incorporated appliqué and Trapunto quilting.  I was so proud of that vest!

From early on I loved small quilts.  Each one machine pieced and machine quilted.

1987 a baby shower gift, I think this is one of a few hand appliqué pieces I've made.

Original design - stenciled, machine pieced and machine quilted.  Handwritten scripture under one house says:  Joshua 24:15 "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".  I made and sold many versions of this quilt.

1988 machine pieced and machine quilted. Made to sell. (see note below)

This was a quilt made by request for a special friend of mine. Afterwards I knew I'd never, never made this pattern again. Those bias edges wore me down!

Here's my special friend, Dee (on the right) with what was left of her daughters quilt that I had made years before. Now that is a well loved quilt!!!

The blue and white "snowball" pattern quilt was made by special request and as a trade for haircutting services.  Machine pieced & machine quilted.  It had such beautiful texture.  Should never have taken the photo with the quilt over the sofa!!!  What was I thinking?!

Here's a close up

One of my first classes that I taught at our church.  Photo is a student using the design board.  My class sample in progress, is to the left of the student.  Finished quilt is below.

This quilt was an original design, finished as a class sample and became my imaginary "beach cottage" quilt.  The neutral tan's represented the sand and landscaping, the blues represented the ocean and sky.  The bottom center panel had shells stiched on as embellishment.  Machine quilted.

1988  Below is a group of pillow tops that I would construct from old "cutter" quilts for College Hill Quilt Works in Eugene, OR.  One of the first and many contract sewing jobs that I would take on over the years.  There's that sofa again!

Samples and students at another class session at our church where I was teaching quilting.  See the quilt in the hoop. . . it's the one above (or like it) that I made to sell.  Actually looks like I may have hand quilted some or all of it.

A group project with ladies in the church (Springfield Faith Center) that was made for our pastors Rob and Joyce Tucker.  I machine quilted it.  Most likely "in the ditch" and with a walking foot.

My original design.  Machine pieced and machine quilted.  I entered this in the Lane Co. Fair

This quilt was created as a trade for dog obedience classes from a long time Eugene dog trainer - who will remain nameless.  If I remember correctly, he was a diving enthusiast and asked if I could design a quilt representative of the ocean as it gets darker the deeper you go.  It was worth a try and I think it turned out well for my skill level at the time.  But I'll never forget when I dropped the quilt off at the new owners house.  Basically he answered the door as he was talking on the phone and as I handed him the quilt he nodded a thank you and shut the door.  How rude!  The cute little boy standing by the barn next to the quilt is my youngest son Josh.  I'm not sure if he asked to be in the picture or if I had to bribe him.  I think he just like being in pictures!  Funny thing is he married a photographer!  Check out http://bethanyfphotography.blogspot.com/ I happen to think she's one of the best out there!  PS I no longer have the dog or the quilt.  That wasn't a great trade!

This was our Eugene quilting group at Camp Quilt Patch.  I'm on the right, back row in the apron. Those were great years getting involved with quilters from around the state and country.  I always worked in the kitchen to pay my way.

This was a transition time for me. . . I can't remember if I still lived in Marcola or if I'd already moved to Philomath when this photo was taken.  Here we all are, Eugene/Springfield quilting friends and Corvallis/Philomath quilting friends (some I met at Camp Quilt Patch) enjoying time together at the cabins during the Sister's Quilt Show one year.  I'm on the right, sitting.  One thing I have to say is that I certainly learned a lot from each of these ladies.  Quilters inspire each other to pieces!

Would You Guess This Was My First Quilt?

     In preparing to start my first post, I sorted through all of my old photos and to the best of my recollection . . . below is my very first quilt. You have to know that at the time (1983) I worked at Fabric Land in Springfield and that this was the very first class that I taught, I admit that was a bold step. I can make a quilt – so I must be able to teach a class! At least I wasn’t trying to teach a design or color theory class!!!

Log Cabin 1983 40 x 40

     I must have thought this was a prize, since I made a duplicate.

You know something a bit more vibrant in my personal color range!

Log Cabin 1983 40 x 40