Hello again and welcome to my weekly post where I share ideas that I hope will inspire you to spend your weekend doing something fun and creative and… maybe learn something new along the way!
Before September completely slips through our hands I’d like to say a word or two about sewing and National Sewing Month.
(The above image is from the National Sewing Month website. If you want other graphics to promote NSM or your site or other social media platforms, the site has a link that will direct you additional downloadable files.)
Sewing was my path to quilting. Before I even thought about quilting, I was making many of my own clothes in high school – an accepted practice back then as a majority of the designer clothing and designer labels available for mass production were in the very beginning stages of influence and significance.
Forty+ years later, fashion and design trends continue to be vitally important guiding principles that help us form many of the decisions we make.
Since the Industrial Revolution our culture has gradually evolved from “handmade” and “homemade” to mass-produced and ready-to-wear however, the need for self-expression remains unchanged. The need for self-expression is just as vital to our sense of well-being today as it was in generations past.
Sewing, of course, is not the only path to self-expression but for those of us who love the texture of fabric and find inspiration creating an usable item from a flat piece of cloth, a pair of scissors and a spool of thread, sewing offers endless opportunity for self-expression.
Are you new to sewing? The National Sewing Circle is a great place to start. Instructional videos are available and cover a wide range of topics. While browsing their site earlier today prices on most (if not all) instructional videos in this cateory are drastically reduced!
I also found a project pattern set – 10 patterns for $15.99!
All this is just for starters…
So scroll down and let’s get this weekend started!
1. Work + Flow
September, aka National Sewing Month, offers 30 full days to sew, create, design and dream. That’s the potential for a LOT of projects and ideas to be transformed into projects. With that comes the potential for many projects to go unfinished or neglected however, there is a solution: “WorkFlowy“.
I discovered this system of organization about a year ago and love it. It is a clean, uncluttered outline format designed to help you keep track of multiple projects.
WorkFlowy is designed to not only help you get organized, you stay organized.
Do you look at your ‘To-Do’ list and feel so overwhelmed you don’t know where to start?
As you accomplish a task or goal, you are able to mark it off (a line is drawn across the task) and the wording is faded. (You can completely remove as well – your choice) but sometimes a visual that allows you to see what all you have accomplished is just the incentive you need to forge ahead – to put one foot in front of the other and get that next task checked off.
What else is so great about it?
It’s FREE. It’s FUN and it’s EASY to use. Want to take a look around? Here is your very own invitation to organization!
2. Fall in Paducah
The American Quilt Society has created another Four days of Fun – September 11 – 14. It is my intention to be in Paducah, KY this time next year. If I start planning now…today…(see item #1 above) that is a goal that should be completely doable. While I’m there, I’ll also be taking a tour of National Quilt Museum.
3. What’s Happening in the Sewing Room
It seems a quilter I follow – Sherri at A Quilting Life and a blogger I also follow – Christy at Confessions of a Serial DIY’er have been channeling each other’s thoughts.
~~ My own sewing room is getting smaller by the minute however, I am not at a point in my life where that is going to change anytime soon. So, in the meantime I have to continue to make the most of what space I have. Accomplishing this involves organization and re purposing existing furniture.
The image above is a sewing table I found in a thrift shop about 20 years ago. It needs some TLC – quite a bit of TLC to be honest, but I think after a little cleaning, some fresh stain or paint, leg extensions and new hardware, this would be one (of many) solutions to my sewing room organization dilemma.
~~ Bowl Fillers – I’ve been scouring Pinterest for ideas that are cute, unique and easy to make. I found a few but when I checked out my blog following this morning and found these cute, unique and adorable sweater pumpkins I knew my quest was over.
Now, if I want to get both of these projects done this weekend, I will certainly need to plan ahead and get organized!
The sweater pumpkin post includes a video tutorial – watching this first will surely save time and frustration I would otherwise experience if trying to “wing it” on my own.
4. Going Green
I love the idea of reusable shopping bags but I don’t love the bags I’m currently using. Browsing the web for ideas and inspiration brought me to this shop and then to this colorful pattern!
As much as I love color, I may give this pattern a try in a solid canvas or even waxed canvas to make it super sturdy and water resistant. I think it would be fun to make 3 or 4 of these for each of the four seasons and a perfect excuse for a fabric road trip!
To accomplish this monumental task without adding to my unfinished project pile, devote one weekend at the beginning of each season for purpose of making 3-4 reusable bags.
My ‘WorkFlowy’ is getting a workout!
5. Hey Susan! What ‘Ya Cookin’?
Pam at House of Hawthornes has done it again. This time with a quick, easy and delicious recipe using all my favorite ingredients: apples, walnuts, cinnamon and butter. 15 minutes to prepare + 2.5 hours in a crock pot – the result = a slice of autumn heaven in a bowl…
I can’t think of a better way to end a weekend full of planning, dreaming, creating, re purposing and organizing than this!
How will you spend your weekend?
Have a favorite recipe? Feel free to share in the comments below!
Be Creative & Have Fun This Weekend!
Sewing has always been an interest of mine and I have a few pieces to show for it. Though I am not a designer, I always find myself grabbing a cloth and doing some modifications here and there. I would be really be interested in the 10 patterns set that is $15.99. That sounds like a great deal for money. It is really great that they have a WorkFlowy to help me stay in track. I cannot even say the number of projects I’ve planned to no and not achieve anythiing due to lack of proper planning and follow through.
I so love the bowl fillers. The sweater pumpkins are truly adorable. You’ve just given me an idea.
Thank you for these great suggestions. Much appreciated!
Hi Carol and thank you for stopping by!
WorkFlowy helps me keep track of the multitude of sewing / crafting / quilting resources out there – too many for my brain to keep up with on its own.
Speaking of unfinished projects…I hear ya! I’ve learned via “trial by fire” that planning and organization is key to getting anything done!
Have a great weekend!
You have a very inspiring blog, Susan. You have made me want to put down all my work tools right now and head off to my hobby room.
Come to think of it, I can’t remember when last I did something creative, and I think it is about time that I started again. I need to find a project to inspire me, as my quilt is done and my scrapbook is up to date. I think I must get out my knitting again and find a cute toy pattern to knit for my granddaughter.
First I am going to take a peek at WorkFlowy as looking at my hobby room now, it needs some tidying and organizing. I hope I can use WorkFlowy to do this.
Hi Michel and thank you for stopping by! Thank you for your kind words. I’m so glad you found some inspiration in my blog – that’s the whole purpose of me writing each week!
WorkFlowy is a great tool – I have the icon on my desktop and still I need an occassional reminder to use it! However, when I do, I find ideas just seem to flow!
I hope you are able to find time to make something and be creative this weekend – you’ll be glad you did!
National sewing month sounds like a great way to learn about sewing. My family would be a great resource for me as well – I have two generations of sewing enthusiasts in my family. My primary interests lie in music however, my youngest daughter has a great interest in sewing and I will certainly pass along this information. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Thank you Chloe for stopping by! The information I shared about National Sewing Month is only the tip of the iceberg. Stay tuned – I intend to post more about tips, techniques, patterns, etc. this month!