Does your tape measure up?

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Categories: Apparel Sewing, Tools and Notions.

We all have an old tape measure. Maybe it’s fabric, maybe it’s leather, or plastic or even paper, and it’s probably falling apart. But the fact is we hang onto it and use it because it either belonged to Grandma, Mom, or it’s simply the first one you ever bought. Unlike wooden or plastic rulers though, these tape measures get old and need to be replaced.

Have you ever seen someone pull on a plastic tape measure to get out the folds and kinks? Well, that stretches it out, bit by bit. The older a tape measure is, the more likely it is to be easily distorted (if it isn’t already stretched out) when used, therefore giving you an inaccurate measurement. No one wants a dress with a 34 inch bust when it’s really supposed to be a 36 now do they? Breathing is generally thought of as a good thing. Plus, we’ve got big, happy, bright yellow ones looking for new homes everyday at MD.

Create Plenty Market Bags, Re-Use Style

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Categories: Bags and Accessories, Knits, Machine Embroidery.

I have long been a fan of this great project that I first saw from Martha years ago. Basically, you can use an old t-shirt (with an image or not) to create a supper handy plastic bag style market tote. These are great and I have many. Talk about a way to use those oversized Dollywood and Oregon Country Fair T’s that are hard to part with, but not so wearable.

re-used tote with applique

Here is another re-use style bag that I made a few weeks ago for my little girls. I am forever getting nice-ish quality sewn totes with unattractive images on them. Like the kind sheet sets come in, or a promotion from a trade show, you know the ones. Anyway, I just used some of Anna Joyce’s tecniques plus a little free-motion embroidery on the Bernina 330 to create this. But what about when the image on the bag is big? too big for a little flower/sailboat/chicken scene? Try adding a large pocket like this tutorial and embelishing that! Oh Design*Sponge, you are a crafty lot.

Applique and free-motion embroidery on the Bernina 330

If you want to take it a steep further, you can join in a little project for the folks over at Create Plenty. Modern Domestic is hosting a tote-bag sewing event Wednesday, October 27th from 12-3pm that is FREE. The bags will be sold as a fund-raiser for this awesome organization and the sewing time for work on the bags is no charge!

Tote bags are so useful; even with them stashed in every possible location, I still find myself embarrassingly with out in times of need (think impromptu grocery store trips). I should really make loads of both types to place in my car, every purse I have, the strollers and attached to my bike. Then, just then, would I have enough.

Kids Sewing Classes start this week.

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Categories: Apparel Sewing, Kids and Teen Sewing, Learn to Sew.

This week at Modern Domestic, we are starting the first of the Kids Sewing classes for the 2010/2011 school year. Shelly Figueroa will teach students from 8-12 the ins-and-outs of cutting, seam allowance, how to pin, and working with linings. This class is a short 3 week format. After school from 4-6 pm, we will get kids sewing! The projects will be tote bags, pillows, and pajama pants. All the projects are darling, and they are likely to finish 2 of their choice.

pajama pants

After they finish the first class, they can move on to the very popular Project Runway Skirts class and draft a skirt pattern, and learn to work with knits.

We had such a great time with the kids and teens over the summer, we just couldn’t wait a whole year to do it again!

Supportland

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Categories: Bolt, Neighborhood.

Window Sticker

Modern Domestic has a window sticker, Bolt has a window sticker. We love to support local businesses, and we hope you do too. Swipe by swipe, you can earn rewards, like open sewing time, buy making purchases here, Bolt, coffee shops, mechanics, you-name-it. Learn all about Supportland, and see a super cute picture of Gina, one of the owners of Modern Domestic, and the owner of Bolt, in this informative article over at Neighborhood Notes.

Supportland Card

Another comprehensive look at Supportland is over here at 6105, and features us! Modern Domestic! This article takes the story of Supportland into the big picture of the grand US economic scale. It really gives a great look at what they are up to and how they hope to change the world, one local business at a time.

Fix Your Fit and other Open Studio Classes

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Categories: Apparel Sewing, Home Decor, Kids and Teen Sewing.

We have a lot of people come in and take advantage of Open Sewing time here at Modern Domestic. For $8/hour you can come and sew to your hearts content. We also offer lots of crafty ways to save on the price for the same sort of fun with pre-paid punch cards, Friday Night Sewcials, and other events like the Sewing Night for the Portland Modern Quilt Guild and a Portland Sewing Circle sewing afternoon. All of these sewing events, as well as drop-in sewing, are intended to be “independent studio time.”

But what if you fall into the category of sewists who needs a little more help than independent studio time offers? What if you are hoping to work on a specific project but you don’t know where to begin? In order to give you a little more support, we are introducing some quick one night class style sewing nights where we will have a teacher here to help you with your sewing needs, be them great or tiny.

If you need help acheiving the perfect fit, you will not want to miss the Fix Your Fit night with Amy Alan. You can sort out an ill fitting garment that you made yourself, or take up a skirt hem, all under Amy’s direct and skilled supervision. You will need to bring a project and pattern if you have it. This short 2 hour class will finally make something wearable out of a top or dress just taking up space in your closet.

For beginners and advanced beginners alike who need help with project planning, cutting supervision, or want to properly place a button hole or two, come to Sew Assist: Beginners with Lupine. If you have taken a or Sew Basics Class Learn to Sew class, and think you know what you might like to sew next, but don’t know just how to do it, this is the place for you.

We also have a similar awesome class offered for Kids and Teens in an Open Studio with Shelly. This will be a once a month meet-up with a teacher on hand for kids and teens to work on their projects and get questions answered with our very experienced kids and teens sewing instructor Shelly Figueroa.

If you are interested in the Sewing Japanese classes, patterns, and projects, come join Daniela Caine for a Japanese Sewing: Open Studio, where you can pick a project to trace, figure out how to work with instructions in another language, or just sew with others who love Japanese sewing patterns and books as much as you do.

For those of you who have had some experience with Silkscreen and need a place to do your printing, you can come in and spend a few hours with Susanna Scott here to assist you in the ins and outs of getting ink onto your yardage or t-shirt on one of the Open Print Studio nights. You will need to have taken a Silkscreen class at MD (or elsewhere) and be ready to print.

If you have any quesitons about how these classes work, you are welcome to give us a call. They are all one night classes with two hours of teacher instruction. In the sewing classes, you have a half hour on either side of class for open sewing to get set up and finish your current step. We think they will be very popular, so sign up online to save a spot!

New class sessions added.

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Categories: Apparel Sewing, Home Decor, Learn to Sew, Machine Embroidery.

appliqued apron

We have some very popular classes that are sometimes difficult to get into. We have added additional sessions of a few of them that start as soon as next week. If you are eager to learn to sew, check out Learn To Sew Envelope Pillow, and Learn to Sew Pajama Pants.

Pajamas perfect for fall

In both of these classes you will cover the basics of using a machine and working with cutting and pressing. They are a great way to get started and make a super fun project that you will love. If you intend to move into garment sewing, the Pajama Pants class works with a commercial pattern, which is a great thing to begin learning.

anna joyce designs pillows

You can also begin to embellish anything, from pillows and tea towels to your own sweatshirts in a Machine Applique Class. Anna will help you learn everything from design and layout, the right materials to use, and all the best machine stitches.

Little Leather Bag

For those of you interested in sewing with leather, check out the cutest Little Zipper Bag ever! Nicole Cipriano can help you deal with this un-pinable material, choose the right stitches, and gain confidence and broden your sewing horizons into a whole new skill and material.

For those of you who just need to overcome your fear of actually operating a sewing machine, we offer Sew Basics classes every week. They are super fun and will cover so many aspects of using a machine, from what a feed dog is to how to insert a bobbin. After this one session two hour class (that comes with 3 hours of open sew), you can move on to any beginning class we offer. You will be sewing will the best of us in time for fall projects and holiday gifts.

Tee for Two

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Categories: Apparel Sewing, Bolt, Knits, Sewing for Kids.

This post is by Shelly Figueroa, one of the smarties behind Patterns by Figgy’s. She has been spending her summer sewing with kids and teens here at Modern Domestic, but she also teaches all ages classes as well as classes for adults. She has a few things right around the corner, so have a look at her upcoming classes and see if you can spend a little time sewing with her.

Tee for Two, dress version

Sally O’Malley is one of my hero’s because she has no fear. I know she’s just a character played by a terrific comedian (Molly Shannon) but she truly inspired me about 6 months ago. I was watching an old SNL and “Sally O’Malley” appeared and began talking about how she is 50 yrs old and can streeetch.

Tee for Two, raglan t-shirt version

Of course, I immediately thought about jersey knit fabric, I’m a seamster aren’t I! I had noticed there weren’t many patterns selling fun garments made with knit fabrics so with the help of my business partner we decided to make that happen. For our Fall line we designed two really cute and simple patterns using knit fabric. I don’t know a better way to please kids but to create something that looks cool and is super comfortable. I don’t know a better way to please a parent or seamster other than design a pattern that is quick & fun. Put them together and you have the “Tee for Two”.

Raglan version, contrast sleeves

Long-sleeved version

I love this pattern because it’s for girls/boys, big/small and can be worn all year long. The pattern includes Tee’s with long or short sleeves and a Tee dress with either sleeve or for the girly girl, fluttery sleeves. I know what you’re thinking; you like the idea but you’re nervous to take the leap and sew with knits.  I’ll tell you a secret….It’s Not Hard!  You don’t even need a serger!

Little girl style

Even better news:  I’m here for you.  I’m teaching a class coming up on August 14th at 1pm and I’d love to show you how to stretch with the best.  Also,  I was at Bolt this past week and saw that they have some awesome new knit fabrics. Not just solid color knits but knits with dots/stripes, flowers…go in and check them out!

One more thing:  If you’re looking to learn how to design your own big person shirt just for you then you should check out the real live Sally and her T-SHIRTS! class, plus all the other great knit classes offered at Modern Domestic. You will never hesitate to sew with knits again.

Trunk Show: Zanna Printed Textiles

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Categories: Home Decor, Kids and Teen Sewing, Trunk Show.

Zanna Tote Bags

Staring at the beautiful samples for the Intro to Silkscreen: Yardage classes has not been easy. Many people have asked to purchase them, and all of us at the store have had a powerful urge to carry them home. Finally we are able to do just that as this month’s trunk show features Zanna Printed Textiles by Susanna Scott.

squirrel pet toy

Her designes are taken from nature, and using screen printed yardage, she sews beautiful pillows, totes, small zipper pouches, pet toys and more. All are now for sale at Modern Domestic for the next month.

window display

If you are so inspired, she has room for you to learn her techniques in yardage class, as well as a quicker introduction to the process of silkscreen in the Intro to Silkscreen: Tote bag class. There are still a few spaces left in each of these upcoming classes, as well as newly added Intro to silkscreen: Teens and Open Print Studio, which both begin in August.

Summer Sewing Camp at Modern Domestic

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Categories: Apparel Sewing, Kids and Teen Sewing, Knits, Learn to Sew.

Drafting Skirt

This summer has been full of amazing classes for adults, teens, and kids. The day time hours have been mostly occupied by children and teens ages 8-17 whipping up darling projects and learning some great skills. There is nothing quite like watching Shelly Figueroa working in a full classroom of 6 young people; she easily handles different projects, learning styles, ages, and abilities. We have taken to calling her the “Marry Poppins” of sewing because of her grace and charm with both the youth and their parents week after week.

Shelly Teaching

In the kid and teen sewing classes at Modern Domestic, kids make projects like envelope pillows, pajama pants, tote bags, summer tunics, a-line skirts, capris, and more. It seems the kids that we have just can’t get enough and keep coming back to sew and take more classes week after week. We have added some more August sessions and a new Project Runway Skirt class where students will get to make as many as three skirts, work with knits, and do some pattern design.

Students Project Planning

Also, we have a few more non-sewing and all ages classes that have been added to the schedule for summer. There is a session of Intro to Surface Design that is all ages, as well as the Bird Mobile class. Susanna Scott is going to get teens silkscreening in a Silk Screen Tote Bag class.

While the regularly scheduled classes at Modern Domestic are for students 18 and up, the class offerings for kids, teens, and all ages just keep growing and growing.

Fast Turn

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Categories: Apparel Sewing, Sewing Machines, Tools and Notions.

This post is from Amy Alan. Her love of all things sewing can be seen here, at her blog, as well as at Modern Domestic, where she is often available to help at the shop, teaches classes, and offers one-on-one private sewing. Amy is a joy to work with and learn from, her depth of sewing knowledge is extensive and her approach technical as well as fun.

Modern Domestic has a host of tools that make sewing a breeze. I was always one of “those people” who struggled with safety pins to turn tubes of fabric right side out to make straps and other details. But then Lupine introduced me to the Fast Turn set, and I was in LOVE. I wish I’d had one of the these the last time I was making tiny spaghetti straps for a wedding dress. There would have been a lot less stress and cursing involved!

I started out this project by using one of new Janome JNH1860′s. I’ve always been a huge Bernina fan, but I really like the 1860′s! The start/stop button is definitely fun to use, and the fancy display lets you easily see what your seam width and length is.

Before you can use a Fast Turn, you obviously will need a tube of fabric that you intend to turn right side out. When you are sewing one, for a strap or whatnot, use a small seam allowance. If you’re making a tiny tube, use a seam allowance of 1/4″ or less.

Then, breakout the Fast Turn, because this going to be SO. MUCH. FUN. I like watching people use the it for the first time- everyone gets this look on their face like it’s Christmas, and someone just handed them a puppy.

Run the fabric tube (that is wrong side out at this point) over a brass tube that is slightly smaller in size. Place one of the long corkscrew-ended wires thru the tube, and twist it thru the end of the fabric. The thickness of the wire you choose should correspond with the thickness of the fabric you are turning.

Keep pulling your fabric all the way thru to turn your strap right side out quickly and easily.

The next time you’re in MD, try out a Fast Turn set, even if you don’t need straps for a project! I’m sure you’ll quickly come up with an excuse to use it again and again.