National Sewing Presents Shannon Newlin

Shannon Newlin shares her National Sewing Month Story! 

Early memories of sewing begin with my grandfather.  During his free time he enjoyed working on projects....from home additions to sewing clothes.  He made the sweetest floral dresses for me when I was a little girl. Even tiny details like sewing in a tag that said "made with love" were so special.

When I was old enough, I was taught how to sew by hand and then later by machine.  In middle school I took Home Economics and made my first skirt using a pattern.  I chose a beautiful corduroy fabric because it had flowers on it  - of course!  I completed a fully pleated skirt, and it turned out to be the heaviest garment I owned.  Needless to say I learned a lot.

In high school I continued to make many garments for myself...dresses, pants, tops...but I never used patterns again.  I would just stretch out the fabric on the floor and trace myself! Somehow it worked and I was able to express my fashion vision through sewing; if only Project Runway existed back then!

Today my creative energies are devoted to painting and designing patterns for fabric. I love this process.  One aspect that excites me is knowing it doesn't end with the development of the fabric, but continues on to another creative person....an inspired journey of which I’m happy to be a part.

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Shannon Newlin along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!

National Sewing Month Featuring Tina Givens

Tina Givens shares her sewing story for National Sewing Month! 

My first memories of needle and thread was 12” talking doll. She was beautiful but her clothes were shockingly ugly to me. So I planned and proceeded to remove her clothes and remade them in my own ‘style’. I stitched each garment by hand and was delighted at my work. I started dreaming of the way a needle can magically go in and out of cloth, and piece parts together. This thrilled me and after begging my grandmother and mother to let me learn on the machine, they finally sat me down and taught me the basics. All to happy to provide me with a new hobby! I was so excited I almost passed out. Once I’d experienced the machine there was no stopping me. They ensured I had a stock of fabric when I was young to prevent me from cutting up the curtains, sheets and anything else I could find!

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Tina Givens along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!

National Sewing Month Featuring Amy Butler

Amy Butler shares her sewing story for National Sewing Month!

My first sewing project was more of a gluing project, and so began the early makings of me as a sewist. My grandma would let me paw through her beautiful scrap bags of fabric for hours in her cozy attic sewing room. I loved being in that space. G’s house was older with charming dormers that let in just the right amount of warm light. Every summer I would get time with her just the two of us, for a whole week. She’d go out of her way to make me feel special; cutting my toast into triangles, giving me my own little pots of tea and letting me explore her craft room, art supplies and fabrics. When I turned 7, G taught me how to sew on one of her rougher machines. I’ll never forget that first time she let me play in her material. I spent hours making a full collection of summer clothes for my neighborhood friends by cutting, gluing and taping together some pretty stylish halter tops. Their clothes fell apart immediately but they appreciated my efforts, and I’ll always remember that outpouring of creativity and how good it felt. I created a photo collage here with 7 year old me and a pretty accurate photo of G from that era. The fabric scraps in the background are from my Grandfather’s silk ties. G made them into a gorgeous flying geese quilt after he passed and I’m lucky enough to be the keeper of that quilt.

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Verna Mosquera along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!

National Sewing Month Featuring Verna Mosquera

Verna Mosquera shares her sewing story for National Sewing Month!

When I was a little girl my grandmother would come from Guatemala and spend about 6 months out of every year with my family. She was always sewing and doing handwork. She let me use her sewing machine a little. My mom realized I had a true interest in learning so one summer at the age of 9 she signed me up for a 6 week class at the Singer store in the local mall. 

I really loved the class and remember our summer project was to make a vest. At the end of the class there was a fashion show in the mall in which you would get to wear (show off) your creation. Well, even as a young girl I was a bit of an over achiever. I didn’t just make a vest I made a 3 piece suit! A jacket, pants, vest and a collared shirt. It was just lovely made of tan polyester and calico flowers. I mean it doesn’t get better than that. 

This past winter my mom passed away. As I was looking through some of her items I found the plaque from the trophy I had won. First place, no doubt. So funny because I had no recollection of winning any prize just the memory of proudly wearing that stunning 70’s creation. Thought it was pretty sweet of my mom to save it. That class changed my life and I thank my mom Vicky for recognizing my passions before I was able to. 

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Verna Mosquera along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!


ENTER TO WIN HERE!

National Sewing Month Featuring Amy Reber

Amy Reber shares her sewing story for National Sewing Month!

I'm going back in time about seven years....as the wife of a United States Marine and mother to three young children, I found myself craving a creative - almost therapeutic - outlet to help get me through deployments, moves and just the day-to-day roller coaster of being a stay-at-home mom. Despite what might be going on during a particular day, I challenged myself to pick up a sketch pad daily and so my rhythm as an artist was born; I still strive to sketch at least ten minutes each day.....I tell people it's free therapy!

As my collection of sketches grew, I started to wonder what my work would look like on “product” and realized that I needed to teach myself some graphic design skills on the computer. I opened up Adobe Illustrator one day during summer vacation. I made my first "repeat” that day using one of my sketches and immediately I knew I had found what my gift of art was meant to be used for. Though fabric was not on my radar at that moment, my art organically involved into designs that work beautifully on fabric and that sewers and quilters are drawn to.

Every time I see a creation made with my FreeSpirit fabrics, I get a similar adrenaline rush from when I made my first repeat! To look at a particular fabric and reflect upon when I drew the flower or shape is truly satisfying, and then to share this with others is the cherry on top! When I saw the quilt that I commissioned to be made using my first FreeSpirit Fabrics line POSY for my daughter, it was such a beautiful moment because not only did I get to give the quilt to her, but I got to show her what her mom could do outside of “mom/wife duties.” It was a powerful moment I will never forget! And now, I get to see how sewers and quilters use my designs to create their own beautiful works of art using thread and needle. I am honored and humbled to play a role in their passion and and I love seeing how others interpret my designs, and that with their creations they breathe new life into the art I originally brought to life with my sketchpad!

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Amy Reber along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!