I’m so excited about my Kids’ Sewing Classes this summer! I’ll be offering classes 4 Mondays this summer. Your child can take 1, 2, 3 or all 4. The classes stand alone, but also build, depending on your child.
I’ll be teaching these classes at Lil’ Miss Priss, 3775 Youree Dr, Shreveport. The classes are listed below:
Kids’ Skirt Class
Monday, June 3
10:00-2:00
Kids’ Pillowcase Class
Monday, June 17
10:00-2:00
Kids’ Tote Bag Class
Monday, July 8
10:00-2:00
Kids’ Journal Cover Class
Monday, July 22
10:00-2:00
********A few special notes*********
Your child must have completed the first grade to be eligible for the classes.
The classes are limited to 5 so make sure you sign up early.
Making a tension map can be very helpful. I could show you myself, but why recreate the wheel. Watch this video instead:
Just a few notes of my own:
1. I started with all my dials on a 4. Then I changed the first dial to a 0 and worked my way up. As I found each thread’s ideal tension, I adjusted the dial to that and move one to the next dial on the left.
2. I actually found that I needed to make a second set of tension maps for use when I use woolly nylon in the looper threads. I don’t know if youl’ll need to too.
I saw a shirt the other day that I completely understood. It said, “I’m a goggle-hunting, lane-timing, towel-washing swim mom.” That’s about the sum of it. Except maybe for food. Feeding swimmers can be a challenge. They need healthy and quick and lots of it—at least at a swim meet. Pasta salad is our swim meet go-to meal. Here’s how we do it:
Swim Meet Pasta Salad
You’ll need whole grain pasta (we like macaroni or spirals), diced fire roasted tomatoes, whole olives (drained, but not rinsed), dried basil, and cheese (cubed mozerella or crumbled feta).
Easiest recipe ever: Boil your pasta and drain it. Toss the pasta, tomatoes, olives, and a good pinch of crumbled basil together in a bowl. Once the pasta is cooled toss in the cheese and toss the whole bowl in the ice chest for your swim meet!
The countdown is on at our house! I big news for both my customers and my sewing class students. But first…
The kids have only 10 more school days to fit in 1 final day of book fair, 4 field trips, and 5th grade graduation! It’s going to be a jam-packed 2 weeks to say the least!
Also, the summer sewing classes are filling up quickly! I’ll be at LSUS, BPCC, and Lil’ Miss Priss. I’m most excited about the Summer Kids’ Sewing Series I’ll be teaching at Lil’ Miss Priss. You can learn more on the Needles, Nuts, and Bolts Facebook page. You can find the rest of the summer schedule for 2013 on my sewing class page.
This is my second installment in my serger series. Today, it’s all about thread and needles! (You can find information about threading your serger here.)
Let’s talk needles first. Your serger manual will list the type of needles required for your machine. My simple Janome Juno 3434d requires just basic sewing needles. Others need a “serger” needle or a particular style. Whatever brand or model you need, you’ll want to choose the appropriate size needle. For a “regular” weight cotton like a gingham or those cute calicos from HL, you’ll need an 11. For heavier work, like cord or denim or fleece, you’ll want a 14. Basically, you choose the size of your needle based on your fabric choice.
Now for threads. Your serger will need 4 spools of thread. That’s a lot, but there is good new. In most pieces, you’ll only see the left needle thread. That means that the other three threads don’t have to match, only blend. I have found that I really only need a few colors for all my projects: dark grey, red, royal blue, white, and khaki.
I will sometimes use Woolly Nylon in my looper threads (those two spools on the right). Woolly Nylon is a name brand, so you might see it as Bulky Nylon. I find that this thread is a little more difficult to thread through a needle, but I love the finish it gives my garments.
Load up your machine with some thread and give it a go. Which do you prefer? Serger thread on all or the Woolly Nylon? If you’re having trouble making an even, balanced stitch, no worries! We’ll talk tension next week.
This plaque is hanging in my grandmother-in-law’s home. When you spend time there, you realize this is exactly how she lives each day.
When my home is open to others, I hope they feel my hospitality. But does my family? If we truly lived as if entertaining Jesus at every meal and in every conversation, how much different would our homes look?
I don't know if it's my Southern drawl or just the uniqueness of my name, but people often have a hard time with mine. It usually goes like this:
Them: Your first name?
Me: Salinda
Them: Belinda?
Me: Salinda
Them: Falinda?
Me: (rolling my eyes to the back of my head) It's Salinda. That's “S as in Sam, A, L, I, N, D, A”
Upcoming Classes
I'll be teaching at Lil' Miss Priss, LSUS and BPCC this Fall. Visit Lil' Miss Priss on FB, http://www.ce.lsus.edu or http://www.bpcc.edu/continuingeducation/index.html to sign up.
April
Getting to Know your Sewing Machine
April 22 9am-noon at LSUS
Basic Alterations
April 29 9am-noon at LSUS
May
What Else Can Your Machine Do?
May 6 9am-noon at LSUS
Using Your Serger
May 7 6pm-8pm at Lil’ Miss Priss
Pillowcase Dress
May 11 1pm-4pm at Lil’ Miss Priss
Ruffle Pants
May 14 10am-1pm at Lil’ Miss Priss
Pillowcase Dress
May 28 10am-1pm at Lil’ Miss Priss
June
Using Your Serger
June 4 10am-1pm at Lil’ Miss Priss
Ruffle Pants
June 6 5pm-8pm at Lil’ Miss Priss
Getting to Know Your Sewing Machine
June 11 9am-noon at LSUS
What Else Can Your Machine Do?
June 13 9am-noon at LSUS
The Emmaline Dress
June 15 10am-1pm at Lil’ Miss Priss
Making Curtains and Pillows
June 17 6pm-8pm at BPCC
Getting to Know Your Machine
June 18 6pm-9pm at LSUS
What Else Can Your Machine Do?
June 20 6pm-9pm at LSUS
Learn to Read a Pattern
June 24 9am-1pm at LSUS
Sewing Basics 1
June 25 9am-noon at BPCC
Sewing Basics 2
June 28 9am-noon at BPCC
July
Pattern Reading Basics
July 9 9am-1pm at BPCC
Curtains and Pillows
July 11 9am-11am at LSUS
PersonaliTy Children’s Clothes on Etsy
Search all the posts at “S as in Sam”
LOVE.SHINE.GLORIFY.
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorifyyour Father who is in Heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NASB)
requires just basic sewing needles. Others need a “serger” needle or a particular style. Whatever brand or model you need, you’ll want to choose the appropriate size needle. For a “regular” weight cotton like a gingham or those cute calicos from HL, you’ll need an 11. For heavier work, like cord or denim or fleece, you’ll want a 14. Basically, you choose the size of your needle based on your fabric choice.
in my looper threads (those two spools on the right). Woolly Nylon is a name brand, so you might see it as Bulky Nylon. I find that this thread is a little more difficult to thread through a needle, but I love the finish it gives my garments.
