Diana's Sewing Studio

    I have discovered over the past year that I love making things to preserve memories for people. I made a quilt for a teacher that retired using class pictures from every year she taught.Every time she looks at it she will have fond memories. I made teddy bears using my late brother's shirts for his wife and 2 daughters and a granddaughter so they will have something of his to hug. These things bring such joy and comfort to others and I feel good knowing I helped bring those feelings to them. I want to continue preserving memories for others.

    I took a look at my business and decided I am covering too much ground so I have decided to concentrate on a few things and not cover such a wide variety of sewing. I have an Etsy store I want to keep up with and there are some special items I have made that I want to continue with so I am not doing sewing and alterations anymore.

        It's been a busy, hectic summer. I put in a huge garden. With the hot, dry weather I had to spend a lot of time dragging the hose out to water the garden. The tomatoes and peppers have been growing like crazy so I have spent a lot of time canning and freezing. I haven't had much time for sewing. I've been doing customers jobs but not much of my own. I just recently made some new curtains for my daughter's bedroom to match her comforter.

           I decided to quit teaching sewing because it seemed like almost everyone that contacted me wanted to only make their own designs and did not listen when I told them they had to learn how to sew first. Also, I do not teach pattern drafting.They acted like all you had to do was draw a garment and make it, just like that. If only it were that easy!

     If anyone is serious about learning to sew and willing to listen and learn I will consider teaching, but they have to follow my lesson plan.

I have been doing some spring cleaning lately. Not around the house but on my website and Etsy store. My website needed some updating and removal of old info. I try to keep it fresh, but I don't  always have time to keep up with it. I changed my template and some of the pages and added some new pictures. Be sure to check them out.

I also added some new items to my Etsy store and updated the info about my sewing lessons. Hopefully the updated info will clarify what my lessons are about. I teach sewing, not pattern making, and you have to learn how to sew before you can start to make your own clothing. You cannot just sit down at a machine for the first time and make an outfit, just as you cannot get behind the wheel of a car for the first time and head out on the highway. This may sound strange to some of you, but I have had people think that you can. They don't want to make the beginning projects. They just want to make what they want. After they learn how to sew they can make what they want.

Recently I made 3 bridesmaids dresses for an April wedding. The pattern was a Burda pattern,very simple, with 2 scarves attached to the front bodice to drape and tie the way you wanted. The fabric was a thin t shirt fabric in tangerine with matching chiffon for the scarf. The dress was strapless with a small bodice and an A-line skirt. The pattern is made for a smaller person. It only came in smaller sizes. 2 of the 3 bridesmaids were full figured, so the dress didn't fit them the way it should. The bodice was too high up, not under the breast where it should have been. The bride had seen this dress at another wedding and liked it and chose it for her wedding.

1 of the bridesmaids wasn't too happy with the dress, but the other 1 had been in the other wedding and said that was how her dress was for that wedding too. That got me thinking that maybe there should be more thought going into dress choices and body types and also the type of fabrics chosen. As I said, the fabric was a thin t shirt knit and it was rainy and in the 50's that day, so I bet the girls were a little chilly. But the dresses were beautiful!

Wow, I can't believe my last blog was 2 months ago. I've been busy with new students, customers and making Christmas presents. I picked up 3 new students and had a customer that had me make 4 robes, a blanket and a scarf for Christmas presents. I made some Christmas presents to give again this year. This time I made hooded scarves for all the women on my list[6], and a flannel shirt for my son. I wanted to do more sewing for Christmas but I didn't have time. My sister-in-law asked me if I could make a bear with one of my late brother's shirts for a gift for their grandaughter. She loved the bear so much I have to make one for her and each of her 2 daughters and their kids. One daughter has 3 kids and the other has 4. That's a lot of bears! My sister-in-law said I should advertise that I can make these bears for anyone that has lost a loved one and would like to have a keepsake. I think I will and also make bears out of baby blankets that kids have become attached to and don't want to part with. A new project as if I am not busy enough!

I will be out at the Lorain County JVS craft show this Sat., Oct. 22. I will have a variety of things I have made and also info on my business and on my classes. If you are in the area be sure to stop in to see me and check out the craft show. It is a big one!

Here it is, the last day of summer. It always goes by too fast. I heard a lot of complaints about this summer;being too hot, too many mosquitos,too rainy. It was a little unbearable at times with the heat. You couldn't go outside to do anything because it was so hot and if you waited til the evening for it to cool off the mosquitos got you. The worst part for me this summer was I hurt my knee on June 18th and it took all summer to heal. I couldn't get around very well. I couldn't kneel to work in my garden. If I had a customer with a dress to hem I had a heck of a time measuring the hem. My knee is finally doing well enough that I can play catch up with everything I couldn't get to. There is a lot of yard work to do. My garden has slowed down quite a bit. I had a lot of cucumbers, broccoli and cantaloupe this year.The asparagus did good too.

I have been making a lot of curtains for customers lately. They are looking ahead to spending more time in the house and having nice window treatments to look at. It's got me thinking about new window treatments for my sewing room.

I went to the store yesterday and saw Christmas decorations next to the Halloween decorations. One holiday at a time please! I'm just starting to think about decorating my front porch for Halloween and I'm seeing Christmas stuff out already. Might as well put the Easter stuff out too!

Girl Scouts USA has decided to discontinue the 2 sewing badges that I have badge labs for. They are revamping their program. These badges will be available until June 2012. This is the last year to sign your troops up for these badge labs. All of the troops that have done them have had a lot of fun and learned a new skill.Looking at their new program I don't see any sewing badges, so this is it.Don't miss out!

After working with several students at a time this summer, I have decided to switch my classes to private lessons. Each person learns at their own pace and some people need more guidance than others. I like to give each student the attention they need and cannot always do that with more than 1 student. I will be able to give more individualized instruction.