Make Your Summer Crafty!

Summer classes are in full swing here at Sew L.A., and we couldn't be happier with our reorganized classroom space! It's the perfect size for our sewing classes that take a bit more room for projects, and we have had a few creative workshops with 10 - 15 students as well. 

Our website update is taking a bit longer than we anticipated, but we have our Basic Sewing Kit up and are getting ready to post fabric soon. A huge thank you to students who have been in the middle of this change! Of course, we want everyone to have the right tools and supplies for classes and workshops - if you don't see what you need online yet we are ALWAYS open 1/2 hour before classes to allow students to shop for what they need. Please do send us an email if you ever have questions!

You can also plan ahead and get what you need (and anything else) at one of our monthly pop-up shops: the next one will be Saturday June 20th from 10 - 6pm. We have some new fabric from Cloud9 and Cotton + Steel!

There are some great sewing classes coming up in June and July, along with more crafty classes like Embroidery and Sashiko Mending - and here are some pictures from our recent Block Printing workshop, led by Elinor from Krank Press:

photo by Elinor

Elinor will be leading a Stencil Printing on Fabric class soon - it's another fantastic way to create your own custom fabric. We are working on a collaboration for the fall: a weekend workshop where you print your fabric one day then sew it up the second. Here are a few stencil samples - you can see the flexibility!

And I'm hard at work on summer projects and new classes. Here's a preview of what's coming up:

Decades of Style E.S.P. Dress in ah-MAY-zing Alexander Henry fabric

Look for the Aster Blouse class in August!

Working hard on a new beginner class & pattern!

And there are a few more super-secret projects in the works - you'll have to stay tuned till next time! Hope to see you soon -Shaerie @ Sew L.A.

Sew L.A.'s 2nd Annual Holiday Bazaar!

Please join us on Friday, Dec. 5th from 3 - 9pm for our Second Annual Holiday Bazaar! It's an evening filled with crafty fun, fantastic local vendors and cookies & cider for all. I have also been testing German spiced wine recipes (tough job) to serve a little later in the evening - mighty tasty!

We'll have sewing stations set up for some free crafts: make a card with fabric scraps or learn to sew a mini flying geese garland like the ones in our window. There will also be make & take kits and demos for mini-loom coasters and embroidered leather bracelets! 

Here's a preview of some of the local vendors that will be participating - all items are handmade right here in Los Angeles by the people who are selling them to you!

Charlie from Minor Thread will have handmade sachets, teas and mulling spices!

Mary will be selling her hand sewn clothes for boys and girls!

Wendy from Green Girl Art will have a selection of plushies and wall art!

Iris will have some lovely handmade jewelry for sale!

Elinor from Krank Press will be selling her gorgeous notecards, journals and calendars!

Ms. Molly will have aprons for adults & kids and table linens made from beautiful batiks and mudcloth!

Rebecca will have luxurious silk rayon infinity scarves and small leather items!

Tonie will have a selection of bags and wallets along with this gorgeous child's coat!

Our make & takes are scheduled on the hour as follows:

3pm: Shaerie sets you up on a mini loom to weave coasters - $2 for the yarn kit

4pm: Robert Mahar will show you how to wrap candy cane ornaments - free!

5pm: Haley demos embroidering on leather bracelets - $10 for the kit

6pm: Mr. Mahar helps you create beautiful pom pom ornaments - free!

7pm: Shaerie is back with the mini looms - $2 for yarn

8pm: Mr. Mahar returns with the lovely pom poms! - free

All demos are on a first come, first served basis. We'll have extra kits & supplies too, if you want to keep practicing what you learn!

Sew L.A.'s Amazing Students Series: Ruby Bugarin

Here at Sew L.A., what we do most is teach people how to sew. Since 2007! So at this point, there are a whole lot of folks out there who learned how to sew (or who learned how to sew better) by taking some classes with us. We'd like to introduce you to some of them - our students inspire us every day and we want to share that inspiration with you!

First on our list is Ruby Bugarin, with pictures by Devon of Miss Make. Ruby started taking classes at our Silver Lake location several years ago and now she is sewing her entire fantastic wardrobe.

Burda 7834 top with the Ginger Skirt from Colette Patterns 

What was your skill level when you starting taking classes at Sew L.A.? Or, how did you get started sewing?

Minimal. I took a course at a community college with 20 other people about 10 years ago. Don’t ask me to tell you how much I remember; not much. I got started when I saw kids sewing classes advertised and decided to enroll my daughter so she could learn the basics. I bought her a basic sewing machine and then decided I should learn the basics also. I then found out about Sew L.A. and started with the basic class and … I got hooked! I’ve taken many, many classes and in addition I’ve made many items at home. I could not have done it without Sew L.A. The classes are project based, meaning that at the end of a class I have a finished item; what more of an incentive do I need?

Rooibos Dress from Colette Patterns

What has been your favorite class at Sew L.A.?

My favorite class was the serger class because it opened up a whole new world into sewing with knits easily and really fast. I love a quick and easy sewing project ;)

Lady Skater dress by Kitschy Coo

Did you have a ‘breakthrough moment’ in sewing?

I had a breakthrough pretty much in every class. First in making my very first bag in the intro class, then learning about elastic casings in the pajama bottoms class to learning to sew gathers and bands in a dress class. Knowing how to sew a set-in sleeve was an eye opener! Once I learned the basics I was off on my own and could really make many patterns out there.

What has been your favorite project so far? (fun to make, like the fit, love to wear etc...)

I love knit garments because they are quick to sew, are comfortable to wear and are pretty forgiving in fit. I loved making a t-shirt with the Sewaholic Renfrew and the Jaime Christina knit dresses.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

I’m very proud of my silk chiffon dress I made. It was very challenging to cut and sew because of the slippery fabric. I had to research how to sew with silk, starting with knowing what needles to use, what pins, how to cut it, etc. It took a lot of patience and time. I also put it aside until I had the patience to deal with it and now I have a beautiful silk dress and the skills to tackle another silk garment.

Burda 7628 dress

What has been your biggest sewing disaster?

Too many to count! In the beginning getting garments to fit correctly was very frustrating. As most people with non-standard bodies can attest to, it is a steep learning curve to learn how to fit your body by yourself. It helps if you have someone to help. Now that I know which pattern companies fit my body type better and I know my body better, this aspect of sewing is less stressful and I also try to always make a muslin unless it’s a pattern company I’m familiar with and I know I can make my adjustments with confidence.

Burda 6916 dress

Do you have a favorite fabric designer or favorite pattern company? Why are they your favorite?

My favorites are Deer and Doe, Burda and now By Hand London because they are consistent in the pattern drafting and I have to make only minor fitting adjustments for them to fit me well and they have the cutest designs!

Do you have any sewing goals in the near (or distant!) future?

My next challenge is to learn tailoring skills. I’ve just taken a Craftsy course on how to tailor a jacket and soon I will start on it.

Thanks Ruby! Your gorgeous outfits are sure to inspire us all. Sew L.A. readers - stay tuned for our next Amazing Student in the not-too-distant future!

New Classes for Fall 2012!

We are so excited to announce our newest classes for the Fall semester! There's a little bit of branching out happening, so we have included a fantastic embroidery class along with our usual sewing fare.

First on the list is the Miz Mozelle Dress from Jamie Christina Patterns. I fell in love with the details - the bias trim, the keyhole neckline, the sweet collar - and then was impressed by how professional the pattern was. Nicely drafted with very clear instructions - just the thing for a new class. I'm super excited to teach people how to make their own bias tape in this class - it will open up a whole new world of trimming! The dress below is made from Nani Iro's Waltz in turquoise with lime cotton trim.  This intermediate class is scheduled for two dates: Fri. October 5th and Sat. December 1st. 

For The Kimono Kid, Rebecca will be teaching this adorable kimono style pajama top from an Oliver + S pattern! With all the super-cute Ed Emberly fabrics from Cloud9 in the shop, there's no lack of choice for the main fabric. This top will fit 6 – 12 months (chest: 19”) through size 8 (chest 26 ½”), and the class will teach you how to sew the band smoothly and how to navigate inset corners. The two-session class is offered twice this semester: Sun. October 21st and Mon. December 3rd.

Ed Emberley for Cloud9 Organic Fabrics

We are thrilled to welcome Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching fame to teach here at Sew L.A.! Jenny's fame has been spread far and wide as she takes the embroidery world by storm with her brilliant designs. She's teaching three intro classes this semester - with all the supplies you need included in the class fee - and in December we'll be offering a project class for everyone who has taken the intro class already. 

Intro to Embroidery is scheduled for Sat. October 13th, Weds. November 14th and Sat. December 1st. 

Jenny Hart

Devon will be teaching the Liberated Log Cabin quilt top class, which takes the traditional piecing method and skews it just enough to make it really interesting! You can pick a fabric to use as a central theme, then mix & match your other fabrics from there. The class will create a 40 x 54" quilt top, and is only offered once this time around, starting Sun. October 7th. It's open to anyone who has taken our Quilt Making Basics class or who has similar experience! 

Lastly, I'm introducing a new Sew L.A. pattern & class this semester, the One Day Wallet! It's a quick and easy project that allows you to utilize some of the gorgeous prints we currently have in stock. It's a second level beginner class (you only need one other beginner class before this one), and it's offered on Sat. October 6th, Sat. November 24th, and Weds. December 19th.