Sewing Summer Camp in Helotes

Wendy and Elina kicked off my first Mother/Daughter summer sewing camp in Helotes, and what a fun week it was!

Wendy had some sewing experience to draw from but her daughter was new to sewing.  I take that back, Wendy worked with Elina for a day at home before coming to class, and I have to say that she took to it like a fish to water!

The project that we worked on for the week was the quilted lined tote bag with button closure.

large tote with several interior pockets

small tote with an interior pocket

We spent the majority of the first lesson picking out fabric, learning how to lay out the pattern, cutting the fabric and then how to use my sewing machines. They also got started sewing the handles of the tote.  They spent the majority of the 2nd lesson marking the fabric for quilting and then sewing all of those super straight quilting lines.  Our 3rd lesson consisted of a lot of instruction reading and piecing the inside of the bag together.  Wendy also learned how to use the button hole foot to make the button hole for the flap on her tote.  Elina used about the same amount of time to pick out just the right button for her tote (hey, it has to be just right!).  The ladies spent the final day on the finishing touches, like top-stitching around the opening of the tote and attaching the button.

and here are their beautiful totes

It was a pleasure to spend the week sewing with Elina and Wendy.   I have to say that both of them earned the "first" award - Elina was the first beginning student to ever sew just about every quilting line perfectly straight, and Wendy was the first student I've ever had that never needed to use the seam ripper.  Wow on both counts!!!

Did you see my ad in the Sonoma Ranch Newsletter?

If you or your child (yes, I teach boys too) are interested in learning how to sew, or to brush up on your sewing skills then drop me a note at LearnToSewWithJan@gmail.com

2014 Learn To Sew Summer Camps

The format for 2014 Learn To Sew Summer Camp is basically the same as last year - get a group of 2 or 3 together and choose your week and then the number of days that your group would like to sew.
I've added the option to sign up for private lessons.

A few points:

• Classes are limited to 3 students to maximize instruction
• 12:00 is just a suggested start time, we can adjust it if need be
• You can bring your own machine, as long as you know how to use it
• I provide the supplies for the 1st project (apron) and the 2nd one (tote bag). 
• I will email a supply list for any projects after that (PJ's, skirt, summer top, dress...)
• If you would like to take group lessons but don't have a group, then I will try my best to pair you up with any other students in the same situation.
• Some weeks fill up quickly, so please check a few week options

Please share this with any of your daughter's friends who may be interested in joining the fun this summer (or during the school year)
 

Starting date	Mon-Wed     12:00 – 2:20    $85  – Group lessons $112 – Private lessons	Mon–Thurs  12:00-2:00 $97   – Group lessons $128 – Private lessons	Mon–Fri  12:00–2:00 $120 – Group lessons $160 – Private lessons
June 9
June16
June 23
June 30
July 7
July  14
July  21
July 28
August 4
August 11
August  18

For more information or to get a registration form please contact me at
LearnToSewWithJan@gmail.com

I've moved

Learn to Sew with Jan classes have moved.  I wish I could say that it was just across town, but I have  moved across the country to San Antonio TX!  I'm actually in Sonoma Ranch in Helotes, which is a small town just outside of the city.  It's beautiful out here, but I miss Charlotte already and all of my wonderful sewing students.  I hope all of you are practicing the skills that you learned in class with me and are making some beautiful creations!  I loved all of the time I spent interacting with all of my girls (young and grown ups) and I will hold those fond memories close to my heart.

I am hoping to start my classes up again here in Helotes.

Spring Projects

It has been a busy spring with many returning students and several new girls learning to sew.  Here are some of their terrific projects!

K.R. and E. N (both 10 yrs)  Quilted Tote Bag

K. R. & E. N.  (both 10 yrs.)  P.J. Pants

K. R. & E. N. (both 10 yrs)  Layered Skirts

K. B. (17 yrs.)  Long Skirt

M. A. (12 yrs.)  Pool Shorts and Bag from a towel

P.J. Pants      L.W.           M. R.              C. B.     (all 9 yrs.)

For class openings:  LearnToSewWithJan@gmail.com

Fall & Winter Projects

E. C.  (9 yrs.)  Lined Apron

C. L. (10 yrs.)  P.J. Pants

E. T. (10 yrs.)   P.J. Shorts

C. S. (9yrs.)    C. P. (9yrs.)  Lined Apron

J. B. (11 yrs.)  Lined Apron

E. T. (10 yrs.)  Layered Skirt

L. P  (13 yrs.)    Lined Apron

K. R.  (10 yrs.)    Lined Apron

C. P.            E. C.             C.S.       P.J. Pants & Shorts

K. B. (17 yrs.)      Lined Apron

For more information: LearnToSewWithJan@gmail.com

It's been a busy July and August!

We've had a fun time learning how to sew this summer.
Here are photos of everyone modeling the projects that they worked so hard on:

               A. L  10yrs     O. M. 10yrs        G. M. 8yrs

E. T. 10yrs.

       H. S. 9yrs             M. N. 10yrs.

G. M. 8yrs      O. M. 10yrs      A. L. 10yrs

E. T. 10yrs

F. T.  9th grade

C. R. 9yrs      M. R. 12yrs

J. J. 9yrs        G. O. 10 yrs

M. A.  9yrs

For information about fall sewing classes please see the right sidebar of the blog or contact me at:
LearnToSewWithJan@gmail.com

Lots of Great May and June Projects

M. A.  age 11

M. A.  came to me with her new sewing machine and an eagerness to add to her sewing skills.

We started with this cute little skirt, where she learned how to read pattern instructions, adjust a pattern size, make a casing and hem.

M. A.  age 11

M. A.  wanted to make a gift for one of her good friends.
You can find all kinds on fun projects online, and this handy water bottle carrier is what we decided to make:

http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/2006/07/10/whiplash-challenge-water-bottle-carrier/


We tweaked the pattern just a bit to add  her friend's initial to  the front of the carrier.  How cute is this?  The ultimate compliment came when her friend asked M. where she bought the water bottle carrier!

M. A.    age 11

M.A. has a fun month planned at an outdoor camp this summer and needed a good sized tote bag to carry some of her things.
This is the tote bag that the adults usually make in class.  but I had the feeling that M. would be up for the challenge.  She practiced her  pattern reading skills, learned how to use batting, and even button hole making.

I think M. built a beautiful quilted tote bag - I hope she scotch guards it before camp!

F. T.   13 yrs

F.T. showed up at my door on her first day of sewing class sweating and breathing heavily.  You see, she lives at the far end of my neighborhood and she misjudged how much time it would take to walk to my house.  Apparently, she had to sprint the last 1/2 mile to get here on time - what a conscientious young lady!

After catching her breath, F. jumped right in to learning how to sew.  She turned out this lovely apron with great straight lines, wonderful curved lines (where they should be curved) and even top stitching.    Great job!

D. S.    adult

 D. S. had her own sewing machine but had never used it, in fact just  the thought of sewing with it overwhelmed her.  She finally decided to just dive in and give sewing lessons a go. This is how she described her lessons :)

My sewing machine made me sweat and I literally had a panic attack when I was suppose go it “on my own”. However, I am no longer reaching for a bottle of scotch at the thought of turning on the machine and that is progress.... I now love to sew. And, practice makes perfect. So (or sew), Cheers to Jan.

She's a hoot!  I think her apron (the harder version) turned out wonderfully. 

A. B.   12 years

A. B.  had a new sewing machine and was interested in learning how to use it while also adding to her sewing skills. 

This apron is a great  project not only for beginners but also for  people who already know how to sew because the  project can be adjusted to suit your sewing level. 

A.  did a great job following the pattern instructions (I think they make them confusing on purpose!), cutting her fabric out and then putting the apron together.  

A. B.    12 years

We followed up with a new project that I designed where you make beach shorts and a drawstring bag from a beach towel.  I wasn't sure if it would be too hard to make, but A. didn't have a problem.  Cute shorts!









For more information about my sewing classes  please contact me at:  LearnToSewWithJan@gmail.com 

Summer Camp 2012

This years' Learn To Sew Summer Camp is basically the same as last year - get a group of 2 or 3 together and choose your week and then the number of days that your group would like to sew.
I've added the option to sign up for private lessons.

A few points:

• Classes are limited to 3 students to maximize instruction
• The students in your group do not all need to be working on the same project
• 12:00 is just a suggested start time, we can adjust it if need be
• You can bring your own machine, as long as you know how to use it
• I provide the supplies for the 1st project (apron) and the 2nd one (tote bag). 
• I will email a supply list for any projects after that (PJ's, skirt, summer top, dress...)
• If you would like to take group lessons but don't have a group, then I will try my best to pair you up with any other students in the same situation.
• Some weeks fill up quickly, so please check a few week options

Please share this with any of your daughter's friends who may be interested in joining the fun this summer (or during the school year)
 

Starting date	Mon-Wed     12:00 – 2:20    $85  – Group lessons $112 – Private lessons	Mon–Thurs  12:00-2:00 $97   – Group lessons $128 – Private lessons	Mon–Fri  12:00–2:00 $120 – Group lessons $160 – Private lessons
June 4	Full	-------------------	-----------------
June 11	Full	------------------	-----------------
June 18	------------------------	------------------	Full
June 25	-----------------------	Full	------------------
July 2	M T Th (no class 7/4)	M T Th F  (n0 class 7/4)	no 5 day session this week
July 9	-----------------------	-------------------	Full
July 16	-----------------------	-----------------------	Full
July 23	------------------------	-------------------	Full
July 30	-----------------------	Full	--------------------
August 6	-----------------------	Full	--------------------
August 13

For more information or to get a registration form please contact me at
LearnToSewWithJan@gmail.com

Busy, Busy, Busy Spring Bees

A. S.  10 yrs

 What a fun spring we have had this year!  Some of my  students were brand new to sewing, some wanted to  become comfortable with their new sewing machines, and others were moving on to their 2nd, 3rd or 4th projects.  What a great job everyone did!

C. L.   9 yrs.

S. N.  10 yrs.

D. J.   and   E. J. 9 yrs.

 

C. B.

K.M.  11yrs           M.S.11 yrs.           L.F.  11yrs

C.L.  9 yrs.

LearnToSewWithJan@gmail.com 

for more information and registration forms for classes and summer camp dates