Button-Covered Candles

If the dull, low-light Winter days are getting you down, I have a lovely, crafty way to light up your world!

Last December, I designed these Button-Covered Candles using the great bags of buttons and E-6000 glue that we sell in our stores. We've had fun inspiring customers with them at the Everett store where I work. I love coming up with projects that use the wonderful supplies we sell and these have been a big hit. I used a subtle, monchromatic theme, but you could make them colorful or coordinate buttons and candles with your decor. They'd be fun as a mid-Winter gift for a friend, too!

I wrote up a pattern and you can download a PDF of it by clicking here.

Hope you have as much fun as I did!

~ Memory

(Memory is a very talented member of our Everett store staff who is always on the lookout for new ideas!)



Pillowcase extravaganza!

I tell you, the ladies of 4th Avenue are a fountain of inspiration. No sooner do I finish blogging about Mary's Seuss apron, then Cathy comes in with her Seuss pillowcases!

Cathy made Seuss pillowcases for three wonderful little boys, her grandsons Jamison, Adrian and Julian. Each boy gets his own unique pillowcase to have sweet fantastical dreams of Cats in Hats and Sneetches and other Seuss characters.

But she didn't want the grown-ups to be left out, so she made delightful pairs of pillowcases for her kids, too, in our wonderful Washington and Seattle-themed fabrics! She even made a set in an elegant batik combo. She's got plans to give these to her family for New Year's - I bet it'll be a great one!

If you want to make a custom pillowcase, click here for a free, simple pattern.

-Anna-Beth

Great Gifts to Grab & Give!

Okay - calm down and take a deep breath! There's no need to panic! I know Christmas is just three days away, but we can do this together. Here are some great gifts you can grab and give - all under $25. See, I've got your gifting back and you're going to be fine. Just keep scrolling down until you find the perfect thing!

No time to scroll? Okay - quick - head to your nearest store and look for our nice collection of 2011 Calendars with creative themes and tumblers, notebooks and other goodies that say fun things like Knit Happy. (I have one on my desk and I'm certain that my water tastes better!) But, if you can, keep reading . . .

For your friend who just got, is about to get or has closeted a serger. Ready, Set, Serge will pave the way to serging bliss. Add some cones of Maxi-Lock thread in neutral colors and you've got a whole serging kit! Available at all stores except Everett. $22.99

For EVERY sewist you know! 1,000 Clever Sewing Shortcuts & Tips has loads (seriously!) of tips and shortcuts to make every sewing life easier and more fun. Gathered by the crew at patternreview.com and available at all our stores for just $19.99.

A fun book for those cozy Winter evenings. Any stitcher will love Redhot Redwork from local designers Two Sisters at Squirrel Hollow. Very pretty stuff for $15.95. Add lots of red DMC floss and the lovely little 100 Embroidery Stitches book ($2.79) from Coats & Clark and you're all set. Available at all our stores.

For your crocheting friends or even someone who wants to learn, Slippers By the Dozen will supply hours and hours of creative pleasure. Add a crochet hook set and a bit of yarn! Just $7.95 at all our stores except Bellevue.

We had such a wonderful time with Debbie Bliss when she was here for Stitch 'n Pitch last August and you can give a little taste of her expertise to your knitting buddies. Tips for Knitters is a fully packed book of tips and tricks to keep their needles clacking happily. $19.95 at all our stores and we have Debbie Bliss yarn you can add into the package, too!

The kids! What about the kids? 100+ No-Sew Fabric Crafts for Kids is a gift that will keep them busily happy now and invest in their creative future. It has to start somewhere and this book is a marvelous place to get those crafty genes brewing. You'll love it! $19.99 at all our stores. Don't forget to add a few fat-quarters and some of your own scraps to get them going!

Even if your female family or friends aren't the crafty types, they'll LOVE these books. Why Girls Love Bags and Why Girls Love Shoes are 'can't miss' delightful little books that girls of any age will enjoy. Just $9.95 each at all stores except Bremerton and Outlet on 4th.

Perfect for the hard-to-buy-for, Weird Washington will have the recipient intrigued and smiling! This is such a cool book and just right for those who live here, those who don't and those who have just arrived. $19.95 at all our stores except Bellevue.

And that's just a few of the things you'll find at our stores! Hope I got your 'grab and give' wheels turning and you're feeling a bit more calm. 'Tis the season of joy and I wanted to gave a bit of that back to you!

Happy Gifting and have a Marvelous Christmas!!!

~ Annette

Last Minute 'Uber-Quick-Really-Great' Gifts to Make

Yes, it is almost Christmas, but hang on, I've got some great projects you still have time to make. Scroll through these quickly then head for your nearest store and get going!

Fabulously festive fabric buckets to hold your gifts now and use for years! The Make Life Merry pattern comes with three iron-on lables to finish off your stitching in style. From Sweetwater Designs, it's available at all our stores except Outlet on 4th.

Gotta Grandma? Or an Aunt or anyone else who loves pictures? The Quilted Brag Book pattern from Hedgehog Quilting is quick to make and delightful to give. You'll find this wonderful pattern and the extra photo inserts you'll want at all our stores except Outlet on 4th. Pattern includes vinyl for front pocket and inserts for one book.

The Cash 'n Carry pattern from Atkinson Designs is a great way to give a bit of handmade re-usable love along with cash or a gift card. Best of all, we've made up 'ready-to-grab' kits of just the right amount of coordinated fabric ready for you. You can buy one kit and a pattern for under $15! Look for Cash 'n Carry, the kits and a 'sister' pattern (Snap Happy) at all our stores except Outlet on 4th.

Here's another easy-peasy way to stitch up a handmade package for a gift card! Little Wallet Sewing Card from Valori Wells is just $2.99 and so much fun, you'll want to make one for everyone. The Card, a little fabric and the promise of a sewing lesson would make a great gift, too! Available at all our stores except Bremerton and Outlet on 4th.

Purses, Bags and Totes are easy to make and a great solution for the 'problem child' on your gift list. You know - the one that's REALLY hard to shop for?!  Style Stiches from the always fabulous Amy Butler offers you 12 basic patterns and enough variations to make 26 unique looks. Something for everyone and the book on it's own would make a great gift, too! Available at all our stores.

Okay, Elfin Stitchers - ready, set, sew!!!

~ Annette

Really Rapid Ruffles!

The holidays are looming ever closer, and whether you are looking for a quick gift or a bit of feminine fabulousness for holiday parties, I have just the thing for you!



Rizos makes neat rows of ruffles



Triana is lacy, loopy, and lovely!



Arriving today in our stores are two amazing new novelty scarf yarns from Katia.  Triana knits up into a frothy boa of lace - it's fun to work with and lovely to feel.  Rizos knits up into dense layers of ruffles, a little warmer and equally fun to explore. Both could be used for trims on garments, but are really designed to be scarves  - one ball makes a generous scarf, and each comes with a free pattern sheet showing you just how to knit them up. Best of all, they knit fast, and at only $12.99 apiece, these could be the answers to your holiday gifting woes! I snuck a ball of Triana in white from Bremerton last night, and my scarf is already almost finished and truly spectacular.  These yarns are to be found at all stores but the 4th Ave Outlet - some colors were sold out, so we'll have even more choices come February!



ChaChaCha! Even the selvages are pretty!

 Want to wrap your friends (or yourself) in ruffles, but not into knitting?  Never fear, ChaChaCha is here!  Remember Dianne's awesome flapper dress for her granddaughter?  It was made from the ChaChaCha ruffle, which comes in red with black stitching, white with black stitiching, and black with white stitching.  Ellen, the Block of the Month leader and quilter extraordinaire at our Everett store, made the cutest skirt from the red one - it shimmies in the most delightful way, is totally adorable on her, and she said making it was a cinch - one width of fabric, a bit of elastic, and NO hemming, and it 's a sweet skirt!  If that's too complex, though, ChaChaCha makes scarfmaking even simpler - just get 1/2 yard, fold it in half lengthwise, sew the cut edges together, trying not to catch any of the ruffles in your stitches,  and it is a flirtatious and fashionable scarf - we have seen scarves at certain upscale department stores that begin with N that are identical - and retail for $60.  ChaChaCha is available at our Everett, Bellevue, Northgate and Puyallup stores, and is only $12.99 a yard. 

 - Anna-Beth

Fusible Piping - a speedy way to create!

File this under 'what will Nancy Zieman think of next'!

I enjoyed the Northwest Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival last weekend and found our dear Chris Claus demonstrating this incredibly cool stuff! Wrap 'n Fuse Piping designed by Nancy Zieman for Clover makes piping and gifts super quick and easy!

Chris used a Bias Tape Maker, another of our favorite Clover tools, to make the bias strips she used to cover the piping. How did she put it all together? Watch my little video below!

See - easy! And just to round out our list of Clover products we love, Chris uses Clover's Mini-Iron to do the pressing because it fits the small space so well. Thank you, Clover! And when you're done fusing your piping . . .

You can coil and stitch it into these cute coasters or hot pads! You'll find all of these wonderful Clover products at all of our stores - just in time for Thanksgiving hot pads and great for gifts. (Watch for more videos. I had great fun 'filming' Chris at our booth at the show!)

~ Annette

(Chris "Claus" is well known for her part in our Christmas in July events and being the queen of demos at our Sewing & Stitchery Expo booth. In between demo engagements, you'll find her at our Everett store where she is the Assistant Manager.)

A handmade hat makes an amazing present!

Last May, when I was 14 months pregnant (ok, it was only nine, but it felt like at least fourteen) I waddled into my office to find the most glorious gift basket. The amazing staff of our 4th Ave store had pooled their handiwork, and made me a massive basket full of handmade toys, hats, booties, bibs, blankets, and even a whole quilt! It made me cry, it was so nice (and when you are that pregnant, you cry at everything anyway.)  

Now my little Annika is 5 months old, and is enjoying the fruits of their labor. With the recent chill in the air, she is wearing hats on her bald little head, and this one, made by the truly wonderful Mary, is one of my favorites.



Annika with her lovely handmade  hat



Mary used the "Three Times a Delight" pattern from the Tops & Toes book, a terrific treasury of patterns for heads and feet.  The pattern is great - not only does it include directions for Annika's heart version, but also the flower one on the book cover, as well as a sweet little star pattern. Mary just finished making one of those for a little boy she's expecting to meet soon, and it came out adorable!  The book even includes patterns for matching booties.

Mary is using one of my favorite yarns for these darling hats - Bamboo Baby by Patons. This yarn comes in a sweet range of pastels, is machine washable, and is wonderfully soft! At only $5.99 for a 95yd ball, it is totally affordable for hats, blankets, and more.

With the holiday season looming, hats are fabulous gifts to make - warm and personal for them, easy and fun for you!
 - Anna-Beth 

Outlet Staff Spotlight: Sew Easy Fat Quarter Gifts

From time to time at the Outlet on 4th, we pick a book, product or pattern, all make our own projects and put them up for display. It's really cool to see what everyone does and it always inspires me to make more things when I see someone else's ideas.

Right now our display focuses on the Sew Easy Fat Quarter Gifts book. Stuffed full of 64 projects, at $19.95 it's just right for holiday present making. I'd like to share our results with you! 

Our Manager, Janice chose the Petite Purse from page 100 and the Sew Special Gift Bag from page 109. On the right you can see the Color My World crayon apron from page 36 made by our sewing teacher Ann.

Loretta made the On The Go Bag from page 96 and added amazing button bouquets to it! Be sure to come into the store to see the Mini Gift Boxes that Brenda made from page 167, too.

I stitched up the Baby Announcement Board (left) from page 16 and used it to announce the birth of Annika, our buyer, Anna-Beth's new baby girl. Then I made a boy and girl version of the Sweet Baby Quilt (right) from page 13.

There's more, too and they were all so quick to make using fat quarters. Come on into the Outlet on 4th and look for this display! It will be up for a couple more weeks. You'll find the book at all our stores (except Northgate) right now, too.

~ Mary

(Mary works at the Outlet on 4th and leads the Block of the Month Club. She is a skilled, avid quilter and kntter.)

Tie-Dye Kits for Summer

Just in! Fabulous new Jewel-Tone colors of Jacquard Tye-Dye Kits! Left to right above: Amber, Ruby, Amethyst, Sapphire, Emerald & Onyx. Each kit contains all the supplies (even gloves) and dyes you need to make up to 2 cool two tone tie-dye shirts (Sapphire & Ruby shown at right). But think beyond shirts, too! Tie-Dye is fun to do on any simple piece of clothing, pillow case or even a curtain valance. Be sure to check the directions to see what kind of fabrics work best with the dyes, then off you go into Tie-Dye heaven. A good creative weekend project for you and/or supervised kids. Available for just $9.99 per kit at all our stores.

Celebrate the Grad or Bride with Flags & Streamers

Looking for a fun, easy, crafty way to decorate for a Bridal Shower or Graduation Party?

Flags or Streamers are fun to make from fabric and you can get the whole family involved. Last year, my family made flags for my birthday picnic that would be really cool at a graduation celebration or bridal shower, too. You can see mine at the right. Choose theme fabrics that represent something personally imortant about the grad or bride or use their favorite solid colors and stencil them with fun personalized motifs (like mine) or use our 'party perfect' Graduation fabric (shown below; available at all stores except Outlet on 4th), lace, bridal colors or ??? See how fun this can be?! You can save these to use another time or send them home with the grad or bride to decorate their dorm room or first apartment.

By the way . . .  I LOVE the Stencil Me In book (below)! You can find it at all our stores (except Outlet on 4th) and you'll find lots of Jacquard paint and other amazing stencils at all our stores, too.


                                               What you'll need:

Theme or solid color fabric to make as many flags or streamers as you want
Double-fold Bias Tape to coordinate with the flag fabric (enough to stretch the length of where the flags will hang)
Thread to coordinate, contrast with or match the Bias Tape
Pinking Shears or Pinking Rotary Blade
Optional: Stencils, paint, glitter, rhinestones, buttons, etc. for embellishing
(Jesse James theme buttons are fun to use!)





How to do it:

1. Using the pinking blade or shears, cut as many flags and/or streamers as you need to be evenly spaced along the length of your Bias Tape. The size is up to you. My flags are about 4" wide and 8" long and they were spaced about 6" apart.
2. Begin stitching along the un-fold edge of the Bias Tape for about 3". (Stitch for about 10" if you want to tie the end of the flag to a post, etc.) Unfold the tape, insert your first flag, fold the tape back over the edge of the flag and stitch across. Continue stitching until you reach the point where you want to insert another flag and repeat. Easy and fun!

Great gifties for new humans (and one for anyone!)

As some of you who know me or read our newsletter may know, I am expecting my first child later this month.  (I am so excited - a little apprehensive, but still really thrilled to meet this little person who's been kicking me for the last few months.)  Steve and I have been taking a seven week birth and childcare class which has three other couples in it, and I've been wanting to make the whole class some little gifts, but as usual, I am low on time and cash, and the last class is this Tuesday, so I came up with three quick, inexpensive little projects - and they came out so cute, I thought it would be lovely to offer them up to you.  I did all three this weekend, and still had time for a slumber party, three loads of laundry, an easy hike and shopping trip with my mom, and lots of zoning out and watching my belly shift from side to side, just to give you a sense of how really quick these are. 

Project 1:  The Fabulous Flannel Burpcloth.
This is so very simple, and as anyone who has ever been around a newborn will tell you - you cannot have too many burpcloths. 

You'll need:
2 fat quarters of flannel in coordinating prints or solids - a half yard of each will give you enough for 2.
Thread
All the usual sewing gear - rotary cutter, mat, scissors, sewing machine, etc.

1. Iron your two flannel FQs and place them right sides together - trim them up so all edges match - I trimmed mine down to 20" by 17".  
2. Stitch them together, using a 1/2" seam allowance and leaving an opening of about 3" on one side for turning them right sides out.

3. Clip away the corners - this will make getting neat square corners really easy.  Turn them right sides out, run a point turner or even a chopstick along all the edges and into the corners, and press nice and flat. 

4. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, topstitch all the way around.

5. Have some ice cream. (That's what I like to do, and since you've finished your burpcloth already, you might as well join me. Pickles, as side dish, not as topping, are totally optional.)

Project 2:  The Microwaveable Heating Pillow -
While I am giving these to help with labor back pains, they are great little quick gifts for almost anyone.  I have family friends who order a few of these every holiday from me, for aching muscles, chills, or even taking with them out to the car on snowy days to ward off the shivers while they wait for the heater to kick in.

You'll need:
Two 10" by 13" pieces of coordinating flannel. ( I picked up two 3/8 yd pieces, which is enough to make four)
Thread
A few pounds of uncooked rice
All that sewing paraphernalia again

1. Place your flannels right sides together, and trim up the edgs so they match nicely.
2. Stitch them together, using a 1/2" seam allowance and leaving an opening of about 3" on one side for turning them right sides out.
3. Clip away the corners - this will make getting neat square corners really easy. Turn them right sides out, run a point turner or even a chopstick along all the edges and into the corners, and press nice and flat.
4. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, topstitch around the three edges that are completely stitched.
5. Fill your bag about 2/3 of the way with rice - using a funnel makes this nice and neat.  Pin the open edges closed.
6. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, topstitch along that last open edge.
7. Stick it in the microwave and test to see about how long it takes to heat, so you can give directions.  Mine heated up in about 3 minutes, 30 seconds, and that was snuggly warm.  Make a little label for the bag to pin on, letting them know approximately how long it will take to heat. 
8. Go take a nap with the toasty warm pillow - you deserve it, after being so sweet as to make everyone presents, and you're done sewing, so what else is there to do?  Unless you like to knit, in which case, its time to get started on:

Project 3: Cozy Quick Baby Socks
These are simple, sweet little socks - if you are a knitter, you could easily make up a half dozen pairs in different colors and put them in a candy box for a shower gift that will be memorable and appreciated.  If you have not attempted socks before, this gives you a chance to try out the basic techniques without starting a major new project - just dip your toes in! 

You'll need:
DK weight yarn - I'm not sure of exact yardage - I used Debbie Bliss's Rialto, which is a wonderful soft 100% Merino and is superwash, which means it can be machine washed without worrying about it, and after three pairs, I still had about a third of a 196 yd ball left - so probably about 50 yards per pair.
Size 3 double pointed needles
A smallish yarn needle to close up the toe and work in ends.

Cast on 24 stitches onto 3 needles. 
Ribbing: Knit 2, Purl 2 - 6 rows
Leg: Knit all the way around, 9 rows
Next row - knit 12 stitches onto one needle, then turn.
Heel flap -
Row 1: Slip one, then purl to the end of row, turn.
Row 2 - Slip one, then knit to the end of row, turn.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 till you have 12 rows on heel flap, finishing with a knit row.
Turning the heel:
Row 1: Slip 1, purl 6, purl next two stitches together, purl one stitch, and turn, leaving last 2 stitches unworked.
Row 2: Sl 1, knit 3, knit next two stitches together, knit one stitch, then turn, leaving last two stitches unworked.
Row 3: Sl 1, Purl 4, purl next two stitches together, purl 1, and turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, Knit 5, knit next two stitches together, knit one, and pick up and knit 7 stitches along the slipped stitch edge. Knit the next 12 stitches onto one needle, then, with another needle,  pick up and knit 7 stitches along the other slipped stitch edge, continuing on to knit the first four stitches off of your first needle.  You should now have 11 stitches on your first needle, 12 on your second, and another 11 on the third. All future rows begin at the first stitch on the first needle.
Decreasing the heel:
Row 1 - Knit to the last three stitches on needle 1, knit next two stitches together, knit last stitch. Knit all stitches on needle 2. Knit first stitch on needle 3, then slip next two stitches, then knit slipped stitches together.  Knit all remaining stitches.
Row 2: Knit all stitches.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have only 6 stitches on needle 1 and 3 (24 stitches total). 
Instep: Knit for 6 rows.
Closing the toe:
Row 1: knit to last three stitches on needle 1, knit two stitches together, then knit last stitch on needle 1.  Knit first stitch on needle 2, slip next two stitches, then knit slipped stitches together, knit to the last three stitches on needle 2, knit two together, knit last stitch on needle 2.  Knit first stitch on needle 3, slip next two stitches, then knit slipped stitches together, knit to end of row. 
Row 2 - Knit all stitches.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have 16 stitches altogether. Knit Row 1 one more time, (12 stitches remain) then do final row: Needle 1: Knit 2 together, knit one. Needle 2: Knit one, slip next two then knit slipped stitches together, knit two stitches together, knit one. Needle 3: Knit one, slip two stitches and knit two slipped stitches together. (8 stitches remain.)
Finish closing toe with kitchener stitch, or just do what I call a bellybutton closure - leaving all stitches on needles, run tail of yarn though all stitches twice, remove needles, and pull tight, making a neat little bellybutton at the toe.
Now start over from cast-on instructions, as the vast majority of babies are born with two feet. 

As a new mommy-to-be, I can testify that I would love any or all of these three gifts - try making them for someone you love (or just work with) today!

 - Anna-Beth