Class sizes are limited to allow for personal interaction and practice teaching sessions. Topics include:

• Deciding What to Teach
• Deciding Where to Teach
• Planning Successful Sewing Classes
• Creating Lesson Plans
• Teaching Techniques
• Teaching in Retail Stores
• Teaching Sewing as a Business
• Risk Management
• Marketing & Advertising Your Services
• Presenting a Professional Image
• Sewing Up Your Business
• Practice Teaching to Group

The last stop in 2010 for the Trained Sewing Instructor workshop is Chicago on October 28-30, 2010.  To learn more, visit www.TrainedSewingInstructor.com.

Market is where store buyers go to purchase the things that you see in their shops–they’re buying fabric lines, patterns, giftables and all kinds of notions, rulers, zippers, etc. In my way of thinking, it’s a hard job to pick out what to buy from the thousands of new items available, and with limited budgets as well.

The good news is that the number of exhibitors was up this year and over 10% of the vendors were new. It’s always fun to chat with new people and learn about what they do for our industry.

What did I see as trends? Eco-friendly consciousness–from fabric fiber content to handles on tools going from plastic to bamboo. Look for lots of cute animal prints and cartoon-like imagery–lots of owls it seemed. Also, lots of mini-sewing patterns and kits, so that you can “grab and go” at the store, picking up exactly what you need prepackaged. What a timesaver, and also a confidence builder so you don’t have to mix and match fabrics–it’s been done for you.

One of my favorite parts of Quilt Market is looking at the displays of wonderful quilts and garments. It’s always one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” moments.

If there are quilt and sewing shows in your area that are open to the public, be sure to attend–it’s definitely a great source of inspiration and a way to recharge your creative batteries.

Thanks to everyone who’s been blogging, writing and stopping by to tell us what a great time they’ve had. You have no idea what a great feeling it is for us to know that you enjoyed the show.

Last night, many of our guests joined us for an evening with Kim Fess and Rebecca Heinze – the Too Quirky Quilters. These two ladies are indescribably funny -  I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard  and for so long before! Kim and Rebecca have written song parodies about their adventures and “misadventures” in quilting which they sing while sharing a trunk show of their quilts. The creativity of these two gals is simply amazing. If they come to your area, you have got to go see them. A word of warning though – make sure to take an extra pair of undies with you when you go  ’cause, well… we all know what happens when you laugh that hard.

Here’s a couple of pics from the show. Please note that out of respect for Amish tradition and beliefs as well as the privacy of our guests, they are somewhat broad spectrum and intentionally without detail .

The tour departs from San Francisco for the overnight journey across the International Date Line. Get  acquainted with the city via a sightseeing tour, and then hit the garment district and other local fabric haunts. As a special treat, there’s a behind-the-scenes visit to a costume shop that makes attire for Disney, as well as the Chinese Opera. If you’re sew inclined, you can also visit mainland China and Lantau Island.

I’ve been to Hong Kong with 16 tour groups, and it still is my favorite city in the world. Cashmere for $5 a yard, silks for $4 and an unrivaled selection of most anything you can imagine.

Click here for more information on the Sew Much Fun Hong Kong tour–I hope you can join me on this wonderful adventure!

The TSI workshop was recently noted in an ASG Notions article on Sewing for Fun… And Profit. Here’s your chance to turn your sewing skills into a money-making venture!

The preliminary exhibitor list has been posted on the quilt show website and it’s continuing to grow. The class list will be posted soon as well.  And don’t forget register for the quilt contest – you’ll find the link to the rules and application right on the home page.

I’m particularly looking forward to the quilt appraisals. In fact, I’m feeling that “Antiques RoadShow” type of anticipation. My quilt from grandma is priceless to me but I’ll be curious to know if the monetary value comes anywhere close to it’s high sentimental value.

Hope to see you there!

The Amish Country Quilt Show is April 8-10, 2010 at the Buckeye Event Center in Dalton, OH. Hours are 10am to 5pm daily. General admission is $7.00 per day and includes access to the vendor mall, quilt displays, contest quilts and Amish Quilting Bee. Seminars and workshops are available for additional fee. There will also be a 3-day Trained Sewing Instructor workshop held during the same time frame. More information can be found on the TSI website.

If you are interested in a business or career teaching sewing to others, you may be interested in the Trained Sewing Instructor program. The intense 3-day workshop, located in various cities each year, is business training to help you take the sewing skills that you already have and use them to become a successful sewing teacher. The course gives practical knowledge on topics such as Deciding What and Where to Teach, Creating Lesson Plans, Teaching Techniques, Marketing & Advertising, Risk Management and more. Students receive a 400+ page manual that includes professional pricing guidelines and even participate in practice teaching sessions.  Graduates have gone on to start home-based businesses, teach in retail outlets and start sewing schools and lounges. Graduates are also included in the searchable Instructor database located on www.sewing.org

Workshops are currently scheduled for Dalton, OH on April 8-10; in Orlando, FL on May 13-15, and Atlanta, GA on August 4-6 . Additional locations this year include San Francisco, CA and an as-yet-to-be-announced Midwest city. Visit www.TrainedSewingInstructor.com for more information.

So, what’s new? Look for more and more kits–for stuffed animals, clothing and quilts themselves. Kits save you the hassle (and in some cases anxiety) of picking out coordinated fabrics for projects–you just pick up a cleverly packed bag of components. Lots of great books coming out in the fall–one really helpful one is called Marvelous Miters, by Susan Cleveland–it simplifies those pesky corners not only on quilts, but the same techniques apply to garments. Susan also has a new tool for making precise prairie points.

I saw some wonderfully soft bamboo/rayon felt from National Nonwovens, and a new line of visual-assist products from Simplicity cleverly called C.C. Bigger–if you need a magnifier, check it out later this fall. Ghee’s has rainbow tooth zippers that are great fun, and Clover Needlework is coming out with some new Yo-Yo Makers–a butterfly and a shamrock. Looking ahead to spring ’10, an oval yo-yo maker is on the drawing board.

Of more costly interest, is the new Baby Lock Sashiko machine. It makes that wonderfully precise running stitch traditonally done by hand, but now by machine. There’s no top thread, only a slotted needle and wire arm mechanism to catch the thread making the stitches with a bobbin thread. Check your local dealer for a demo…it’s pretty darn cool!

Another new book and demo I saw was on dyeing fabrics with permanent markers. Design Originals has published Creative Dyeing for Fabric Arts which explains the very easy technique of coloring with markers and then adding alcohol to blend the colors–even kids can create some wonderful things using this technique.

So, be on the lookout in the coming season for these new and innovative products.

We want to see your most creative ideas!

Enter the Reuse, Remake, Restyle Challenge at the National Sewing Month website. The contest runs through September 30, 2009 and prize packages for the top 3 winning entries will include equipment, fabrics, tools, notions and more.

Reuse, Remake, Restyle

This year’s theme addresses our economic concerns as we all stretch our spending dollars but, more importantly, it speaks of our creativity and our desire to sew green. Instead of sending tired or worn-out clothing, tablecloths, curtains or bedding to the landfill, stitchers are turning trash into one-of-a-kind treasures. Antique pillowcases are becoming little girl dresses; 40 lb dog food bags are becoming handy tote-bags; juice boxes become fabric to make a backpack and drapery sheers become a sexy shawl to wear over the perfect black dress.

Don’t get me wrong – we’re still shopping! We just shop with a different focus these days. Now when we walk the aisles of the fabric or craft store, we see trims that can change a boring pair of blue jeans into a trendy fashion statement. We see fabrics that will make the perfect heirloom quilt – designed around a daughter’s favorite skirt that no longer fits. We see adorable animal patterns that will make a fun stuffed toy cut from a worn-but-still-treasured baby blanket. And we see embroidery machines that can add an unexpected design embellishment over a hole in an otherwise perfect garment.

We’ve  reached a new wave in creativity. Reports show that sewing is popular once again. Sure, Project Runway designers have played a part in reminding us about what it feels like to say “I created this.” But thousands of others do it every day as well. From grandmothers who still lovingly crochet pastel afghans for new family additions to sewing instructors who develop unique classes, the opportunities for creativity are all around us. Stay-cations – the new way to relax without leaving your home – include trips to sewing  stores where to-die-for samples made with fab new fabrics matched with unexpected patterns keep us in our sewing rooms the rest of the week. There’s teens who inspire each other and we’re seeing more schools putting sewing back in to their curriculum. While we still may sew sometimes  out of necessity these days, we’re also sewing for the sheer joy of it and for that wondrous feeling of accomplishment. Sewing is truly a window to our creative souls. Happy Sewing Month!

If you’d like to read more about the history of this celebration and the original proclamation, visit the National Sewing Month website.