Very excited to have art shows again. Sorry that the schedule was not posted here. I am much more active on my FaceBook page. Please follow the link and like the page. https://www.facebook.com/sewinghusband

Back to Blog in 2021

 Wow, I just looked here and realized how long since I posted. I did post to my facebook page much more often. So if you are on Facebook please check out my page (sewinghusband) give it a like and follow my progress there.

As I look at the last time I posted much of the world has been at a stand still. No Art Shows in 2020 so I hope there will be some in 2021. I am very lucky to be in a coop that reopened after 2 months of shutdown. The Shops on West Ridge in Rochester is large enough for people to come and shop in masks with a good amount of social distance. It has been an important place to sell my masks.

Yes, most of my time in 2020 was spent making masks. I chose fun fabrics and created 2 layer cloth masks to let people share their emotions. I had some special sentiments printed and also some special fabric for holidays.

Recently, I have been able to make some table runners again. I am getting back to my roots of scrap crafting. From all the masks I made have come pieces too small for masks, so I am back to creating unique patterns from the pieces. Many quilters cut pieces to make a pattern, I create a pattern from existing pieces.

My booth at RMSC Holiday Bazaar

Happy Thanksgiving to all. A big thank you to everyone who attended the Rochester Museum and Science Center 49th Annual Holiday Bazaar. I had a great time and "The Sewing Husband" was joined by "The Quilting Wife." Deb did a great job talking with customers and inviting them into the booth. Tina came on Sunday and you can tell she grew up around retail. She shared knowledge and pride in the work done by both of her parents.

Deb made scrunchies, hand warmers and purse pockets to sell along side of my wall hangings and table runners. Of coarse the first sale of the day was a scrunchie! These are also available in my shop #407 at The Shops on West Ridge Road in Greece, New York. The Shops on West Ridge is a coop of over 150 vendors selling artistic creations, antiques, collectables, home decor, repurposed furniture and much more. It is located at 3200 West Ridge Road and is open Thursday through Sunday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm with additional days in December just visit the website.

My booth at RMSC Holiday Bazaar

If you are reading this because of the listing on my business card you should know the post here are not as often as they should be. For more current information and updates please visit my Sewing Husband Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sewinghusband like or follow the page to get regular updates.

Sewing Husband with a Quilting Wife

Since my last post my wife retired and we upgraded her A1 Longarm machine to include the Butler robot. So I am now a Sewing Husband with a Quilting Wife. She has agreed to help me at the next show at the Rochester Museum and Science Center. This is a three day show Friday, Nov. 22–Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019 and my first year setting up there. I am in space 177 on the first floor, hang a right when you come in the main entrance.

I am finishing a few special orders for Christmas (this is one on the right). I am also working to get ahead on items for my shop at The Shops on West Ridge and the upcoming shows. Many events coming at the shops over the next few weeks so be sure you on their email list. Follow this link to the website and sign up for emails or go the the Facebook page and like it. Please visit my Facebook page Sewing Husband to like and follow for more frequent postings than you will see here.

I also have a Sewing Husband Instagram Account and invite you to follow The Sewing Husband there as well. Click this link to see what's new.

Lots of fall runners in my shop now and Christmas will be coming soon. Visit shop #407 on the main level at The Shops on West Ridge Road, 3200 Ridge Rd, open Thurs. to Sun. 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

New life in my blog.

Spring Flowers, designs from Sweet Pea on batik

Is anybody out there? I have not posted an entry since last year in 2018. I get distracted by going in too many directions at once. There is Facebook and the blog and now Instagram.
It does seem like there are more connections outside my circle of friends by being on Instagram which includes a link to this blog. So I am coming back to blogging. I will be posting more of this journey into a new chapter of my life, it is not retirement. I love my Brother Dream Machine, Martelli Notions, Northcott Stonehenge and any line of batik fabric. I look forward to making connections with any or all of these companies. They say this is the way to get noticed and I love to talk about the thinks that I enjoy.

Sunflowers

I have fun with fabric and want to share my fun with others. Here are a few of my recent creations. Stop back for more of my humorous stories of how patient my wife has been on this journey. There are already some stories on the older blogs. She is the one who encouraged me to get many of my best sewing tools, so I wouldn't keep borrowing hers. Enjoy the journey....


Within these photos you can see what I do with in the hoop embroidery. These flowers and sailboats are designs from Sweet Pea Machine Embroidery. The red, white and blue runners are what I do creating free form blocks from layer cakes. I hope to do a video and have a class outline for this soon.

Free form from Layer Cakes

I can't leave the blog without saying that all of these are available in my shop. I am a member of a co-op shopping experience at The Shops on West Ridge in the town of Greece, New York. I am in shop #407, The Shops are open Thurs. through Sun. 10 am to 6 pm. You can add your email address at the right to get updates when my new blogs are posted. You can also like my Sewing Husband Facebook page.

Sailboats personalized for Lake Ontario

Small Business Saturday

November 24th is Small Business Saturday. Come to The Shops on West Ridge, 3200 Ridge Road in Greece, New York. This is a collection of 200 small shops that feature Artisan Creations, Antiques and Collectibles. My shop #407 is one of over 15 shops with individually crafted items, a great place to start and maybe finish your holiday shopping. There are two full floor, so plan enough time for your visit, there is a Cafe for lunch or snack to refresh and continue shopping. Open Thursday to Sunday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, check the website for additional days in December.

These are some of my applique items that may still be available, it first come and get it for unique items. I also have table runners, Christmas stockings, journals, mug mats and much more....

I will also bring what is left by then to the Eastside YMCA Crafts for a Cause event on Dec. 1st.

Thank You to all who are first time to my blog

Greetings,
A quick hello to everyone who is reading this because they picked up my business card at the show. Thank you for stopping by, thank you for looking and thank you for shopping. Remember my shop is #407 in The SHOPS on West Ridge and they are open Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Plan to visit soon! If you are on Facebook, please go to my Facebook page SewingHusband and like the page, it will provide much more current information than the blog.

Craft Show at St Rita School 2018

Welcome

Hi there and welcome to my blog. Please sign up on the right, if you want to be notified when there is a new posting to the blog. I will be the first to admit that I do not post here as often as I should. So, if you are on Facebook please like my page @sewinghusband this has many more pictures and posts. My goal for 2019 is to start the video series that my wife said I should do two years ago.

As I write this post, I am getting ready for a busy weekend. The photo on the right is all projects that need to be finished today! Some just need a hanger while others need borders and backings. You may have visited with me at "Fight Night," an event to fight breast cancer, at The SHOPS on West Ridge Road. You may have also seen me at the St. Rita School Craft Show in Webster.

If this is your first visit to my blog, you may wish to go the the earlier entries to read of my humorous start to sewing. Yes, my wife is still speaking to me but is much happier now that I have my own sewing room and sewing machines. She encouraged me to get my Brother Dream Machine and software to create my own designs. The snowmen and flowers you see above are purchased designs. The hearts are my own creation. I have also created the "Home" below and have crafted some little tea lights for some fun holiday decorating.

My permanent shop location is at The SHOPS on West Ridge Road in Greece, NY. The address is 3200 Ridge Road, Rochester, NY 14626 and the shops are open Thursday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. This is a coop and I am not always in my shop. You may purchase from the shop at anytime, all items go through the front registers. If you would like to talk to me in person my schedule is listed on the sewinghusband FaceBook page.

The Snowmen are Coming

I love these guys and I have gotten a lot of positive encouragement from friends and family on FaceBook. The base of these projects comes from an in the hoop design at Sweet Pea Machine Embroidery Designs.

Each snowman takes over an hour, closer to two hours, to sew out in the embroidery hoop. I choose the colors for each part of the design through the fabrics that I apply as I sew through the multiple steps. I have five variations of snowmen to choose from. Once these are completed I play with how they are arranged as table runners or wall hangings. 

Here is my first set of snowmen all in black and grey. The blue snowflake border compliments the blue snowflakes in the designs of the snowmen. Below is a wide variety of ways that I have chosen to finish my creations. From single snowmen to groupings of two to five with a wide variety of borders. I continue to create these products as I get ready for upcoming shows and stock for my shop.

Christmas Stocking Promo Video

 

This is my first video on the blog. It is a promo for "First Saturday" at the Shops on West Ridge Road. This is a cooperative group of shops and I am one of the many vendors there. My shop is #407 on the upper level, in the back right corner near the Rest Rooms and the Cafe.

It is located at 3200 West Ridge Road in Greece and is open from 10 am to 6 pm on Thursday through Sunday. Every first Saturday of the month there are special events, live music and a treasure hunt for tokens that offer a surprise discount on your purchase.

I am also excited to offer classes on my Christmas Stocking. I am looking forward to teaching how to have fun with your sewing in a variety of ways. I was a Sunday School teacher for 16 years and I did product demos at Wegmans for about 8 years. After promoting KBS, Knowldge Based Service at Wegmans, I look forward to promoting FBS in the future, Fun Based Sewing. Below are some additional stockings already waiting for you in my shop. Stocking may be personalized for an additional charge.

Photos on Fabric

I have finally found a product I like for photos on fabric, without a heat press. Many of you remember the photos on fabric that I produced at The Zachary Bear Store in Webster. The store closed over four years ago so I have not had a way to produce photos on fabric since then.

This spring, at the Lancaster Quilt Show I found a way to produce photos on fabric that I like the quality of again. Of coarse it meant a new printer to go with the right paper.

I have a few samples in my shop at The Shops on West Ridge Road. A wall hanging with vacation photos share memories and beauty of our Caribbean trip to St Lucia. The dog pillow has four shots of a friend's very photogenic dog. Photos may be emailed for items to pick up locally in Greece and will set up online ordering in my Etsy shop soon for orders to be shipped.

This is just a beginning of the many things that I have to offer. House photos on a pillow make a great house warming / new home gift. A pillow for a graduate to take to college could contain a host of memories. Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and many occasions can be shared with photos on fabric. My wife even wants me to offer a variety of quilt labels.

Sign up on the right to get my blog updates. I will be posting regularly as things become available and this link to the right will have items in my Etsy store.

View from the front

This view is the reason I like the location of my new shop. I am at the end of an aisle you can see all the way from the front. Click here if you would like to look at a map of the shops.

Lots of stairs today to get everything to my new shop upstairs. I got the displays set and the wall hangings up on the wall.

This Saturday, June 2nd I will be at the Shops to do a demo day from noon to 4:00 pm.

Every First Saturday The SHOPS at West Ridge Road celebrate with a store-wide treasure hunt. We have Shops Tokens that are not-so-hidden throughout the building. The tokens correspond to surprise discounts worth up to 100% off of your entire purchase that day! Some restrictions apply. We also have live music and live artists! Come and join the fun. Open 10a-6p.

Corner display, a place to sell the odds and ends.

The Next Chapter

Today (5/26/18) is my last shift at Wegmans. I am not retiring but rather starting a new chapter. I have been at Wegmans on Holt Road for 8 years, and would have reached 9 on my start date anniversary in August. In that time I have served many customers and worked with many people of all ages. I have especially enjoyed working with the 'kids.' Often their first job in high school or a return for summer job for the college kids. I have enjoyed watching the learning and growing. I have listened to and encouraged the dreams as they progress through the years.

One of my favorites. A fun combination of Half Square
Triangles (HST) using copper color fabric and a batik.

This past week was the ultimate from me. I talked to one of the young people who told me of her dream to become a lawyer. When I asked her about her progress on this dream she told me that she was graduating as a lawyer this year and already has a job in corporate law.

In many ways this new chapter is my chance to pursue my dream. I enjoy expressing what I see and hear in the tangible form of an art quilt. I enjoy using scraps for spontaneous designs. I would also like to do some teaching to help others express themselves and find fun in their projects.

The next chapter begins this coming week and I move into a new space on the main level of The Shops on West Ridge Road. If all goes as planned I will be there with my sewing machine on Saturday 6/2/18 as a part of the monthly first Saturday activities. The "Shops" are open Thursday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm and are located at 3200 West Ridge Rd., Rochester, NY 14626.

Irony in my world

As I come back to my blog today, I realize that it has been approximately 5 months since my last blog entry. The irony is that my last blog entry was part of a challenge to blog daily. That Is Irony....!

Current shop # 587 on the lower level

So what is new in my world since then? I have a shop that is part of a co-op. The Shops on West Ridge Road in Greece, NY is the new home to my Art Quilts, Wall Hangings and Table Runners. It is a great location with wonderful wall space to display my creations. It is on the lower level of the building. Because there are so many vendors with artisan creations, antiques, home decor and so much more many people never get to the lower level. That is about to change.

The next chapter is about to begin...

Vacation Photo on Fabric

I have given notice to leave my part time job at Wegmans. I will jump full scale into supporting my shop, developing new products, relaunching my Etsy shop, writing patterns and teaching. In the line of new products I am able to put photos on fabric. This can document an occasion or celebrate a special memory. I can put a photo or invitation on cloth for you to use in your project or I can produce a completed item such as a pillow or wall hanging. The sample to the right shows a special memory I have from a Caribbean vacation. In this house they showed the process of making batik fabric and had batik fabric for sale.

Another view of what is available in my current shop.

Another part of this next chapter involves changing the local on my shop within the same building.
Sometime in the next few weeks I will be moving to the main level of The Shops on West Ridge Road. I have walls to paint before I can make this move but the location is great. I will be in the back right corner of the building near the rest rooms and the 1 2 3 Cafe. Not there just yet so watch for an announcement of my location change.

My new location will be #407, not my cases, see why I need to paint the walls

 

Working Retail at Christmas

It is getting closer to Christmas and people are getting more stressed.... Very often retail worker become the place to vent their stress... It may be that they were to late to get it delivered on time. It may be that they don't know what to get. It may be that they picked the perfect gift too late and it is now out of stock. I could go on but you get my drift. Most of us working retail from grocery stores to department stores, specialty stores or even restaurants know what this time of year is like.

Well beyond the stress is the glimmer of hope. The people who are truly thankful and have gotten past the stress. Some are even looking for ways to make life better for others. I had a man to today get a cup of coffee and left his change to buy purchased of the young retail workers waiting in line. He left money to pay for the next two but it actually covered the next three and a half. A little extra change meant that one lady didn't have to dig to the bottom of her purse. It gave her a smile. Thank you to the man who payed it forward today and restored the spirit of Christmas to the day. Here is to a little hope and joy.

I made new stockings for the boys. We needed a new stocking for the new grandson. I didn't like the ones in the store. I made two new ones so the boys would both have a home-made one.

My mom made the ones we had while our kids were growing up. I used them as a pattern for these stockings.

Another blog posting and another day closer to Christmas.

Scraps and scrap crafting

When I was a kid in the 1960's, we had a subscription to a magazine called "Pack-O-Fun" and it was all about scrap crafting. Making something out of nothing...















One time I fashioned a model of a camera out of paper and tape. My father brought home a big box of scrap paper, slightly off white and heavy weight, but not as heavy as card stock. I used it for signs and drawings and paper models. I had an endless supply of paper.

So in my sewing, I am always trying to make something out of nothing. I have a hard time throwing anything away. To me a scrap has to be smaller the 1" x 1" to be a scrap, and even then I am not sure I want to get rid of it. I still want to make mosaic art quilts and modern quilts with texture. The picture on the right are never scraps. The picture on the left may be scrap... but it would add great texture, so maybe that isn't scrap after all... Have to let it go!

The photo below is what I make from scraps. Most of these pieces are scraps except for the border pieces cut from larger yardage. But then when you cut from a larger piece you make more scraps....

Christmas Cards Continued

This deserves a second post. As of last night I have produced 70 Christmas Cards.

 

Each card had the message printed on the background paper. It is then mounted on the plastic grid that runs through the Silhouette Camero cutting machine. The background grid is a sticky surface to hold the paper while cutting. In the picture below you can see the card removed from the mat. The card is on top, ready to fold. Below is what remains on the mat and must be removed before the next card is mounted on the cutting mat. The mat looses its stickiness and must be sprayed with a temporary adhesive. As you can see, there is a lot of "JOY" left behind on the cutting mat. Two side panels fold to the middle. One holds the message and one will cover  the colored paper panel that shows through the cut opening. The colored paper is fixed in the opening and a star is mounted up front.

Ok, that is all done and the envelopes all have stickers for mailing and return address. Just need to sign, seal and stamp.

So why do I do it? It is one little piece of Christmas that I can add individuality and creativity to.

 

Return to the Daily Blog Challenge

Time to make Christmas Cards...

2017 Christmas Cards

2017 Prototype

I have realized that some people make Christmas Cookies and some people make Christmas Cards. It is just my tradition to make cards. The origins of Christmas cards go back to making special greetings to send as Christmas cards. This one for 2017 began with a prototype that received a few changes and is now being printed and assembled. I cut the tree and the word joy on a computer guided Silhouette cutting machine.

One of my first cards go back to drawings made by my kids that I used for the cards. I love the blue nosed reindeer made by my daughter Tina. She was age 5 at the time. When I asked her why they had blue noses she said because they were cold. The inside pop-up fireplace with santa's feet came from drawings by Jake and he was 10 years old.

Dec 6th - Birthday Blog

That's me about 5 years old

So I missed my blog for the 5th, I think I am allowed a skip one now and then for the month. Today I get to write my birthday blog. As I wake this morning my wife tells me, "You know you qualify for Social Security now!"

My Dream Machine

Birthday Presents: My wife and I go with gifts that keep giving. They are usually expensive enough to be considered a present to cover multiple years. Last year I got a Brother Dream Machine, (and a payment book to go with it) a gift that keeps giving. I am still learning with each new project and love many special features. The camera lets me see where I am placing my embroidery and there is a function to lift the foot and leave the needle down, when I stop sewing to turn the project. I had wanted a machine with a knee lift lever but don't need it with this function turned on.

I also got to go to the SNC concert in November at the Rochester Auditorium. Straight No Chaser is an amazing acapella group. Click here to hear the Twelve Days of Christmas on YouTube that is what got them started.

Straight No Chaser in Rochester, NY - Nov. 3, 2017

Saving the best for last, my second grandson arrived two days before my birthday. I love this picture of him with his big brother.