Lookie Lookie!

My favorite skirt right now....Amy Butler fabric and wrap skirt pattern from "Sew What Skirts" book (we just sold out - more on order!)

Our Grand Opening Saturday - the knitters are busy chatting and knitting! (don't worry, Village Wools, you're THE place in town to knit and purchase knitting supplies!)

My niece, Leah, with her completed hockey stick bag for her boyfriend's mom....no pattern involved, just in her creative mind! (Notice the cool pocket she added...)

Amy's adorable daughter, in her most-adorable ruffle skirt. Amy's made about 3 (4?) of these now - such cute fabrics put together for the 2 layers!

Adorable sewing tote made by a customer, as a sending-off gift to a college student. It's fabulous!!

Our children are back in school, and I must say, as bittersweet as it is sending them off, I just love the moment when I walk into the store in the morning, and the quiet-ness greets me, and the fabrics call out to me...."create! create!", and I get the coffee pot going, and can't wait to greet the crafters and creators who walk through the door.

Yesterday, Sunday, my family went up to Santa Fe to the International Folk Art Museum (http://www.internationalfolkart.org/). We love wandering through the miniatures room and studying all the scenes - we notice something new every time. They have an exhibit now called "Needles + Pins/Textiles & Tools" - the history of textiles/textile arts. It's sooo cool! Weaving, knitting, sewing, needlework - so peaceful to just wander through and realize what a timeless art our little store represents, and how important sewing is - to our minds, to our well-being, to teach our younger ones that they, too, can create something instead of purchasing it from a store...

The September calendar is being finalized - lots of fun this coming month. Let's sew together!

Major bonding

Man, I'm loving these classes! Not just the creating of fabulous skirts and lounge pants, but the talking we all do while sharing this time together - about sewing, about our lives, our spouses and children and jobs and and and.....

I got some fabulous insight into what's ahead for my daughters (now 10 and 8) when they reach their teen years from 2 very bright, wise, fun teenage girls who took classes, and made an adorable mini skirt and a flouncy tank top/tunic. Dang it, I need to remember my camera to capture these creations and post them!

I learned about the test available for the breast cancer gene from an awesome woman who made a wrap skirt, and now am thinking maybe I should take that test to alleviate my fear of "I wonder if..."

My niece has, in my opinion, sewn the most unusual and unique project I have yet to see: a hockey stick bag for her boyfriend's mother, in cotton-candy pink. Did I word that clearly? A bag to hold her hockey stick! Yes, it's about 6 feet long! And she added a strap for carrying and a pocket!! Go Leah - you rock!

Amy is a breath of sunshine when she comes into the store - having made the most adorable ruffle skirts for her little girl. She's gone from almost paralysis in front of a machine to enormous confidence in just a few weeks, and doesn't realize just how beautiful her stitching is - I joke with her about remembering to breathe while sewing! Thank you, Amy, for discovering us!

So, we're so very excited about the Grand Opening tomorrow and Saturday. I'm off to bed to get some needed sleep!