Thursday, November 20, 2008

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#7 Classes and Workshops


Totally unrelated note: I do feel that congratulations are in order as today is the day that I finally figured out how to LINK!!! Are you ready to rock???

Lucky number 7 on the Holiday Gift Giving List is giving your best girlfriend or sister or mom or grandma, etc. a class or a workshop. Especially if you are taking that workshop yourself. You and your class recipient get to spend time together, you get to indulge your creative side (and have fun and guidance doing it) AND you get to go home with a finished product that you will have for years and years to come. At Alewives, we not only have a killer classroom (with huge design walls, a great big sewing table, machines you can borrow and CUBBIES to hold your stuff in between classes), we also have all kinds of workshops suited to every skill level of sewer and even some classes that are geared towards people who don't sew at all.

Look for all of these classes and MORE when our new class list comes out in late December:

For the beginning sewer: Amy Butler's Birdie Sling only takes 2 Saturday mornings to complete and we teach it on a regular basis. Perfect for someone who wants results fast, even if they have never used a sewing machine.

For the beginning quilter: Turning Twenty is our go-to quilt for beginners. This pattern has got it going on: it uses fabrics in large chunks (perfect for today's bold, graphic prints), stitches together quickly and builds the foundation for a lifetime of successful quilting. Turning Twenty also builds confidence in piecing skills and color selection. What's not to like?

For someone who HATES to sew: Why not try our Floorcloth workshop (which uses decoupaging techniques and no sewing) or the Braided Rag Rug class (which uses up scraps from your stash or old sheets). Or try the Crocheted Round Rug class (which takes about 5 minutes to learn how to do). All of these classes are super-easy and super-fun. No skills of any kind necessary: we teach you all you need to know!

For the experienced sewer: We teach Amy Butler's Weekender Bag on a regular basis. That particular pattern takes some time and concentration, but it looks phenomenal when it's all done. Not at all "handmade" (which is kinda nice). We also have a rotating repertoire (if you will) of "intermediate" Quilting classes. One that is coming up in the New Year (and will be taught by yours truly) is called Making History , and it really is making history for me because this is the most traditional quilt I have ever pieced together. My version is a lot like the cover quilt, only cranked up a notch.

To wrap things up (no holiday puns intended), all of the gals here go to great lengths to make sure that when you take a class, you have a fun, encouraging and satisfying experience. I can't think of anything better than sharing that experience with someone who's company you value.

See you again soon and have a great weekend!!!

XOXO

Rhea

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