See you next year!

Happy New Year to You and Yours!

You are hearing from a happy gal today for 2 reasons:

1) I am on vacation and the store is CLOSED for the next few days.

2)I was gifted some truly great swag, including GORGEOUS green earrings and a matching bracelet from Oliver, whom I know went to the fabulous Darling&DeLisle Studio in Damariscotta. I know because he had strict instructions to do so (Thanks so much Chris and Bernie for helping him pick out such gorgeous stuff!). It's great to get so much fabulousness locally!

On a much more serious note, I am so grateful to everyone who came out and supported us during these past few weeks. We are so fortunate to have had a great season and a great year: especially when I know things are tough for people right now. Hopefully the months to come will bring better times with them.

While the store is closed and we are pulling the old switcheroo with our fixtures and cleaning and reorganizing and making the store as fabulous as it possibly can be for the New Year, here are some photos from around the house this Christmas.

We will be open again on January 2nd for business as usual and don't forget about the Oliver+S Trunk Show January 5th through 19th. See the complete Oliver+S Fall Line in person, direct from Liesl Gibson's NYC studio. During this time, Oliver+S patterns, along with some super-spiffy kid's fabrics (think cute prints, gorgeous solids, baby-wale corduroy and more) will be ON SALE at 20% off.

See you next year!

XOXO

Rhea

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#1 A Vinyl Grocery Tote

Well, what can I say?

Here it is, 7:45 on the morning of Christmas Eve so I guess I can't delay #1 on the countdown any longer.

And #1 just happens to be a vinyl grocery tote. I saved this baby for #1 for a variety of reasons and I think you will agree that it's a great gift for many different people on your list.

The tote is a FREE pattern at the store (created by yours truly... there I go again, honking my own horn: honk, honk!!!) and if I do say so myself, there are plenty of merits to this bag. Just ask Nadine, who made a bag (shown in the first photo) for her sister Kat, or Meredith, who is in the second photo holding her "Halloween-y" vinyl tote bag. All using fabrics from a certain Fabric Store, in a certain little Damariscotta Mills (where it is SNOWING again!!! Merry Christmas to me!!!)

Some of those merits:

Did I mention that the pattern is FREE?

The tote only takes about 2 hours from start to finish: a good "palette cleanser" project.

The vinyl is just plain neat. It makes the fabric look so cool.

What a great way to help the environment.

Makes grocery shopping fun-ish.

A good project to show off your favorite fabric combinations.

Even if you are still making Christmas presents (holla!!!) you have plenty of time to make a vinyl grocery tote. Make them for every man, woman and child on your list, because there is no limit to the uses for these little numbers.

One nice little addition to the story of the vinyl grocery totes is that they have been popping up all over the internet. Check out Iris' amazing blog here and here and here for wicked sweet examples of finished bags. This girl has been cranking out vinyl grocery totes like nobody's business!

I do believe that the only problem presented by the vinyl grocery totes is that there are sooo many delicious combinations of fabric out there that it's hard to make a choice.

Don't lose hope: Focus, divide and conquer (and sew!) and have a Happy Holiday.

Remember, we close at noontime today so if you've got something to buy you'd better make it snappy!

See you there!

XOXO

Rhea

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#2 A Floor Pillow

Alright ladies and gentlemen,

Np time for messin' around. The clock's ticking and those handmade gifts have got to be made. By hand. Not a lot of time left. What do you get for the person who has everything that is (relatively) inexpensive AND quick AND easy?

No problemo. A Floor Pillow. Great for kids, great for pets and great for anyone with even a smidgeon of style.

All you need is a 26" pillow form (we've got puh-lenty) and 2 yards of your favorite fabric.

Cut the fabrics into (2) 26.5" squares, sew with right sides together, leaving a hole for turning right sides out.

Clip your corners and turn, insert the pillow-form and slip-stitch the opening closed.

Voila! Nothing could be finer... ANNND when the pillow gets schmutz-y you toss the WHOLE shebang into the washing machine and let it tumble around and it comes out looking like a brand new pillow. Newly fluffed et al.

Guh-reat way to use your favorite fabrics.

Great present.

As we say around the shop: it's a NO-BRAINER!

See you again soon!

XOXO

Rhea

PS These are some Floor-Pillows that I found on Etsy because I am too lazy/busy to take pictures of some of my own Floor Pillows. Should you find yourself in a similar situation why not buy from one of the Etsy gals this year? Just type "Floor Pillows" into the search-engine and start perusing!

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#3 Braided Rag Rug

Good evening,

We are HUNKERED down tonight. It's a fine art. I like to think we Mainers have perfected it.
The snow is whipping around out there to beat the band. You'd never know except for when a plow truck goes by and you can see JUST how HARD it's snowing in their headlights. Yowzah. The kind of night when you want to crank the heat and put on a good movie and work on something handmade. A little something like...

#3 on our countdown: A Braided Rag Rug.

This is a picture of my Yoga instructor Joan with her rug. How gorgeous is this? Joan chose all of her colors (as opposed to using up scraps) and I love, Love, LOVE that periwinkle stripe running through the middle. I also love, Love, LOVE when students come back in with their finished projects and the Braided Rag Rug has an excellent rate of return. Students leave with about 1/10th of their weaving done but most finish their rug within a week. It's a beautiful thang...

The Braided Rag Rug is really fun to work on. It takes about 5 minutes to pick up the knack for it and if you are at all into things like knitting or hand-sewing (in other words, brainless, picky-uppy, putty-downy things) then you would really dig this project. It's all about the process.

And who wouldn't love one of these beauties in their house? And don't give me that "What if it gets dirty?" business. You should be so lucky as to get one of these things dirty! They look BETTER after you wash them and are more sturdy than... a really sturdy thing.

Anyways, the plow truck just went by again... time to go and stare out the window!!!

See you soon with #2 and then numero uno!

XOXO

Rhea

La Pause Petite

I had to post this as soon as I read about it.

Thanks to Liza for pointing this out to me and please if you are reading this you are most definitely the kind of person who should be acting upon it.

Don't be one of those people who doesn't care: I can't STAND that.

So...visit this site http://coolmompicks.com/savehandmade/ or face my wrath

**shakes fist in the air**

Okay, now back to your regularly scheduled Blogging!

-Me

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#4 Patchwork Stockings

Hello everyone,

Since the last time I posted there has been an Ice-Storm and now there is a Snow-Storm (trust me, the latter is MUCH more fun!). We lost power for about a half a day and the internet connection was out for several days, but I really cannot complain as some people STILL don't even have their power back on. I heard on the news this morning that there are about 2,000 people in Maine who are sans power right now and I don't know if you're aware of this but it gets VERY cold in Maine. In December. Not the time to be without power. So my thoughts are certainly with anyone out there who is going through this and God Bless those electricians who are out there working hard to get it back for you.

Moving right along, #4 on the Countdown are our very own Patchwork Stockings. These little cutie-pies were born from my desire for a new stocking. I happen to have the same stocking that I've used since I was born (and I love that stocking: My Aunt Patty knit it for me and as a recent knitting student I definitely appreciate all the effort that went into it), but said stocking is staying at my Mom's house (with all the other stockings our Aunt Patty knit for us), where it belongs. Oliver, Reuben and I are celebrating our very first Christmas together in the new house and since I happen to be handy with the needle and thread (and poor Messrs. Oliver and Reuben have no "Since-they-were-a-little-kid Stockings themselves) I thought I just might make some myself. And that's the story of the Patchwork Stockings, boys and girls!

The pattern and instructions are available FREE at the store and they are not the smallest, nor the least labor-intensive stockings that were ever made (I like the potential for getting all kinds of goodies, and having a bigg-ish stocking helps in these endeavors), but darned if they aren't the cutest things ever. I guess I shouldn't toot my own horn here, but toot toot! I can't help it!

Can you guess which one is mine and which one is Ollie's?

And because I know that there are Reuben fans out there, Reub's stocking is mostly red. I have to cover his ears or spell words out when I talk about his Christmas loot because I don't want to ruin the surprise. If you think I'm kidding you don't know me very well, because I am perfectly serious.

So, make someone you love (as long as they've been NICE this year!) a Patchwork Stocking. While you're at it you could fill it with fun sewing stuff (think flat-flower-head pins, pincushions, snip-snips, large spools of neutral thread, sewing patterns, bobbins, fat quarters, I could go on but I shan't) for that sewing-enthusiast on your list.

Men's Shopping Night is tonight! Good luck, ladies! I have my Mental Rolodex all lubed-up, and I am ready to let it rip when your man comes in tonight! You KNOW who you are!

Until next time,

XOXO

Rhea

PS By the by, the background fabric in the stocking photos is one of our new Marimekkos!

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#5 A Turning Twenty Kit

Hello!

You'll have to excuse my temporary lack of posting: we had our first snowfall here and that prompted a chain reaction of putting up the tree, decorating the house, wrapping gifts... you know how these things go. And it should be noted that I am a total snow FIEND. I love it, love it, love it, so when the snow flies all my priorities get "buried."

So, back to the Top Ten, then, and at #5 is a Turning Twenty Kit. I like to think that Turning Twenty Kits are one of the things that we do really well at the store. They have been such a good seller for us and the Turning Twenty class has been so popular and that's how I meet all my friends. For anybody out there who doesn't know what a Turning Twenty Quilt is, it's a quilt pattern that takes twenty fat quarters and turns them into a quilt. As the pictures show, the blocks are large and simple, making this a quilt that goes together quickly, easily and all the while showing off the fabric in bold chunks. Great for today's contemporary, graphic prints. The third picture down is of Julie Geyer's (almost) finished Turning Twenty (Hi, Julie! You made the blog again!). I think you'd have to agree that it would be a shame to hack those big, beautiful florals into teeny, tiny little pieces. They've gotta be in big pieces, n'est-ce pas?

The Turning Twenty Kits themselves are made up of 20 different fat quarters, all in a lovely compact, stack and tied together with a raffia bow. The kits are total eye-candy and they are like catnip to quilters. The kits don't have to be used for Turning Twenty Quilts, either : they can also be used for patterns like the Bento Box, Yellow Brick Road, or as the basis for hundreds of other patterns.

I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves here, but if you know someone who is a quilter or someone who desperately wants to get into quilting, the Turning Twenty Kit is a no-brainer and we have many, many options available at the shop. See you soon with #4.

XOXO

Rhea

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#6 Marimekko Fabric Panels

Hello, hello.

Now that we are back from Thanksgiving and back in the swing of things let us pick up where we left off at #6, which just happens to be Marimekko Fabric Panels.

Marimekkos are new to our store and I don't know what took us so long. They are very much up our alley and our customers looove these Finnish goodies and you know what? I love them, too.

Now, Marimekkos are not your typical fabrics. They are bigger (Approximately 57" wide) and more expensive ((between $23 and $35 a yard: yowzah!!!), and not to be used the same way you use other fabrics. Their larger-than-life screen printed graphics (that's a yard stick in the red photo, people, NOT a ruler!!!) would be great in shower curtains, curtain-curtains, duvet covers, tablecloths, etc. but I believe that they are best used stretched onto a canvas and hung on the wall as art. Sooo modern and pretty.

Don't you know someone in your life who could use a little color? Or a lot? And we have many more prints to choose from at the store: including those quintissential Marimekko "poppies."

A great present for someone who is truly impossible to shop for. Or for a really bad fabric snob (I consider myself a card-carrying member, so I'm allowed to say that!)

See you again soon!

XOXO

Rhea

Giving Thanks

Hello one and all

Here's a summer-y photo of my Mom and Grandma on the top of Mount Battie in Camden earlier this year. I am VERY grateful today as my sweet Grandma had a little health scare this week but she is absolutely FINE now. Silver lining: getting to spend more time with just me and my Grandpa and having my Grandmother teach me how to knit, then getting lots of time to practice.

I hope wherever you are and whatever your day holds tomorrow that your loved ones are happy, healthy and safe.

See you soon with the rest of the Top Ten countdown!!!


XOXO

Rhea

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

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#8 BOOKS!!!

Why not give a certain crafty someone a killer book this year?

I work here and I'm coveting most of these books!

And I think you'll agree: we've got all the best new titles.

For the beginning seamstress: Seams to Me by Anna Maria Horner has a very extensive "basic sewing knowledge" section.

For those with petit bebes: Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones is a no-brainer.

For someone who's into "living the crafty lifelstyle" you cannot beat The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brockett. Plus this book would be great even for someone who didn't sew. Plus it's just eye-candy. Plus it would be great for anyone on your list named Rhea. Hint, hint... wink, wink... nudge, nudge... say no more.

See you soon with lucky number 7!

XOXO

Rhea

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#9 Oliver+S Bedtime Story Pajamas

Number nine in our Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten is the Oliver+S Bedtime Story Pajama Set.

The Bedtime Story Pajamas earned a spot on the list because they are soooo gosh darn versatile. Who doesn't need pajamas? Everybody needs them. Everybody gets to open up one present on Christmas Eve and that present is always new pajamas, right? And when I say "everyone," I guess I mean "me." Unfortunately, the pattern only goes from infant's sizes up through to a kid's size 8, but if you need a pajama pattern for adults I can help you out there, too. Assuming you are making these PJ's for one of the kids on your list, this particular pattern has got you covered.

I love all of the Oliver+S patterns: they are so cute and easy and well-illustrated and just plain fun to sew. Things I like about the Bedtime Story PJ's: you can whip them up in an afternoon , they are a perfect project for a beginning sewer and depending on your fabric choices they would be a great present for a boy or a girl. I generally find that girls are much more fun to sew for, but I like a challenge and this is one creative solution to the "what can I make for a boy?" question. You could even just make up the PJ bottoms and buy a matching T-shirt if you were so inclined. How cute would that be?

I made up these sample PJ's in Heather Ross' "Mendocino" line which I loooove not just for the fun and cute mermaid print, but all of Heather Ross' fabrics are printed on this super-soft, almost baby-flannel-esque brushed cotton. It has the nicest, softest hand, making it a dream to sew on and perfect candidates for kid's PJ's.

Now, I can hear some of you out there saying "Shouldn't those PJ's be made out of flannel? Won't that lightweight cotton be too cold?" The answer is "no." Sure, this is Maine and it's coming on winter but that's what QUILTS are for, people! Quilts keep you warm at night, not PJ's!!! If you're making the Bedtime Story Pajamas for a baby then I can definitely green-light the flannel, but for someone older than 2 I truly don't think it would be necessary.

As of this post I have only got a couple of Bedtime Story Pajama patterns left at the store, but rest assured that I am re-ordering and there will be puh-lenty of patterns here with puh-lenty of time left to make them up before the holidays.

By the by, am I the only one who thought the word "pajama" was spelled with a "Y" in there somewhere?

My spell-check says no, but I think yes.

See you again soon!!!

XOXO

Rhea

P.S. I almost forgot to mention that Alewives will be hosting the Oliver+S Trunk Show this coming January 5th through 19th!!! I'm really looking forward to this event and for those of you on our mailing list keep your eyes out for more info!!!

Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown...#10 Amy Butler's Birdie Sling

Thanks for joining me !

Today I begin the great Holiday Gift Giving Top Ten Countdown: a list of all the year's best offerings when it comes to handmade goodness. All of these projects are perfect for making and giving and we will be covering everyone on your list from babies to what to make for boys to great ideas for your pets right on through to the grown-ups. You may think I'm starting in with the Holiday lists a little early, but these handmade items take time, don't ya know?

Bringing up the all important #10 spot is Amy Butler's Birdie Sling.

I cannot sing the praises of this bag enough and have become completely enamored with it. Every once in a while a bag comes along that has it all: style, good looks, ease and functionality and this bag has got it going ON. The Birdie Sling is not a delicate little clutch, but a BIG bag that you can toss all of your stuff into and be off for the day.

This bag would be perfect for all the ladies on your list: girls as young as 6 love this bag (think beach bag, sports tote, etc.), right on up through to older gals. Even my sweet little Gramma has hinted that she has her eye on one of these Slings. It's fun to pick out fabrics for this bag, too: you just need 1 yard each of 3 coordinating prints, which we would be very happy to help you with at the shop. The Birdie Sling sews up in no time flat and is aimed at the beginning sewer, all factors which make for excellent gift giving.

I have a funny little Birdie Sling anecdote, too. Earlier this fall, Mom and I were in Portland visiting Sam, who is completing our website for us, and we decided to go window shopping. One of the places we visited was the Angela Adams store. I was sporting my very own personal Birdie Sling (you have to represent, you know?) and the gals at the Angela Adams store went completely ga ga for my bag. This is very ironic because Angela Adams has made quite a name for herself selling bags of her own design. Furthermore when I told the girls in the store that I made the bag myself they just couldn't believe it. Believe it, ladies: it can be done. And I mean no disrespect to Angela, but the Birdie Sling is a little more, ahhh, shall we say... accessible? than one of Miss Adams' gorgeous numbers.

Here is a picture from my most recent Birdie Sling workshop which I teach at the store as a Beginner's bag class: these ladies are, from left to right, Jennifer Genthner (who despite being much taller than me is only 12 years old!!!), Julie Geyer and Wendy Conrad. They are all beginning sewers who made the Birdie Sling in just two classes! I thought it was very nice of them all to color coordinate their bags, too. Nice work ladies! I hope you are out there using the heck out of your slings and making me proud!

So there it is... #10. The Birdie Sling has been insanely popular at the store and we have plenty of patterns in stock. You are sure to make somebody's day when they unwrap this present and you will have fun making it, too!

Voila Wine Totes or Super Simple Gift Bags

     
Ha ha, hee hee... maniacal laughter with a glint in my eye-- I have taken over Rhea's blog. Actually, it wasn't too hard to convince her to allow me to guest blog just this once. I'm May, industrial marketing guru by day, sewing lounger and avid crafter by night.

This time of year I begin obsessing over holiday gifts, what to bring to various festivities to thank my hosts, what to do when I've procrastinated or am at a loss for a last minute gift, or I have found the perfect gift, but alas have no time for wrapping. The solution...Voila Wine Totes or Super Simple Gift Bags.

One fat quarter, some left over ribbon, 2-5 minutes of sewing and Voila, Super Simple! Fat quarters are for me like getting those little tasters in the shovel-like tiny plastic spoons in an ice cream or gelato shop. It is a wonderful way to sample of a variety of fabrics and try out all the flavors, even some I wound not commit to in a larger scoop to continue the Italian ice metaphor, before determining what I'm in the mood for.  

Step one: Pink the top edge and part way down both sides. These pink edges along the sides will provide the finished edge for your ribbon casing later.

             

Step 2: Fold over along the pinked edge and sew a channel or casing wide enough for your ribbon. If you fold with the right side out, your casing will be on the outside and create a flouncy ruffle as seen in the red tote. If you fold with the wrong side out, your casing will be on the inside as seen with the bird fabric. 

3. Fold in half and sew in an "L" shape along the bottom and side stopping at the edges of your ribbon casing (don't want to sew that closed).

4. Turn right-side out and run the ribbon through the casing. Look carefully on the red tote, and you will see that I had fun layering two ribbons and playing with the decorative stitch buttons on my sewing machine. 

5. Fill with your favorite wine and present to the host with the most. Do you re-gift wine totes? I 'fess up that I do. I finally decided to turn it into a positive rather than a negative. I make little booklets that allow each giver to record the occasion and their sentiments, and recipients can make notes. These can record the tote's journey and all of the lovely libations with which it was filled--kind of like a chain letter for vino. Of course, you do not have to fill these with only wine. Fine chocolate, sewing notions, jewelry (Erik, are you writing this down? Hint, hint, hint!) also work well.

                          

Come to Alewives for more inspiration and variations on this design!

Off to VOTE!!!

It's Election Day and I'm off to vote...

Whatever your political inclinations are, I encourage you to do the same!!!

XOXO

Rhea

LATE RISER'S SALE

The EARLY BIRD might get the WORM but LATE RISERS get their BEAUTY SLEEP AND 20% OFF THE ENTIRE STORE!!!

That's right: you heard me... this coming Saturday, November 1 we will open 1 hour early at 9:00 and give you the customer 20% off everything in the store (excludes clearance fabrics, consignment items and food items). That means 20% off fabrics, books, notions, battings, rulers and mats... we're even taking 20% off of Gift Certificates and Class Fees!!!

And honeys, there is some guh-reat stuff in the store these days: Amy Butler's Daisy Chain line, Bali Batik Jelly Rolls (that we made OURSELVES, thank you very much!), lots of Kits (Turning Twenty and otherwise), Charm Squares, Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes, all kinds of Pre-Quilteds, 108" Quilt Backings...and that's just fabric.

Let me tell you about the books: all the hottest titles...Seams to Me by Anna Maria Horner, The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brockett, English Garden Quilts by Kaffe Fassett, French General Home Sewn, to name a smattering.

And patterns, too! The entire Spring and Fall lines of Oliver+S children's clothing patterns (great with our NEW 54" baby-wale corduroy!!!), some great new Quilt Patterns from Fig Tree Quilts, all of the Amy Butler patterns (of course) and if they get here in time, the new line of patterns from Heather Bailey as well.

Very exciting stuff, my friends.
I hope to see YOU there for the Late Riser's Sale.
Have good shopping!!!

XOXO

Rhea

Q&A

The following is an interview that I recently conducted with myself.

Question: What goes on at Sewing Lounge?
Answer: Oooh, that is a loaded question.


Q: Excuse me?
A: Well, lots of stuff goes on at Sewing Lounge. Mostly it's a time where we have an open studio and people gather around the table to work on their respective sewing projects. But...

Q: But...?
A: Well, it's kind of a "Girl's Night Out," so you can fill in the gaps.

Q: I see. (Clears throat) Ahhh, when does Sewing Lounge take place?
A: Every Friday night from 4:00 to 8:30 PM.

Q: What does sewing lounge SOUND like?
A: It sounds like a lot of people having fun. Laughing, yakking away, different cell phones ringing, the radio in the background, the rat-a-tat-tat of sewing machines. Lately there's been a lot of talk about the election, the Lobstermen's struggles, buying local. All kinds of stuff. People really "open up" and share things at Sewing Lounge, and I always say, what happens at Alewives, STAYS at Alewives.

Q: And what does Sewing Lounge SMELL like?
A: Well, I'm sooo glad you asked that question. As a matter of fact, it does have a smell. It smells like Sushi and Mojitos and hot iron. It's a good thing that Saturday is garbage day, because you only want to smell that combo for so long, you know?

Q: I hear you. And what does Sewing Lounge LOOK like?
A: Like you might expect: it's people's fabrics and projects everywhere, with a huge buffet spread out on the cutting table in the back room. And I mean HUGE. We're talking every type of sushi imaginable (my favorite being the Seaweed Salad) and a little "libations station" and a huge dessert/chocolate/candy area. It all somehow magically appears late Friday afternoons and we always say "Oooh, we have way too much stuff!" and then it's all magically gone by 8:30.





Q: Do people always sew at Sewing Lounge?
A: Nooooo... sometimes they just stop by to get in on some of the chocolate action and put off their grocery shopping.

Q: What words of wisdom would you like to give to someone who's never been to Sewing Lounge before but is thinking about going?
A: Very important: I would tell that person that the gals at Sewing Lounge are all different sizes and shapes and ages and the only thing we DO have in common is that we are all really nice and we all love new "Loungers" and we all love to sew. A lot of great friendships have been formed here, so if you're new to the area and maybe want to meet some new people this might be a great place to start. We're like the church of sewing: all are welcome, and every day is Sunday. As long as it's Friday.

See you in the not-so-distant future.
Look for my friend May Mitchell to be a "guest blogger" next time!!!

XOXO<

Rhea