Free fabric, anyone?

Did I get your attention???

Now, before you get too excited, here's the deal:

I am looking for a few good "sewists."

I would love to have some new samples made up for the shop, but us gals are (happily) sooo busy that I am reaching out to our customers to make these samples up for me.

Here's how it will work and how you can get your free fabric:

1) Send me an e-mail at rhea@alewivesfabrics.com (if you are not a local) or visit me at the shop (if you are a local).

2) Let me know which sample you would like to sew for me.

3) I provide you with the pattern and supplies, including my choice of fabrics. It's for the store, you see, so I have to get the most mileage out of these samples and therefore have to put a lot of thought into which fabrics get used (And you thought it was all fun and games!).

4) You sew the sample for me and keep track of your hours.

5) When the sample is completed, fill out a questionnaire for me (including questions such as what you liked/disliked about the pattern, modifications you made, errors you discovered, trouble-shooting and overall impression/rating of the pattern).

6) Return the questionnaire to me, along with the finished sample and the pattern.

7) I will compensate you for the cost of shipping (if necessary) and for your time spent making the sample with a gift certificate to the store at a rate of $10 an hour. For example, if you spend 10 hours working on a sample, you will get a $100 gift cetificate.

8) The gift certificate can be used in our online store and in the "real" shop, but can only be used towards fabric. To sweeten the pot, you will also get 10% off your fabric, so your gift certificate will get you 10% further than cold hard cash would. Aaand, you get to keep all of the scraps! Everybody wins, n'est-ce pas?

Sound like something you want to do?

Here are some of the samples I need sewn up (click on their links to see a description of each project):

















The Liverpool Dress (our shop mannequin was just telling me the other day how she has nothing to wear, so I thought we might whip this up for her. Intermediate level. Skills needed include covering buttons and making buttonholes, sewing curves, etc.)


















The Sweet Harmony Handbag and Tote (She needs a bag, too. Can't say that I blame her. Intermediate level. Skills needed include sewing gentle curves and covering/inserting piping, which is actually very easy and fun.)


















The Weekender Travel Bag (Yes, we already have two of these at the shop, but after telling people about a jillion times a day that we no longer have the fabric they were made from, it occurred to me that it might be time for a new one. Plus then I get to take the old ones home! This one is best suited to advanced levels, I would say. Skills needed include inserting a zipper, covering/inserting piping, patience...)



















Sewing Basket and Cover (Great for anyone who likes working with Bali Pops... and this is a no-sewing project! Good for any skill level)


















Anna Maria Horner's Multi Tasker Tote ( I saw this one on her blog made up in laminates, and we have some kick-butt laminates at the shop now, so that is probably what I will have this one made up in. Intermediate level. Skills needed will include sewing a curve, gathering, and probably working with laminate.).



















Heather Bailey's Happy Stacker Ring Toy ( I cannot believe how many of these patterns we have sold withOUT a sample. Just think how many we will sell with a sample: mwa ha ha... Intermediate level. Skills needed will include sewing a curve. I think this project is realatively easy and could probably even be done without a machine by hand, if you felt so inclined.)














Henrietta Turtle ( I would want four or five or these made up: a "herd" of turtles, if you will, and I have the feeling that they go together pretty quickly... intermediate level. Skills needed will include sewing a curve, and this may be a good candidate for anyone who likes to sew by hand as well.)

There are more samples I would like sewn up, but we will start with these for now and I will see how the response is.

Once again, if you would like to take me up on this offer, send me an e-mail (rhea@alewivesfabrics.com), let me know which project you would like to take on, and we will take it from there.

Hope to hear from you soon!

XO,

Rhea at Alewives

Brand New Addiction!

2010 has been good so far!

Maybe I am slow to catch on, but did you know that Marimekko has a blog?

This blog is so inspiring with lots of great posts.

They show behind-the-scenes action, Marimekko fabrics put to great use in people's homes and studios, great project ideas and sneak peeks at upcoming lines.

I suggest subscribing, tout de suite!

(I do apologize if you lose hours of your life combing through the archives.)

Favorite finds so far?

The free Desktop Calendar, Tea Towel Art and the Fabric Wall Hanging How To.

Did you know that this fabric was used for the curtains in Carrie Bradshaw's apartment on "Sex and the City?"



















I recognized it immediately!

But then, later on, when she painted her apartment blue in the movie, she redecorated with curtains made from this fabric:



















What can I say, the gal's got great taste!

Now that I have my new kitchen table I am seeing a quick and easy table coth in this fabric and a series of wall hangings in this fabric in my future.

But, of course, the beauty of Marimekko is that you could do that the other way around and it would be just as effective.

A lot of people come into the shop and they ask me why the Marimekkos are so expensive compared to the other fabrics.

If you take a look at this post you see all of the work that goes into a Marimekko fabric.

They are also printed on wider yardage, so you are getting more fabric than you regularly would.

And of course, they are an independent company shipping out of Finland with several decades worth of design sensibility under their belt.

And if you think about it, Marimekko fabrics are actually quite a deal.

You just have to use them differently than other fabrics.

These are fabrics where the printed design is the star of the show and (in my humble opinion) they are best showcased in simpler projects.

You are not going to cut them up into tiny little pieces and make a quilt from them.

Their giant, graphic prints make them natural choices for crafting tablecloths and wall hangings and whole cloth quilts.

These projects are quick and easy and you often don't need much more than a yard.

Where else could you get customized tablecloths or wall hangings or bedding for around $40.00???

And even if you are not in the market for a new tablecloth or wall hanging or whole cloth quilt, you could always use a half yard or even a fat quarter and make something very simple, like a pillow or a tote.

Who wouldn't love a simple tote with one of these striking prints?

I know I would.

And I'm thinking Carrie Bradshaw would, too.

(Maybe in the new movie.)


XO,

Rhea

Happy Happy

Happy New Year to you and yours!

Alewives Fabrics will be closed New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, but we will see you in 2010.

XO,

Rhea

PS
We are expecting a huge snow storm that is supposed to last the next three days, so if you are planning to visit the shop on Saturday or Sunday you may want to check to see if we are open (and check out your window, too!)

Coming soon in 2010

Here's a sneak peak at what AlewivesGirl has in store for 2010 (a blogging re-vamp of sorts):

• Fabric Mythbusters (I think this is a particularly brilliant idea of mine where I plan to explore the myths associated with fabrics and quilting/sewing in general and tell you if they are fact or fiction. For example: Do you really need to wash your fabrics before sewing with them? Will cutting paper with your good fabric scissors really dull them down? Can you use large scale prints in small scale projects? You get the idea! )

• Back to Basics (After 11 years in a fabric store, I have seen a thing or two come up again and again and again. I thought it might be a good idea to give the once-over treatment to such subjects as rotary cutting, binding, making your own piping and bias tape, inserting a zipper: you get the idea!)

• Interviews (I plan to stalk your favorite authors/designers and harass them until they concede to an interview with me. If that plan fails, I promise genuinely entertaining interviews with the Alewives staff and customers and if that plan fails, I can always interview myself! You get the idea!)

• Giveaways (I KNOW you get that idea!)

• A Potholder Swap ( Who doesn't love potholders? They're so cute and little and quick to make! We'll each make a set of potholders and swap them with people all over the country and perhaps even the world! More details to follow, but you get the idea!)

• Book and Pattern Reviews ( I don't always have the best track record for finishing projects, but I do always have good intentions. One of my New Year's resolutions is to do some "field research" for all those new books and patterns that catch my eye... or at least hand the blogging reins over to someone who can! You get the idea!)

• Wedding Watch 2010 ( Of course I will chronicle the road to domestic bliss for myself and Oliver... whether you want me to or not! )

Any other suggestions?

Lay 'em on me, I'm all ears!

That is all for now...

Have a Happy New Year and I will see you in 2010!!!

XO,

Rhea

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

However you celebrate...


Whatever you celebrate...


And whomever you celebrate with...


Merry Christmas from me to you!!!


We will be open from 9:00 to Noon tomorrow and then remain closed until 10:00 on Monday.

We will also be closed Thursday New Year's Eve and Friday New Year's Day.

See ya next year!!!


XO,

Rhea at Alewives

Gratitude

Hey!

Thanks so much to everyone who came out (in the snow!) for our Holiday Open House...



















Congratulations to Jackie Hickey who won our $50 gift certificate and to Ginny Burnham who won a $50 gift certificate to Moon Song Creations Long Arm Quilting Services.

The afternoon was unexpectedly cut short for me.

(I am fine but a good friend is going through a rough patch.)

Mom was left alone to hold down the fort and she wanted me to thank everyone for being so patient.

And also thank you to everyone who came to our house on Saturday night.

We are truly blessed with the most wonderful friends and family.

I never knew our little house could hold so many people but the evening was really cozy.

The house looked the way my heart felt: full to bursting.

This is what the Holidays are supposed to be all about.

Confession: I slept until 10:00 this morning when my phone rang and woke me up from a DEAD SLEEP.

If it hadn't rung I probably would have slept until Noon Time at which point I would have been late for work.

So, Thank You, Mom for calling me and asking me if I wanted you to pick up the donuts.

Not only did I take you up on that donut offer, you saved my butt from missing work.

I will post once more before Christmas and then I will probably take a break until the New Year.

Thanks for being here with me and reading my little rants and raves.

Happy Holidays!

XO,

Rhea

A "LOVE" letter to Amy Butler

Well...

I am so pleased to tell you that we have finally received our shipment of the "LOVE" collection from Amy Butler!


















I am always amazed when a newbie comes into the shop and they are just getting into quilting and they're looking to make their very first fabric purchases in what (I know) will be a long line of fabric purchases.

These gals, they always go straight for the Amy Butlers.

Always.

It never fails.

And these women have never even heard of Amy Butler, so you can't really chalk it up to a devoted following, although Amy certainly has that, as well.

There is just something about Mrs. Butler..., and not just the fact that she shares my future married name.

She has her finger on the pulse and today's "sewist" most certainly gravitates toward her designs.

Amy Butler is like the gateway drug for quilting.

A lot of you have asked me why we were so late to the party with the new Amy Butlers.

The quick answer is that if I were to have received these fabrics in the first "wave" of shipping, I would have had to order the collection sight unseen and I just don't feel comfortable ordering fabric that way.

I only feel comfortable ordering fabric with my Mom at my side so we can argue about which three colorways of a polka dot we will buy and then by the time we decide, the sales rep is rolling his or her eyes in disgust and 20 minutes have been wasted and we end up ordering all of them, anyway.

This is not an exaggeration and I can site examples and witnesses should you request them.

When the images of the LOVE collection were finally released they were on postage stamp sized icons.

And let me tell you, that gave me a lot of insight as to how you internet customers must feel when you are trying to order fabrics from our site.

So I waited to be shown the fabrics in larger scale by our rep.

And I missed out on the first wave but was very happy to order from our rep and wait a little longer.

And today, the fabrics came.

And while if I am being honest I must admit that this is not my favorite collection from Amy Butler, I do "love" it and I know these fabrics won't be here for very long before we have to order and play the waiting game all over again.

Amy can do no wrong and I am just so glad that she is out there designing fabrics.

She has certainly transformed the quilting world and made it so much easier to fall in "Love" with sewing and for that I am eternally grateful.

No joke.

I will talk to you all again soon and in the meantime, let the "Love" fest begin.

XO,

Rhea