So Many Sewing Projects                     May 31, 2017

There are four of us in one of my sewing groups who have Baby Lock Ovation and Evolution sergers.   We decided to do a project specifically to learn techniques and stitches on our sergers.  We chose a pattern that Stoney found on line and started making tote bags.  I think we surprised ourselves with how much we actually accomplished.  The pattern is Creative Tote by Deb Canham                     (http://www.debcanhamstudio.com/ ).  This is not a bag that can be serged together in a few hours.  At least not by someone who is not proficient at making all the stitches available on a serger.   I will let you know when this project is completed and will post a picture.

Stoney and I also took a three-day serger class at Country Stitches in East Lansing last week.  The class was taught by Denise Schober ( https://www.deniseschober.com/ ), who is a “trained professional” as she likes to call herself!  She is a really great teacher and knows all kinds of helpful hints to make using a serger easier!  She taught us to use approximately twenty (20) different feet for our sergers.  I hope I can retain the information I was given.  It helps that we were given a workbook with descriptions of the feet and the settings for our machines.     Most of the feet can be used for more than one purpose.   We made a purse on the last day in class using some of the feet and techniques we learned.   It will be important for us to use these techniques in other projects at home in order to retain what we learned in class.  I think the information from this class will be helpful with making the Creative Tote.  I also want to find time to thread my serger for the cover stitch and then unthread it and rethread it again at least ten times so I can get proficient with that.  I have a little trouble remembering how to thread the needles for the cover stitch.  I know if I keep repeating it, it will become as easy as threading a sewing machine.

This past weekend I took my Baby Lock serger and my Pfaff Creative Sensation Pro to Sweetser, Indiana for my granddaughter, McClane, to use to make her 4-H project.  She is making a wool coat and is almost done.  This is a good thing because the fair is in June.  This is her last 4H project because she graduates from high school in June.

I also have three gifts I want to make.   I have started a laundry bag for a graduation gift and I also want to make two aprons for another gift.  Maybe I will be able to finish and post a picture of at least one of these gifts this week.

I still need to make some summer pants and blouses for myself, but I have so many projects and so little time.  If I could sew at night, it would help.  I don’t enjoy sewing after dark because my eyesight is not what it used to be.   So, I try to limit my sewing to daylight hours.

I hope your sewing projects are going well.  This is a busy time of year with graduation parties, gardening, and just regular daily activities, but don’t forget to save some time to sew!

Judy

"It’s Sew Spring" with Angela Wolf    

Last Thursday I attended a one day session titled “It’s Sew Spring” sponsored by the Michigan Bishop Sewing Council.  It was held in Grandville, Michigan and the featured speaker was fashion and pattern designer, Angela Wolf.  I got so much more out of that session than I ever imagined was possible! 

I have seen Angela at the American Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan, but I assumed her patterns would not fit me because my figure type has nothing in common with hers!  But I found her patterns include the size that should fit me.  I will find out soon because I purchased a couple of her patterns.   I spoke with Angela during one of the breaks and she advised me which size she thought would work for me.  I just looked at one of the patterns, The Evelyn Dress and Jacket #AW5314, and was amazed by the detailed  instructions and handy hints she included in the pattern.  Unlike most patterns, it did not come with a sheet of sewing instructions.  Instead, it came with a spiral-bound booklet!  The booklet included detailed sewing instructions, drawings of the process, a place to make notes about your project, and many hints including fitting with a muslin and finishing seams.  She also included a section titled “Sewing 101” which has information about needles, twill tape, pressing, and pressing tools.  In other words, she has everything covered in this pattern!

I also purchased a video titled One Pattern, Many Ways, Volume Two.  I haven’t had an opportunity to view it yet, but I am sure it will not disappoint!  In this video, Angela shows how to change the Evelyn Dress and Jacket Pattern.  I was told she shows how to change the jacket into a “Chanel” version.  That may be the first thing I make from this pattern.  She showed many examples of the Chanel jacket in her presentation.  They were lined with silk charmeuse.  The jackets looked and felt luxurious!

For the last several years, Angela Wolf had a booth at the American Sewing Expo (ASE) and also taught classes there.  As I said in a previous post (The Demise of the American Sewing Expo), the ASE offered sewists in this area a great opportunity to take classes from well-known and talented teachers as well as an opportunity to buy their products on-site. 

Angela Wolf gave an informative and attention-holding presentation.  She showed us many garments and talked about the techniques she used to make them.  Not only did she hold up each garment for the audience to see, she also passed each one around for us to hold, examine up close and even take pictures if we chose to do so.  She was very accommodating. 

Angela’s patterns can be purchased at http://www.angelawolfpatterns.com/ and you can follow her blog at http://fashionsewingwithangelawolf.com/blog/.

Have you been to a good sewing class or presentation lately?  I hope you will take the opportunity to attend one to increase your knowledge of sewing!

Judy

Fitting Agony     -    May 1, 2017

I had trouble getting a blouse pattern to fit me.  The blouse I made on my Sew Coordinated Blog last year from Simplicity 8053 now seems to be a little tight under the arms.  Okay, I admit it.  I may have gained a few pounds!  I have some extra fabric, so I ripped out the sleeves and tried to alter the armscye.  That was a losing battle.  So, I decided to try a different pattern.

Several years ago, I had a body scan done by Unique Patterns while I was at the American Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan.  That was a great investment.  After the body scan, I could order patterns from Unique that were generated from the computer using my personal measurements.  The patterns were fairly accurate.  Once in a while something was not quite right, but Unique would make corrections if the customer reported the problems.  I purchased a blouse pattern that I liked, but it had a small problem.  The pattern for the collar stand was just a little smaller than what it should have been, so I always had problems with a small amount of puckers when I attached the collar stand to the blouse neckline.  I was able to get most of the puckers out, but it took several attempts each time I made a blouse.  I don’t know why I didn’t just make the adjustment myself or call Unique and have them do it, but I never did.  And sure enough, Unique Patterns went out of business!  If I had seen that coming, I would have asked for the change to be made in the blouse pattern and I would have purchased other patterns as well.  

Anyway, I decided to use the Unique pattern again.  I tried on a blouse made from the pattern and made some adjustments.  I liked the collar from the blouse I made last year using Simplicity 8053.  That pattern incorporated the collar with the stand so the two pieces are just one piece.  So, I did the same with the Unique pattern.  I made the blouse from cotton fabric purchased from Country Stitches.   Good quality cotton wrinkles less than the cheaper varieties and is much easier to iron.  I really like this fabric because it has so many colors in it.  It will coordinate well with almost any color pants or skirt.  A picture of the finished blouse is shown below.  

I tried several colors of buttons including red, green, blue, and white, but none looked good.  Then I found a tri-colored button in my stash.  I purchased them from Fabric Gallery in Williamston just before the store closed permanently.  I think these buttons are perfect for this blouse.  The red, blue, and pink stripes on the buttons work well with the stripes in the blouse.

I am not happy with the finished blouse, but it is wearable.  However, it is not “4H ready”.  Any of you with 4H experience understand what I am saying.  In other words, it would not pass close up  scrutiny on both the outside and inside!  So, I plan to make another change to the pattern and try again.  On the blouse I made this time, I changed the neckline by making it smaller at the shoulders.  Since I don’t think that worked the way I desired, I will put the neckline back to the original and the next time I will increase the size of the collar.  Hopefully, this change will work better. 

For me, fitting is an ongoing process.  I never get the “fit perfection” I am always seeking!  I can’t tell you how many classes on fitting I have taken or how many different fitting techniques I have tried from books and videos.  Maybe the problem is my body keeps changing.  At any rate, I will not give up!  I will keep trying to get the fit I want.  I don’t think I am alone with this fit problem.  I think a lot of people have the same issue.  In fact, I believe the reason so many people gave up on making clothes for themselves and took up quilting instead is that fitting a bed is so much easier than fitting a body!

A year or so ago, I read about a business in Washington, D.C. that would scan your body and make a personalized dress form for you.  I thought that might be the answer to my fitting problem.  I called the owner of the business to get more information.  She told me her clients were required to travel to her store in Washington for the scanning.  The cost of the dress form was almost $900.00.  I would be willing to pay that if I could be sure it would resolve my fitting issues.  The sticking point was the trip to Washington. D.C.  I knew I would not be able to drive in that city.  I also knew I am too chicken to fly to Washington by myself.  And so far, I have not been able to convince my husband to make the trip.  I tried to convince the business owner she should travel the county and take her scanner to several regions where American Sewing Guild members might be interested in having scans made to purchase dress forms.  She said she was in the process of testing the scanner to see if it could withstand traveling from point to point and still remain accurate.  I have not heard if those tests were accurate.  And I have not seen any ads about the dress forms lately.  Maybe I will try to contact her and get an update.

I miss Unique Patterns and wish some other company would offer patterns made with our personal measurements.  I recently saw ads from a company called Sew Fitography that offers a similar service.  You buy and download software and then follow directions to take your own photo and upload that along with certain measurements.  I don’t know anyone who has tried this, but I am curious about it.  The software is only $30.00 and the patterns are about $15.00.  If you are interested in checking out this process, the website is https://sewfitography.com/.  I am thinking about buying the software and trying it.  If you have used this product, I would appreciate hearing about your experience with it. 

Good luck with getting your patterns to fit your body!

Judy

How to Make Fabric Gift Bags  - April 10, 2017    

Are you looking for something to wrap an Easter gift or perhaps a birthday gift?  An easy solution is to make a fabric gift bag.  You can make a gift bag from one or two rectangles.  I prefer to use two rectangles and I will explain why at the end of these directions.  If you are an avid sewer, I am sure you have lots of fabric in your stash you could use.  

1. Assemble your supplies.  You will need fabric, thread, ribbon, and a bodkin or small safety pin to insert the ribbon.
2. Cut two rectangles suitable for the size of your gift.  You can judge the size needed by laying the gift on a cutting mat and adding several inches to the sides to allow for the thickness of the gift.  Then add several inches at the bottom to allow for room to square the bottom.  Also add 3 - 4 inches to the top to allow for the casing.  Read through these directions before you begin.
3. Clean finish all four edges of both rectangles with a serger or pinking shears.  Right sides together, sew the bottom seam of the bag.  Press the seam open.
4. Right sides together, prepare to sew the side seams.  Before you sew, use chalk to mark an opening on both sides for the ribbon you will use to close the bag.  Place a chalk mark about 2 inches from the top edge of the bag and another about 5/8 inch below the first.  Sew from the top to the first mark.  Back tack and cut thread.  Skip to the next mark and begin by back tacking.  Then sew to the seam at the bottom of the bag.  Do not sew through the seam allowance.  Stop at the seam and back tack.  This will make it easier to square the bottom of the bag in step 6.  Clip the seam allowance just above the bottom seam.  Be careful not to cut through your stitches.  Sew the other side seam in the same manner and press seams open.
5. Sew down about 2 1/2 inches on each side of both seams from the top of the bag.  This will make it easier to get the ribbon through the casing because it keeps the seam flat.
6. To make the casing, fold 1 1/2 inches down from the top of the bag and press to the inside.  Stitch the fold down by sewing in the serged area around the bag or if you pinked the edges, sew just above the pinked edge.  Now sew another line just above the two openings to complete the casing.
7. Turn the bag wrong side out to square the bottom.  To do this, align a side seam to the bottom seam to form a triangle.  Stitch in place across the triangle, usually 1 - 1 1/2 inches from the point.  You may choose to use a larger measurement.  A larger measurement will make the bag shorter and the bottom wider.  Sew the other side of the bag in the same manner, making sure to use the same measurement across the triangle.  
   
8. Cut two pieces of ribbon.  The length of each should be two times the width of the bag plus 10    inches.  Use a bodkin or safety pin to insert the ribbon into one of the openings in the casing.    Go around the entire circumference and exit the same opening where you began.  Tie the ends  of the ribbon together.  Use the other piece of ribbon and insert it into the opposite opening        and go around the entire circumference of the bag.  Exit the opening where you began with        this ribbon.  

Your bag is now completed!  I usually put a sheet or two of tissue paper in my bags before I place the gift inside.  This provides a little protection for the gift and gives shape to the bag.

I mentioned earlier I would explain why I prefer to use two rectangles instead of one.  It will work if you use just one rectangle and fold it in half to create two sides instead of sewing two pieces together.  However, if you use a one directional print, the print on one side of your bag will be upside down.  Also, when you make the triangle using the one piece method, there will not be a bottom seam to align with the side seam when you make the triangles to square the bottom.  Instead you will need to measure from the side seam to the edge of both sides of the fold of the triangle to determine when the seam is centered on the bottom of the bag.  Therefore, I prefer to use two rectangles and then I do not worry about the direction of the print and it is quicker to square the bottom.

I hope you enjoy making fabric bags as much as I do.  I buy holiday fabric right after a holiday when the fabric is usually on sale.  I try to keep a supply on hand of different size bags made from holiday fabric.  I also keep other nonspecific fabric bags on hand for birthday and other gifts.  I use solid color and print fabric.  I like to use 100% cotton because it is easy to sew, but I also use other fabrics as well.  Satin makes an elegant bag to use for a wedding gift.  Have fun making your gift bags!

Judy

How to Make a Simple Purse without a Pattern     -     April 1, 2017

Need a gift for a friend or family member?  Consider making the gift more special by making it yourself.  Search your stash for fabric to make a simple purse without a pattern.

The key is to think about the design and the order of the steps needed before you begin.  Most purses are made from rectangles or slight variations of the rectangles and can be made any size you desire.  They can be made with or without a lining.   You can use double sided quilted cotton, home décor fabric, corduroy, denim or almost any other fabric.  Most likely you will need a stabilizer.  You can use interfacing, quilt batting, fleece, or a foam stabilizer like Soft and Stable.  If you use double sided quilted cotton, you will not need a stabilizer.  You can use purchased double sided quilted cotton or make your own.  For the purse shown below, I made my double sided quilted fabric.  I used one layer of home décor fabric from my stash with a layer of quilt batting and one layer of cotton fabric. 

After I measured a purse I liked to decide what size I wanted, I cut 2 rectangles of the home décor fabric, the cotton fabric, and quilt batting.  I allowed ½ inch for seams.  Then I quilted the three layers together using cross hatching.  I did the same for the other half of the purse.

Next, I decided how many pockets I wanted on the inside and outside of the purse.  I wanted as many pockets as possible.  The key to adding pockets to both sides is to place them so they don’t interfere with each other.  A pocket on the inside will do you no good, if you sew over it when you place another pocket on the outside.  To avoid this, I made a deep pocket for the inside of the purse that was the width of the rectangle and sewed down the middle to divide the pocket into two sections.  Then I sewed across the bottom of only one section.   I folded the loose section out of the way and turned the fabric over to the outside.  Then I made a cell phone pocket and sewed down the side of that pocket closest to the middle dividing stitch of the inside pocket.    I did not sew across the bottom of the cell phone pocket because that was below the bottom of the inside pocket.   Then I turned over the fabric and returned to the 2- section pocket.   I folded the unattached section of the cell phone pocket out of the way.  Then I  folded the first section of the inside pocket into place and sew the bottom down.  I did not sew the sides of this pocket at this time because they would be eventually be sewn into the side seams.  After that I flipped the fabric over and sewed the bottom and left side of the cell phone pocket.    

My next step was to decide what order to sew pockets on the other purse piece.  I made a small pocket for the inside, so I installed that first.  Then I made a larger zipped pocket for the outside.  I placed the zippered pocket so the stitches did not cross into the area of the inside pocket.

I trimmed the sides of the purse to make it smaller at the top and a little larger at the bottom.  Then I installed the zipper and strap.  Next, I place right sides of the purse together and sewed the side seams and the bottom.  I squared the bottom and my purse was finished. 

Making a purse is easy and fun.  No pattern is needed.  You probably have fabric in your stash to make one.   Just cut rectangles for the purse body and for the pockets.  Attention to detail is needed to make sure the pockets are sewn in the correct sequence.  If you sew them out of order, you can always get you ripper and make corrections!   If you want more detailed directions, I posted the size of the rectangles I used and the sequence of steps including photos on my website, chickenlittlesews.com.  Just click on “tutorials”.

Have fun sewing!

Judy

Demise of the American Sewing Expo (ASE)   - March 22, 2017

Last September I spent three days at the American Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan.  In the past I took as many classes as possible and also spent a lot of time shopping at the sewing vendors.  Then I experienced an overload of classes, so I only went there to shop.  Of course I made sure I was there at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, the last day of the show, so I was eligible to win one of the many prizes given away at that time.  Each year the number of vendors and visitors dwindled.

In 2016 I signed up for a Wednesday preshow class taught by Gail Patrice Yellen.  This was a hands-on class taught by a nationally recognized instructor.  I am so glad I made the decision to invest my time and money to take the class.  

I returned to the expo Saturday and Sunday for two more classes.  I was really a little disappointed when I walked into the hall where the vendor displays were.  There were even less than last year!    I knew then ASE was in trouble!  I knew if the vendors did not come, the attendees would not come and there would not be a show! 

About a week ago I received an email from ASE confirming my worst fears for the show were a reality.  Swatches, the newsletter of the ASE, announced the expo is being replaced by Sewcial Retreats!  I felt really sad when I read this news.  The sewists in this area have been really fortunate to have a sewing show like this for so many years.  It has been an excellent venue to take sewing and serger classes from high caliber teachers as well as a place to shop for hard to find sewing related products. 

Yesterday I called Janet Pray to talk to her about the expo.  Although I am sad about the demise of the ASE, I understand why Janet decided to discontinue it.  It could not continue as a viable business if the vendors and attendees were decreasing in large numbers each year.  The internet affected the ASE just as it has affected the business of almost all brick and mortar stores.  Vendors aren’t interested in transporting their goods great distances and set up booths to sell those goods when they can easily sell them on line without the travel expense and booth expense.  The same is true for those of us who take classes.  Many prefer to sign up for on line classes with the ability to take the class at their convenience and in the comfort of their homes.  Classes like Craftsy and others give you the benefit of being able to repeat the class as many times as you wish.  When you take a lot of classes in 3 or 4 days, it is possible to experience information overload.  It is difficult to retain what you learn, if you take in too much information in a short period of time.

The world is changing.  Sewing is changing and the business of sewing is also changing.   We may not like all the changes, but all of us have contributed to the changes in some way. 

Janet Pray has done the Sewcial Retreats for a few years now and has received many good comments from those who attended.  If you are on the list for the ASE newsletter, you will receive information about the Sewcial Retreats.  If you are not on the list and would like to receive information, the website is americansewingexpo.com/sewcial.html. 

Good luck on your sewing projects.  I hope you continue to find ways to improve your sewing skills and your creativity!

Judy

My Favorite Places to Shop In and Near Shipshewana, Indiana – March 17, 2017

I haven’t sewn much lately.  I have been busy recuperating from the “crude” (also known as a really bad cold) and traveling with my husband to the Topeka Horse Sale in Indiana.  Things should be back to normal soon and I can get busy with more sewing for spring.  I did finish the navy blue pants I mentioned in my post of Feb. 17.    I did not find any fabric for the floral print skirt I wanted to make.  I may have to settle for a solid color one instead. 

While we were in Indiana, we stayed at the Blue Gate Garden Inn in Shipshewana.  During the day while my husband was at the horse sale, I entertained myself by visiting the shops in and near Shipshewana.  I thought I would share some of my favorite shops with you.  Not all of the shops sold fabric, but most of them did.  If you have favorites in the area that I missed, please let me know about them.  I would hate to miss an opportunity to shop!

Anytime I am in Indiana, I like to visit Zinck’s Fabric Outlet in Ligonier if possible.  Ligonier is 15.2 miles south of Shipshewana on State Road 5.  The address for Zinck’s is 1444 S. Lincolnway (SR5).  It is an easy drive and is well worth the few minutes it takes to get there.  Zinck’s is a large store that carries cotton fabric, fashion fabric, decorator fabric, wool, denim, knits, various other fabrics, and notions.  The merchandise is constantly changing.  I might go there one day and not find anything I want, but a couple of weeks later I may find lots of items.  The store does have a nice selection of 100% cottons for quilting and 108 inch wide fabric for backing.   Last year when I was making fabric gift bags, I found ribbon and fabric for the bags at very reasonable prices.  Most of the fabric I purchased for the bags was $2.00 or $3.00 a yard, which I found in the clearance section; however, I bought a 10-yard piece for $4.50.   That made the cost just $0.45 a yard.  It may not have been the very best quality, but it worked fined for fabric gift bags.   The employees at Zinck’s are friendly and helpful.  This time when I visited Zinck’s I purchased more ribbon.

On the way back to Shipshewana I decided to make a stop in Topeka.  Topeka is 7.6 miles from  Ligonier.  You turn right off State Road 5 onto 700 S and that takes you into Topeka.  There is a new store called the General Store.  The address is 102 N. Main.  It is in a new red building.  This store carries a wide variety of products.  It has many household items from towels to dishes, cleaning products, books, and gifts.  However, there was no fabric!

If you are in Topeka, you may want to visit Sarah’s Attic.  It is located upstairs in the Topeka Pharmacy at 101 N. Main, which is directly across the street from the General Store.  Sarah’s Attic is a small shop that carries sewing supplies and fabrics.  They have 100% cotton fabric and a small supply of knitting yarn.  Downstairs, the Topeka Pharmacy has jewelry and other gift items.  The pharmacy also fills prescriptions and carries over-the-counter medicine and cosmetics.  If you catch a cold while in the area, this is the place to purchase a cold medicine and maybe get a recommendation for one from the pharmacist on duty.  They also have an old fashioned soda fountain in the back of the store.

After leaving Topeka, I returned to State Road 5 and headed north towards Shipshewana, but I wanted to make one more stop not far from Topeka.  I turned east onto W. 300 S. and went to Emmatown Fabrics and Gifts.  It is the first place after you make the turn.  The address is 7785 W 300 S.   The store sells 100% cotton fabrics, 108 inch wide backing fabrics, and flannels.  She also has many gift items including drones and musical movement clocks.   The owner has a quilting frame set up in her store where she can quilt when she is not busy with customers.    My husband purchased a jigsaw puzzle and I bought some flannel for a baby crib sheet.  If there is fabric in a store, it is hard for me to leave without some!

There is a new store in Shipshewana called Country Road.  It is in a big new gray building on State Road 5 just before Ben’s Pretzels if you are coming from the Farmstead Inn.  It looks interesting from the outside, but it has nothing for tourists, especially those who enjoy sewing.  Most of the items for sale are clothing and shoes for the Amish.  However, do not get discouraged.  There are still plenty of other places in Shipshewana that carry fabric and other items that interest people who love to sew!

My most favorite place to shop is Yoder Department Store.   It is at 300 S. Van Buren Street (SR5) next to the Farmstead Inn.  What I like about the store is not only the products, but the fantastic customer service.  If they are out of your size, they will order it for you and telephone you when it is available.  They have ordered shoes, jeans, and even socks for my husband and me.  Last fall I discovered a great brand of men’s socks at Yoder.  The brand name is Darn Tough and they are made in Vermont and are “guaranteed for life”.  They come in different styles like boot socks, hiking socks, and crew socks.  I purchased several for gifts and everyone loved them.  This week I noticed that Yoder now stocks Darn Tough Socks in the Women’s Section and they come in beautiful colors.  I haven’t tried them yet, but I plan to purchase some on my next trip there.  They also have a huge collection of fabrics including 100% cottons and fashion fabrics.  They carry patterns and all kinds of sewing notions.

Across the hall from the department store is Yoder Hardware.  I love to browse there.  They have all kinds of gift items, kitchen utensils, cookbooks, and the items you expect to find in a hardware store.   I purchased an interesting cookbook called Ramen Noodle Genius.  It includes recipes for soups, salads, meatballs, stir-fry and more.

Directly across the street from Yoder Department Store is Spector’s Store.  They carry items for the Amish but they also have a nice selection of 100% cotton fabrics in the back of the store.  I purchased 10 yards of cotton fabric and my before tax cost was $34.50.  Then they deducted 10% for a promotion they were having, so my pretax cost for 10 yards of 100% cotton fabric was $31.05.  By the way that included 3 yards of Batik fabric.

Any trip to Shipshewana requires a stop at Lolly’s.  Lolly’s is located on the main floor of the Davis Mercantile Building at 255 Main Street.  This shop has a huge array of 100% cotton fabrics.  They also have a large selection of sewing and quilting books.  Until recently Lolly had a bargain shop on the lower level of the building where they sold sale fabric.  That has been closed and is now incorporated into the shop on the main floor.  The March special at Lolly’s was bundles of 10 inch squares reduced from about $40 to $20.  They also had bundles of 5 inch squares reduced from $10 to $5.  I believe both sizes had approximately 42 squares in a bundle. 

I can’t go into the Davis Mercantile Building without stopping at Jo Jo’s Pretzels.  I usually have a pretzel for lunch at least one day when I am there.  They do sell other food items that are probably more appropriate for lunch!

I rarely ever purchase anything from Sarah Davis Ltd on the main floor of the Davis Mercantile Building because their products are usually very expensive.  They do carry some reasonably priced jewelry items.   I did see a very small purse there I liked.  It was a Vera Bradley with a price of $168.00.  I wanted to buy it for a gift for my granddaughter but I thought the price was prohibitive!  I did find a small “wallet on a string” that was reduced from $59.99 to $10.00.  That was more in line with my budget, so I bought that for myself to use when I go to the Quilt Show in Grand Rapids.  I can take that instead of one of my large, heavy purses.  I would take it to the American Sewing Expo in Novi in September, but I just learned this week that show has been discontinued.  Janet Prey is doing Sewcial Retreats instead.   Anyway back to my topic of shopping in Shipshewana.

Options is located on the 2^nd floor of the Davis Mercantile Building.  They have ladies’ clothing and accessories.  They have a great selection of jewelry, watches, and purses.  I purchased a small cross-over purse for my granddaughter for her birthday.  It was well within my budget at a price of $22.

The Craft Barn is in the center of downtown Shipshewana directly across from the Blue Gate Restaurant.  They have lots of jewelry, purses, gifts, and other accessories.    I frequently buy gifts from there for friends, family and myself!

I never leave Shipshewana without a stop at E & S Sales.  E & S Sales is a grocery store that also carries bulk foods, meats, cheese, baking ingredients, and candy.  There is a deli, bakery and ice cream shop in the store. 

Just across the parking lot from E & S Sales is Eash Sales.  This shop has everything for the home including kitchenware, canning supplies, cookware, outdoor furniture, and gift items.  There is no fabric here, but it is a unique shop worth taking the time to browse through.  I noticed they even carry the same iron I am currently using, the Euro Steam Next Generation 1000W, and they sell it for the same price I paid at the American Sewing Expo in Novi.

During my travels this time I discovered a shop I had not noticed.   It is called “I Sell Fabric” and is located at 5520 N State Road 5.  Of course, I had to stop to investigate.  The owner told me he has been at this location for two years now.  He carries 100% cotton fabric that is all made in the USA.  He also has a selection of 108 inch backing for quilts.  He is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.  The building is back from the road a little bit so it is difficult to see when you are driving on State Road 5.  Just look for the purple flag that is placed close to the road.  His fabric is reasonably priced and he does have some that is on sale.  He and his wife also have a fabric shop in one of the buildings at spaces 584 – 586 in the Flea Market.

These are some of places I typically shop when I visit the Shipshewana area.  I picked up a booklet this time titled “Shipshewana LaGrange County 2017 Visitors Guide”.   It has a listing of most of the shops in the area along with other information such as hours of operation and whether or not they accept credit cards.  I got mine from the Blue Gate Garden Inn, but I believe the other hotels in the area will also have copies.

Our ASG Chapter, the Lansing Clippers, will hold a sewing retreat in Shipshewana at the Farmstead Inn in August this year.   I hope all of you will have a chance to visit the shops in the area while you are there.  Be sure to use the 10% off coupon given us by owners of the I Sell Fabric Store.   You will be given information about the coupon at the Lansing Clippers’ meeting Monday, March  20, 2017.

I hope all of you are having fun sewing and planning projects for spring and summer!

Judy