Back To (Sewing) School

It's lovely to be back! I know that it's widely believed that the first week of Jan back to work is the low spot of the year, and let's be honest, it's been a tough week all over the world - but as an antidote we've had such a nice time back at The Workroom this week. 'It's So Nice To Be Back' was the most commonly heard phrase of the week!

We started on a high with The Wendover Sewing Bee. It seems its sooo many peoples New Years Resolution was to get back to sewing and carve out some time for themselves and our Bee was busy, busy, busy! As usual we had great fun playing Seven Degrees Of PlainStitch Separation - it's a small sewing world.

On Wednesday Claire and I rolled up our sleeves and cut and folded like machines all day long! Those Fat Quarter boxes were looking seriously empty after the busy pre Christmas weeks so we have now been through every bolt and made sure we have FQ and 1/2m cut which should speed us up when its manic in The Workroom! There is a very special satisfaction in having nice full FQ boxes! (ocd?)

We've been ordering fabric left right and centre - so much gorgeous fabric coming all through the spring and summer....................

Then Thursday our first Get To Know Your Sewing Machine Class of the year kicked off. As ever a mix of brand new machines and some vintage beauties all running so sweetly. Jeanne, twiddle knobs, oils, encourages and everyone goes home excited to get sewing with their confidence sky high. Jeanne is wonderful! If you want a sewing confidence boost come along, we have classes running all year.

On Friday, lovely Sue did her first morning in The Workroom (lots of you met her at the Bee too where her delicious fruitcake went home demolished!) and you all made her so welcome. We did have a lovely chat. PlainStitch just got even cosier! Sue will be at The Workroom on a Friday and Saturday, do pop in and say Hi.

Then Saturday we welcomed our first Teen class for Get To Know Your Sewing Machine. Those girls were great! Confident, really keen to learn, full of ideas! We were so impressed. My Big Miss Stitch is leading from the front on her little project to run up some Koala Mittens. The girls all took a set to sew at home to practise their sewing skills. Check out this link and go here for a pattern to see what they're up to or join in. Too cute.

We've successfully updated our booking procedures and thank you to everyone who confirmed their bookings for classes this week. Do please bear in mind that we will now only have confirmed spaces where payment has been received so don't leave it too late to book if you want to take a specific class as you'll see from the updated class page that we are very busy. We do have some spaces that have opened up on previously fully booked classes;

* Notably if you wanted to take Dress Making for Little Girls last term when it was sold out we have 2 spaces starting this Friday. Jeanne made a new sample dress - isn't it gorgeous?! Last term Jeanne trained up a whole class of perfect confident button hole sewers, the neatest seam finishers and perfect pattern cutters - it was a joy to behold! There is also a space for the Retreat Day...quick..they won't last long! We also have lots of new Pop Up Classes revealing on the site over the next few weeks so do check back as we add details and new dates. We are also adding evening classes as we fill in our schedules through the first part of the year. *

I've got soo much sewing on my mind - so many projects and ideas buzzing around. I couldn't resist the new Priory Square fabric that came in just before Christmas and have kicked off a big new project with this clamshell block. I'm so loving sewing with these colours in the bleak greyness of Jan!

If you need some colour in January, you know where we are. The PlainStitch Midwinter Colour Boost  Available Now! What colourful sewing do you have on the mind?