Winter Class Schedule

Oh my goodness, am I ever excited? Wait till you see our first ever class schedule for January, February and March. We're going to have classes for sewers of all skill levels. Come into the shop to see the class samples on the wall and sign up for your favorites.

First, I'd like to introduce you to our teachers. Dotty is a delightful retired Home Economics teacher with a wide range of skills. She can teach you how to thread a needle and lead you all the way to a tailored suit jacket, learning one step at a time. Teresa also has a varied skillset background and has made gorgeous costumes for years. Purses and quilts are her "thing" now, and wait till you see the adorable items she has come up with for you to make.

Barb has been sewing for years and is probably the most prolific sewer I've ever come across. Her adorable pillowcases for all seasons and all occasions have been flying out of the shop. Now you can learn how to make them for yourself. And, I'll be teaching a class in quilting and getting a bit off track by offering a class to make our popular magnetic bulletin board.

Each of these ladies knows what they're doing and they have a good time doing it. So, come see why we think sewing is fun and soon you'll have caught the "sewing bug" too. Class sizes are limited so you get the personal attention you've come to expect at P.F.T. Individual class instruction is available for those who have never turned on a sewing machine.

JANUARY, FEBRUARY & MARCH CLASS SCHEDULE

Sewing101-Pajama bottoms
Easy pull on pajama bottoms with elastic waist.
Feb.10 or March 6@ 10am
2 hour class
Instructor:Dotty
Class fee-$20

Sewing102-Pajama camp shirt
Make a matching shirt for your pajamas.
Feb.10 or March 6@1pm
3 hour class
Instructor:Dotty
Class fee-$30

Tag Along Tote
Using only 3 "fat quarters", create this cute &
unusual purse with long shoulder straps.
Feb.3 or Feb. 19@10am
2 hour class
Instructor:Teresa
Class fee-$20/kit $15

Sassy Sak
An adorable quick-to-put-together shoulder
bag from your fabrics.
Feb.12 or March 10@ 10am
2 hour class
Instructor: Dotty
Class fee-$20

Quick & Elegant
Wanna make a fabulous purse fast?
Check out this class.
Feb. 20 or March 17 @ 10am
2 hour class
Instructor: Dotty
Class fee-$20

Cup Cozy
Replace those cardboard collars on your
"to go" cups with a creation of your very
own when you go to coffee shops. It will
even hold your packet of sweetener.
Jan.17 or Feb.17 @1pm or March 24@10am
1 1/2 hour class
Instructor: Dotty
Class fee-$15/kit$5

Pillowcase
Make an everyday item special with
personalized fabrics of your choice.
Feb.5 or 21st@ 10am
2 hour class
Instructor: Barb
Class fee-$20

Tabletop Trivet
Protect your table with these fabulous
padded decorative trivets and hang
them on the wall when not in use!
Two designs to choose from.
Jan. 20@1pm or Jan. 27@10am or Feb. 19@1pm
2 hour class
Instructor: Teresa
Class fee-$20/kit$10

Slouch purse
Hold everything in this funky shoulder purse.
And, it's sew easy to make!
Jan. 20 or Feb. 28 or March 19 @10am
2 hour class
Instructor: Dotty
Class fee-$20

Iris paper folded cards/envelopes
Make these really unusual handmade
cards to give as gifts.
Jan. 17 or Feb. 17 @10am or March 24 @1pm
1 1/2 hour class
Instructor:Dotty
Class fee-$10/kit$5

Sea Turtle wall quilt
Using McKenna Ryan's pattern, we'll
fuse batiks to create a 12"X12" quilt.
Feb. 7 & Feb. 14 @ 9am
two 3 hour classes
Instructor: Debbie
Class fee-$50/kit$20

Blessings apron
Choose from sayings I'll embroider
on fabric and then we'll make
a chef apron with pocket.
Feb. 20 & March 12 @10am
2 1/2 hour class
Instructor: Debbie
Class fee-$20/kit $20

Magnetic Bulletin Board
You'll love this for your office/kitchen desk area of your home.
Feb.4 or 25 @3pm
2 hour class
Instructor:Debbie
Class fee & kit/ $55

If you prefer, bring in your U.F.O's(unfinished objects) the last Friday of each month and join us for "Sit and Sew" (January 30, February 27 & March 27). We'll all work on our own projects, enjoy some lively conversation and share a pot of coffee or tea.

Also, to support our local Ronald McDonald House in St. Petersburg, bring in your white elephant, leftover, and odds and ends fabrics and we'll cut them into squares and strips to create quilts for babies and small toddlers. Spend the day as we cut, piece and sew together quilts made with love for these deserving children. Wednesday March 4 from 1-5pm and Thursday March 5 from 10-4pm. Let's see how many quilts we can make together. All skill levels invited.

Well, there you have it. We hope that there is something here to whet your appetite. If there is a particular type of class you are interested in, don't hesitate to ask us for it!! Remember, we LOVE to sew and we love to share our passion for sewing with you.

Creatively yours,
Debbie

Happy 2009!

Can you believe it? Where in the world did 2008 go? It seems like it was just August a few weeks ago, and now it's January 1st, 2009. And, what an exciting year it has been for my family. My husband and I sold our home and we moved into a rental while we decide what size home we want to downsize into. Our youngest son graduated from high school, is in college, and taking flying lessons. AND, ta-da, Pink Florida Threads was born!

That was a jam-packed year, wouldn't you say? I am feeling most especially blessed that our Creator has taken such loving care of us in all our crazy endeavors. And now, my desire for each of you is that you and your familiy will have a healthy, prosperous and fulfilling year ahead.

And, speaking of fulfilling, what a great time I had 2 days after Christmas. My poor daughter has had the flu this holiday, so she stayed home this year to recuperate and her husband brought their 2 children here to the west coast of Florida to see both sets of grandparents. When they arrived at our house 2 days after Christmas, the kids excitedly tore into their presents. While the "guys" played with our grandson's helicopter, my grandaughter and I played with her big present, a shiny new "Hello Kitty" sewing machine.

I'm not sure who was more excited, Sydney or I! One of her presents was a box with fabric squares in her favorite colors and all the makings for a doll quilt. We got right to work and she listened attentively while I explained the basics to her. She learned how to thread the machine, line up the fabric next to the presser foot, guide the fabric squares under the needle, and backstitch at the beginning and end of each square.

She sewed on that little machine like she had been doing it for years! I was amazed, to say the least, at how quickly she picked it up. She actually finished the quilt top and we added batting, and stitched the back (which I had embroidered just for her) to the "quilt sandwich". We turned it right sides out, sewed the opening shut, and did a little topstitching to hold it all in place. Doesn't the picture above show how tickled we both were with the whole experience? (I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes....)

So, if little Miss Sydney can do that, how about you? The class schedule for January, February and March will be posted online and printed on flyers at the shop within the next 2 weeks. Wait till you see the gorgeous turtle wall quilt we're going to be making. For this class, I'm preparing kits with all the fabrics in them, so you don't even have to go to the fabric store.

We'll also be sewing some aprons, a table runner, pillows and more. You'll be able to see a sample of each class offering at the shop hanging on the wall in the new classroom space. So, come and learn a few new skills with us, or just sit and sew and enjoy the comraderie. Either way, 2009 promises to be lots of fun at Pink Florida Threads.

Be careful, though, this could get addicting. My daughter called to bemoan the fact that she took Sydney to the fabric store to get a few pieces of new fabric, and Sydney informed Julie that she could pick out her own, thank you very much! Ha! Bet she's already working on her very own fabric stash.

Happy New Year,

Debbie