January 13, 2003
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SEWING TIP FROM Karen Faylor, Everett, Washington
For the look of hand worked buttonholes without the "work."
1. Stitch the proper size buttonhole in the correct place with your sewing machine. I set my machine to the heirloom buttonhole setting which makes a nice light buttonhole. To keep it especially lightweight, I use 80 wt. thread for this in both the bobbin and through the needle.
2. Cut open the buttonhole.
3. Thread a #10-12 sharp needle with 50 or 60 wt. thread and hand stitch over the machine stitching with a buttonhole stitch, making satin stitch bars at the ends of the buttonhole.
I have the machine stitching to follow so my stitches are straight but the machine stitching is covered by my handwork giving a look of handworked buttonholes.
SEWING FROM THE HEART PROJECT FROM SHARON CRAIG
Dear Martha, Just reading your wonderful newsletter (you must do this between 2 and 4 in the morning)! I wanted to let you know that I just stitched out 24 10x10 quilt blocks from the redwork CD. These quilt blocks have been sent to a group of ladies in Georgia who put them together for children in distress. I sent along some red material for the sashings and backing. The children in the designs will make these most unfortunate children have a smile on their face. My contact in Georgia (just left there after 16 years to move to Connecticut) told me that the children will have the best time picking out small details in the designs. We all pray for people over the world and must remember to keep our own in our prayers.
AN ELEPHANT STORY FROM SUZANNE, OUR MISSIONARY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW IN AFRICA
I don't know if John told you our elephant story. We had driven one whole day at the game park and not seen much interesting. Then we were almost out of gas and it was a whole hour's drive to get gas. So John and Tony left at 6:30 am to get gas. Then they came back and got us all at the hotel. Everyone was pretty irritated after having been piled up in the car all day and then getting a late start. They were grumping about, "now we won't see anything." We were parked at the gate waiting to get in and saw a baboon family walk by. We made a picture and then John asked the soldier if there really were any elephants in the park because we hadn't seen any. About that moment this huge elephant goes walking by right in front of the gate and we all start screaming and jumping in the car to follow it. The guard just laughed.
SWEET LETTER FROM Bernita D. Stanley
I was looking for a holiday smocking plate with soldiers and I found it in your 1992 holiday issue....10 years ago! And so, it really pays off to hold on to the back issues.
(Note from Martha: Please, please keep your Sew Beautiful magazines. I truly believe that in the year 2103 (that's 100 years from now) sewers will be thrilled to stitch the beautiful garments, embroidery and smocking designs in the magazines. That is one of the reasons we try to include as many patterns and designs as possible in each magazine - for future generations. Please know that many of our grandmothers, who did not have grandchildren when they first started receiving Sew beautiful, are now using their magazines from the late 80's for projects for their little ones. I love my 100 year old magazines, as all of the newsletter family already knows.)PERSONAL LETTER FROM MARTHA
Dear Friends,
The market in Orlando as well as the two sit and sew days was absolutely indescribable. We had the largest crowd we have ever had and it seemed as if everyone had a more wonderful time than ever. We loved our new venue which connected right to the Marriott Hotel. The sewing classrooms were for the most part soundproof and we had so plenty of room.
We had two great "sit and sew" days where Kathy McMakin and I taught a pretty pillow and a tea towel. My pillow featured French waterfall (scalloped lace) and curved and squared pintucks; Kathy's main techniques were lace shaped ovals and lace cathedral windows. Everybody finished the main techniques and many projects were finished completely. We had fabulous assistants from all of our sewing machine companies and from some of our licensed Martha Pullen teachers - all of whom volunteered their efforts. Speaking of volunteers, I want to also thank our angels for every classroom. We simply could not do an event like this without the wonderful volunteers who work so hard. We truly thank everybody who helped us.
There were so many booths with just about everything you could ever want for sewing. Our vendors taught really interesting classes each day - there were about 250 seminar sessions in three days! In one of my classes I told my students that my dream would be to come to a Martha's Sewing Market and take every one of the classes. I would like to thank our vendors for participating and for teaching. We have the very best vendors in the world and I think the most interesting variety of sewing presented in any market. Our vendors truly offered handwork to high tech and everything in between.
One of my classes was on "How To Make Money With Sewing" and it was very interesting to see how many people are already earning money with sewing. Many of the students are interested in coming to become Martha Pullen Licensed Teachers. As a matter of fact, this very week we begin a Martha Pullen/Pfaff Licensed Teacher training week. Later on this year we have a Viking, a Bernina and a Babylock training and we have just finished a Janome training week. We also have, for the VERY FIRST TIME, next November, a Martha Pullen Beginning Sewing Licensed Teacher training program. This program will be to train individuals how to teach beginning sewing as well as have Martha Pullen beginning sewing curriculum just for our licensed teachers.
Our licensed teacher programs with specific sewing machine companies are heirloom classes. Our beginning sewing teacher program will be for any sewing machine and will use just basic straight and zig zag stitches - not machine embroidery and fancywork. There is a great resurgence in people who have never sewed a stitch wanting to learn basic sewing. There is always a demand for people to want to learn heirloom sewing. Many people who have become Martha Pullen Licensed Teachers are not only teaching sewing lessons but also are doing custom heirloom work.
One of the privileges I have at this time in my life is to serve as a mentor for women and men who have the dream of earning their living in the sewing industry. This is the main objective of our licensed teacher programs. By the way, we are not ready yet to open the registration for the November Beginning Licensed Teacher program. Our e-mail newsletter friends will be the first to know when the exact date is finalized and all of the details.
We had two PBS television hosts at the Orlando market - Sue Hausmann of "America Sews" and, of course, me of "Martha's Sewing Room." Sue and I are privileged to say that many of the vendors and teachers have appeared on our television series as guests. Friday night Jinny Beyer gave a wonderful quilt lecture all about color and choosing color. We used her color palette in the class and I can truly tell you I learned more about color coordination than I ever dreamed possible. I would like to thank my incredible staff for their unending energy and efforts in making this event happen. I always receive so many compliments on the way our customers are treated by the Martha Pullen Company staff. I can never thank them enough for treating our customers with joy and a smile.
Most of all I would like to thank each of you who attended the market. You are the heartbeat of Martha Pullen Company and we would not be able to do anything we do without the loyalty of our faithful customers.
Our new book, Contemporary Heirlooms for the Older Girl was an absolute runaway best seller in Orlando. Mothers and grandmothers alike said, "Finally here is a book with clothing which will please our older girls and us alike. The older girl models in the fashion show said they loved the clothes.
I had three new suits made using our Six Easy Patterns For Women Only and received more compliments than I have ever received. If you have not made something for yourself using these VERY FLATTERING jacket, skirt, shell and blouse patterns, please do so as soon as possible.
Needless to say, Easter is coming and lace and batiste flew out of our booth. Everybody loved the new copy of Sew Beautiful, especially Joe's picture in the vest. He had to sign many autographs and several people said he looked exactly like George C. Scott (who played Patton in the movie}. He is still asking when his vest will be ready. I really do have to work on that.
It was a joy to have Joanna, Cecil and Chase in Orlando with us this time. I was able to introduce Joanna at the fashion show so many people got to meet her. As most of you know she is the reason I started Martha Pullen Company, since all I wanted to do after having a little girl after four boys was sew for her. Chase had so much fun modeling that he cried when he did not have another outfit to wear.
We got tickled in one of my classes when we started talking about the women's love of our Gotz dolls and the clothing they wanted to make for their special person to give along with the dolls. We agreed unanimously that we needed to purchase the doll and begin sewing in early January in order to have the doll wardrobe ready for a birthday or for next Christmas. Honestly, I signed many dolls and put the date of next Christmas on the doll so the mother or grandmother would have enough time to sew a compete wardrobe.
Can I share just a little more about the Christmas in London tour? In England, we went twice to the theater, seeing Mama Mia and My Fair Lady. I love theater in London and these two plays were excellent. I had seen My Fair Lady the movie but had never seen it on the stage. One of the other events we enjoyed on the trip was an Elizabethan banquet at Hatfield House, one of Henry VIII's Castles. The evening meal was eaten during a visit from Henry VIII and his court, and a second "act" featured his daughter, Queen Bess (Elizabeth I). It is rather like a play and a dinner "all in one" with members of the audience being called to the stage to participate (some of our group even dressed in period clothing!). I never realized in my whole life that I would actually see Henry the VIII and Queen Bess in "person." Thanks go to Arleen Balciunas for the pictures!
Now that the new year has started I want you to think of your favorite sewing tips, no matter how simple and quick, and send them to me with the subject "sewing tip" to marthap@marthapullen.com. I also love your recipes. Please when you include recipes give the exact size can or package to be used. If your recipe calls for a package of Jell-O please put what size Jell-O package. If you have a very quick sewing project or gift, please include directions for it also.
There is still time for you to sign up for some of the schools in the February School of Art Fashion. You can check out the school and/or pre-day classes you would like to take and call to see if there is still a space left. There is more information below in the Martha Pullen Company news.
We have a great sale for you this week on Emma's Garden Fabrics and machine embroidery CD. When I taught my class on Wednesday, I wore my purchased denim shirt with the Emma's Garden CD embroideries on it. It is my favorite shirt. The Emma's Garden theme piece is great on a tote bag (click here) which many people have seen on our website. If you love gardens, this is the time to purchase fabric to make a bag and the CD with which to embroider the bag. On my shirt I have the "My Secret Garden" design as well as many of the others. On the sleeve cuffs, I have the tiny little flowers; on the back of the shirt I have the flowers in pots.
At the show in Orlando, Peggy Dilbone had the most beautiful green sweater set embroidered with Emma's Garden all over the front. Peggy loves gardens and this sweater was so gorgeous. It would be beautiful to have Emma's Garden designs embroidered on a child's sweater for Easter - the bunny with a flower ring, the little bee hive, the fountain, the birdhouses, the butterflies and the lady bugs - and the sweater could be worn all year long.
One QUICK BUT IMPORTANT NOTE! You only have until January 20, 2003 to renew or join the IEC at the discounted $49 rate. This year you will receive over $315 worth of machine embroidery designs (if purchased separately) plus monthly sales, historical tidbits and poems, and antique pictures. Plus you will receive the new Martha Pullen machine embroidery CD's at a discounted price of $54 (plus $5 shipping) rather than the regular price of $90. You can join -on line- for just a few more days at this price. Thanks to ALL of you who have renewed or joined. Yes, you can also join for 2002 and download all the designs and alphabets for $59. To join for 2003, it is $49 through January 20. Hurry, if you have not already renewed. And THANK YOU!
I have just finished the book, Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers and it was beyond fabulous. It is the book of Hosea written in Early California Gold Rush days. It may be the best book that I have ever read. I can't wait to get my next Christian fiction book. We met a Campus Crusade missionary returning to France in the airport late Saturday night. It was her 60th birthday. I had just finished the book so I had the privilege of pulling it out of my "carry-on" wishing her a happy birthday and giving her this book. I told her "you will love this book so much you will read all night on the plane and arrive in Paris much sooner than you thought you would."
Thank you again for letting me come to see you every week. You are my precious sewing family and I hope to meet every one of you some day. Come to Huntsville to see us or around the country-we do travel a lot as you already know.
May God Bless You,
Martha
SALE FOR ONE WEEK ONLY!! JANUARY 13-19, 2003 EMMA'S GARDEN QUILT FABRIC AND MATCHING EMMA'S GARDEN MACHINE EMBROIDERY CD! — The regular price per yard of Emma's Garden Quilt Fabrics is $8.50! For this week only you can order the fabric for $4.25 per yard. To get this price you must order at least 3 yards and it must be in at least one yard pieces. You can order as much as you want but minimum total yardage is 3 yards and the pieces must not be shorter than 1 yard. These are labeled with our "design number" and color.
 #1 Pink |
 #5 Pink |
 #6 Pink |
 #8 Pink |
 #1 Blue |
 #4 Blue |
 #5 Blue |
 #6 Blue |
 #7 Blue |
 #8 Blue |
 #1 Lavender |  #2 Lavender |
 #5 Lavender |
 #6 Lavender |
 #7 Lavender |  #6 Beige |
Call 800-547-4176 ext 2
EMMA'S GARDEN MACHINE EMBROIDERY CD SALE! REGULAR PRICE $90! FOR ONE WEEK ONLY — IF YOU PURCHASE AT LEAST 3 YARDS OF EMMA'S GARDEN FABRIC, YOU CAN PURCHASE THE CD FOR $49 (PLUS SHIPPING)
Call 800-547-4176 ext 2
CONTEMPORARY HEIRLOOMS FOR THE OLDER GIRL — $19.95 plus $5 shipping
WE HAVE A BRAND NEW BOOK, which was sold at Orlando for the very first time. You can order it immediately by calling 800-547-4176, ext. 2 or from the internet store. These are very sophisticated yet very proper and modest tailored clothing for the older girl. When Joanna saw these clothes, she said, "Oh, Mom, if (she mentioned her favorite store which only sells very sophisticated, elegant and lovely women's clothing) had a children's store, these clothes would be in the window." I can truly say I think you will have solved your Easter dress sewing for your older girls when you see this book.
Play clothes are also featured. All patterns are sized 6-16 and the styles include a skirt, a princess top, dress pants and shorts, a jacket, a flared top and an a-line dress. All of the tops have sleeve choices from sleeveless to long-sleeved. You can have fun sewing heirloom in garments that your older girls will really love or just using plain fabric and not doing any heirloom sewing at all.
FEBRUARY, 2003, SCHOOL OF ART FASHION BROCHURE NOW ON WEB SITE - Click here!
February 2-5. 2003 (Pre-Day Classes) February 6-9, 2003 (Four Day School) CALL 800-547-4176 EXT 105 TO REGISTER! A complete copy of the school brochure is also included in your current issue of Sew Beautiful. We have a large number of students already registered. Please call if you are coming to the biggest and best school ever! Schools are Beginning School, Australian Quilting School, Carol Ahles School of Fine Machine Sewing, Fine Embroidery for Little Ones, Jenny Haskins Victorian School, Mirella Arroyo School, Wendy Schoen Baby School, Creative Serger School, Baby Lock School, Bernina School, Elna School, Husqvarna/Viking School, Janome School, Pfaff School! Wow what a line up!
MARTHA PULLEN'S GREAT LAKES SEWING EXTRAVAGANZA--April 3-6, 2003
For the very first time we will take our Huge Sewing Extravaganza to the Great Lakes Area! This four day event will be held in the Double Tree Hotel, at the Detroit Metro Airport. Everyone will take all 9 sit and sew classes! This event will be underwritten by Husqvarna/Viking, who will furnish machines and sergers for everyone to use! The teachers are Martha Pullen, Dody Baker, Kathy McMakin, Peggy Dilbone, Jody Hooker, Deb Yedziniak, and Connie Palmer.
Your cost for the whole 4 days is $625 which includes instruction for all classes, kits for all classes, four lunch meals, Thursday night seminar "You Can Make Money from Your Hobby," Friday night table top clinics, and Saturday night banquet with special celebrity speaker Sue Hausmann! Please call 800-547-4176, ext. 105 or 106 to register.
SALE SALE SALE Sew Beautiful SUBSCRIPTION SALE EXTENDED: ONLY $23.99 FOR A YEAR'S SUBSCRIPTION! CALL 800-547-4176 ext. 116 - SUBSCRIBE (at this sale price of $23.99) ON LINE! Don't forget about ordering Video XI for $9.99 when you subscribe. Sew Beautiful Link
MARTHA PULLEN LICENSED TEACHER WEEKS - The next machine groups (which have openings) and dates are as follows: Pfaff, January 15-21, 2003; Viking, Feb 13-19, 2003 (full but taking a waiting list); Bernina, March 15-21, 2003; Babylock, June 17-23, 2003; and Viking, October 2-8, 2003. Call 800-547-4176 ext. 107 or 108 to get more information. Or visit our licensing info page: Licensing Link
TO CONTACT US BY PHONE: 800-547-4176 ext. 2 or 256-533-9586 TO e-mail ONE OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, choose from this list:catalog@marthapullen.com (send your postal address to request a color catalog)
orders@marthapullen.com (for order questions)
subscriptions@marthapullen.com (for Sew Beautiful subscriptions)
schools@marthapullen.com (for School of Art Fashion)
licensing@marthapullen.com (for teacher licensing questions)
markets@marthapullen.com (for our sewing markets)
marthap@marthapullen.com -- MY PERSONAL E-MAIL ADDRESS
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK — Ephesians 2: 8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of god, not by works, so that no one can boast.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe that my salvation is totally a gift from God and that I have done nothing to deserve it or certainly nothing to earn it. At the market in Orlando I was given many precious gifts - mostly loving words from people about what sewing means to them and what our magazine and books mean to them, and, I have to admit, what this newsletter means to them. These are precious, precious gifts which were given to me and my staff. I want to thank each of you who gave me these precious uplifting words. To know that you have looked forward to an event like this keeps us getting on that airplane and sometimes flying more week-ends than we would really choose to do. Your encouragement means so much not only to me but to our whole staff who works so hard at these markets.
What if I were to say, when someone gives me a gift, "Now what do I owe you for this?" Certainly a gift means just that - it's free, it's a gift. For material things, I owe the giver nothing other than a heartfelt "thank you." Since I am a hugger, I usually hug when someone gives me a gift. I am totally unworthy of the gift of salvation which is "the gift of God" and I need to praise God and have great joy over this gift. I also believe that we are moved and empowered to thank and to serve God with good works and by helping people and by being kind; however, salvation is not based on any of these things. Thank you God, for freely loving me enough to give me this gift.
TWO MODERN RECIPES FROM Jenny VanFossen
CHEESE DIP
Ok, now to the good stuff! The first recipe is a quick and easy party favorite at out house and we have had so many people ask for the recipe after having it. It is for a cheese dip. You could shape this into a ball, but we have an old set of delfite blue cheese knives, so I like putting it in a pretty bowl with Town House Crackers on a platter around it. It calls for:
One package of Hidden Valley Ranch regular dressing mix8 oz package of finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
one 8 oz package of softened cream cheese
2 Tbsp. of mayo.
You just mix it all together, and spread on crackers. I must warn you, though, it is hard to leave alone once you have some! This recipe has been tried somewhat lowfat, but I would personally only substitute the lowfat versions for the shredded cheese, the cream cheese, and the crackers, just for the sake of preserving the taste. I have tried the lowfat mayo, but it doesn't seem to have the same taste.
STRAWBERRY SUNDAE CAKE
On to the second one! This one is a little more work. It is Strawberry Sundae Cake. Here are the ingredients:
1 box white cake mix
1 small box Strawberry jello
2/3 c. veg. oil
1/3 c. water
4 eggs
1 c. frozen strawberries, thawed (you will need 1 1/2 c. total including the topping)
Preheat oven to 350. Put cake mix and jello in a bowl. Add water and oil and mix well. Add strawberries and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Bake cake in a greased and floured tube pan for 30-45 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly with fingertips. Let cake cool for at least 10 minutes, and flip onto serving platter/cake plate.
While still hot, pour on the following topping:
2 c. powdered sugar
3/4 stick margarine
1/2 c strawberries, thawed
1/8 tsp. salt
Melt margarine (I use unsalted butter), add sugar, strawberries, and salt. Stir ingredients together, making sure most of the lumps are gone, and pour over cake. A helpful hint for making this a successful recipe: when removing the cake from the pan, scrape a knife around the sides, and around the bottom of the cake. Then flip the cake upside down onto a plate, then flip it over onto your serving dish. Do this all very carefully to avoid cracking the cake (otherwise, pour the topping over it, then slice it and serve it sliced with extra glaze over each piece...ask me how I know!)
I hope you enjoy these, and that they will be suitable to use in the newsletter....Sincerely, Jenny VanFossen
HISTORIC RECIPES FOR THE WEEK from The Delineator June 1921
Pear Salad
Drain halves of canned pears or of stewed dried pears. Fill the halves with a mixture of chopped nuts and dates, and invert on a bed of lettuce. Just before serving, cover with French dressing and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Candle Salad
Arrange a slice of canned pineapple on a bed of lettuce. In the center insert a section of banana to represent the candle. Top with a red cherry and make a handle to the candlestick with a strip of pimento. Serve the dressing on the side in a cup made from the lettuce heart.
Cherry Salad
Drain canned cherries. Remove stones and fill cavities of half of them with nut-meats. Stuff the remainder with small balls of cream cheese. Arrange on lettuce and serve with fruit-salad dressing.