Martha's Newsletter - June 23, 2008

BRAND NEW BOOK FROM KARI MECCA! SEWING WITH WHIMSY!

Sewing with Whimsy is a fanciful treat in children’s sewing and embellishing. Each chapter begins with a classic pattern based on a simple silhouette then takes the sewing enthusiast on a magical journey, traveling down a path of originality filled with trims and techniques. Kari Mecca’s one-of-a-kind projects and ideas range from fun and funky to sweet and sassy. She teaches each new trim or embellishing technique using step-by-step directions that mesh by design with a simple construction approach. The Stitches & Techniques section provides clear, in-depth instructions using easy-to-follow photographed steps and detailed illustrations. Special tips and hints are highlighted throughout and are punctuated with inspirational photos to encourage readers to lend Kari’s touch to their own projects and patterns. Includes 3 Full-sized patterns: Girls Sundress (sizes 2-6), Girls Puff Sleeve Dress (sizes 2-6) and Pinafore (sizes 18mo & 24mo). Soft-cover, full-color, 96 pages. Click here to order for $24.95!

MARY & MORGAN YOUNG MISS PATTERN

For that young lady who is on the verge of being “oh, so grown-up” while still preferring to spend much of her time dressed in casual comfort, Sew Beautiful brings you the Mary and Morgan Young Miss pattern in Girls sizes 8-14. Similar in silhouette to the Misses sized pattern, this youthful version offers two completely different bodice styles with multiple skirt and hem options that allow your young miss to choose fabric and detailing to fit her personality no matter how formal or casual the occasion. For sizing, yardage, and notion information, click here. To order for $12.00, click here.

Click images to zoom

GORGEOUS LAYETTE FOR PHYLLIS HOFFMAN’S NEW GRANDSON!

We would like to congratulate Phyllis and Wayne Hoffman on their first grandson born this week! I thought you would like to see the layette Katie chose from our ready-to-embroider knits that Angela Jones designed and machine embroidered! I can truly tell you that these knits are the favorite of everyone who has felt them. They are butter soft and wash like a dream. You, for a very reasonable price, can make a whole layette for a new family baby or for a friend's baby. These pieces are the favorite gift at any shower-from the burp pads and blankets to the little clothing. If you just embroider "baby" or put a little baby design you can get ready in advance for your showers and special gifts. If you really want to make a big splash, especially for these young mothers, put the monogram. My friend, Judy Derosier made all of her two new granddaughters layette using these ready-to-embroidery pieces with monograms only since her daughter and daughter in law love monograms. Please order yours now since we anticipate running out quickly of the most popular items. Right now we have a new shipment. The monograms were made using Monogram Wizard Plus. The other knits were embroidered using the Blue Ribbon Baby CD with letting from Designers Gallery. Click here for helpful tips for embroidering on knits for baby.

Click image to zoom

Click here to order Ready-to-Embroider Baby Knits

BABY LOVE MACHINE EMBROIDERY CD

A cuddly little blessing has arrived in town and he comes surrounded by adoring friends. “Baby Love” is our newest embroidery cd and it comes with 23 full color, multi-format designs in a variety of sizes. Bright and cheerful colors will lift your spirits and these designs can fill a nursery with a playful menagerie. Besides the animals, word sentiments such as Baby, Joy, or Love among others can be used to create or personalize gifts for baby or provide a decorating theme for showers. A combination of some or all of these designs could be used in a quilt or on the border or a garment. You’ll find these child-like designs endearing as “Baby Love” and his friends invite you to come and play with them! Some of the designs are 4X4; others are 5X7. Click here to order for $40.00; IEC pricing is $30.00. Click here to view all the designs up close. These designs also make a lovely quilt:

Click image to zoom

Check Out Our
OTHER NEW PRODUCTS!!!

The Modern Priscilla, April 1919

From our readers

GORGEOUS READY-TO-EMBROIDER JACKET FOR A BABY GIFT FROM MARIANNE S.
A darling couple we know just had their first child, a lovely girl. I wanted to give them a special gift for her. I used a no collar Ready to Embroider Baby Knit Jacket in a 6-12 month size. For designs I combined some lovely singles from the Blue Ribbon Baby CD. It made a wonderful, sweet little gift. I'm enclosing pictures. Martha, I love the quality of the ready to embroider knits. They are soft for those precious babies and stable enough to embroider. This is my first project using the Blue Ribbon Baby designs. I know I will make many more. Next I am going to make the sheet pictured on the cover.

Click image to zoom

Click here to order
Retail Price: $40
Sale Price: $32 (one week only)
IEC Price: $30

Click here to order

ADORABLE TWINS BIRTHDAY PICTURES FROM BEVERLY
My grandsons looked beautiful in your romper. I enjoyed machine smocking them with their "beach" themed sailboats.

Click image to zoom

Click here to order

PLEASE SEND SEWING TIPS AND PROJECTS WITH PICTURES, ESPECIALLY PICTURES WHICH INCLUDE MARTHA PULLEN CD’S, IEC DESIGNS, GIFT OF THE MONTH DESIGNS, PATTERNS, PATTERNS FROM SEW BEAUTIFUL - OUR READERS LOVE TO SEE HOW YOU HAVE USED OUR PRODUCTS!! AND SO DO WE!! PLEASE SEND TO martha.pullen@yahoo.com.

SERGER SEWING TIP FROM PAT CADY
I never could remember what size needle was in my serger or when I changed it last. Now when I put in a new needle, I take a small piece of blue painter's tape and write the needle size and date and stick it to the side of the serger. I keep track of oilings of the machines and serger buy writing the dates on a recipe card that I keep in the back of the machine manual.

SEWING TIP FROM MOLLY GRAHAM, OREGON
Thank you very much for the segment with Steve Butler about sewing machine needles, on your TV show. I was well aware of the importance of quality tools (scissors, kitchen knives, paint brushes, etc,) but I never made the connection between sharp sewing machine needles and a better finished product. Therefore, I was not in the habit of replacing needles except when broken (or changing sizes, of course) but I now plan on keeping track of needle usage and change them more often. Please pass on my sincere gratitude to Steve Butler of Schmetz needles. And thank you for another great show.

HEIRLOOM SEWING TIP FROM JOAN
My tip is a simple one. When I am heirloom sewing on delicate fabrics, I don’t like to use marking pens, pencils, etc. When I gather, I mark the center of the fabric or lace with a different color glass head pin. Most of my pins are white, so I save the blue or yellow headed pins for this purpose. Just makes it easier to center lace to fabric, etc. Thanks for all your magazines, CDs and designs.

Martha's Letter

Dear Sewing Family,

    Texas, my beloved Texas. There are not enough words to thank you for your UNBELIEVABLE turn out for our 11th Arlington market and for your happiness and appreciative comments not only to us but also to our vendors. Some of you might not know that I am an “adopted Texan.” Many years ago I did lots of consulting with The Fort Worth Telegram newspaper traveling to the Ft. Worth area doing workshops teaching teachers how to use the newspaper to teach everything from kindergarten to 12th grade subjects. One year I was invited to be the keynote speaker for all of the teachers to open the school year in one of the large school districts. Around 600 teachers were in attendance and I took my ukulele and opened the speech with a “sing along” then gave my speech. Remember that I can’t sing very well and I play the ukulele even worse. When I finished my speech I turned to go back on the stage to sit back down with the superintendent and other dignitaries from the school system. When I got back to my chair and turned around the whole audience was standing up clapping and cheering. I was so surprised that I began to cry. This was my first standing ovation in my life and I was overwhelmed. The superintendent said to me, “You need to go back to say something else.” When I went back to the podium I said, “Texas I love you very much. I never had a standing ovation before. Will you adopt me as a Texan?” They shouted “yes” and clapped even more. For about 32 years, now, I have considered myself an adopted Texan. I love Texas. Joanna graduated from Texas Christian University and Cecil says she wants to go The University of Texas. Actually Cecil just wants to come to Texas since she thinks everyone in Texas rides horseback and horses are her favorite thing in the world. She might be a hair disillusioned when she leaves the DFW airport and travels the freeways in Dallas!

    With all that said I will reiterate, “Texas I love you. Texas I thank you. This was the most wonderful sewing market that we have ever had and YES WE ARE COMING BACK NEXT YEAR.” To elaborate further, many, many attendees were not from Texas at all. One young woman had come from Holland. She purchased a Sew Beautiful magazine on a trip to New York City and decided to learn about smocking. She related to me that only the royal children wear smocking in Holland and she intends to change all that with her new found skills in smocking, pleating, and heirloom sewing. One lady came all the way from Australia for the market. Women flew in from all over the country. Truly all over. I talked to women from New Jersey, California, Nevada, Michigan, Ohio, Arkansas, Oklahoma-probably a roll call from nearly every state could have been made. We had huge crowds. THANK YOU SO MUCH FROM ME PERSONALLY, FROM MARTHA PULLEN COMPANY, AND FROM ALL THE VENDORS!!

    We had vendors from Holland, New Zealand, South Africa and Switzerland! And from all over the United States. We had about 15 brand new vendors as well as all of our favorite vendors who have been with us for the whole 11 years that we have had Martha’s Sewing Market in the Arlington Convention Center. Thank you to all the vendors for teaching such spectacular classes.

    The evening events were spectacular. John Flynn is not only a master quilter he is hysterically funny! We loved his pictures of his quilts, his actual quilts he shared and his stories about how he turned from civil engineer bridge construction owner to quilter! I laughed until I cried at his stories. Janome underwrote this evening and gave TWO beautiful sewing machines as door prizes.

    Sue Hausmann shared not only TONS OF PROJECTS and techniques about sewing but she told parts of her life story. I think she was interrupted by applause about 30 times during her presentation. We laughed and cried during her presentation. She sang for us and at the end led the group in God Bless America in honor of our troops serving in harm’s way and their families. We also had all of the women in the audience who have family members serving in harm’s way to stand in honor of their loved one and everyone cheered for them. The next day one of my friends came to me crying and said, “Martha that is the first time anyone has asked me to stand in honor of my son who is serving in harm’s way. Thank you.” Viking underwrote Sue’s appearance and gave a gorgeous felting machine as a door prize.

    Eileen Roche, editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery, presented a fabulous machine embroidery fashion show on Saturday at noon. She not only had spectacular and VERY FASHIONABLE clothing in this show, she gave tip after tip on everything from placement to design to stabilizer to other tricks as the models walked down the runway. Eileen is also very funny and we enjoyed her humor as she shared and taught. She had everything from dresses to suits to purses to shoes to sweat shirts to tee shirts-all with fashionable machine embroidery. Honestly I told the audience afterwards that Neiman Marcus would probably want to sell some of the elegant clothing she shared. Baby Lock underwrote this event along with Designs in Machine Embroidery magazine. Baby Lock gave an Elegante sewing machine as the door prize.

    The contest had 151 fabulous entries. I photographed each entry and over the next few weeks I will share pictures so you can “visit” the contest area. I thank Floriani, Rowenta, and Sulky for magnificent prizes for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners which were judged by a panel of judges-not employees of Martha Pullen Company. Baby Lock underwrote the prize for the People’s Choice winner. Baby Lock gave an Elegante sewing machine to the winner who was Patsy Martin. Patsy was overwhelmed and shared with me that the only machine she owned was a Singer featherweight with a straight stitch! You can just imagine her JOY at receiving the gorgeous top of the line Baby Lock machine. She does know how to use a computer so she is half way there to the sewing joy of her lifetime when she unravels the joy of her new Elegante.

    The vendor classes taught many times a day were fabulous. I did not hear ONE person who did not love all the classes that she/he took. Thank you vendors for coming to make this all possible. Thank you to all of our students who came-and thank you for coming in such HUGE numbers. Thank you Janome, Viking and Baby Lock for sending in machines for our pre-day classes. Our students loved the pre-day sit and sew classes!

    I am sending along some pictures of the market this week but I have so many more to share over the next weeks, especially of the contest entries. I won’t give you the pattern, design, etc. but I will share the pictures for you to enjoy. The contest winners were: Jean Angeren; Dolores Picker, MO; Lynda Devenport; Merlyn Forrest; Rhonda Barr, AR; Patsy Martin, TX; Kathleen Dziurda, NV; Joan Oehlschlaeger, TX; Sharron Sneed, OK; Blenda Davidson, TX; Susan Mills, OK; Lee Ann Stusnick, OK; Gail Brown, TX; Rebecca Morris, TX; Ann Deets, TX; Shirley Legendre, LA; Viva Iverson, MO; Vanessa Smith, TX; and Linda Frost, TX.

Martha's Sewing Market in Arlington, TX!

Click thumbnails to view more!

    I have promised to tap dance and tell my funny stories at one of the evening events at next year’s market. Sue Hausmann has promised to sing and share funny stories along with me. We will have at least one more person on our “talent show” and I promise you an evening of hysteria. Some of you attended our Friday Night Live event in Puyallup, Washington. It won’t be the same event but since you laughed until you cried at our “performances” we thought we would prepare another “talent night” for Martha’s Sewing Market in Texas next year. I want to thank the whole MPC staff for nearly a year of work getting ready for this market. I want to thank one person especially and that is Angie Daniel who was executive director for this market. I have never had so many comments about how organized and well run this show was. Angie has been our accountant for 15 years but this year was her first year to run Arlington. Angie, you and all of the other MPC employees get a triple A plus on your report cards! You worked tirelessly to make this event so much fun for all of our attendees. I also want to thank our angels from around the Arlington area for their volunteer efforts. Again, it would not be possible without our angels.

    Our next big event is our School of Art Fashion in Huntsville. We also have a Martha Pullen Beginning Licensed Teacher program before the school; however it is full so I can’t invite you to come this year-but next time! PLEASE GO AHEAD AND CALL IF YOU WANT TO COME to our School of Art fashion! I am really looking forward to the School of Art Fashion July 21-27, at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It is time to register for yourself and your little one who loves to sew or who wants to learn to sew! Some of the classes are full already, but many of the classes still have space for you. We will be celebrating my 65th birthday and have a wonderful week with some of the world’s best teachers, sewing machine companies, and staff. By the way, I am not retiring and I am asking your presence, but not presents. You can read the whole brochure on line!! Click here.

    I pray for our men and women serving in harm’s way and for their families. I pray for the victims of the horrid floods and other weather disasters in this country and in other countries. I know many of you are sick and suffering or someone in your family is suffering. In my prayers for you-my sewing family-I went to the words of Paul in Philippians 4:11-13 “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” I send my love to you. Please know that you can trust God with whatever is happening in your life today. I promise that.

May God Bless You,
Martha

SEW BEAUTIFUL MAGAZINE!!!

SPECIAL SEW BEAUTIFUL OFFER: The regular price of a Sew Beautiful magazine subscription is already a bargain at $24.99, but for a limited time, you may order a one year subscription to Sew Beautiful for only $18.00! This fabulous offer applies to both personal and gift subscriptions and that means you and your friends will be receiving six issues of Sew Beautiful for only $3.00 each! To take advantage of this wonderful offer, click here for a personal subscription or click here to give a gift subscription! You can also call 1-888-825-5823 (U.S. only) to purchase a subscription.

News and Sales
June 23rd - 30th, 2008

Retail: $40.00
Sale: $32.00

Click to order

20% OFF
Blue Ribbon Baby
Machine Embroidery CD

While Supplies Last

You don't want to miss...

2008 Internet Embroidery Club

With your membership you receive:

2 or more embroidery designs each month

3 large (5 x 7) bonus designs during the year

Plus. . .
Martha Pullen and Sew Beautiful Embroidery CDs
released in 2008 at special IEC pricing

Reg. $90	–	IEC Special $54
Reg. $75	–	IEC Special $45
Reg. $40	–	IEC Special $30

And.....Special discounts each month specifically for IEC members only.

Click here to view all the designs, so far, for 2008!
Don't miss out, click here to signup today.

JUNE 2008 DESIGNS!
2008 IEC designs

Rainy Day (2.83 x 3.53 in.)
Rainy Day Redwork (2.84 x 3.52 in.)

2008 BONUS DESIGNS!
2008 IEC designs

Rose Crest with Bow (2.26 x 3.37 in.)
Rose Crest with Bow Redwork (2.24 x 3.35 in.)

2008 BONUS DESIGNS!
2008 IEC designs

Rose Crest with Bow and Doves (4.94 x 6.74 in.)
Rose Crest with Bow and Doves Redwork (4.89 x 6.75 in.)

Members, click here to download your designs.

MARTHA PULLEN LICENSED TEACHER WEEKS

The licensing dates are scheduled as listed below:

Martha Pullen/Teaching Beginners Licensing - July 11-17. 2008
Martha Pullen/Serger Licensing - September 12-19, 2008
Martha Pullen/Husqvarna/Viking III Licensing - October 1-8, 2008
Martha Pullen/Pfaff Licensing - October 10-17, 2008
Martha Pullen/Serger I Licensing - January 6-13, 2009
Martha Pullen/Serger II Licensing** - March 12-19, 2009
Martha Pullen/Serger II Licensing** - April 16-23, 2009
Martha Pullen/Heirloom Quilting - July 30-August 6, 2009
Martha Pullen/Teaching Beginners - September 16-22, 2009
Martha Pullen/Heirloom Sewing I** - October 20-27, 2009

** New curriculum in 2009.
Roman numeral designations indicate a collection of curriculum and not the order in which the licensings need to be taken. All licensing curriculums are stand-alone and have no pre-requisites other than a love of sewing and a desire to learn.
For more info, call 800-547-4176 ext. 107, 131 or 108. 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:
orders@marthapullen.com (for order questions)
wholesale@marthapullen.com (for wholesale questions)
SWBcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com (for Sew Beautiful subscriptions)
schools@marthapullen.com (for School of Art Fashion)
licensing@marthapullen.com (for teacher licensing questions)
embroidery@marthapullen.com (for Internet Embroidery Club)
markets@marthapullen.com (for our sewing markets)
martha.pullen@yahoo.com – MARTHA'S PERSONAL E-MAIL ADDRESS

SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed for I am your god. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

In my grief for the precious people of Iowa and other states who have been so devastated by these horrid floods I was searching for scripture to send which assure of God’s protection in their recovery and clean up. I was reminded by my friend Mary Cavinness if any of you would like to help that the American Red Cross is, as always, providing help and you can go to their website to help. When I was a child my favorite song to sing in Sunday School at First Methodist in Scottsboro went as follows:

“He holds my hand, Jesus holds my hand. Safely to heaven he leads the way, He is my keeper from day to day. He holds my hand. Jesus holds my hand. The road may be long, but my savior is strong and he holds my hand.”

I pray for those who are suffering, not only with these floods but with many other problems in your life, will remember that Jesus holds your hand. And that God will uphold you with “My righteous right hand.” Hang on. The help that knows no limits whatsoever is holding your hand. Reach up.

RECIPE FOR THE WEEK from the editors of Taste of the South, a magazine about the food and rich food heritage of the South. Each issue of Taste of the South features more than 60 easy recipes, which we know you will adore. It’s published by Hoffman Media of which Martha Pullen Company is a subsidiary. Thanks to their editors for sharing these recipes with us. If you have questions concerning these recipes, please visit TasteoftheSouthMagazine.com, or call, (888) 411-8995. Click here to subscribe to Taste of the South.

Need a fruity punch for your summertime party? Try this Sparkling Strawberry Tea Punch. For more recipes like these, see the June/July issue of Taste of the South.

Sparkling Strawberry Tea Punch
Yield: approximately 1 gallon
Preparation: 10 minutes
Stand: 15 minutes
Refrigerate: 1 hour

1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries, thawed
6 cups water
3 family-size tea bags
1/2 cup sugar
1 (6-ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
2 (32-ounce) bottles sparkling water, chilled*
1 mint sprig, optional
Garnish: fresh strawberries

Place strawberries in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until you have a smooth purée. Set aside. Bring 6 cups water to a boil. Add tea bags and remove from heat. Cover and steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags, being careful not to squeeze. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add limeade and strawberry purée to tea, stirring to combine. Pour into a 2-quart container and add mint, if desired. Let cool. Remove mint, then chill. When ready to serve, pour tea mixture into a punch bowl large enough to hold tea plus sparkling water. Slowly add sparkling water. Serve over ice. Garnish with strawberries, if desired.

*Lemonade can be substituted for the limeade, and the mint is up to you. To make the tea punch sweeter, use a lemon-lime soft drink instead of the sparkling water.

To unsubscribe from Martha's email newsletter, click here or email: patti@marthapullen.com.
Remember, do NOT reply to this newsletter...Please use the departmental addresses!

Go to: June 16 Newsletter

Go to: Martha's Home Page

Go to: Martha's Online Store

Go to: Sew Beautiful Magazine

Note: All newsletter sale and bonus offers are for "in stock" items only, while supplies last. Shipping costs, where indicated, are for USA, international shipments extra. Martha Pullen Company reserves the right to correct pricing errors.