SEWING TIP OF THE WEEK

My beginner students have a problem with estimating measurements like one eighth inch, one fourth inch. Often the pattern says to turn down one fourth inch and press. The easiest way I have found is to stitch the fabric (one layer) one fourth inch from the edge using the one fourth inch presser foot or the stitch plate marking as a guide. The results are much more accurate AND it is easy to press by folding right on the stitching line. Hope these help. Becky Hornbuckle(I work for and teach classes at Nostalgic Needle Works in Mobile, AL)

LETTERS ABOUT THE SCHOOL:

FROM WANDA JONES - A Martha Pullen Licensed Teacher Who Was a Student At The School (via e-mail to their Licensed Teacher E-mail Group)

I was expecting hotel size classrooms with not a lot of space but I had a table all to myself and there was lots of space to walk around and extra tables and ironing boards set up for cutting out and ironing. It was really great. Outside our classroom door was a hallway with large windows where we could watch it rain (a pleasant experience as we are now in the dry season in Dallas and badly need rain).

FROM KATHY DURMON - A Martha Pullen Licensed Teacher Who Brought a Group To Shop During the School (via e-mail to their Licensed Teacher E-mail Group)

I organized a tour group from our Nashville Sewing Club to go to Martha's Shopping Days. They all drove down to Fayetteville (my home town) to meet me then I took them out for shopping at the local fabric stores and quilt shops culminating at the retail store at Martha's School of Art Fashion. There were a total 15 women who attended in two different groups. All were so impressed with the school. We shopped in the retail store, the ladies were all so kind and helpful, one of the ladies who works there is also a member of our sewing club. We visited the Viking and other hospitality rooms, next we visited the classrooms. I saw Peggy and Connie, who graciously offered for us to come into the classrooms and see the samples they have hanging. The ladies were overwhelmed and all began discussing the possibility of attending the February 2002 School. I am encouraging them to attend. Most were surprised at the value they receive for their tuition. I tried to tell them how much fun they would have..but how can you put that much fun into words? Martha, I think you are right about the Civic Center being better location for classes, more room, better lighting and more tables, etc. but most importantly, with the heat we have been having, the air conditioning was great.

PERSONAL LETTER FROM MARTHA

Dear Friends,

There was an old song we used to sing in Sunday School at the First Methodist Church in Scottsboro, Alabama when I was a child. It had the words, "Oh the glory of His goodness-.." This morning I awakened after the incredible 7-day school we had here in Huntsville, and I could think of one thing-thanking God for the joy of the school. "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4. I thank God for each student, each teacher, each assistant teacher, each staff member of Martha Pullen Company, each person who visited the retail store, each staff member of the hotels where the students stayed and each staff member of the Von Braun Civic Center who made the facilities so comfortable for us while we were there. It was a joyous week and one I will not forget. This was our first school to have all of the adult classes and all events in the large, well lighted, well air-conditioned and spacious Civic Center. The kid's school was such fun also and we used the biggest and best rooms at the Hilton for their school. The kid's enjoyed the swimming pool for a summer fun break every day.

I am humbled to know that people from four continents were in attendance at this school. North America (including Canada and Mexico as well as the US), Australia (including New Zealand), Europe (England, Germany and Saudi Arabia), and Africa (Togo). Suzanne's best friend from Togo was in the country and she was able to come. We had been planning this since I first met her in Africa four years ago. Almost every state in the United States was represented. I have to pinch myself to think that this many people traveled this far to attend our school, which is now in the 18th year. We are indeed blessed. We have the February school brochure already planned and we know that our school will be just as wonderful in February, also at the Civic Center. We had two huge busses traveling hourly back and forth from the Hilton to the Civic Center although it is just right across the street. A few people who have trouble walking in a civic center had rented little carts from a local rental place. All in all it was a wonderful change to have a fabulous and large facility.

This school was especially meaningful for me, personally. Our daughter, Joanna, taught sewing for the first time at one of our schools. You may remember that last year, she was in the hospital with a new baby, Chase, rather than teaching as she had been scheduled. Joanna has been teaching dancing since she was 13 years old but this was her first time teaching sewing and she loved it. Loving to sew for my little girl, Joanna, was the inspiration for starting this business on August 1, 1981. This Wednesday, August 1, 2001 we will have completed 20 years of Martha Pullen Company which started with a tiny retail shop, Martha Pullen's Heirloom Shop at 805 Madison Street in Joe's dental office building. I thank God as we begin our 21st year in business. God has been faithful and good to allow us to grow and have this wonderful sewing business.

So many exciting things happened it is hard to know where to begin; however, I think I'll begin with the kid's school. You won't believe how many adorable projects they not only started but also finished!! The adults were jealous! They handled the sewing machines, which Viking generously sent in one for each child to use the whole week, like adults. They learned to smock by hand and to do hand embroidery. They only went on one field trip-to the Space and Rocket Center. The rest of the time they sewed, stitched and swam. One of the classes sang while they sewed. For the final lunch on Sunday, where the kids joined the adults, they sang two beautiful songs for the whole group. Some of the kids modeled their things they had made all week at the fashion show on Friday night. Most wore their scrub pants for the Sunday lunch. Joanna presented each child with a trophy with a star and the words, "Martha Pullen Sewing Star."

At the pool, a new game was invented. Instead of Marco Polo, they played Martha Pullen hollering "Martha" and the response was "Pullen." On Sunday afternoon they had an ice cream sundae party and I hopped right in the pool for our afternoon final pool party swim. You will never believe that I can stand on my hands in the pool and stick my legs straight above the water! I can also hold my nose and sit on the bottom of the pool! I can also do a back flip in the water! The kids taught me how to do all of these things.

The adults made the most gorgeous things I have ever seen in my life and they adored the very large rooms with cutting tables, wonderful lighting, fabulous air conditioning and outside windows! There is more walking to be done in the civic center and most thought it would cut down on the weight gain usually experienced at our schools. We had the grab bag corral with Miss Hilda with her wand at 7am every morning, wonderful discounts at the large Martha Pullen Store, great meals in our lunchroom and a wonderful banquet in the North Hall with the fashion show runway running the total length of the ballroom. We had about 235 people to eat at the barbeque at our house. It started raining right before the busses arrived; however, it soon quit and Joe quickly wiped off all of the patio tables and chairs and many people were able to eat outside.

Louise Baird, our school director and Hilda Wright her number one Assistant, did the best job ever in the history of our school having things well planned and organized. Louise received a standing ovation from the students at the final luncheon. Charlotte Potter and her wonderful staff did the best job ever of having the retail store run smoothly and efficiently. Kathy Pearce and Toni Duggar had the wholesale shop open and delivered wholesale orders after they were placed. They also did an outstanding job.

As most of you know, Kathy McMakin is executive vice president of Martha Pullen Company. She was everywhere at all times, just as Louise Baird was, and we thank her for 24 hours a day also. I can truly tell you my staff is the most wonderful in the whole world. I certainly have to thank Joe not only for his time working at this school but mainly for all of those years that he worked six days a week in the dental office to pay our family bills as well as some of my business bills to keep this business going. The first ten to twelve years were very difficult financially in the business and God's blessings and Joe's overtime at the dental office are the reasons we were able to keep going during the lean years. For me, entrepreneur ship has been the greatest career blessing of my life; but it was not and is not ever easy. The Lord has been so good to allow us to keep going in this business which I love so much, even when I did not see a way to do so. To Him goes the glory.

I can also tell you that we have the most wonderful, professional, energetic and precious teachers in the world. Some of our teachers taught 7 days straight with a smile on their faces and love for their students. Their assistants did the same thing. I thank from the bottom of my heart Bernina, Pfaff and Viking sewing machine companies for sending teachers, assistants and sewing machines. We could NEVER offer this school at the price we do without the help of our sewing machine companies. Their educators, who are also teachers, not only taught for 7 days with smiles on their faces, they set up the machines and took down the machines after the school was over!

THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! Thank you to every student who came and loved the sewing. You are the reason that all of the above teachers and companies have the privilege of doing what we do. Thank you for wanting to sew and for wanting to learn new things. Thank you for brining your children to the kid's school. We had several sets of three generations at the school. We had several mothers who had two or three of her children at the school. We look forward to every one of our students coming back in the future and to many more of you getting this newsletter coming as soon as you can. We have a great February school and I think Louise is opening the registration for the February school on August 13, 2001. The brochure will be on the web site before this date and will be printed in the new Sew Beautiful magazine, which will be mailed late August. You can call Louise at 800-547-4176 ext. 105 when the February registration opens.

Lezette Thomason had a class on Wednesday that about 25 ladies took making infant gowns to be donated to the neo-natal unit of Huntsville Hospital at lunch on Friday. Two nurses from Huntsville Hospital came to receive the gowns and were most grateful for the gift of the gowns. Many of you may remember that last July at this time, Joanna and Chase's baby, Chase, jr. was in the neo-natal unit of Huntsville Hospital on life support. He is healthy as can be now and weighs 25 pounds, which is two more pounds than his 2-year-old sister weighs.

I was so blessed to have all 6 of our grandchildren who live in Huntsville to model in the fashion show. So many of the other ladies were so excited to have their children and grandchildren model at this July school also. I thank God for the family occasion this school is for families who are really related to each other and for the new families and best friends that are formed at each and every school.

The baby dolls are ready for you to place orders for late October delivery! Just in time for Christmas. Remember, the sooner you place your order, the lower number you will receive. Please go to the web site to order or call 800-547-4176 ext. 117 for Toni or 119 for Lottie.

We are so excited about the new Sew Beautiful subscription offer! For new or renew subscriptions, we are offering for an extra $4.99 charge a CD which includes 10 machine embroidery designs of my antique collection, 5 Lindee Goodall machine embroidery designs, 21 of my antique garments photographed with details and 6 of my antique pictures ready to print out for framing or photo transfer onto fabric. The new video is also available for $9.99 (includes shipping) if you want to order it. You can have both of these offers after subscribing to Sew Beautiful for $27.99 for the year's subscription. Both of the special subscription offers will be shipped in September 2001. Please call 800-547-4176 ext.116 or 115 to order your subscription plus your special offers if you choose to get the special offers. Cactus Punch has digitized all 15 of the machine embroidery designs and three companies have underwritten this special CD making it affordable for us to offer to Sew Beautiful subscribers. Thanks to Cactus Punch, Sulky of America and Martha Pullen Company for underwriting for this CD. You can also e-mail cindy@marthapullen.com to subscribe. Be sure to include all of your details in the e-mail. E-mail for international costs on these specials. Prices given in this paragraph are for US subscribers only.

The new quilt book is at the printers. At $19.95 plus shipping it is quite the book with 17 quilt patterns and two pillow patterns. I promise you are going to love this new book! Hopefully it will ship around August 15, 2001. Call or e-mail toni@marthapullen.com to order. 800-547-4176 ext.117 or 119.

I will be at the American Sewing Guild national meeting in Birmingham later this week. On Monday about 100 of the members are taking a field trip to Huntsville to go to our warehouse, to the Hilton for table clinics and lunch, then back to the warehouse. Then they all come to our house for dinner before they travel back to Birmingham. I'll let you know all about the American Sewing Guild national convention in next week's newsletter! We can't wait to have this very special group of ASG members come to Huntsville. My newsletter might arrive on Tuesday next week since I will have guests all day on Monday. So don't think I have forgotten you.

We have just four more weeks to sign up travelers for the England trip at Christmastime. To sign up call Diane Bradshaw at 800-547-4176 ext. 109. I am so excited about this England trip and I would love to have you join us. This year we are going to have a whole day of instruction at the Royal School of Needlework! What a treat!! To read more about it, please go to the web site. I can promise you the trip of a lifetime on this England trip at Christmastime. We will not go on a London trip in 2002 so if you want to go to London with us this year, please sign up today.

Mama had more eye surgery this week for her glaucoma. When I left the school each day to go to the assisted living to check on her, she was sleeping a lot. I do remember the happy days when she cooked the food for the party at our home, always made the home made desserts for the school. In later years when she was not able to cook, she always was in the living room greeting everybody who came to the school. She was simply not strong enough for us to bring her to the school this time. She is in no pain and never complains and we are so blessed to have Wellington Place along with the most fabulous private sitters to stay with her during the day. She is living for the day when John gets here from Africa. John always spends as much time as possible with her. They are due to arrive September 1, God willing. We are totally out of e-mail or telephone communication with them now but I know all is well or we would have heard. Joe, Joanna and Sherry Ann are fabulous to go see Mama along with my sister and me. She is well loved and taken care of. My Mama was very instrumental in the success of the schools for many years and I feel like she still is although it is in a different way now. One of the student's brought her the most beautiful hand made mohair angel bear that I have ever seen. I am going this afternoon to take it to her and to tell her all about our school. She loves to hear news.

I do love writing this newsletter to all of you. I kept thinking all week about things to share with those of you who could not be here for this wonderful sewing school. You are my special friends and I thank you for the privilege of coming to your home each week. It is certainly my honor to do so. Thank you.

May God Bless You and Those You Love,

Martha

DRESS ME BABY DOLLS BY GOTZ

We are ready to accept the Dress Me Gotz Baby Doll orders. Each doll (exclusively made for Martha Pullen Company) will be signed and numbered by me. With each doll will be a beautiful book of doll clothes patterns called Martha's Baby Doll Clothes.

You can now place your order on our secured web site although THE DOLLS WILL NOT BE SHIPPED UNTIL MID OCTOBER AT THE EARLIEST!! You will not be charged until the week the dolls are to be shipped. We just need your order as soon as possible for you to get the lowest number possible.

Dress Me Sarah has blue eyes, is 21" tall, and comes with a pink play with dress. Dress Me Alex has brown eyes, is 21" tall, and comes with a blue play with dress. Dress Me Sydney has blue eyes, is 16" tall, and comes with a mint green play with dress. Dress Me Rebekah has brown eyes, is 16" tall, and comes with a lavender play with dress.

The two 21" dolls are $79 each. The two 16" dolls are $59 each. Each doll will be limited to 2000 worldwide and they will not be re-ordered when this shipment is sold.

The doll clothes in the pattern books are beautiful and include patterns for both boy and girl baby dolls. There are smocked dresses and a gorgeous smocked christening dress with a double Madeira applique border on the bottom. Of course, heirloom party dresses with slips and pantaloons are included. There are several adorable boy outfits for those of you who want to make your doll a boy doll. We thought the names Alex and Sydney could be used for either a girl or a boy doll.

Your numbers will be assigned according to the date your order is placed. Remember, these dolls will not be shiped any earlier than OCTOBER 15, 2001. They may be even a little later than that. We have been promised by all suppliers that they will be shipped no later than November 1 - we are hoping for that October 15 date!!

These dolls are truly gorgeous and they are the first baby dolls that Martha Pullen Company has had designed by Gotz. Each doll will have Gotz embossed on the back of the head. Go to

http://www.marthapullen.com/whatshot/dollguide.html

to see these lovely dolls. You can also call 800-547-4176 ext 117 to order!

For American shipping, the shipping cost will be $8 per doll. International shipping charges will be more.

WON'T YOU SIGN UP FOR OUR LONDON TRIP?

The trip to London is filling nicely. What a wonderful group we have going!! We only have 19 or 20 places left and we hope you will decide to go on this trip of a lifetime coming up from November 28-December 7, 2001. Next year (2002) we will not be going to London at Christmastime since we have a trip to Australia planned. The deadline for getting your London Tour registration in is September 1, 2001; however, it would be a good idea to go ahead and register since we can only take a certain number of people. This year's trip is even more wonderful than last year's. Please call 800-547-4176 ext. 109 and speak with Diane Bradshaw. Or e-mail diane@marthapullen.com to receive a brochure. The London trip is a great trip for husbands (or non-sewing relatives or friends) to go along because we are only sewing on one day - we'll be doing other things on all other days. If you love antiquing we are going to some of the greatest flea markets in the world - with real antiques, both inexpensive and expensive. I am especially excited about seeing Queen Victoria's wedding dress and some of her other personal things at Kensington Palace. Her wedding dress will only be on exhibition during this year. Go to http://www.marthapullen.com/Trips/london2001.html

MARTHA PULLEN/PFAFF LICENSED TEACHER WEEK!! OCTOBER 2-9, 2001! A FEW PLACES LEFT AND WE WANT YOU TO COME!!

Please call Kathy McMakin 800-547-4176 ext 108 if you would like more information. If you love Pfaff and have wanted to start your own business teaching sewing, this is the time for you to come on to Huntsville. Go to http://www.marthapullen.com/LicensingPages/teachlic.html

CHECK OUT THE WEST COAST SEWING EXTRAVAGANZA

http://www.marthapullen.com/schools/calschooletter.html gives the complete information!

MARTHA PULLEN SCHOOL (I WILL BE TEACHING) IN NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12-15, 2001!

Please call Altomari Sewing, Inside Joann's at 518-446-0437. If you live in the northeast section of the country, this is your chance to come to one of our of our schools (where I will be teaching for two days).

SEW BEAUTIFUL TALENT SEARCH!!

Please go to http://www.marthapullen.com to read the rules about our new talent search. There are fabulous prizes and we want everyone to enter! Many beginners will be entering as well as experienced seamstresses. We have so many categories and so many prizes. You have until September to sew and sew some more. There is a page about the talent search in the May Sew Beautiful magazine! You can print out all of the entry forms and the rules from the web site.

CLICK AND SEW PATTERN COVERS ARE ON THE WEB SITE

Our children's line of Click and Sew CD's by Wild Ginger are ready for you to see on the web site. If you want the most variety of children's clothing in one CD you will not belive the variations on sleeves, collars, lengths, and other variations. You can have a loose fit, a medium fit or a tight fit. Using your child's measurements you can actually print out perfectly fitting patterns on a home computer printer on 8-1/2" by 11" standard pieces of paper. Then, you glue stick them together matching the lines and then cut it out like any pattern. The complete sewing directions are also on the CD and can be printed out. The cost is $24.95 plus $5 shipping. They will be ready for shipping later this week. You can place your order now with toni@marthapullen.com or 800-547-4176 ext 117, or order over the internet.

INTERNET EMBROIDERY CLUB NEWS

The final "sew outs" of our Christmas CD (available only to the Internet Embroidery Club members for four months) have just arrived. They are gorgeous!!! Our new Christmas CD will be ready for IEC members to purchase around August 15. Members will be informed by a special letter. This is the time to join our IEC if you have not already. Please go to www.marthapullen.com and sign up.

You get so many goodies just for joining, and then the whole year's worth of designs to download. You also get special rates on our new embroidery CD's and other Martha Pullen catalog specials. You also get antique illustrations, articles about sewing and fashion, and antique articles about sewing over the last 100 years. I think you will love the IEC. Please join today for only $59 for the whole year of membership. You can also call David at 800-547-4176 ext. 104 and he will sign you up.

TO CONTACT US

To contact one of our departments, choose from this list:  

orders@marthapullen.com (for order questions)
subscriptions@marthapullen.com (for Sew Beautiful subscriptions)
embroidery@marthapullen.com (Internet Embroidery Club questions)
editorial@marthapullen.com (for Sew Beautiful content)
schools@marthapullen.com (for School of Art Fashion)
licensing@marthapullen.com (for teacher licensing questions)
markets@marthapullen.com (for our sewing markets)
tours@marthapullen.com (for our increasing number of trips!)
sewingroom@marthapullen.com (for sewing questions)
 

SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK  

Psalm 121:1-3 

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. I always love doing my Sunday school class on Sunday morning. I decided to put my Sunday school lesson for last Sunday on the web site under the click on the cross, which you can reach from our home page of the web site www.marthapullen.com if any of you would like to read the lesson.  

During the course of the school, I was made aware of very serious problems that many of the students are facing from grief over losing a child to health problems to broken heart problems to stress problems, business problems, loss of job problems-almost every type problem. I found myself reading from Psalms and finding out once again that our help comes from above and He that takes care of us does not sleep. God is still in control, He is sovereign and He does not make mistakes.  

I think you might like to read the passages of scripture and the lesson that God gave me for the Sunday school class last Sunday. The Lord is so faithful and so perfect. If any of you wonder if I just about "lose it" sometimes, the answer is yes. I know that God is taking care of me. Sometimes I do not pray enough since I just seem to love to worry and fret. Always, always, God is faithful and pulls me out of the "worry mode," which I know is a sin. As I wrote in the Sunday school lesson, I need to pray more and worship God more rather than trying to do so much "planning" and "fixing" things myself.  

RECIPE OF THE WEEK-ANGEL BISCUITS AND DR. PEPPER BISCUITS  

One of the ladies at the school requested the angel biscuit recipe which others had told her about. That recipe is always a popular recipe so I decided to print not only the angel biscuit recipe but also the Dr. Pepper recipe. Both of these recipes are on the web site, www.marthapullen.com. You can get our recipe file by going to the home page and clicking under recipes. I guess I have made this angel biscuit recipe  

Angel Biscuits (number of servings-about 3 dozen)  

5 cups flour
one half cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening (I use real butter but you can use any solid shortening)
2 packages dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
2 cups buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to buttermilk. Add mixture to dry ingredients and mix well. Turn out onto lightly flowered board. Roll out and cut. Bake on cookie sheets at 350 until brown. Some people always bake biscuits at 400 or 450 degrees. Try one tray at 350 and one tray at 400 and see which you like best. You can also put these biscuits in muffin pans to have them look a little more like cloverleaf rolls. For Christmas I cut out large biscuits. Dipped them in butter and folded them in half before putting in Teflon muffin pans. That makes them look like Parker house rolls. Sometimes I just bake them flat like biscuits. To Freeze Biscuits Before Cooking (I usually do this since it saves so much time. Mama always kept angel biscuits in her freezer to have at any time.)Place on cookie sheet and freeze if you want to. After frozen store in freezer bags. About 30 minutes before baking take out of freezer and brush with melted butter. Bake in 350-degree oven until brown.

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Dr. Pepper Biscuits

This recipe is out of an old home economics cook book I have had for years. They are very good and are great with meat and potatoes.

2 c. Bisquick mix
one half teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
two third cup Dr. Pepper

Mix Bisquick and dried Italian seasoning. Add Dr. Pepper and work into a soft ball. Put some Bisquick on a work surface and knead dough. Roll dough to one fourth inch-one half inch thickness and cut out with biscuit cutter. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes. (Suitable for freezing.)

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