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SEWING TIP FOR THE WEEK

Hi Martha!
Just a quick tip I bet you have never heard before.... While cleaning up my
sewing space, I needed to pick up a lot of sewing debris from the carpet
around my sewing machine. Not wanting to pull out the vacuum, and not
having a lint pic-up handy, I began dragging my foot across the carpet
contemplating my choices. Lo and behold, my athletic shoe was producing a
nice pile of threads, fabric scraps, dog and cat fur, and assorted lint! I
kept on pawing at the carpet, and in less time than it would have taken to
haul out the vacuum, the carpet was thread and lint free! Now I could put
off dragging out the vacuum and get down to sewing!
Anne Edens
Georgia

PERSONAL LETTER FROM MARTHA

Dear Friends,

Last Wednesday, August 1, 2001, we celebrated 20 years in the heirloom
sewing business. I got up as usual and began writing this week's newsletter
early since we were going, Thursday through Sunday, to Birmingham to the
American Sewing Guild's National Meeting. We have so many things to
celebrate during this year - a year which begins our twenty-first year in
business. Thanks to you, we have had the privilege of being in business for
20 years. Each person reading this newsletter is important to us and we
appreciate your loyalty over the years.

Two things I remember so well the first day we opened our business concerned
Mama and my son, John. The whole family was waiting on the huge crowd which
had arrived at our tiny shop. Mama advised an elderly lady, who was
beginning to purchase a handful of cross-stitch leaflets, that "You really
should not be doing cross stitch since it is so bad on the eyes." John was
writing up a ticket and asked me, "Mom, how much is string?" A lady had
purchased many colors of DMC floss for smocking a design and John had
written the ticket as "pink string, green string, yellow string and white
string." I told him that string was nineteen cents for the opening special
that day. Do any of you remember the days when floss was priced at nineteen
cents almost everywhere to get people to come into the business and buy
other things? I also had cabbage patch dolls and Sasha dolls when the
business opened. I wish I had kept a few of those!

I had the cutest note from one of our e-mail readers this week. Her husband
gets to the e-mail before she does and was quite disappointed when he went
to the web site after the special baby doll e-mail I sent to you. He
laughingly told her, "I was looking forward to seeing baby doll pajamas."
That brought back memories of wearing baby doll pajamas in the fifties. Some
of you probably don't even remember baby doll pajamas but some of us
certainly do. Weren't the styles fun in the 50s? How many starched
petticoats did you wear to school? Be honest! Mama used to starch those net
petticoats and two days later I wanted her to starch them again. I remember
so well those shirtwaist dresses with our 24 inch waists and those 4 or 5
petticoats making them stick out like balloons. Do you remember Mary Ann
Mobley when she was crowned Miss America? She wore the most petticoats, I
think.

November 14-17, 2001, we are coming with our 20th anniversary celebration
school to CALIFORNIA at the Pasadena Convention Center! I AM SO EXCITED! I
LOVE CALIFORNIA AND THIS IS OUR FIRST BIG SCHOOL OUT THERE! We have a GREAT
group already signed up for the school, and we want YOU to come also. Won't
you come for our first BIG Martha Pullen School on the West Coast? We have
six of the world's best heirloom sewing teachers - all of whom will teach
you a class. Kathy McMakin is Executive Vice President of Martha Pullen
Company and has authored three books. Two of her books are about French
Sewing By Serger and the third one is about picture smocking. Peggy Dilbone,
from Gainesville, Florida, has been traveling with Kathy and me for many
years doing Martha Pullen workshops around the world. Connie Palmer, also a
Viking educator and licensed Martha Pullen teacher, has taught Martha Pullen
workshops all over the United States for many years. Deb Yedziniak, a Martha
Pullen licensed Husqvarna/Viking teacher, literally invented smocking on the
sewing machine. She has written two books on this subject and has taught on
three continents for Viking. Sue Pennington is one of the most talented
designers in the world and is a regular designer and writer for all Martha
Pullen books, the television series, Martha's Sewing Room, and Sew Beautiful
magazine. All of these teachers have taught for many years at the Martha
Pullen School of Art Fashion in Huntsville, Alabama,

We will have a retail store in the hotel with big discounts on many items
such as lace, batiste, embroidery cards, books, patterns and much, much
more. We always have this type of store at our schools in Huntsville, and we
are going to display everything we carry for you to enjoy! Husqvarna/Viking
will have a store in the convention center with great products for you. We
have nine great classes and every student will take all nine of the classes.
We have lovingly called our schools, "From can until can't." This school
will certainly be jam-packed with what we hope will be more fun and learning
than you have ever experienced in 4 days! Please come join the fun! You will
have 6 half day classes and 3 more classes on Saturday! Your half day
classes will be Double Maderia Scalloped Pillowcase (Martha Pullen), Serger
Nightgown (Kathy McMakin), Serger Baby Quilt (Peggy Dilbone), Lace Cathedral
Windows on the bodice of a girl's dress (4-14) (Sue Pennington), Pinless
Lace Ovals on the skirt of the girl's dress (Connie Palmer), and Smocking by
Machine Christmas Stocking or Envelope Pillow (the choice is yours) (Deb
Yedziniak). On Saturday you will have three more 2 hour classes: Two Baby
Serger Bonnets: Girl and Boy, Madeira Applique/Gimpwork Tea Towel and
Shark's Teeth Small Pillow.

WOW!! What a line up of teachers and classes! These are the hottest
techniques for heirloom sewing and serging and your projects are dynamite!
And you get to take all the classes and make all the projects. Kits,
lunches, classes and tons of fun while learning are all furnished for the
total cost of only $625, the same price as our four day school here in
Huntsville! Please call 800-547-4176 ext. 105 or 106 or 108 to register. We
have a few places left, space is limited! For those of you who have already
registered, we are thrilled that you will be in our first BIG WEST COAST
EXTRAVANGAZA! For those of you who are going to register, we are thrilled
that you have decided to come. You can also e-mail louise@marthapullen.com
or call her and she will send you a complete brochure.

We are thrilled that this event is underwritten by Husqvarna/Viking! They
will furnish a brand new machine for each person to sew on, so you don't
have to bring your own sewing machines. Without Viking's underwriting help
this school at the Pasadena Convention Center would not have been possible
for us to do at this price. Remember, we're furnishing all of the kits,
banquet meal, lunches, teachers, workshops and everything else for only
$625. Oh, I almost forgot - one night I will do a workshop on "How to Turn
Your Sewing into Money" for those of you interested in earning money with
your sewing. We have helped many people start a sewing business and you are
invited to this workshop. Speaking of the workshop, I had the most
interesting thing happen in Birmingham. In one of my classes, a student from
California raised her hand and said, "Martha, I took your sit and sew class
in Pomona last year at your sewing market. I also took your "turning your
sewing into a business class." I went back to my church and told several
people about my wanting to make christening dresses in my sewing business.
My first order was for a dress I sold for $900. After that, this same
grandmother wanted to know what else I made, and I began to take other
orders for other types of clothes for her grandchildren. After this baby
was christened in the beautiful dress, the orders have been coming in on a
regular price from other church members." I was thrilled over the success of
this student from one of our sewing markets. I have found that people are
paying from $200 up for christening dresses, and I know of one in Australia
which was sold for $10,000. Of course, each dress or gown is different and I
have certainly never heard of any others selling for $10,000! Several of my
students have told me they get $200 and up for christening dresses. It is a
good business, and it can begin from sewing less expensive dresses and build
up to the more expensive dresses. People love it when you use your machines
and personalize the slip with lots of information like we did in Anna
Garrin's Baptismal Gown Book.

Registration begins for the HUNTSVILLE FEBRUARY SCHOOL OF ART FASHION on
August 13, 2001. Pre-day classes for the February school begin on Sunday,
February 2, and run through Wednesday February 6, 2002. The school is
February 7-10, 2002. For your first choice of classes and pre-day classes,
please call as soon as possible beginning on the 13th - 800-547-4176 ext.
105 for Louise Baird (our school director) or Hilda Wright ext. 106
(assistant director). As you know, many classes fill very quickly so please
call early so you will get the classes and the pre-day classes you want.
Mrs. Elvin, the principal of the Royal School of Needlework in London will
be here again as well as our celebrity teachers. Please go to the web site
to see the schedule and make your selections. The school brochure will also
be in the September issue of Sew Beautiful magazine, which will be mailed
late August.

We are so excited about the new Sew Beautiful subscription offer! For new or
renewal subscriptions, we are offering for an extra $4.99 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. If you already have some time left on your
current subscription, you will need to renew at the time you order your CD.
We will just extend your subscription for another year.

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 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 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 information concerning international costs
on these specials. Prices given in this paragraph are for US subscribers
only. International subscribers need to e-mail cindy@marthapullen.com to get
her to send international subscription and mailing prices. By the way, the
ladies at the American Sewing Guild national meeting this week were beyond
excited about this CD and video offer with Sew Beautiful. One lady lovingly
said, " I now will have a Sew Beautiful subscription for the rest of my
life." I told her that was exactly what we wanted - lifetime members to Sew
Beautiful. She renewed again.



The Dress Me Gotz baby dolls are ready to order! Delivery will begin mid to
late October, 2001, but many people like to get their orders in so they will
get the lowest possible number. I personally sign each doll and each doll is
numbered. We have four baby dolls - Sarah, Alex, Sydney and Rebekah. Please
go to the web site http://www.marthapullen.com to get more information on
the dolls and to order. Or call 800-547-4176 ext. 117 or 119. Your credit
card will not be charged until the week the dolls are being shipped. Each
doll will come with a "play with" daygown and pantaloons plus a wonderful
book of baby doll patterns so you can make gorgeous clothing for your doll.
The dolls are 21" and 16" tall. They are gorgeous and so much fun to play
with! Not only did the ladies at the American Sewing Guild meeting order the
new baby dolls but they completely bought out all of the 18" Dress Me
Martha, Mary and Joanna dolls that we took with us. Don't forget that the
Dress Me Martha, Mary and Joanna dolls are almost gone. Please order yours
if you have not already. I don't want you to be disappointed when they are
gone. They will not be re-ordered. The cost of these dolls is $79 plus $8
shipping. You can see all of the dolls by going to
http://www.marthapullen.com. Mary, Martha and Joanna also come with a "play
with" doll dress and a book of beautiful doll patterns ready for you to sew
her some really beautiful clothing.

The quilt book should be ready to ship by about August 15. If you haven't
already ordered, please call Toni, 800-547-4176 ext. 117, and we will get
your order processed. It is a fabulous book with many different types of
quilts, many of which have machine embroidery. The price is only $19.95 plus
shipping. There are three nine square heirloom quilts as well as 14 other
quilts.

The American Sewing Guild national meeting was fabulous and super-well
organized. About 100 of the ladies from all over the country are arriving in
Huntsville today for a field trip. They will come to the warehouse and have
a program on antique clothing in the morning. Then it's off to the Hilton
for lunch and table top clinics including "make it-take its." Then we go
back to the warehouse for more shopping and a lesson on making a perfect
bullion rosebud by hand. Claudia Newton and Kathy Baggett (our two Sew
Beautiful editors) will teach this class. We will close the day by hosting
in our home a bar-be-que dinner. Then the group will board the bus for the
trip back to Birmingham.

I truly enjoyed the ASG meeting and taught one sit and sew class and three
slide shows. I saw so many friends and met many new friends. Nearly every
sewing celebrity in the United States was there, and everyone enjoyed the
classes so much. Please go to the American Sewing Guild web site and find
the chapter nearest you and JOIN this wonderful organization. If there is
not a chapter in your town, then it is time to start one. Going to the web
site will tell you how to do all of this. The Birmingham chapter did an
outstanding job in hosting this year's meeting. It is supposed to rain,
heavily, today in Huntsville so we will be singing in the rain and having so
much fun. I told the ladies that Joe had rented lots of tables to go around
on the patio but if it rains we will just have to sit in the floor. I don't
think anyone will mind. I am very honored the ASG chose this field trip to
Huntsville and I will tell you all about our day in next week's newsletter.

We got lots of walking in this week at the Birmingham Civic Center. Joanna,
the babies and I went for a long walk in the neighborhood when we got home
today. I am working out at the gym three times this week. Several ladies
told me about their losing weight, especially with Weight Watchers and Weigh
Down.

We have a few places left in the Pfaff licensing October 2-9, 2001! We would
love for you to join us if you would like to become a Martha Pullen/Pfaff
Licensed Teacher. Kathy and I are also going to the Pfaff convention the
last of this month. We can't wait to see the new machine! Our Bernina
teacher licensing is January 11-17, 2002. We have another Viking licensing
February 15-21, 2002, but it is full - you can still put your name on a
waiting list. We have another Viking licensing June 24-30, 2002.

For those of you who subscribe to Sew Beautiful, a new catalogue will be
mailed at the end of August. Don't forget to use your mail in coupons in the
back of the catalogue for some special values. For subscribers only, there
is a special sale sheet inserted into each magazine.

Thank you for allowing me to come to your home each week. It is a great
honor for me. Each of you is important to me and I love sitting here in my
small "grandbaby bedroom/home office" right off my bedroom writing this
letter. I love every minute of writing this letter and know it is going to
friends. Don't forget to write me at marthap@marthapullen.com. I love
getting your letters, your prayer requests, your sewing tips and your
recipes. Thanks for being my friend. If you know anyone else who would like
to receive this newsletter, just tell her (or him) to go to
http://www.marthapullen.com and sign up. I am happy to report that all is
well with the family this week. I pray the same for yours.

May God Bless You and Those You Love,
Martha



ANNIVERSARY SALE FOR THE WEEK, WOMEN'S PATTERNS IN BACK ISSUES OF SEW
BEAUTIFUL!

August 6-13, 2001---1341 total pages of 11 Sew Beautiful Magazines-- Value
newsstand price $65.89! sale PRICE IS $33.00 + $9. Shipping and
Handling-TOTAL PRICE (including shipping) is $39!
When we go to our Martha's Sewing Markets, people love the back issues of
Sew Beautiful. We have pulled eleven back issues which all feature women's
actual patterns for your special sale this week. If you should have a couple
of the magazines, already, you might consider donating them to a library or
your chapter of ASG! Here are the eleven Sew Beautiful's you will receive in
your sale package this week:

1. Martha's Four Easy Pieces ,Summer 1998 issue has the short-sleeved shell
on the pull-out centerfold (6-28).
2. Issue no. 59, Fall 1998 the six-gored skirt is featured for women size
6-28.
3. Issue 61, Special Occasions 1998 the long vest is featured.
4. Fall 1996 issue has the All-in-One Transitional Blouse.
5. Special Occasions 1996 we have a Ladies Shorty Pajama pattern.
6. Fall 1997 features Out of Africa Romantic Linen and Lace Blouses.
7. Issue no. 64 1999, May/June 1999 has Melanie's Nightgown, an original
round yoke gown with smocking for women. Plus, Martha's Favorite
Shirt/Jacket Pattern.
8. Issue 66, Sept./Oct. 1999 has Martha's Pocket Jumper (sized 6-28).
9. Issue 68, Jan./Feb. 2000 has Martha's Un-Wrap Skirt.
10. Issue 70, May/June 2000 features a dropped-waist dress pattern for
ladies sizes 4-16.
11. Issue 73, Nov./Dec. 2000 has Mary's Hidden Pocket Jumper (sized 6-28).

1341 total pages of 11 Sew Beautiful Magazines Value newsstand price $65.89.
Your sale price is $33.00 + $9. Shipping and Handling (total $33)

SEW BEAUTIFUL TALENT SEARCH!!

Please go to http://www.marthapullen.com to read the rules about our new
talent search. There are four major entry divisions: Sewing for the 18"
Dress-Me Doll, Sewing for Babies, Sewing for Jack, and Sewing for Jill. Each
division includes several categories, with prizes awarded in each category.
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. Your
entries must arrive between September 15 and October 1, 2001. You still have
time to make something wonderful and creative to enter. There are so many
prizes and we want you to enter.

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:
http://www.marthapullen.com/clicksew/marthaskids.html
If you want the most variety of children's clothing in one CD you will not
believe 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 September 1, 2001. 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)
marthap@marthapullen.com (for personal letters to Martha Pullen)


SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK

Jeremiah 29: 12, 13
"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will
hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me when you shall search
for me with all your heart."

Psalm 50:15
"and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will
honor me."

As many of you know, my favorite Christian author is Dr. Henry Blackaby. He
and his son Richard have written a new book, Moving People On To God's
Agenda, Spiritual Leadership. This book is a leadership book not only for
Christian leadership within the church but for Christian leadership in the
business world. I would like to quote from this book from the chapter
entitled, The Leader's Influence:
"More than any other single thing leaders do, it is their prayer life that
determines their effectiveness. If leaders spend adequate time communing
with God, the people they encounter that day will notice the difference."
"There will be times when leaders will come to the end of their own
resources. In those times they will understand that there is nothing more
they can do for their people. Giving speeches will not fix the problem.
Issuing memos will change nothing. Calling in consultants will be futile.
There are simply some things that can only be achieved through prayer.
(Psalm 50:15)"

Lately, I have realized more and more that I do not pray enough. I try to
"fix" things both in my family and in my business through my own initiative,
not through prayer. My resolution is to pray more and more and to turn
troubles into prayers.



RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Last week I gave you my all time favorite recipe, Angel Biscuits. I have
been making those since I was a little girl. When I was writing the
introduction to the angel biscuit recipe, I was really tired after the whole
week at the civic center with the school here in Huntsville. I was sitting
here at my home computer where I always write my newsletters, and my little
grandson, Ward came to see me. I was so delighted to see him that I just
stopped what I was writing and played for a few minutes. When I came back to
my newsletter, I thought I had finished writing my introduction to angel
biscuits. When I read the actual newsletter when it came through to my
address I found the sentence, "I guess I have made this recipe" and it
stopped. The sentence should have read, "I guess I have made this recipe
more than any other in my lifetime and my family loves these biscuits."
Well, so much for being a little tired after the school. Seeing Ward that
Monday morning more than made up for my not finishing a sentence, don't you
agree?

Carrot Pennies

Since this is the 20 year celebration year, I would like to share a recipe I
used to make when the shop first opened and the boys were all at home. This
recipe was an easy one to make and would keep for days in the refrigerator.
It was one way to get the kids to eat carrots.

2 lbs. Carrots
1 green pepper, sliced thin
1 onion sliced thin
one half cup salad oil
three fourths cup vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 can tomato soup
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Slice carrots in thin rounds and cook in salted water until barely tender.
Drain. When cool place in casserole in alternate layers with pepper rings
and onion slices. Mix together all other ingredients. Pour over vegetables.
Refrigerate at least 24 hours.
PS. I have never tried substituting artificial sweetener for the sugar but I
guess it could be done. Remember I made these when my skinny boys were at
home.

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