Notes from the Patch

Ready for the next chapter

I spent the weekend packing up the last remnants of our five and a half years in our Ventura beach house. It looks like it's finally sold and hopefully will close by April 15th.

As I scrubbed a balsamic stain from the pantry shelf I remembered how exciting it was to stock those shelves for the first time. I must say it felt almost as good to pack it all up for the trip back to Bakersfield. That probably sounds strange but I'm ready to be a one home home owner again. Keeping up with two houses is draining on so many levels. 

To regret our decision to buy that house would take away from the wonderful memories we created there.

It's where the cousins always got together.

Where we caught lobster,

crab, sharks and sting rays off the dock and where we double dog dared one another to jump from the roof of Papa's fishing boat into the cold dark sea with who knows what creature lurking below.

 

It's where we walked for miles looking for sea glass

while talking about nothing in particular.

So many precious memories. I wouldn't change a thing.

But I must confess, I'm looking forward to having more weekends in my wonderfully organized sewing room and pampering my first love - my very neglected Bakersfield home. I'm ready to move on while I cherish those wonderful memories.

Encourage one another,

A Tale of Kindergarten and Bernina Club

This past week has been a doozy: A quick trip to Ventura a week ago Saturday to haul stuff home - (it looks like our house there has finally sold). Back to Ventura on Monday afternoon to welcome spring break kids from snowy Kansas. Back to Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon for Bernina Club Wednesday night and Thursday morning then back to Ventura Thursday afternoon to see kids off Friday morning. Bill and I returned back in Bakersfield Friday about noon to immediately turn around and join our other kids for three days in Las Vegas. With all the stuff going on with selling our beach house Bill suggested we might want to cancel the visits with our kids. My answer was an emphatic, "No! When kids want you in their lives you'd best be showing up". All righty then.

One of the other things I've been passionate about lately is Bernina Club. If you read this post you know that we officially have a new Club President and I am no longer the one in charge. Here's proof:

Dear Suzanne:

I wanted to thank you so much for last night’s Bernina Club and share with you a personal story of what the evening meant to me.  You see, my baby is almost five.  My husband and I have been searching for the right answer as to what to do next school year.  She’s an August birthday, so if she started school in the Fall, she would be 4 and turn 5 at the end of the month.  I know it doesn’t sound like much, but looking forward, it’s the difference in sending your baby girl off to college at 17 almost 18 versus late starting kindergarten and sending your baby off to college at 18 almost 19.  As a mom of 3 boys, I’m ashamed to admit it’s different for a girl, but it just is.  And then there’s the decision to do private school or Laurelglen.  Up until a few years ago, all of my boys were in Stockdale Christian School.  There’s just too many options and I have been searching for the right answer knowing the decision had to be made by April 2^nd. 

 

You might be wondering why I’m telling you this, and what does this have to do with Bernina Club, so here it is.  I believe in divine guidance and that everything happens for a reason;  I now know what we’re doing next year and I owe it to Bernina Club.  You see, I woke up Monday morning, read your blog, and called Barbara.  I told her I wanted to go to Bernina Club Wednesday night and I couldn’t go alone. She had to go with me (I’m really insecure at times).  I didn’t know why, after all these years, I chose this month to want to go, but I just wanted to go and I couldn’t explain why.

 

 Jump to Wednesday morning.  I was at Laurelglen School counting money for a fundraiser I was leading (I’m the only fool I know who volunteers at a school with no children there) .  There’s a lot of changes going on at the school and change brings uncertainty and fear, thus my reluctance to send my angel off to the big bad world of Laurelglen school.  While there I heard through the rumor mill that Mrs. Wortiska was moving from 1^st grade down to kindergarten (hot dog ‘cause I heard she’s the bomb).  I made a beeline to the Principal’s office to give her a proposition she wouldn’t be able to refuse (she already knew what I was thinking about regarding public vs. private) …….very kindly, I explained that hearing that Mrs. Wortiska was going to be in kindergarten was enough for a girl to consider enrolling her angel there if she was given some kind of guarantee that the angel would be placed in Mrs. Wortiska’s class.  The principal nicely smiled at me and when I was done whining, she explained that the kindergarten teachers themselves did the assessment and put the classes together; she had nothing to do with it.  I thanked her and walked away wondering what to do next.  I’ve never met Mrs. Wortiska; I think I kinda knew what she looked like, but I had never personally met her. I’ve just heard what a great teacher she is and that all of the smart people (like me of course) want their child in her class.  I was left plotting how I would approach her and when that would take place.  She didn’t know me from Adam.  I was afraid she would think, “who’s this crazy lady coming in my class demanding I be her daughter’s teacher?”

 

Fast forward to Wednesday night’s Bernina Club.  During “show and tell” I saw a woman in the back that looked very familiar (no name tag).  I leaned over and asked Barb who she was; she told me it was Sally Wortiska.  Hot dog, I knew my reason for being there. It was my opportunity to introduce myself and talk to her.  After I finished sewing my ruffle, I stood up, and she was there behind me.  I took the time to introduce myself and explained to her what was mulling over in my head.  We had a wonderful conversation and I felt an incredible peace that I was to send my angel to school this school year and enroll her in Laurelglen.  I just felt like all of the questions I had were answered and I felt a sense of relief.  (I’m bringing tears to my own eyes typing this.  That’s how much the evening meant to me).

 

There’s no absolute guarantee that we will get Mrs. Wortiska, but I feel at peace with the decision.  It’s one of those things that when it feels right, it just is.  And I owe it all to Bernina Club…………  thank you for using your business to bring women together for their personal success whatever that may be.

 

Kristen

Thank you Kristen for taking the time to write me. I know without a doubt that God has His hands on my business and your letter proves it.

Encourage one another,

The way I see it, this is the very best "problem" we could have

I got home after Bernina Club last night and got to make more of these

and more of these.

Then after only four hours of sleep,  got up extra early to make more kits for these -

our make-it-take-it project for March (tutorial to follow). Although we always plan enough kits and goodies for extra guests, we didn't anticipate such an overwhelmingly wonderful turnout! (You guys are just awesome)!

This morning before I hit the shower and head out the door for our Thursday morning Club, I linger over an extra cup of much needed coffee and thank God for your friendship and continued support.

We do love spoiling our customers!

Encourage one another,

Next Bernina Club is April 17 & 18. We hope you can join us - we already have it planned and it's going to be good! = )

Pirates, Glampers and Pawn Stars

I wanted to quickly catch you up on some of our latest new arrivals.

This adorable pirate collection is from Makower's Henley Studio.

Our Glamping precuts from Mary Jane Butters arrived on Friday

as well as 2WENTY-THR3E by Cosmo Cricket. The yardage should be here before the end of the month.

I was especially happy to see this print

after discovering these adorable pincushions on Pinterest today.

The little label sized prints will be perfect for these tiny pincushions that I can't wait to make.

These will be perfect for them too. So glad I kept a spool of each for myself since they're almost gone.  = )

They will all have to wait though because I have a crazy busy week ahead with visiting family from Kansas, Bernina Club and a trip to Las Vegas next weekend to see the Monster Jam Finals with Jake and Nathan. Oh, and we're going to the Pawn Stars pawn shop and a taping of Storage Wars too.

Good times!

Encourage one another,

          

The best sale of the day

 

The phone rang early this morning - well before it was time to unlock the doors. It was an elderly customer that lives seventy miles north of our store. She was looking for a particular fabric to make a quilt for an autistic great grandson. Since we didn't have the fabric she was looking for I suggested she try quiltshops.com. Being 84 she said she didn't have access to a computer.

I asked her if she had a daughter or granddaughter who could help her. She said she did have a friend with a computer that lived in the bay area but her friend didn't sew and it was just getting more and more complicated the longer we talked.

Then I got the brilliant idea to find the fabric and order it for her. She gave me her credit card and shipping info and within minutes we had the fabric she wanted on its way to her. The whole time I was entering her information on someone else's website she was thanking me and when we said our goodbyes she told me to have a great day.

I told her I already had.

Velma I know you aren't reading this but if you were I would thank you for calling Strawberry Patches and for letting me help you today. You blessed me more than you will ever know.

Encourage one another,

 

 

It's all in the detail

We recently received these gorgeous mother of pearl buttons.

I seriously doubt that I will ever be able to use mine - they are just too pretty the way they are.

We get a lot of requests for good sew in labels and these remind me of ones you might see in fine couture creations.

And these ribbons? They made the drive to Los Angeles worth the trip just to find these. (This is how I get my jollys folks).

The letters are stitched in - not printed.

They remind me of these antique french laundry tags that they would sew into garments to identify your laundry from someone else's.

I'm thinking any of these magnificent accoutrement's would make a wonderful gift for someone who appreciates fine detail.

Encourage one another,

 

 

It's about time

I woke up this morning and mentally added an hour to the old digital clock on my night stand wondering when it would magically reset itself to daylight savings time. I guess I'll be surprised when it finally does. = )

I, oh so quietly gathered my glasses, slippers and robe and tip toed down the hall. As my coffee brewed I set the half a dozen clocks about the house that don't speak to some far away satellite or whatever makes them be on time. I'm feeling rather smug that I could figure the one on the microwave out at all - won't Bill be surprised! Now if the clock in my car would just magically reset itself I'd be happy. I do love daylight savings time but this clock setting business is a bit of a pain.

I had the most glorious time Sunday creating the day away in my happy place. I put the last french knots on the Shop Hop quilt and it's now officially ready for the quilter. Our quilt turned out well I think. I was worried there for a while, but I really like it now and can't wait until the time comes when I can show you.

My most favorite project of the weekend was developing our Make It & Take It for Bernina Club later this month. I have enough satisfaction stored up to last me this whole week. Such fun! Can't show you that either, but I will - when the time is right.

Encourage one another,

 

 

Tutorial Tuesday #36 - Hair Bows

One of the blogs I enjoy is Kelly's Korner, a sweet blog written by a young mommy from the south. Kelly has two darling little girls and loves dressing them in matching  smocked dresses and huge hair bows.

                                                      Photo by Kelly's Korner

Reading her recent post about hair bows reminded me I hadn't shared bow making techniques since this post and since we have so many adorable ingredients for making hair bows I figured it was time.

Since I am a California girl my bows certainly can't compete in size or complexity of those from the south, but my techniques are pretty basic and could easily be adapted to more elaborate styles.

What I really love about making these is that this basic style costs less than a dollar to  make and can easily be completed in less than a half an hour. If you follow the links on Kelly's blog you'll see that some of the bigger more elaborate bows can cost nearly thirty dollars!

Here's what you'll need:

1 yard 1 1/2" wide grosgrain ribbon

hair clip

hot glue

water washout pen or other marker

ruler

needle and thread

embellishments optional

Let's get started.

Starting with 31" of 1 1/2" wide grosgrain ribbon, measure 3 1/2" from one end and mark with a dotted line. (I prefer using a washout pen because it bleeds through to the wrong side of the ribbon - you'll need to be able to see that line on both sides of the ribbon)

Next you'll measure and mark a line 6" from the first line.

Continue measuring and marking every 6". You will need to mark a total of five lines.

You should have 3 1/2" inches left beyond the fifth line.

If you are using a pencil or some marking devise that isn't visible on both sides of your ribbon then you will need to mark lines 1, 3 and 5 on the right side of the ribbon and lines 2 & 4 on the wrong side. Whatever marker you use, the line will not show on your finished bow because it will be in the middle of the bow, under the ribbon that attaches your bow to the hair clip.

With a double threaded needle (and a really big honk'n knot) start sewing with a running stitch along the first line, bottom to top of the ribbon.

When you get to the top of the first line, match up the second line with the first and continue to stitch. Notice you will be stitching this second line on the wrong side of the ribbon.

Continue stitching all five marked lines together, paying close attention to have the ribbon folded back and forth, right to wrong as shown below.

Once you reach the top of the fifth line

gently pull the thread (needle still attached) so as to gather the ribbon along the stitched lines. Shape the bow as you gather it in the center, paying special attention to keep the right side of the ribbon facing out.

At this point you will have two loops and a tail on the left and two loops and a tail on the right.

Wrap the thread around the center a few times and take a couple of stitches to secure. Cut off excess thread. (The center of your bow should be tightly scrunched).

Take the five inches of left over ribbon (remember you used only 31" of your 36" piece) and fold it into thirds, lengthwise and make a loose knot in the middle.

Here's what it looks like on the right side.

Put a tiny dab of hot glue on the back side of the knot and secure it to the front center of your bow.

Wrap the ends to the back of the bow securing the hair clip as you glue.

Trim the ends and that's it!

You can eliminate the knot and just wrap a narrow piece of ribbon around the center to hide the stitching and to attach the clip then add an embellishment to the top side of the bow.

I love that the clips can attach the bows directly to the hair or to hats and headbands. By simply changing the clip you can totally change the look of your hat.

This technique works well for any size ribbon. You will need to adjust the distance between the marks and may want to add loops depending on the width of your ribbon. The chevron ribbon is just 7/8" wide so my loops were marked 4 1/2" apart instead of six inches apart.

 

Encourage one another,

 

 

 

 

Tutorial Tuesday #54 - Hair Bows Revisited

The recent arrival of  these

 

inspired me to make these...

Which brings me to this question for you:

a. Does the fabric (in this case, the ribbon) inspire the project?  or

b. Does the project inspire the material selection?

For me the fabric, ribbon or embellishment almost always speaks to me and tells me what it wants to be. (I guess you could call me a fabric whisperer - or maybe you could just call me weird). Da-know.

Encourage one another,

You can find the tutorial for these hair bows here. Since this ribbon is narrower (7/8") than the ribbon in the tutorial you will measure and mark every 4 1/2" instead of the 6".

          

 Today I am sharing my DIY project on JoJo and Eloise