Sewing Bee: noun. Old-fashioned
This weekend my ASG chapter is holding a 2-day sewing bee. We host these on fifth Saturdays and/or Sundays. Sometimes there is a specific focus – like community service projects – however this month attendees can sew whatever they like. This is an opportunity to just sew without interruptions from family members, or cats …
My plan is to stay focused and get a bunch accomplished! I’m taking headphones so I can just zone out and listen to football and my favourite Saturday radio programmes.
Following are the projects I have planned. The event runs for 7 hours on Saturday, and 5 hours on Sunday. Anyone willing to bet how much I’ll get through?
McCalls 7331
Project: Straight skirt in burgundy ponte de roma. This is a very simple skirt with just 4 pattern pieces (front, back, front yoke, back yoke). I have cut the pattern and fabric. I’m not taking my cover stitch machine so will likely need to hem at home at the end of the weekend.
Estimated time required: 1.5 hours
Helen’s Closet Blackwood Cardigan
Project: Long cardigan in a very lightweight knit. First time using this pattern that has received universal acclaim. I’ve already taped & cut the PDF pattern pieces
Estimated time required: 4 hours (I may be dreaming here!)
Sew Over It Zoe Dress
Project: Three-quarter length sleeved dress in an autumn floral crepe. Taking a leap of faith here and not cutting a toile. The shaping all comes from the darts, so I will bribe reward my fellow sewists with chocolate bars if they help me finesse the back darts.
Estimated time required: 4 hours (again, likely deluding myself) Wait, do I have a zipper?
Ten-minute table runner
Project: Thanksgiving table runner plus 6 napkins. (The photo above is the Christmas version I made last year.)
Estimated time required: 1.5 hours. Yes, you read that right. It’s a 10-minute project but I know it’ll take me 9 times that long. Granted, I won’t have a cat flicking her tail at me so that should speed up the process.
Oh My Gosh You’re Fast Bonus Project: McCalls 7360
Project: Long-sleeved, collarless tunic in a quilted lawn that I picked up at Fabric Mart this summer. Again, being brazen and nixing the toile in favour of just shaping on the fly. I’ll do a quick pivot & slide for the shoulders but that’s about it.
I Need Mindless Sewing Option: Kennel quilts
If my brain is fried, or the football game I’m listening to is riveting, I’ll sew kennel quilts for the shelters that are taking in Hurricane Florence refugees. That need isn’t going to disappear any time soon.
Next week I’ll follow up with how I did.
September has been an extraordinarily busy sewing month! There are a couple of projects reviews lined up as soon as I get photos.
In addition to this blog, I’m now also posting some sewing content on my You Tube channel – Janine Sews. My blog will always be my focused sewing journal with details on my projects and how to’s. Video is fun, but there are days when I really just want to write ✒
Janine Sews 
I think if you are focused, you will complete all the clothes you have planned. I have faith! I’m interested in that straight skirt. I look forward to see it! Have fun when you are being productive!
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Thanks very much! The motto this weekend is, ‘less chatter, more stitching!’
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You be brazen, you! Go Janine! I’m wishing you nothing but success. Love your kitty! I also love how you are so active in your ASG group. The logistics of transporting sewing interest me — do they set you up with machines and scissors and cutting tables? It must be in a huge room! Or is it BYOE (bring your own everything)? Please report on the Blackwood Cardigan — you’re right that it has received universal acclaim. It looks a lot like the Simplicity hacking pattern for cardigans (don’t know the number offhand.) Have a great time!! —Viv
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Thanks Viv! That kitty is my sewing girl. She always wants to be in the middle of everything – like the cutting table, or RIGHT beside the machine. Our ASG chapter uses a space owned by a fibre arts collective. The space has fantastic light, tables, chairs, irons, and plenty of electrical capacity. Everyone who attends brings all of their stuff – machines, notions, projects. People will bring cutting mats and rulers to share, and they’re always generous with pinning and fitting and helping to figure out pattern issues. Blackwood Cardigan is a hit! I’ll post it on YouTube and here in the next day 🙂
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