Save 25% on the March/April ‘07 issue of CME until Sunday, March 14th. Get ideas for embroidering Easter gifts and spring decor, while brushing up on your applique, beading, openwork and lace making skills. Purchase this issue before time runs out!

Only a few copies are left of Sew it All at shopsewingdistrict.com. Don’t miss out on this awesome issue that has 45 super fun projects, 50 tools to make sewing a breeze and 15 ways to make money at your craft. Purchase Sew it All before it’s too late!!!

As promised, here are some pictures of the fun we had in the sewing lab right here at the office. Thanks, Kim, for remembering your camera!

It feels good to help Operation Orphan Education!

^ Matt, the Art Director of Creative Machine Embroidery, sewing his bag.

^ Matt having fun!

^ Jane, our Administrative Assistant, helping Matt.

^ Kim, the Editorial Assistant, showing off her cute bag!

^ The finished product.

^ Jane working on her bag.

^ Jane proudly showing off her adorable bag!

^ Look how many great bags Creative Crafts Group made for the cause! See these bags and more in the upcoming June/July ‘10 Sew News.

For more information, visit American Friends of Cecily’s Fund or Sew News.

And visit Sewing District and join the group Operation Orphan Educationand upload photos of your bags!

Hello All!

I spent the past five days in Puyallup, Washington, attending the annual Sewing & Stitchery Expo. I took some great classes, where I learned how to create fun and easy 3-D embroideries, how to finish a quilt with embroidery, what software applications to use when and much, much more.

I scoured the show floor for new products to bring to you in future issues of CME. Among tons of fabric and ribbon that I had to stuff into my full suitcase, I also brought back a new Oliso iron. We featured the cool yellow iron in Sew It All magazine, but I was lucky enough to meet the inventor, who developed the iron design and concept for his college thesis. The iron remains horizontal throughout the ironing process. It has feet that extend once you stop touching the handle, positioning the soleplate about 2 inches above the ironing surface. No more scorched shirts or burnt ironing surfaces! It also turns itself off after 30 minutes of inactivity. So you can rest assured that you won’t be responsible for burning the house down! Rita Farrow filmed a demo of this iron for her Sew Expo blog. Check here for it: http://sewingandstitcheryexpo.blogspot.com/

Here’s a short video of me walking the show floor–I only got halfway down the first aisle before I ran into our friend Donna Babylon, owner of More Splash than Cash Decorating.

Here’s a stunning garment from the Martha Pullen Sew Beautiful booth. Look at all the intricate embroideries! LOVELY!

I’ll post more video and photos soon. Stay tuned!

Last week was chaotic fun at the office! We got a bunch of people together to sew bags for Operation Orphan Education, a charity mission hosted by Sew News and American Friends of Cecily’s Fund. The bags will be auctioned to raise money to help Zambian children who have been orphaned by AIDS.

We all had so much fun picking out cool fabric, embroidering the logo, sewing and gabbing. We even got Matt, the Art Director of Creative Machine Embroidery, to make a bag! His turned out awesome!

It takes about 15 minutes to construct the bag, and it’s for a great cause! So hop on board and help out those in need. Get a bunch of your friends together and make a day of it. Or have local church members, Girl Scout troops or your granddaughter’s soccer team get together and make bags. Everyone will have fun picking out the fabric, sewing and gabbing–just like we did!

For more information, visit American Friends of Cecily’s Fund or Sew News.

And visit Sewing District and join the group Operation Orphan Education and upload photos of your bags!

Stay tuned for pictures of our fun sewing day.

Don’t miss out on Sew it All, the ultimate sewing resource guide that’s jammed packed with fast-and easy projects, must-have products to make sewing a breeze and techniques and ideas for making $$$ at your craft! Only 50 copies are left at shopsewingdistrict.com, so order yours today before we run out!

Save 30% off CME’s exclusive Green Eyes design through Sunday, March 7th. Learn how to make the eye mask in the March/April ‘09 issue, or purchase the article titled “Fast Forward: Eye Mask” for $4.00 by calling (800) 881-6634. Purchase the issue and design today!

Don’t miss out on your chance to purchase Sew it All, the ultimate sewing resource guide that’s sweeping the sewing community by storm. This issue is jammed packed with fun, easy and fashionable projects, must-have products for stress-free sewing and insightful ways to make money from your craft. There’s only 100 issues left, so purchase it at shopsewingdistrict.com today before we run out! Don’t forget to tell your sewing friends so they don’t miss out on this awesome issue!

(Left to right: Marija Crockett, KS–Junior 1st runner-up, Emilee Koss, NY–Junior winner, Rachel Dyky, MD–Adult winner, Carrie Holter, MD–Senior winner, Emily Parks, IL–Senior 1st runner-up)

On January 23, 2010, contestants of the 62nd annual National Make it With Wool competition constructed patterns to make fashionable wool garments. Nine-hundred and fifteen contestants nationwide entered the competition at state level and 59 junior and senior students from 32 states were selected to model their creations at the national competition. The contestants presented their winning ensembles at the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI)/National Lamb Feeders Association.

Marija Crockett won First Runner-Up Junior Division and constructed a fitted jacket with a front button closure, topstitched princess seams, pleated peplum and fully lined black skirt with an invisible zipper.

Emilee Koss won First Place Junior 2010 Wool Ambassador. She made a classic, knee-length coat with pockets and topstitched princess seams. Emilee also constructed a sleeveless hot-pink dyed wool dress.

Rachel Dyky won the Adult Winner category. She made a lined and trimmed dress and jacket made of Pendleton wool. Rachel added piping to the jacket and the dress neckline and armseyes to coordinate the pieces.

Carrie Holter won First Place Senior 2010 Wool Ambassador. She constructed a fuchsia wool/cashmere blended coat, using Hong Kong seams and an asymmetrical bound buttonhole closure.

Emily Parks won First Runner-Up Senior Division. Using 100% purple wool crepe, Emily made an evening dress with a basic sweetheart bodice.

(Thad Roediger–CME award winner)

Other winners included Nicole Macy from Pine Bluffs, WY, who won the Exemplary Construction Award and $500 from Sew News magazine and Thad Roediger from Albany, OH, who won the Creative Machine Embroidery Magazine award and $500 from CME.

For more on the competition, visit sheepusa.org.

Now through Sunday, February 28th, CME’s Valentine’s Day Bear is 25% off the retail price. Keep this design handy all year long to make gifts in preparation for the next February 14th. This cute design is perfect for decorating coffee sleeves, cup holders, tissue box covers and more! This deal is good for one week only, so purchase the design today!