Wisdom

"To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did." When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. Concentrate on this sentence... "The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you." Something good will happen to you today; something that you have been waiting to hear.

Londa 'published' in magazine and new book

Exciting Days - my work has recently been published!







Sweatshirts with a Twist is a book edited by the editor of Clotilde's Sew Savvy Magazine, Julie Johnson. Published by House of White Birches, this book offers "12 Sensational Sweatshirt Redesigns - Changing the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary!" My own 'Fuchsia Fun' Jacket from my Refined pattern is included. I am sure honored to be invited to contribute to this book!




At just $14.95, this books is a great value with complete jacket directions from myself and 11 other designers. Order it from me HERE.

Creative Needle Magazine editor Ann Henderson caught up with me in Houston last year at the Quilt Festival. We go 'way' back to my heirloom sewing days in the late 80's and early 90's, when I wrote a column for about a year in that wonderful fine sewing magazine. Ann challenged me to design a sweatshirt for a child with "Londa flair". My genre doesn't include any typical appliques, so here is what I came up with - as found in my Promised Pattern. I love this full page column photo of the jacket. Kits for this little jacket are available ... click HERE to see the options and place your order. In the same magazine issue(just released October 2008 issue that features charming Christmas and holiday garments, gifts, and decor items), is my article on Sewing with Knits.

I'm sure you can order this great Creative Needle Magazine at their website: http://www.creativeneedlemag.com/

Donation Given to Help Guatemalen Women

September 5, 2008

Dear Penny,
Enclosed is my donation for your wonderful work in Guatemala. It would honor my customers and myself if you would use it to buy 2 sewing machines, and the rest put towards teacher training.
I look forward to a prosperous fall season of retail sewing shows and even a wholesale market in Houston the end of October with my Creative Sweatshirt Jacket patterns. Just last night, I was working on editing my patterns so that they cite Miracles in Action as the charity I support with a tithe of my pattern sales, so that the information about this will be accurate as they are reprinted.
Please continue to send update information. If you could both email it to me and post it as a Comment at my Blog to which I am posting this letter – http://www.londascreativesewingchatter.blogspot.com/ – that would be a wonderful way to keep my customers informed.
Your wonderful humanitarian efforts are a supreme example of how we should all live. I look forward to the day when I ‘retire’ and can follow in your footsteps. For now, please accept my contribution on behalf of my sewing customers and myself in the name of Jesus.

In Him,
Londa Rohlfing
Londa’s Creative Threads

Customers - read more and see pictures about Penny's great work at this link: http://miraclesinaction.org/pb/wp_30f3a390/wp_30f3a390.html

After learning to sew at a Miracles in Action and Mayan Families Workshop, this graduate carries home her sewing machine. She can now earn an income from the home while caring for her children.

LUV, LUV the newest THREADS Magazine!

The November 2008 (WHY oh WHY are the months on magazines SEW far in the future?) THREADS arrived yesterday - kept me awake last night! This is the BESTEST issue I've seen in awhile. I devoured most of it - but can't wait to settle down and REALLY digest "Behind the Seams at Chado Ralph Rucci" with Claire Shaeffer and "Gussets in Facings" by Kenneth King. Even though what I am sewing these days is about as far from those fashions as possible, I love vicariously enjoying the process by reading the how-to's.



The New Look 6632 jacket as reviewed on page 22 is the perfect inspiration for a chenille by the inch and tape measure twill tape embellishment placement on the current sweatshirt transformation I'm at work on. I'll post pictures soon .



AND - page 66 - note those JUMBO SNAPS on Marcy Tilton's jacket. I CARRY those ! Just figured out they are not on my site - I'll fix that pronto and come back and add the link...
I love the way the side on the back of the overlap still make a 'statement' by the way in which they are stitched on! Another idea for a jacket of mine...the next one 'up' on my design table, no doubt.



In fact, I carry LOTS of what is in this magazine - here's a listing...

Bobbin Buddies - pg. 14
Bobbin Winder - pg. 26
Vegetable Ivory (Tagua Nut) Buttons - pg. 32
Acid Free Tissue Wrap and Storage Box- pg. 42
Iron Off - pg. 57
African Buttons - pg.73
Jumbo Snaps - pg. 66 as seen on Marcy's jacket
Neopague and Lumiere Paint - Starter Kit - pg. 66
coming any day ...
Stitch Dissolve Distort - book pg. 18
Studio Kat purse patterns - pg. 88
Oliver+S children' patterns - pg. 14

YEAH! A Pro-Life, REAL Woman --- who wears a SKIRT!

Happy tears - as a woman, as a strong Christian whose pro-life stance guides all my life and political decisions, as a Mom, as one with a deep concern and love for the disabled, I am thrilled beyond measure with McCain's decision to select Sarah Palen as his VP running mate. Wow! This woman has guts - and she is a down-to-earth woman that I do surely identify with. Plus all that - she has the good sense to honor her female gender by wearing a suit with a SKIRT! I hope she keeps it up during the tough days ahead. I've been praying daily for this election, and today I surely see God's hand!

Fine Pant Finishing Details

These are my favorite Chico's pants. I bought 3 pair last December on sale - for about $15! Anyway - LOVE these fine details - and you can do it too. Note in first picture the ribbon around the bottom of the invisible side zipper. Also - that it is stitched to the seam allowance at the bottom.

Invisible zips can really scratch your body - especially at the top edge. Do an inside tab like you see here. This is all on the INSIDE of the pnt. Covers the zip coil and tab at the top and hold it altogether on the body nicely.
Note where my left forefinger is pointing...this is stitching THROUGH the end of the elastic that has been stretched a bit to INTERFACE the facing. The elastic extends to about the same distance from the side around the back of my body.
Here, I'm showing how the 1 1/2" elastic has been butted right up to the top edge of the facing seam on the INSIDE of the facing - and stretched a bit. It is serged along with the facing edge to finish, and topstitched to the facing only along the top edge. It appears to be stretched just a tad all along - just a gently tug, firm pressure as you apply it. See next picture...taken from inside the pant - showing the slight 'gather' on the facing.

This teatment makes for a wonderful firm, flat, comfy waistband - no matter WHERE on your body you place it! Mine hits just a smidge below the belly button. Young ones want it lower - us old gals KNOW where our real waist is, eh?

Democratic Convention fashions

Admission: I am not a Hillary fan - but I DO have at least some fashion sense, and I just want to go on record as saying that all along this crazy political year, I have found Hilary's fashions to be BORING! That orange she wore the other night - ALL orange - shell, jacket, pant - was such a yucky color on her - and SO boring! Couldn't she at least have found some jewelry??? I kept waiting for her to admit being a real woman and to wear a skirt or dress..... at least Chelsea (wow, she has turned into a lovely young woman!) had the good fashion sense to wear a skirt that night!

Michelle Obama - OK - the aqua dress she wore when she spoke was fine - (though still too tight over that behind for my good taste) but then can't she find a new designer or go to another rack for the dress she wore Wed night? How many attached flowers at the neckline can I take? Well - the one from last night with TWO flowers - or it appeared - was POOR design from all I've learned. AND, I'll also go on record as saying the 10 year old's spaghetti strap dress worn the night she spoke was WAY too grown-up and sexy for a 10 year old in my humble opinion!

Nany Pelosi - well she has looked great imho. Not that I like her politics, but at least she had great hair, makeup AND stylish clothing from what I saw.

As if all this made 2 hoots of difference......... sheesh, I just keep praying for our country, and that God keep his hand on this election!

Olympic Gymnastic Fashions

What fun to see what can be done on a leotard! IMHO though - I wouldn't want to try to do all that swinging and hopping and twisting and flipping with a high jewel neckline as on the leotards of the Chinese team....

USA Pride Jacket

To show my national pride (and prayers) I just finished this red-blue-white (well, silver) jacket. It pretty much follows the Yellow Jacket in my Transformed pattern. The prints on the shoulder (which extends to a similar shape on the tucked and shaped back) and the pocket are pieced from men's old ties. One tie was cut into 3/8" bias strips for the 'connecting piece, topped with red furry yarn couched down. The flattering princess lines are just that combo of tie bias and yarn. A strip of Snap Tape (limited quantities available at http://www.londas-sewing.com/) surrounds the base of the neck and the sleeves. Jumbo Snaps (1.5 sets) create the base of the focal point. The face-framing collar is created by utilizing the lower band of the sweatshirt, interfaced, and lined inside with another striped tie. I seamed it on the center back inside so that the stripes nicely chevron.

P.S. I refrained from adding an elephant somewhere - but that is my personal sentiment - based entirely on the sanctity of life issue.

Newest Fabrics to Join my Stash

Am I stuck in a black/cream, black/white mode or what???? Perhaps it is because of all the positive comments I get on the jacket you see to the left - from my Worthy pattern.

Anyway - here are the fabrics I purchased at the ASG Conference - from Barb Callahan's booth. Can't wait to design with these sophisticated pieces! I need to find a Gingko tree around here so I can play with soome discharge stenciling on the body of the sweatshirt!

Thank You Jacket for a Friend

Well - it goes in the mail today! I hope she'll absolutely LOVE it and feel it was worth the wait! Karen selected one of my kits while I lodged at her lovely home during a show, and we 'morphed' the design into one I feel will be wearable and flattering for her. I think it will be dynamite on her with her lovely salt and pepper hair! Design-wise, I elected to bring all focus up to her face. The angle of the stitched and flipped strips of hand-dyed Cherrywood Cottons was selected to echo the angle of the neckline 'v' AND to draw the eye up and outward - widening the shoulders, hence narrowing the rest...and we all need that! Karen is a quilter - so I decided to honor her craft by using a quilt-inspired embellishment. She requested a pocket - hence the one shown that I crafted out of the cut off wrist banding.

See that wonderful Fimo Clay Focal Point button? Look closely to see how instead of a buttonhole, I created a slit in the seamline of the lower band 'collar' to the jacket instead. See the 'facing' on the sweatshirt side on the inside? This worked out really, really well. This is the 2nd time I've done this- also in my Refined pattern on the Fuchsia Fun Jacket - which will also come out in a book from Clotilde in August about Sweatshirt Makeovers.

The 'trim' is a chenille yarn in lime twisted with Fun Fur from Lion Brand yarns. That collar is the Bottom Band - applied to a V neckline in a 1:1 ratio so that it will stand up and frame her face. My step-by-step directions for this collar can be found in my Refined pattern.

American Sewing Guild Conference - Chicago 2008

What fun! As both a teacher (3 classes) and a vendor - 2 full booths - YEA! I had a great assistant in Darlene - and I was priveleged to meet so many customers - putting faces with names, AND to make new friends. I gave out many 'info sheets' to interested Guilds for possibly travelling to their locale to teach my Creative Sweatshirt Jacket craft - so I'm looking forward to even more travel this next year.

I think the best 'event' I got to attend was the luncheon on Friday. Patti Palmer of Palmer/Pletsch spoke on her 'Dreams on Paper' which was really a rundown of her very exciting and interesting career. Way back in the late 70's, I had Patti to Champaign, IL to do one of her Pants for Any Body seminars. That was when I was teaching from home and selling fabrics for Leiter's Designer Fabrics and House of Laird by sample from my home.

Anyway - the most exciting thing to hear was that her daughter, Melissa and Allyce, daughter of another sewing 'key' person, Cindy Cummins have started this wonderful new business, www.diystyle.net. Talk about 'where it is at' in getting young people to sew - this is it! Twas so much fun to hear proud Mama Patti brag on her daughter! These 2 have patterns with McCall's - and 2 are top sellers! Their 'vodcasts' are free on their site. I watched some this afternoon - what fun. How about panties from swim lycra, finished with just 'cut' edges? Now - THAT'S simple! I have to run out tomorrow to snatch up these patterns just to 'have' them and read the Guide Sheets - also written by these 2 lovely young women. Really - go check out their site - and if you have any youngsters you want to get into sewing - be sure to send them that link: www.diystyle.net

I have my 'notes' from Patti's talk on the back of 4 business cards...so I want to share what I can decipher and remember. Patti's career sgtarted in the 70's - back when 'bake-on' fusibles from Armo were all the rage. She was an educator for Armo. THat job evaporated on her, and she became a sewing school instructor in a department store. Remember those? Her first book with cohort Susan Pletsch was "Pants for Any Body. She shared that that book was actually utilized to teach teachers of mentally retarded HOW to break things down simply for teaching. They have always done such clearly-written books! I feel that if it weren't for Patti & Susan, sewing would NOT be where it is today.
Her next book was in'75 ...all about sewing with UltraSuede. Sheesh - remember when $15/yard for 36" wide fabric was an absolute fortune? I do! She told of placing a $1500 1/2 page ad in Vogue Pattern magazine and praying - to be showered with a BAG of orders almost immediately which paid for the Ad AND the printing of the book! That book sold 750 thousand copies! Macy's even bought that book to sell.
Next was the orange 'Painless Sewing'. I love, love, love this one - and always made it the 'text' for my beginning sewing classes both when I taught at home AND in my shop. Still a 'bible' of sewing in my opinion. They were even on Regis Philbin's show in LA - 'back before he became famous', as she says.
She said she feels she fit every woman who sews in the infamous gingham shell pattern from Vogue - which became their largest selling pattern at 150 thousand in one year. That relationship ended for reasons unexplained - but all for the best, as then the association with McCall's started in 1980 on the same day they were 'fired' from Vogue. When He closes a door - He opens a window - and Patti sure knew how to fly right through the window with gusto!
This was right when John Molloy's book, Dress for Success, was big - and women were entering the work force on higher levels and needed to dress the parft - hence the 8 hour Blazer fit right in. Family Circle Magazine even did an article on that pattern - and they had a 7 million circulation at the time - talk about editorial coverage! You can't get any better advertising than that! Right place...right time. Certainly the 'buzz' in the industry at the time.
She and her staff of 9 experts were traveling and doing seminars all over - 900 per year in those days. At 40, in '86, she became a Mom to Melissa - and anchored the business to the Fabric Depot in the Portland area I believe, where people go to them to learn. She complimented McCall's highly as the 'company with a heart' for giving her the time she needed to grieve and recup when her husband suddenly died in 2000. McCall's kept her patterns going, and today, www.palmerpletsch.com is a great website - offering a FREE newsletter chuck full of info for styling for different body types.
She was VERY excited about her newest book - The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner - Easy meals for Dinner every Day of the Week. She feels (and I agree) that the way to take back the family is one meal at a time. It has beenproven that drug use decreases and so does obesity if a family will just make it a priority to eat together for dinner 5 times per week. This bookisn't yet released - but soon. Dr. Laura Schlesinger and Debbi Fields both endorse this book! When it is available, I'll be proud to offer it on my site - so I'll let you know!
Truly, truly a wonderful luncheon - and in many ways, a walk down a sewing memory lane for me. How blessed we all are to have women like Patti - and now her daughter, and Cindy's daughter, blazing the way for a new generation of sewers!

Speaking of the new generation - there were several young sewers flaunting their stuff with great pride at the fashion show on Friday night. One even attended my jacket class.

I was able to slip in a class called 'Cool Edges' by Linda Lee and took many notes of inspiration on different and 'unfinished' edges. Watch for my interpretation in new jacket patterns!

It was specially fun to hear sewing friends say that they inspired by my jackets - and were planning to utilize some of my design ideas on their 'regular' jackets - not just sweatshirt bases. That made me excited!

Another new thing gaining in popularity are the sewing 'lounges' around the country. First one was in San Fransisco. Now there is one in Houston. Check it out at: www.sewcraftyhouston.com. If I had another life - and wanted another storefront (which I do NOT) this is the way I'd go - for sure.

Packing up a double booth takes 3 hours- then packing the van....suffice to say that at 8 pm we just went to eat - and then came just out of Chicago to a motel for some badly needed rest before coming the rest of the way to the Champaign area - home on Monday. I've been catching extra winks all week long :) Midst filling orders like crazy for the new just-available Create-a-Bag Templates by Nancy Zieman for Clover Notions. More on those later...

ASG will be in Albuquerque, NM next year. Consider putting it on YOUR calendar too!

Webisode Taping Report

Lasat week was sure a whirlwind. But... Fun! I started it out flying from Bloomington, IL to Cleveland, IL. Once I was in the hotel, my wonderful hostesses called inviting me to dinner - which is always fun with a bunch of sewing-crazy women! The next morning I was the first one to 'tape' my webisode - but BEFORE that - I got my makeup professionally done!!! Guess where she started??? With my eyes! Before even any foundation was applied. Reason? The eye stuff falls on the cheek anyway - so that is her technique. Full of praises and compliments(which, I noted, she was with everyone), it sure elevated the confidence factor. I had 'done' my hair - which she said was great - but then the microphone doohicky behind your neck and around up to your mouth was weird - and had to be adjusted over and over, so I really wonder how it will look - anyway, I know we are all our own best critics. Sew...I'm sure it will be OK. Of course, I prepared PLENTY to share/teach about my creation of my 'Creative Sweatshirt Jackets' - but it seemed to all go very well.

This is all for the Pfaff-sponsored http://www.nowsewing.net/. Since I personally sew on a Pfaff, it was especially 'special' for me. This site began as an education vehicle for dealers only in 2007 - but was so well-received, that it expanded then to a subscription site.
Just click on the site above and go read all about it. Definitely worth it if you are 'into' sewing!!!
They put up a new 'webisode' every 2 weeks. No - I don't know when mine will 'go up' -0 but as soon as I do, I'll let you know!

It sure was all as different as you could get from my basement, down-home taping we did for my DVD with being in a full fledged Studio with Director, numerous cameras, sound, background, etc., etc. The saving grace was knowing that they EDIT! Not a 'live' event by any means.
I had to run off pretty much as soon as it was done to catch my plane back to Illinois - WHICH of COURSE was late - making me miss my connection in Chicago - so instead of staying overnight at O'Hare, I opted to fly 'home' to Champaign airport - and then wonderful hubby drove me to Bloomington to pick up my precious checked box of samples, and my car.
The next day was spent packing for the American Sewing Guild Conference - check out the next posting.

All-in-all, lots of fun. NOT nerve-wracking at all - and definitely looking forward to seeing it!

As seen on Oprah... 10 Things a Woman Must Have in Her Wardrobe?

Caught Oprah the other day...not that I usually do. While I admire her, I feel she has become a 'god' to many in her own rite. Not mine, thank you. Too many choices are 'ok' in her book. Not mine.
Anyway -
She had a fashion 'expert' on there and I scribbled notes while he showed his version of the '10 Things a Woman Must Have in Her Wardrobe". Made some sense - but in my 'book', just because some mortal says it doesn't necessarily make it true. Truth in fashion? Little, I'd say. My comments follow...
1. Trench Coat - a Bright 'kick' color - I'd say: in a color that is good for YOU (your hair color, perhaps your eye color).
2. A Turtleneck - black or white - I'd say: a basic top. If you have a real short neck, perhaps a turtleneck is not your best - maybe a mock turtleneck, or a cowl. DO be careful of what 'neck' you show depending on the shape of your neck though - and that was his legitimate point. Also - I ? black or white. I was taught in my color training never to wear a white whiter than your teeth - and though many have beautiful (worked on) smiles these days - I believe that is still true - whatever 'white' your teeth are (or have become) don't go whiter than that. Black is good, but that close to your face - if you've aged, or have lighter, softer coloring - I think not. Other dark basics may be MUCH better for YOU.
3. Black Trousers - if petite, tapered. If hippy - fuller. Now - THAT I AGREE FULLY WITH!
4. Tunic - Yep - agree. Belting or not belting may be key for you though. Be careful on length - BEware to NOT cut yourself in half!
5. White Jeans - not on MY hips, thank you. Perhaps light khaki - but not white. Again - my humble opinion.
6. Dark Jeans - Yep - agree. If a choice between too large and too small - I'd rather look like I lost weight rather than I need to lose weight - thank you.
7. Black Dress - Yep - agree. If black is not your best color, just expose some skin between 'you' and where the dress starts to 'soften'. Jewelry could be all important to bring light colors in 'you' - your hair, etc., down into the 'dress'.
8. White Denim Jacket. Why white? Again - see my comments above. I'd opt for a color in tone with the jeans - or both pair myself.
9. Black Skirt - Yep - agree. Careful of the length! Be sure it ends at a place on your leg where it indents - not a wide portion on your leg.
10. Timeless Cashmere Sweater - I suppose. I've lived this long without one though. Do not wear well. High maintenance. I'd say any classic sweater style- or better yet, any classic sweater set in your eye color.

I LOVE, love, love and respect any fashion commentary by Diane Pemberton-Sikes - www.fashionforrealwomen.com. Sign up for her email newsletter - VALUABLE stuff!