How CPSIA Impacts Small Businesses

May 15, 2009

Yesterday, the House Small Business Committee, Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight held a hearing on The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and its impact on small businesses.

Rick Woldenberg has a post up about the hearing and subsequent press release of the committee.

In other news, the CPSC voted yesterday on  NAM’s request for stay of enforcement on Tracking Labels.  It was a split decision between Nancy Nord and Thomas Moore…ugh!  That means it was denied!  NAM says labeling fosters confusion.  More posted on Amend the CPSIA here.

Oh…I’m missing Quilt Market with Lady M™ and Mary the Craft Addict™ this weekend!  I should be there in Pittsburgh, but I’m not.  DRATS!

And a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Patty Young (aka ModKid Boutique)!  She, too, will be at Quilt Market (Booth #2531) having a blast without me!  Be sure to stop by her booth and check out her new Mezzanine fabric line for Michael Miller!

With friendship,

Lisa

Fabric.com Sew Much Fun Sweepstakes

Apr 13, 2009

Enter HERE!

CPSIA–Just When You Thought it was Safe to Get Back to the Sewing Room…

Feb 9, 2009

UPDATED:  RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING GUIDE FROM THE CPSC AT 1:23 AM TODAY!:

Guidance on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) for Small Businesses, Resellers, Crafters, and Charities

Nothing like waiting until last minute?  Unbelievable!

Not sure how the rest of you feel, but this whole CPSIA stuff continues to mentally and physically DRAIN me!  I spend a tremendous amount of time reading, bewildered, rereading, twittering, disseminating information, testing, retesting, and banging my head against the wall.

It has all knocked the life out of me.  Some think it’s no big deal.  But the reality of it is another story.

Read the latest 7 items from the CPSC from this past Thursday and Friday.  Now before you get all excited and think you are off the hook, perhaps you should read some of the thoughts around the web:

Fashion-Incubator:  3 Days Until National Bankruptcy Day

Senator DeMint:  Congress Turns Toy Story into Nightmare for Small Business

Rick Woldenberg:  The Emperor Has No Clothes

Rick Woldenberg:  CPSC Commissioners Speak Out

Rick Woldenberg:  CPSIA More Serious Message

Overlawyered:  CPSIA Roulette

Overlawyered:  What Will Be Enforced?

Overlawyered:  CPSIA Fifty Stars and an Asterisk

Overlawyered:  CPSIA Chronicles February 10th

The Common Room:  There’s a Difference Between a Policy and a Law

The Common Room:  CPSIA and State Attorney General

The Common Room:  Open Letter to NRDC

Shopfloor:  Ambiguous Enforcement-Certain Disruption

CPSIA by Numbers (Part 1):  How Much Safer Will CPSIA Make Us?

CPSIA by Numbers (Part 2):Stochastic Approach

CPSIA by Numbers (Part 3):  Scary Sounding Chemicals

(Note:  Yes, I did eat the tires off my first carriage….LOL!)

Honestly, I don’t have a game plan yet.  I rented an XRF gun to lead test my boys’ clothing line and everything else in my sewing studio (over $400/day).  All fabrics, elastics and trims passed.  Problems occurred with some snaps and zipper heads (thankfully I have lead-free substitutes).  Not sure if the reflection of the silver on these items gave me false-positive results.  So what I’ll need to do now is have these items in question re-tested by a professional (more $$$).

But the good news is I can continue to sell for the next year.  Yet, unless the CPSC decides to allow component testing next year, my business won’t be able to survive the high cost of third-party lab testing.  Kathleen of Fashion-Incubator sums up how I feel.

With friendship,

Lisa

 

Design Your Own Ultimate Sewing Room Contest

Dec 22, 2008

C O N T E S T       H A S        E N D E D ! ! !

Can’t believe I forgot to mention this!  Have you entered the Fabric.com / Craft Stylish Ultimate Sewing Room Contest yet?  There’s over $7,000  in prizes!  Prizes include:

 

Fabric.com Shopping Card – Value – $1,500

Baby Lock Ellure Sewing Machine – Value – $2,499

Reliable Corporation IronMaven™ J490A – Value – $399

Reliable Corporation C81 – Vacuum & Up-Air Pressing Table – Value – $499

Fabulous Fit Dress Forms Pro Series® Misses Regular Form – Value – $687

Sylvia Sewing Cabinets Model 810 work table – Value – $1,099.95

American & Efird Mettler Thread 28 Spool Gift Pack– Value – $82.10

1-Year subscription to Threads magazine – Value – $32.95

Threads Fitting DVD Series – Value – $99.95

Threads Industry Insider Techniques Volume 1 & 2 – Value – $59.90

The Best of Threads DVD-ROM Volume 1 & 2 – Value – $99.90

Here’s the Official Rules.  Hurry–the contest end December 31, 2008!

Here are the two sewing room designs I entered:

Design Your Own Ultimate Sewing Room NOW!  Check out the sewing room gallery to see what others have created.  Creating a sewing room online is so simply—really.  Go do it now!  You never know if you’ll be one of the winners, KWIM?

Sew Urgent – Help Save My Daughter’s Life

Nov 12, 2008

PLEASE SEE MOST RECENT UPDATE:

>>>>>>>>CLICK HERE<<<<<<<<<<

Things continue to be difficult.  But where there is life, there is hope. 

I’m forcing myself to blog so I can update all my dear friends and family about what is going on with my sweet Sunshine Girl, Marielle, as her kidneys fail.  It looks like we are on the way to the local emergency room again tonight–she’s in terrible pain and a bit lethargic.

After continued difficultly getting calls returned and kidney donor evaluation packages send to those who have come forward to donate their kidneys, we’ve given up on the Philadelphia hospital of ever finding a living kidney donor.  They’ve recently told us they will only test family members and the closest of friends.  They’ve taken it upon themselves to decide who our friends are.  Philadelphia has only tested 3 donors in 4 months.  To say I am furious is an understatement.

But there is hope.  We are in the process of transferring Marielle’s care to NY Presbyterian-Columbia University Hospital (NYP) in hopes their additional living-donor kidney programs will save her life.  Not only will NYP consider family members as donors, but are willing to evaluate EVERYONE (friends, associates and kind strangers) who wants to donate a kidney.  That’s right…EVERYONE regardless of blood type, antibody mismatch, age, etc.  They offer several kidney donor options for us:

Compatible Living Donor

Incompatible Donor Program

Paired Donor Exchange Program

Deceased Donor Program

Marielle will only match 1 in 50 people in the general population (average person matches 1 in 2). I  am asking EVERYONE who has ever loved a child as deeply as I do my daughter to please consider being a living-kidney donor to her. You might be the one who can save my daughter’s life.

If you would like to receive a donor consent form to see if you could be a potential donor, please print out this form:

kidneydonorquestionnaire

Then send it to Joan Kelly either by email at kellyja@nyp.org or fax (212) 305-9642.  Be sure to put MARIELLE CARROCCIO as the Potential Recipient’s Name.

Please pass this information along to anyone and everyone.

I continue to be comforted by the tremendous amount of love and support from all of you.  Thank you seems to fall short.

Happy Halloween

Oct 31, 2008

Missing My Clique

All my sewing buddies went to the Houston Quilt Market this past weekend.  I was teary-eyed when I received a call from Mary, Lady M™ (pictured above next to a DIVA license plate…LOL) and Sheree.  I’ll definitely be joining up with them at the next market!

I even missed my buddy, Diana’s, wedding the weekend before.  While she and Anthony exchanged vows on a boat cruising the New York Harbor, I was sitting outside the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia hoping the helicopters landing on the hospital roof might be the kidney my daughter so desperately needs.

I Can See Clearly Now

We made it back home early Tuesday night.  We drove about 100 miles back to our home in Staten Island, NY.  We started off at Exit 3 of the NJ Turnpike where there was a torrential downpour.  I got off at Exit 4 wondering how in the world I was going to drive in the terrible rain.  Marielle convinced me to get back on the Turnpike to beat the rush hour traffic.  When we got to Exit 5, I noticed the lighted driving advisory–CAUTION – SNOW AHEAD.  WTH?  Yep!  Here was heavy SNOW driving through PA and NJ.  Finally when we made it to our Exit (#10), the snow had turned back into rain.  What a LONG drive!

Still No Match

Yesterday we got the results of my youngest sister’s kidney donor testing–NOT a match.  To say we were all disappointed is an understatement.   I’m so proud of my sister as I know she was terrified at the thought of donating her kidney, but still was willing to do so.

My nephew is the next to be tested.  He should have his blood test tubes arrive by Monday.  Would you believe he just received his kidney donor evaluation package TODAY?!  He had requested it on October 9th!!!  The hospital admitted to sending it on October 17th.  Really?  You’d think they would speed the process along considering my daughter is in the final stage of kidney failure (she has just a mere 6% function left!!!).  Don’t they know how to use Federal Express?  Heck, what about USPS Priority Mail?  Guess not.

BOO SWAP

Moving along to happier things…When I returned home, I found a big box from Traci of Bloom Design filled with treasures of our BOO Swap!  YOU ROCK TRACI!  She sent all of my favorite things…

My first love….PEEPS and my 2nd favorite, DOTS!

Check out this awesome EYEBALL Truffle Lollipop!  ROTFL!

She even sent me a beautiful Halloween coffee mug…

and the coolest Skeleton Brew (aka Hot Chocolate)!

 

I laughed so hard when I saw the Potion Powders in 3 frightful flavors-Crushed Toads, Potion #13 and Eye of Newt!

But oh my!  The Lindt Chocolate Truffles filled with White Chocolate are too delicious to share!

Speaking of Halloween, because my daughter was hospitalized for a good part of this month, I never got around to putting out all my handmade ceramic Halloween decorations.  Not a single thing.

Mr. Diva™ offered to take the 5 huge Rubbermaid crates out of the attic and unwrap all of my precious decorations.  However, I’d cry if he broke any of them, so I passed on his offer (see last year’s disaster below).  This will ensure I will still have my complete collection of Halloween decorations next year, KWIM?  And the other good thing is I don’t have to pack them all back up tomorrow!  Perhaps I can get an early start of Christmas decorating…LOL!

 

Hope everyone gets plenty of sweets for Halloween!

SEWING ROOM ORGANIZATION CHALLENGE – PART VII – SEWING ROOM DESIGN

Jul 30, 2008

A PLACE TO CREATE

Whether you have an entire room dedicated to your creative space, closet, guest room, under a staircase, hallway, garage, basement, attic or corner of the kids’ playroom–claim your space!

Nothing is more frustrating than having to drag out your sewing machine and supplies every time the creative bug strikes.

ROOM PLANNING SOFTWARE

Start with a plan by first accessing your needs.  Sewing rooms are as individual as the sewers who use them.  One who sews ladies’ garments will have different sewing needs than one who quilts or sews home decor.

Smart Draw Free Trial

Better Homes and Gardens’ Arrange-A-Room

Jordan’s Room Planner

MyFloorPlanner.com

Room Planner

Icovia Space Planner – Design Edition

Free Furniture Templates

Raymour & Flanigan Room Planner

COLOR

Choosing Color

Selecting the perfect color for your sewing room is a personal choice.  I chose Pink accented with Black and White.  I had originally planned on using Brown to accent the Pink, but decided against it as it is much easier to find Black and White items to coordinate. 

Sherwin Williams’ Color Visualizer

Benjamin Moore’s Personal Color Viewer

Pantone’s Paint Selector

Sewing Room Color Ideas

Bella Dia’s Sewing Room and Alicia Paulson’s Romantic Portland Sewing Studio

Magda’s Black and White Sewing Room

House on the Hill’s Little Sewing Space

I Mess Around’s Bright Blue Studio

Happy Zombie’s Inspiring Sewing Room

Melissss’ Craft Room

Jessica Griffin’s Pink Sewing Room

Creative Little Daisy’s Pretty Studio

Elneenya’s Terra Cotta Red Sewing Room

Jenni Apple’s Deep Red Sewing Studio

Syrommet Mitt’s Yellow and Green Sewing Studio

Dog Child’s Pink Studio\Sew Pixie’s Sewing Room

Pink Present’s Sage Green Workroom

Squeaky Monkey’s Orange Miniature Sewing Room

Chalet Girl’s Bright Pink Sewing Room

Amber’s Aqua Craft Room

Quaint Handmade’s Soft Pink Sewing Room

Dharma Lemon’s Retro Green Sewing Nook

Jigabug Baby’s Butter Cream Sewing Room

Liquid Paper’s Dark Gray Studio

Crafty Intention’s Aqua and Red Studio

Lucky Lola’s Bright Pink Sewing Room

FLOORING

Whatever you do, don’t install carpeting if you can help it.  Carpets hide pins, needles and other little sewing notions.  Use flooring that is easy to care for such as concrete, hardwood, vinyl or tile.

Consider an anti-fatigue mat next to your cutting table:

Wearwell’s Anti-Fatigue Mats

KEY INGREDIENTS

SEWING WORKSTATION

There are dozens of ways to set up your sewing machines.  I use an L-shaped desk and a sturdy folding table for sewing machines and sergers.  Figure out what fits your budget and go from there.

Depending if you have one sewing machine or several, you could set your workstation up against one wall, in a U-shaped or L-shaped configuration.  Here’s some sewing workstation ideas:

Koala Cabinets

  Horn Sewing Cabinets

Horn’s Regal Multi-Height Electric Lift Table

 

Arrow Cabinets

Perfexion Tables

Sylvia Designs

Robert’s Fine Sewing Furniture

Sullivan Furniture

Delta Cabinets

Deluxe Tables

Totally Furniture’s $99 Southern Enterprises Sewing Table

Southern Enterprises’ Sewing Cabinet

Joann’s $139 Sewing Table

Other Joann’s Homespun Sewing Tables

Sauder’s Craft Armoire

OMG…is this the ULTIMATE Craft Armoire:

The Work Box™

Hirsh Craft Storage Stand with Drawers

BALT Pneumatic (Adjustable) Workstation

Adjustable Height Folding Table adjusts from 22″ to 32″

Folding Table

CUTTING TABLE

My current cutting table is an old conference room table I acquired from my husband’s old office.  It was a little too low, so I raised the table legs using adjustable bed risers (see below).

Minimum Width – 23 inches.  Ideally, 36 inches would be sufficient as it equals the length of folded decorator fabric.  However, 60 inches would be even better as you could spread most fabrics open.

 

Minimum Length – 36 inches (1 yard).  72 inches would be ideal for most.  However, if you work with larger lengths of fabric, purchase the longest cutting table you can fit in your space.  My new cutting table (pictured above) is 4 feet wide by 16 feet long–the big industrial type  table I need to transition from home sewing into apparel manufacturing.

Minimum Height – 34 to 36 inches.  Ideal height would be the at 2 to 4 inches below your waist.  If you’re under 5′ 3″, you might be comfortable with a table height of 32 inches while if you’re closer to 6′ tall, a 38 inch height would be great.  If you need to raise your cutting surface, use:

Adjustable bed risers which raise the cutting table 3.2 to 5.2 inches more or

Extra Tall Adjustable Bed Risers which raise the table up to 8 inches higher

Kathy of Pink Chalk Studio used PVC pipes to raise her folding table from 28 inches to 36 inches…how clever!

 

Cutting Tables

Sullivan’s $99 Cutting Table

Arrow Cutting Table

Robert’s Cutting Table with Storage Drawers

Saber’s Pow-R-Pax Industrial Cutting Tables

Alvin Craftmaster Hobby Station adjusts from 0 – 30 degrees

What about that big freezer chest?   Surely it would make a great cutting table. You could add a sheet of plywood to the wall mounted with piano hinges…and add a latch hook to keep it from knocking you in the head when digging in the freezer.  Or if you’re not that handy, you could just put a large cutting mat on top of it.  LOL!

If you have a handyman around the house, enlist them to build a custom cutting table for you:

DIY.net’s Build Your Own

PRESSING STATION

 

Sullivan Ironing Cover for Cutting Tables

Nancy’s Notions’ Big Board

Here’s a bunch of iron board cover tutorials:

Vain and Vapid’s Design Studio Details – Ironing Board Makeover

U-Hangblog’s Super Easy Iron Board Cover

Feed Dog’s Cover for IKEA Ironing Board Tutorial

Innovative Sewing’s Ironing Board Cover Tutorial

Instructables’ Fabulous Ironing Board Cover

Marma Daisy’s New Ironing Board Cover

Purl Bee’s Ironing Board Recovery Project

STORAGE

Jumbo Organizer

Moraga Drawer Caddy

Mini Workbox™

Container Store’s Scrapbook Cart

Container Store’s UMBRA Pink Juxta Drawers

Robert’s Storage Caddy

Metal Storage Cabinets from Staples

South Shore Armoire at Staples

Simple White Bookcase under $50

For lots of ideas on how to organize and store your supplies, check out:

• Fabric Organization
• Thread Storage
• Needles, Pins and Stabilizer Storage
• Laces, Trims and Ribbons Organization
• Patterns, Magazines and Books
• Other Notions Storage

Custom Cabinetry

Wall cabinets are available in several heights and widths. The height(s) you choose depends on your ceiling and whether your design includes a soffit. Wall cabinet widths range from 9″ to 48″ with adjustable shelving.

Standard base cabinets are 34-1/2″ high and 24″ deep, and range in width from 9″ to 48″, increasing in 3″ increments. Base cabinets are available with full-height drawers, door and drawer combinations or full stacks of drawers.

Tall cabinets are 84″, 90″ or 96″ high, range from 9″ to 36″ wide, are 12″ to 24″ deep and include a toe kick area. They’re available with doors or a door and drawer combination.

Prices vary greatly depending on the manufacturer, type, hardware and installation.  Consider shopping home improvement stores for the best prices on cabinets and countertops.

CHAIRS

Don’t skimp when it comes to your sewing room chair.  Your back will thank you!

Black Leather Task Chair under $50

Pottery Barn Swivel Chair

Checkerboard Chair

Global Task Chair

Design*Sponge’s Office Chair Upgrade Tutorial

Turkey Feather’s Desk Chair Cover Tutorial

LIGHTING

Lighting in a sewing room is one of those things which is constantly overlooked.  Yet, it is one of the most important elements in designing a sewing room.  Although there are several different types of lighting, the two most important types in a sewing room are:

Ambient Lighting, also known as General Lighting, provides overall illumination.  This type of lighting is created by using recessed lighting in the ceiling, table lamps, chandeliers, track lights, and other ceiling fixtures.  Ambient lighting radiates an even amount of light in the room.  If you are using fluorescent bulbs in your overhead lighting, check out the “sunlight” replacement bulbs to give a more natural light.

Task Lighting directs light just where you need it.  Desk lamps, ceiling pendant fixtures and track lighting are considered task lighting fixtures.  Task lighting performs a specific activity.  Consider an Ott Light in your sewing room for true color.

BONUS INGREDIENTS

DESIGN WALLS AND INSPIRATION BOARDS

Design Wall

A Design Wall is a wall in your sewing room or work area with a felt, flannel, or similar fabric to which your quilt pieces will stick.  Sometimes this will be permanent; other times it consists of this fabric tacked to the wall.

You can easily make a wall to plan your next quilt or garment.  Here’s some great ideas:

The World Wide Quilting

Quiltmaker’s Building a Design Wall

Get Creative’s Make Your Own Design Wall

Jan Myer’s How to Create a Quilting Design Wall

Linda P. of Moonlight Quilters’ Portable Design Wall Instructions

If you don’t want to make your own, you could just buy one:

Block Butler

Cheryl Ann’s Portable Design Wall

Inspiration Boards

You can also make an Inspiration Board (aka Idea Board) like mine above.  Simple use some spray adhesive to attach fabric to a cord board and use some decorative trim to cover the fabric’s raw edges.  Here’s some other tutorials:

Not Nigella

iHanna

Charity Grace

Fresh and Vintage

Martha Stewart’s Framed Bulletin Board

Martha Stewart’s Homasote Bulletin Board

Make an Inspiration Board from Associated Content

Inspiration Boards on Flickr

DRESSFORMS AND MANNEQUINS

Consider adding a dressform or mannequin to your sewing room.  Not only can you use it to size garments, but it can be a decorative element for you to display your unique trims and lace.

Dressforms are available in canvas, wire, wicker and even paper mache.

Wicker Dressform

Wire Mannequin

Make Your Own Dressform

THE LITTLE THINGS

It’s the little things that make your sewing space your own.  Don’t be afraid to re-purpose household items and antiques to decorate your sewing room.

Bowls, baskets and other containers make great organizers and add your personal touch to your room.

Have fun with wall art, paintings and other items to hang on your walls.  You could even use decoupage letters to spell SEW or CREATE.  What about a huge pair of scissors?  Check out these neat sewing room silhouettes.  Or what about a vinyl zipper, a humorous saying, or some vinyl dressforms?

Be sure to shop flea markets for vintage items to complete your sewing room.  The possibilities are ENDLESS!

BOOKS

Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space

Perfect Quilting Space Planner

Dream Sewing Spaces

Organizing Your Craft Space

Where Women Create

Organizing for the Creative Person

Organize Your Scrapbook Workspace

The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker

Organization Tips for Scrapbookers

Home Workspace Idea Book

Home Storage Idea Book

Cabinets, Shelves and Home Storage Solutions

REAL SEWING ROOMS

A List of Over 100 Links of Sewing Rooms

Sewing.org’s Behind the Seams Sewing Rooms

Pictures of Sewing and Quilting Rooms

Now get moving!  Although it’s a work in progress, you can create the sewing room of your dreams!

 

Technorati Tags: sewing room organization,design sewing room,create sewing room,organize a sewing room,sewing,scrapbook room,scrapbooking,craft room,craftroom,art studio,fabricstash,fabric stash,organizing,quilting,quilt room

Sew…F is for Fabric Sourcing

Jul 19, 2008

Fabric Sourcing

When designing a clothing line, you’ll need to find fabrics and order sample fabric yardage.  Sample fabric yardage is important as you’ll need it to test the color, texture, shrinkage, fade, drape, etc.

Not all fabric is available for reorder or permitted to be used in manufacturing.  I knew I couldn’t use Heather Ross’ licensed prints as she uses them for a line of pajamas.  Still couldn’t help but salivate, KWIM?

Neither could I use this awesome Springs’ licensed NASCAR print as it’s not permitted in manufacturing.  Apparently, there’s a bedding company that has exclusive rights to it…ugh!

Some prints are only available to quilt stores for resale to the home market.  I found this to be the case of many fabrics I wanted such as RJR Fabrics and Marcus Brothers.

Others are available, but cannot be reordered.  I was disappointed to learn Robert Kaufman, although they have some yardage available, will no longer be printing their blue camouflage fabric.  It matched another camouflage fabric in my line perfectly.

Many fabrics are simply discontinued by the time you go to production.

Thankfully we have the Internet and Google…I can’t imagine what clothing designers did 20 years ago if they lived outside of the main fashion districts, KWIM?  Anyway, start by Googling wholesale fabric, fabric manufacturer or fabric converter.  Steer clear of fabric jobbers.  They usually have end lots, discounted fabrics and cannot reorder fabric for production.

Here’s some links to help you in your search:

Infomat Fabric Company Listings

Apparel Search

The Cottonworks’ Global Fabric Directory

DMOZ Textile Listings

Fabric Link’s Fabric Company List

Canadian Fabric Sources

Virtual Garment Center’s Textile Company Listings

Davidson’s Textile Blue Book

Fashiondex’s Fabric Directory

Once you find what you’re looking for, call or e-mail the fabric company.  First introduce yourself and tell them what you are trying to source (color, weight, type, etc.).  Ask about their ordering minimums, wholesale pricing and whether fabric is able to be reordered for production.

If you can work within their perimeters, then ask for fabric swatches, color cards (both free) or purchase sample yardage.  Sample yardage often costs a little more than wholesale pricing, so expect to pay it.

You can also go to Textile Shows.  Before going, check out Fashiondex’s How To Shop the Fabric Show.

LA Textile Show (TALA)

Textile America

Material World

Printsource

Tex World

Premiere Vision

Koncept

Direction

Fashion Incubator wrote a great post about How to Buy Wholesale Fabric.  Check it out!

Fabric Sourcing is VERY time-consuming.  Just when you think you’ve found the perfect fabric, POOF!  It’s gone and you have to start your search all over again.  Happy hunting!

With friendship,

Lisa

The Husqvarna Viking DESIGNER DIAMOND Sewing and Embroidery Machine is Unveiled….DROOL!

Jun 17, 2008

The Designer Diamond™ has just been unveiled by Husqvarna Viking.  If my currency conversion is correct, it should retail at approximately $7,000.00 USD.

Now anyone who knows me, knows I just love Diamonds…so I REALLY must stop myself from stumbling by my local Husqvarna store and putting one of these beauties in my trunk.  Really.

Truth be told…Mr. Diva™ would buy one of these for me in a heartbeat.  All I would have to do is look at him a certain way casually mention it.  But if I am honest with myself, I know I just don’t need it (I already have 6 Vikings).  I may WANT it…but the purchase of yet another Husqvarna sewing machine would be pure greed overkill.  I think my next sewing machine purchase will be an industrial coverstitch machine…yep.  However, I’m thinking it might be best to get the four Industrial straight stitch machines out of my garage and put them to use before I purchase another machine, KWIM?

Happy Sewing!

Home for Now and Some New Robert Kaufman Fabrics

Jun 8, 2008

We made it home from the Philadelphia hospital late last night.  It took more than 4 hours to discharge us as we couldn’t find a pharmacy which stocked the necessary medications.  But problem solved.  Whew!

Today we have a visiting nurse coming to teach us how to give EPO injections (which the Sunshine Girl will need 3 times a week until she gets her new kidney).  But the good news is the pediatric nurse they’ve assigned us is the same nurse who took care of her for 2 years when she was an infant.  Yippee!!!

I truly want to thank everyone for their emails, e-cards, prayers and support over the last two weeks.  You girls are the best!  Thank you so much.

Ok…now let’s talk FABRIC!  Check out Robert Kaufman’s You Got the Notions fabrics available in July:

The fabrics come in 3 different color ways.  I’m definitely going to be adding some of these delicious prints to my collection.

Today the temperature is nuts…it’s going to be 95 degrees Fahrenheit here in NYC…OMG!  Thankfully we have central air conditioning!  Keep cool!