Saturday, June 11, 2011

Summer Kids Kamp sign-up for June 14th, 15th and/or 16th, 2011

J&R Vacuum and Sewing is offering Sew Young, Sew Fun Summer Kids Kamp for ages 8 and up on June 14th, 15th and/or 16th, 2011 from 1:00-3:00 in our classroom.  Educational consultants will teach your youngster how to make fun and fabulous projects like this:


Our DD is modeling her new chalkboard tote bag!

Please contact us at

Hope you can join us if you're in the area!

We will also be creating a pillowcase and a triangular, zippered bag from fabrics you get to choose, too!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Community Service Project and a GIVE AWAY!!!

I'm hoping you love to do community service projects as much as we do here at http://www.jrsewfun.com/!  If you like to be involved with helping others, then this is the post for you!

Check out this link to see how this all started!




Each RagBag that Sara sells is accompanied by another recyclable bag with necessities like toothpaste, deodorant, socks, and other items.  So the person who purchases the RagBag gets a unique bag for themselves and another bag filled with necessary items to give away! 




In this economy, many people are down on their luck.
Maybe you could help?



The bags are simply constructed to measure approx. 12" x 15" finished size.  We used samples from a furniture store that showed fabric choices for upholstery.  The grommets in the top worked great to attach handles!  We embellished the front of the bag before sewing / serging the sides & bottom.  Some have front pockets attached, some have ribbons, couching, beading, fringe.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!  The main idea is to have fun creating the bag!



The Pfaff Coverlock 4.0 is perfect for serging those heavy seams on upholstery fabrics!  It has great piercing power and makes quick work of this part!


What an easy way to make sure those seams are secure!  No worries about fraying or unraveling!


The Pfaff 3.0 is wonderful, too!  It has automatic tensions so I don't have to adjust anything!  Just sit down and serge!  No messing with dials, test fabrics, or aspirin afterward!


The Pfaff Coverlock 4.0 serger





Ta-dah!  All done (except for straps) and then ready to send to Sarah!


The finished bag:

Cute and simple with some flair!


If you would like to participate in helping us help others, you could make a "RagBag" to help raise money and awareness of the homeless in the area!  Bring in or send the RagBag you've created to:

J & R Vacuum & Sewing
223 East Main
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501
RE:  RAGBAG PROJECT ENTRY

When we receive your creation by June 30th, 2011, you will be entered to win the products described below:



A new copy of "Bundles of Fun:  Quilts from Fat Quarters" by Karen Snyder with a set of fat quarters 
(This would make a great Linus Quilt project  :-)
AND... a set of Floriani's top 50 embroidery threads; a $299.50 value!!!


The deadline for this give-away is June 30, 2011.
I can't wait to see what you create to give!
Thank you for considering participating.
If you get together a group of two or more,
then each person who participates can
be entered to win!

Send your creation to:

J & R Vacuum & Sewing Center
223 E Main
BismarckND 58501
RE:  RAGBAG PROJECT ENTRY

Please 'pay it forward' and tell all your friends!



'And now abideth faithhope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.' 1 Corinthians: 13

Thursday, May 19, 2011

10 needle embroidery project



Hi everyone!  This is Cindy from www.jrsewfun.com and I'd like to show you how to do this!

This is the 10 needle embroidery machine by Brother


It'll hold ten different colors of embroidery threads and sew in succession without stopping!


Aren't these threads bright and beautiful?  They're Floriani brand and made especially for machine embroidery.  I've loaded the jacket onto a hoop filled with stabilizer, but the jacket isn't in the hoop, it's laying on top, so I secured it down by running a basting stitch all the way around.


My ten needle won the Innovations Award for 2011!


I've chosen to embroider a built-in peacock design, so after pressing a button, the machine does all the work!


The machine is hard at work while I'm having fun watching!


I've placed a special stabilizer called "topping" over the jacket which will keep the threads from sinking down into the thick, waffle-weave fabric.


Once the embroidery machine has completed its job, it's time to remove the topping, which goes quickly with a little help from a friend!





All done and ready to wear!

Hope you liked our project!
I love to hear comments from my readers!!

Would you like to see an embroidery done here in our shop?
Please contact me on our website.


Which service projects are you currently involved in?
I'll post soon about a project we're working on with other community members making bags for the homeless.
Have you ever seen a homeless person at an intersection asking for assistance, but you weren't sure what to do?  If you have a heavy, remnant tapestry bag you've sewn together filled with basic necessities, you could give it to them to help them out!  I'll fill you in soon with all the details about how we're helping with this exciting service project!

Happy Sewing!
-Cindy-

CindySezSew

Hello out there, new friends in blogland!  Glad you've found my blog - hope you'll enjoy the tutorials I will have for you on 10 needle machine embroidery, easy serger projects like a ten-minute table runner, and ideas for enjoying your sew hobby even more with charitable giving!   These are things that we do on a regular basis where I work, sew ...if you're in Bismarck, North Dakota come on down to J&R Vacuum and Sewing at 223 East Main to visit with me personally - can't wait to meet you!

Cindy