Fall Sewing and Quilting Classes in Salt Lake Valley at Fabric Center

We have (finally) finished arranging our fall sewing and quilting class schedule after a few delays due to illness (don't worry, everyone is feeling better and healthy again!). Yay!

If you live in the Salt Lake area, along the Wasatch Front, or in Northern Utah in general, take a day to indulge yourself and expand your creativity; enroll in one of our classes and have a blast! Here is just a sampling of some of our classes, you can find out more information in our links or on our website.

Machine Applique:

 Want to learn an easier method to applique besides by hand? Learn some tips and tricks to a new method of machine applique that people will swear looks likes it's hand made! Class takes place Saturday, November 1st from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm and costs $25 plus the cost of supplies.

This is a sample from the last offering of this class. Can you tell it's done by machine? 

Instead of the picture above, you will actually be learning how to make the pattern below: Bertie's Winter by Bonnie Sullivan. There is an alternative project for this class if you decide this is not your style; the choice is yours.

My Favorite Bag:

The name says it all: this will become your favorite bag after you learn to make this cute and functional bag -- guaranteed to get you lots of compliments from your friends and family. This bag features a stylish large bow in the front, decorative grommets and lots of pockets. This class will be held Tuesday, October 7th from 4:30 to 8:30 pm and costs only $20 plus your supplies. 

Sewing with Knits I:

Learn basic tips and tricks when sewing with knits as well as a rundown of basic pattern drafting! This is a multi-functional class by not only teaching you how to sew a stylish knit maxi skirt, but you will also learn how to make after you've drafted your own skirt pattern using your unique body measurements! You will be able to keep you pattern to allow you to make countless more comfy skirts for the fall! This class takes place Saturday, September 27th from 10 am to 2 pm. The class costs $20 plus the cost of your supplies. 

Mariner's Compass: 

Learn the basics of quilting using a foundation paper piecing method while making the classic and traditional Mariner's Compass quilt. This class will be held Saturday, October 18th from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm and costs $25 plus the cost of your supplies. 

Beginning Tatting:

This is a dying art that we'd like to see make a come back! Similar to crochet, this is a lacework art using a shuttle to create a single knot that you then manipulate to make a world of lovely and delicate designs. This class will be held 4 Fridays during the month of September ( the 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th) from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. This class costs $40 plus your supplies. 

Beginning Adult Sewing: 

If you've been dying to learn to sew or if you are just starting out and would like to learn professional tips and tricks to better and more polished sewing results, enroll in our Beginning Adult Sewing class. You will learn basics like sewing in a straight line, machine maintenance as well as how to sew a button hole and how to install a zipper. This class will take place over the course of 4 evenings in October and November (October 9th, 17th, 30th and November 6th) from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Class costs $40 plus your supplies. 

You will learn to make these cute decorative pillows as you learn the basics.

Beginning Youth Sewing:

Is your child interested in learning to sew? Enroll him or her in a youth sewing class with us! They will learn the basics beginning from hand sewing up to sewing a straight seam, machine maintenance, and more while making easy and fun projects. This class is taught by Peggy, a patient and fun teacher who emphasizes growing you child's self-esteem along with their growing sewing skills. 

This class is an ongoing class, scheduled 3 to 4 Thursday evenings a month. The class costs $40 a month plus the cost of supplies. To see dates of upcoming classes, check out our Youth Sewing Class page on our website. 

If you would like any additional information about any of our classes, or to suggest a class you would like to see offered at Fabric Center, shoot us an email to info@fabriccenter.net.

To enroll in any of the classes above, come in and pay us a visit or give us a call at (801) 561-8726. 

Make sure to check out our Classes Rules and Terms before enrolling. 

August Block of the Month Recap

Another month and another two blocks for our Block of the Month photo recap! These ones are pretty simple this time, but just remember: if at any time you need help or are lost feel free to call Sandra, the instructor, or come in to the store with your instructions.

July Block of the Month Recap

To those of you in our Block of the Month class, here is your monthly photo recap to help you along with your blocks for this month. As always, if you have any further questions or need extra help, you are welcome to contact your teacher Sandra, or come in to the Fabric Center.

See you next month! 

June Block of the Month Photo Recap

We are half way through our Block of the Month class and we hope you are fully enjoying yourself!
Here are your photo references from class for the month of June. Check back with us next month if you need any visual help finishing your blocks.

 We would love to see pictures of your progress so far or any stories you have to share of your experience making the Stitching Star quilt. Send us an email at info@fabriccenter.net. See you next month! 

Fabric Center's Fabric School! Things to Know: Saving Salvages

We have a new installment of Fabric School: Things to Know! This time, we wanted to inform you of the importance of keeping your salvages once you've removed them from your raw yardage in the early stages of making a project. Many times a week, we have customers who come in looking for help locating a particular fabric but without any detailed information about the fabric beyond the colors and what it looks like.

By keeping your salvages, you keep a lot of good information about the fabric you have bought and make it easier for you and us to help locate a certain fabric when you run out or measure too short.

The first big piece of information that can be learned by keeping our salvages is who made it. This little piece of fabric real estate is a great way for manufacturers to get their name out there and stuck in your head. If you remember seeing "Riley Blake" on the edge of your fabric, you will remember them the next time around when you're out shopping. Plus, it helps you and us narrow down where it's located in the store and if it's something we can reorder.

The manufacturer Riley Blake is really good about including their name and pattern numbers at the bottom of their fabrics.

Riley Blake is also good about working with their designers to get them to include their brand name on the bottom of fabric salvages to further give you information about the fabric you purchased plus to help you to recognize each of their designers' unique design styles.

Another valuable piece of information is the line name and the pattern number. Now these are not always as consistently printed on salvages as manufacturer names. However, many designers and manufacturers are catching on to how important this information is to consumers who have run out of fabric, cut incorrectly or just plain love the print and want more! Some designer lines can have upwards of 20 different prints, all with the same colors and many with very similar designs. By having the pattern number, you and/or us can narrow down exactly which print you need.
Designers are also jumping on the fabric real estate bandwagon by including their brand name along with the line name they designed to get you, the consumer, to turn their name into a quilting household brand. 

Other pieces of information that are commonly included in salvages are fiber content and important cautions as to the fabrics' use limitations. These are important because a) it gives you an indication of how it needs to be laundered and if there is the potential for shrinking and b) legal safety information you need to know in order to decide if the fabric will work for your project.

Any natural fiber like cotton is susceptible to shrinkage the first time you wash it, but it can withstand higher temperatures in the wash making it a great option for baby blankets and burps. Cotton is also the worst at wrinkling, so if your fabric salvage indicates a high cotton fiber content, you know you will need to iron your final product after every wash. 

Another important line you will frequently see on raw fabric, like the kind you can find from us and other fabric stores, is "Do Not Use for Children's Sleepwear" or "Not Suitable for Children's Sleepwear". This is a legal safety precaution for the manufacturer as these fabrics have not been treated with fire repellant chemicals that are commonly applied to store bought children's pajamas. This does not mean that you cannot make children's pajamas from the fabric, but rather that you are now fully aware that by making your child pajamas from that particular fabric, your child will be more susceptible to burns if caught in a fire while wearing said pajamas. The manufacturer is no longer at liability if this should unfortunately happen; that line is there to let you be informed of this lack of fire safety. 

This next feature is not only information about the fabric you have just bought, but is a great feature to help you match colors if making a large project or quilt. Many fabric salvages will have each individual dye used in the print with a number or a cute, little design. Many times dyes, when close to one another in a print, can play off each other creating the illusion of a different color. By cutting off your salvages and just going off the pure dye colors on the end, you have a better chance of matching colors closer than if comparing the print as a whole. Plus, it allows you to only have to carry around a few small strips to each fabric store instead of each cut print on your journey to finding all your project's pieces. 

However, a word of caution about this: as was mentioned, sometimes colors play off each other when in close proximity on the overall print of the fabric. This means if you were to match a certain color by the dye samples on the salvage, you may actually find the color doesn't match the overall print. Depending on how important you find matching exact dye colors or overall general color schemes, you may want to take the cut yardage of the fabric you're matching instead to see if potential fabrics work with the overall color scheme. 

Unfortunately, you will find some fabrics where manufacturers print only some of these valuable information tidbits and others where they print nothing at all. In these cases, if you think there is even the slightest chance you will need more of the fabric or want to protect your bases in case you cut incorrectly, it is a good idea when purchasing the fabric to take a snippet of the fabric salvage and tape it to a piece of paper. Next to the sample, write down important information from the top of the bolt such as manufacturer, line name, pattern number, color number, fiber content, etc. That way, you have a document to refer to should the occasion arise where you need help finding more.

Not only will these tips help you be a more informed fabric shopper, but if the time should come where you need help finding a specific fabric or print, it allows us to more quickly and more accurately help you and your needs.

Is there something you would like to know more about the fabric or quilt shop industry? Send us an email or leave us a comment and we'd be happy to do some research and provide you with more installments of Fabric School!

2014 Spring/Summer Beehive Shop Hop at Fabric Center

We have the first Beehive Shop Hop of the year coming up soon! This year's theme is "Table Topper Tour" with each store featuring a different theme and a free table topper pattern to go along with their theme.

Our theme this year is still a secret; all the better to tempt you and get you to visit us! However, we do have a clue below:

Can you guess what our Spring/Summer Shop Hop theme is? Make sure to add us to your list of stores to visit: we have new displays, trunk shows, kits and patterns as well as a cute and unique table topper pattern, small treats, a game and a chance for you to enter your name in the grand prize drawing to receive one of two $50 gift certificates from each participating store!

For more information about the Beehive Shop Hop or to download the most current map of participating stores, visit the official Beehive Shop Hop website or visit the Beehive Shop Hop blog.

Spring/Summer Fun in SLC: Fabric Center Sewing and Quilting Classes!

If you're looking for fun things to do in the Salt Lake Valley this summer, for a way to keep your teen entertained over the break or a break for yourself away from the kids for an hour or two, we have an exciting class schedule starting right now that continues through the rest of spring and into early summer! Here are just a few highlights:

Tuesday, May 20th:
This is Two for Tuesday as we have two very exciting classes. We have a 2 hour Teen Beginning Sewing class starting at 4 pm that runs once a week until June 17th. This class is open to ages 12 to 18 and is taught by fun loving and talented Maquel with a fee of $50 plus the cost of supplies.  She will teach your child the very basics of sewing including the importance of straight seams and how to achieve a polished product. During the 5 week class, students will make a pillowcase and matching pajama pants (fabrics for projects pictured below). With this class, we hope your teenager will cultivate a newly acquired talent and will embrace the confidence that results from creating a fun, usable product from raw materials.

Following Beginning Teen Sewing, we have a Crazy Scrap Quilt taught by Cheryl. She will teach you a foundational piecing technique that makes this project a quick and fun activity. Even better, the only supplies needed are the ones you bring from home! This is meant as a stash busting project, so if you have lots of scraps building up at home, bring them in and create a silly little quilt. Class begins at 6:30 and runs till 8:30 and costs only $20. *If you do not have enough scraps for this class, your teacher Cheryl will cut a kit for you for an additional cost. Let the clerks know you'd like this done for you when you sign up so we can pass the information on to your teacher.

Saturday, May 24th:
Cheryl is back, but this time she is teaching you a 4 patch method that makes creating kaleidoscope quilts a breeze! Yep, we have a Kaleidoscope class from 10 am to 1 pm that teaches you how to pick out the right type of fabric that makes it easier to create the kaleidoscope look as well as how to cut and piece your squares to get that unique and mind bending special effect. Even better, this class only costs $15 plus the cost of supplies!

May 30th: 

This is a exhilarating new class that is being taught by, once again, Cheryl! Not only is Cheryl a great teacher and a talented quilter, but she is also a trained graphic designer with an educated eye when it comes to color. The Quilter's Color Palette Class is from 10 am to 3 pm and includes a slide show to help you first learn the basics of the color wheel and color theory but also to advance you on how scale and pattern in a print affect color, as well as how to mix light and dark to create dramatic contrast, visual effects and optical illusions in your quilts. All you need to bring is a pencil and paper to take lots of good notes and an appetite for learning (as well as lunch; kits and lunch are provided!). For only $40, this is a unique and stimulating class! Enroll ASAP in order not to miss out. 

June 5th:
We have Beginning Tatting starting up again. Taught by Maquel who learned from her grandmother, learn the dying art of shuttle lace tatting. This class runs once a week for 4 weeks, every Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 for the cost of $40 plus the cost of supplies. Because you only learn one knot, which is used to make all designs, this talent is easier to learn than you think!

June 7th: 

Learn to make a detailed paper pieced star block without having to make a new template every time! In our Paper-pieced star class, which runs from 9:30 am to 3 pm, you will learn to fold you paper template rather than sew through it to cut down on your supplies and time while making a beautiful and detailed star quilt. More details coming soon! 

June 24th: 

As part of a new series, we have an Easy Table Runner class that runs from 6:30 to 8:30. This series is geared toward teaching you a new technique each class while making cute and seasonal table runners to display in your home. This class only costs $10 plus the cost of supplies! 

June 28th:

 This Bow Tuck Bag makes the perfect gift for a mother, daughter, best friend, sister... even yourself! Learn how to make this beautiful and professional-looking bag from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. Class costs $20 plus the cost of supplies. Even better, rather than making them as gifts, bring your girlfriends and family members and make it a Girl's Day Out; finish class by going out to lunch together to show off all your new, fabulous bags! 

For more information about our classes, or to see a more complete class schedule, visit our website and browse through our Classes pages. Hope to see you in class!