My Thoughts on 2012 {Reaching Goals and Building a Dream}

Source: prettystuff.tumblr.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I love what I do.

When I started SoChick! in 2010 I was sewing bags and accessories, all the while growing this passion for fabric, sewing and handmade loveliness.  I knew it then, but began to realize it more and more, that my passion wasn't in manufacturing bags, as much as it was in creating, designing and sharing my passion for fabric and sewing in general.  I get so excited to look at and share beautiful fabric, inspiration and... what was that? you have a question about sewing??... I'm all about encouraging and sharing my knowledge!  I love learning new techniques as much as I love sharing ones I know.

I have a growing love for ALL things sewing related: bag making, quilting, and yes, even garment sewing (although its a newer adventure that I'm learning more about).

My passion for pretty fabric may have come from the extreme lack thereof in my local area.  While there are a few shops, none carry the fabric that I ♥.  So, I learned about and developed my taste for fabric by ordering online.  By purchasing small quantities of fabric online, I became familiar with designers and colors.  Also, annual visits to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in Atlanta, Ga, allowed me to touch/feel all kinds of fabrics, and I'm like a sponge when it comes to learning techniques!

Lets not forget to mention how much I ♥ getting my fabric delivered by Mr. UPS, and Mr/Ms USPS.  I know they think I'm some crazy fabric-sewing chick... that's okay.

In the beginning of 2012 I knew I wanted big things for my little business, every year has been a year of growth and goal reaching... this year, many of the little dreams, on the path to my big dream, came true. 

I released a Sewing Pattern for sale and have had major success on a free Sewing Tutorial (in my humble opinion). I taught a few sewing lessons to friends, one of whom is getting her first sewing machine in the very near future (Success!!).  And, my little sewing studio is bursting with bolts of beautiful fabric from my favorite designers, as I am now selling fabric by the yard in my online Fabric Shoppe.  Sitting down with my fabric rep and looking through fabric samples was a big dream-come-true... Yay! 

In 2013 I hope to add more fabric to my shoppe, complete an Epic Quilt Project, release more PDF Patterns for sale, and build my Blog's Virtual Shoppe community.

I can not give enough thanks to each and every one of my customers, blog readers, twitter/facebook followers, online friends and real-life friends (and family) for the support you have shown me and my growing business.  While SoChick! is still very much a small business, it has come so, so far... and wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for all of you!

I hope 2013 brings many awesome things to each of you, health, happiness, love, and perhaps some needle and thread... and of course, fabric!  

XxOo~ Melissa

Sunday Sponsor Spotlight {Sew Vintage & Bubblewrapp'd}

I hope your Sunday morning is as beautiful as the one outside my window... the sun is shining here and blue skies for miles.

Welcome to SoChick's first Sunday Sponsor Spotlight!  Much like Featured Shop Posts, the Sunday Sponsor Spotlight will highlight my lovely sponsors whose pretty ads hang out on the right-hand side of the blog... waiting for you to click and browse their Sites/Shops.

Let's take a look at this month's Sponsors:

Sew Vintage is Christy's Etsy Shoppe where she sells her pretty custom made pillowcases and vintage finds.  
Here are two of my favorites currently in her shop:

{Personalized Pillowcase via Sew Vintage on Etsy}

{Pretty In Pink Vintage Pyrex Bowl via Sew Vintage on Etsy}

You can also follow Christy on her blog, Here.

* * *

You've seen Bubblewrapp'd on here before; perhaps you've been to Andrea's blog, too.  

I have made several purchases from Andrea's shop and love each and every one of them.

Take a look at her current block selection:

{Hey, love. block via Bubblewrapp'd on Etsy}

{Be mine. via Bubblewrapp'd on Etsy}

These are still my favorite blocks from my own Bubblewrapp'd collection:

* * *

Be sure to pay these lovely ladies a visit and a huge thank you to Christy and Andera for being SoChick Sponsors! 

Are you interested in Sponsoring/Advertising on SoChick!~The Blog ?  Visit here for more info!

XxOo~ Melissa

Virtually SoChick! {The Blog, The Shoppe}

Imagine walking through a quaint little town full of pretty windowed store fronts.  The shoppes aren't big, but they are inviting.  The store window that catches your creative eye is filled with lovely sewn accessories: pillows, cushions, fabric bunting, a pretty handbag or two, and a few children's garments.  Behind the window display is a cozy slipcovered loveseat with a gorgeous quilt draped across the back, flanked by a few comfy chairs and a small table filled with sewing magazines.  Beyond that, in this cute little shoppe, bookcases filled with beautifully colored bolts of fabric catch your eye; you notice the shelves are sprinkled with a collection of small vintage sewing machines and apothecary jars filled with raw cotton and vintage sewing notions; this view is pleasing, not overwhelming; you decide you need to take a closer look...

{Vintage Sewing Notions via}
{make do and mend. via}
{cotton jars via}

Welcome to my "Sewing Shoppe"... from the comfort of your home or wherever you may be, this is how I want you to feel when you come to SoChick!, the blog and the fabric shoppe.  Grab a cup of coffee, or tea, whichever you please, and take a look around.

My blog is becoming my virtual Sewing Boutique, where I share my love for creating: sewing of all kinds, quilting, funky machine embroidery, and fabric.  Here you can browse tutorials, find inspiration and tips/tricks for sewing; read my Guide to Fabric, ask questions and get answers; learn about featured small businesses, whose items I'd gladly display in a real shoppe; join a quilt-along or sew-along, and find new SoChick! Sewing Patterns.  And, most importantly, browse a selection of fresh, modern quilting and lifestyle fabrics in my online Fabric Shoppe. 

I'm looking forward to your visits, and will be here at the sewing machine or cutting table, ready to greet you!

XxOo~ Melissa

Happy Holidays from The SoChick Chick

If you haven't already, please stop into the SoChick! Fabric Shoppe (on Etsy) to check out the beautiful new prints listed yesterday!  I will be offline and spending time with my family for the Holidays, so any orders placed through December 26th will ship on Wed. Dec 27th.

Thank you, always, for your support & love!

XxOo~ Melissa

My Custom Winter-Sewing Tee {Embroidering Off The Edge}

While embroidering Holiday orders, I had this overwhelming urge to stitch something holiday-related for myself.  Luckily, I had just picked up some cheap thermal long-sleeved tees at Walmart in case inspiration, like this, hit!

I was torn between stitching something sewing related and over-the-top holiday; I also like to stitch things a little differently, using unexpected techniques.  That's when stitching off of the edge came to mind; I remembered seeing a smaller scale "off the edge" technique in this Urban Threads Project... so I decided to bring it for my tee.

I snatched some awesome sewing-themed snowflake designs (below) and got to it!

[The Project] 

Machine Embroidered Thermal Tee 

{Embroidering "Off the Edge"}

Machine Used: 

Singer Futura CE-150

Material: 

 100% Cotton Thermal Long-sleeved Tee.  OP brand from Walmart

Supplies:

 Thread: Floriani & Isacord, 100%Polyester Embroidery Thread in various colors

 Stabilizer: Floriani No Show Mesh, OESD Lightweight Tear-Away

 Embroidery Design: Crystallized, Scissors Snowflake, and Sewing Snowflake from UrbanThreads.com

Process: 

  I printed the embroidery designs on paper then used the cutouts to determine the placement on my shirt.  Lucky for me, "Eloise" was more than happy to model the shirt while I decided where I wanted the snowflakes to go. 

Once I decided on placement I fused the Floriani No Show Mesh to the wrong side of the area to be stitched.  Because this shirt has a bit of stretch to it, I lightly stretched it when fusing on the stabilizer.  Next, I hooped the shirt with the OESD Lightweight tear-away. After stitching I carefully peeled off the tear-away and trimmed the mesh.  Because of the light stitching, I didn't get all of the tear-away off, but was sure to tear away from the larger open pieces.

I followed the same process with the pieces to stitch off of the edge.  I stabilized, hooped, and stitched as usual; then cut through the design as I trimmed away the stabilizer.  

[The Verdict: on Embroidering off the edge]

This was sew fun!  I have washed and worn my shirt several times without a hitch.  Although the designs I used were light stitching, they had enough stitching to not unravel when the design was cut.  (I wouldn't recommend cutting away a heavily stitched design.) I have had no fraying at the trimmed designs.

Have you tried this embroidery technique?  Do you want to try it? I'd love to hear/see what you've done!  Leave a comment!

XxOo~ Melissa

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

A quick little post to say...  

Source: flickr.com via Fresh on Pinterest

Thank you for reading my little blog, and thank you for following me on Twitter and Facebook.

Thank you for reading my Newsletters, and for leaving awesome comment entries on giveaways. (I love reading those!)

Thank you for ordering/purchasing my handbags, my sewing patterns and, most recently, pretty fabric from my Fabric Shoppe. (I enjoy sending out fabric more than you can possibly imagine! I. LOVE. IT!)

Thank you for pinning my free Boxie Pouch tutorial more than 4 THOUSAND times! (WOW!!)

Thank you for being a part of this SoChick! journey... I love what I do, I love planning for the future and I hope you love what is coming next. 

Thank you! 

XxOo~ Melissa

Giveaway Day Dec '12 {Sew, Mama, Sew}

Happy Monday, and welcome to the December Giveaway Day!  I am linking up with Sew, Mama, Sew to share some pretty fabric and hopefully meet new friends and readers!



Without further adieu...

{The Giveaway}

Today I'm offering up a pretty fabric roll of my most favorite pink prints from Amy Butler's Soul Blossoms line. 

This little fabric roll features one half-yard cut of each of the following prints:
- Laurel Dots in Cherry
- Passion Lilly in Cerise Pink
- Peacock Feather in Blush

That's a total of one and a half yards of fabric for your next sewing project or for your stash!  Or, maybe you're entering because you know your stitching friend would heart this fabric roll! (And that's awesome!)

If you read my blog, it's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Amy Butler's beautiful fabrics... if you're new here, now you know... this Chick's an Amy Butler fan for sure!

Amy's beautiful prints first caught my eye when I started sewing regularly and couldn't find fabric locally that was beautiful, sophisticated and modern, but also fun and versatile.  Amy's fabric is just that, in my opinion. 

{So... what do you need to do to enter?} 

Simple, just leave a comment telling me what you will make if you win this pretty little roll of fabric! **IMPORTANT** Please log your entry in the Rafflecopter app, below, so I know how to reach you if you win, I will be using Rafflecopter to pick the winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{The Details:}
This giveaway will end at 8pm EST on December 7, 2012 and is open to US Residents (Prize to be shipped within the US).  I will notify the winner by email, as well as post here on the blog, by December 9th.

Of course I'm happy for you to follow my blog, facebook or twitter pages and I invite you to check out my SoChick Fabric Shoppe on Etsy.  While none of this is required to enter the Giveaway, I love meeting new sewing/quilting/handmade friends and would enjoy getting to know you!

Thanks so much for stopping by and Good Luck!!

Looking for more Giveaways to enter? Click below:



XxOo~ Melissa