Ali has been working behind the scenes to make sure all sorts of terrific things happen for this year’s retreat. Janome has generously agreed to provide some terrific sewing machines that everyone who attends my Sleepover Pajama class can use (and try out some new models, too, I think!), and the lovely people from Fiskars will be providing some additional tools. The schedule looks fantastic, and I can hardly wait to check out those adorable cabins. (I’m secretly hoping it will feel a little like a giant sleepover. I’ll bring the popcorn and a flashlight!) Plus, have you been to Boulder? So cute. That amazing tea house, imported from Tajikstan? Gorgeous. (And delicious.)

But more important is what we’re going to be DOING! We’re going to spend the entire day talking sewing, pattern-making, making alterations, and other secret (or not-so-secret but still very cool and useful) little tricks and tips for improving your projects. We’ll be a small group. I’ve intentionally limited the class size so we can really spend time together and I can get to know each person who comes. After all, that’s what makes teaching fun–meeting you.

I know there are a few spots left in the class. Are you coming? I hope so!

Oh, and I almost forgot! Ali just posted a little interview with me over on the Makerie blog, where you can read interviews with the other teachers as well. I’m telling you, this is going to be fun!

And one last thing: will someone please take Aran’s food styling and photography class for me? I want to take it so badly!

My segment of the show (episode 202)  is just starting to air on PBS stations in selected markets. (Thanks to @sewhappytosew on Twitter for letting us know that the show aired in Las Vegas last weekend.) If you want to catch the episode, check with your local PBS station to see if they carry the show and when it will air. Air dates will vary by market.

That said, I still plan to teach a handful of courses each year. And one of the teaching engagement I’ve taken for 2012 has just begun to take registrations.

I’ll be a guest teacher at the Makerie retreat in Boulder, CO, next April. The Makerie looks like a lot of fun. Everyone stays at the Colorado Chatauqua National Historic Landmark (I think the locals just call it “Chatauqua” but the full name sounds pretty snazzy too) in cute little cottages.

I love the Victorian charm of cottage #23 , but #106 is awfully cute too. I wonder if it comes with that adorable baby. And if you’re really going for the full summer-camp experience #802 looks perfect for late-night pajama parties. And then when we’re all there we spend our time making stuff! How great is that?

I love the diversity of the class offerings, and I’m only a little disappointed that I’ll be teaching every day because I’d just as soon take some of the other classes that are being offered. You’re going to have a difficult time making up your mind which classes to take, if you’re planning to come!

On April 20 I’ll be teaching the Oliver + S Sleepover Pajamas pattern and giving lots of little tutorials and sewing tips and tricks along the way, like how to lengthen and shorten a pattern. Of course I’ll be available for individual attention as you’re sewing and have questions or need a little extra help. I’ll try to come with lots of silly stories to tell as you sew, too. That’s the best part of all-day sewing workshops–while you sew, I chat. So don’t give me any coffee at breakfast, ok? That gets dangerous–me and caffeine.

And then on April 21 we’ll be sewing from an upcoming spring Lisette pattern for a really flattering and cute A-line dress. If you click through to the class description you can see some of my early sketches of the dress. I just approved this dress at the third fitting last week, so we’ve been working hard to make this pattern absolutely perfect for you. I forgot to take photos at the fitting, so you’ll just have to go by my sketches and trust me on this for now. The dress can be made sleeveless, with short cap sleeves, or with 3/4 sleeves. You can also choose the length: mini dress, just above the knee, or full-on maxi dress. I’ll help you to make a muslin so you can get a great fit, then we’ll talk about fabric selection and get started with your sewing. So you’ll be all ready for summer, no matter which style you choose, and you’ll be able to make lots more dresses once we’ve gotten a good fit for you.

Follow the links above for complete class descriptions, and I hope you can make it to the retreat. It will be fun!

We’ve always done a small booth with canvas curtains for walls, mostly because we don’t have the space to store a big, hard-sided booth in our little Brooklyn studio space. We also don’t have much interest in driving a truck full of materials all the way across the country twice a year, so we pack the booth onto a pallet and have a trucking service transport it for us.

But this year we wanted to try a larger booth and thought it was time to do something a little different than we usually do.

I’ve been wanting to do a chalkboard theme for quite a while now, and Oilcloth International makes the coolest chalkboard oilcloth. Our studio space is not much larger than the size of the larger booth we were planning to do. Since we weren’t able to actually assemble the booth before the show, I mocked up a tiny model booth on this theme. I thought we could make new curtain walls using the oilcloth and draw all over them, just for fun. I mentioned this idea to Lissa, Moda’s Marketing Director, and she sent us a giant box of chalkboard oilcloth drapes and floor coverings from a show they had done a while ago. For their booth, instead of actually using chalk, Moda had painted on the oilcloth to look like chalk so it wouldn’t rub off during transport and handling. The paint really looked like chalk, and I loved the effect of the black and white.

I sent some photos of my miniature booth to Brooke and asked her opinion. She was a little bit afraid that the booth would look too dark with black walls and asked if there wasn’t some way we could do the chalkboard theme with our usual Oliver + S turquoise color. But since there’s no such thing as turquoise-colored oilcloth, I didn’t think this would work.

Then one day, while I was still contemplating the wall dilemma, our friend and studio neighbor Kevork (Kevork is a painter, and his daughter modeled the red riding hood cape in Little Things to Sew) was hanging out in our studio and asked about my little model booth. I explained what I wanted to do and where we were having problems, and he said, “Why don’t you stretch canvases for your walls, like I do with my paintings?”  This would allow us to break down the walls for shipping and for storage, and we could paint the canvases any color we wanted. And it would look a lot like a booth with hard walls. We were intrigued.

But we wondered about whether we could draw with chalk on the walls. He took us down to his studio where he had a work in progress on the easel. He told us that if you use acrylic  paint, you can do exactly what we wanted. To demonstrate, he took a piece of chalk and started drawing on the top of his painting! Then he took a spray bottle of water, sprayed the surface of the painting, and started scrubbing it with a cloth to remove the chalk. Todd (if you don’t know) works with the Whitney Museum of Art, and he has been well trained that you never touch the artwork. To see someone do this to a painting almost gave him a heart attack.

We did a lot of research and a few trial runs before deciding it would work. So the week of S’s spring break, we stretched eight giant (8-foot high!) canvases, painted them, took them apart, and packed everything up to ship to the show.

Once we arrived at the show, all the canvases needed to be re-stretched so the canvas was very tight, and then we bolted the stretcher bars together to make the walls of the booth. We kept the booth very clean and simple, and Moda lent us the dresser and vintage school chairs for our display.

Then I got busy drawing! It was fun to draw the logos and the free-hand clothing, modeled after many Oliver + S styles. The chalk showed up well on the walls but didn’t distract from the clean, spare look we prefer for our booth. It’s a little difficult to see the chalk in these photos, I’m afraid, but if you click on a photo it will enlarge so you can get a better look.

The walls can even be washed, so when we were finished with the show I simply took a damp sponge and wiped all the chalk off the canvas. We’ll use these walls again for future shows, and I can draw something on them with chalk or just leave them plain. For now, we’ve rolled them up and tucked them away in the studio where they take up very little space. Problem solved, with a little help from our friends.

If you’re not familiar with Books of Wonder, it is a terrific independently owned kids’ bookstore near Union Square. We love it not only for its fantastic selection of new and old books, but also because it’s located right next door to the Cupcake Cafe and on the same block as Paper Presentation and Print Icon. Plus, the Muji store is just around the corner. I’m telling you, this is a good spot for a craft-related party.

Drop by for some refreshments, a chance to see some samples from the book, and to chat and meet other crafting families. Please bring the kids, too, because we’ll set up to do a little paper doll related crafting.

If you come a little early, you can also attend Books of Wonder’s weekly story time.

I hope to see you there!

Bring the family. I’ll talk just a tiny bit about the book, show you some library-related inspiration, and then we’re going to make magnetic paper dolls and clothing, much like this magnetic paper doll I made for S a few years ago.

We’ll provide Oliver + S dolls, fabric scraps and trims, and all the supplies you’ll need to make your own paper doll.

You’re also more than welcome to bring a full-length 4″ x 6″ photo or drawing of someone you want to turn into a paper doll, if you’d like to personalize the project for someone you love, or for yourself. And there’s no sewing required for these dolls. We’ll stick with scissors and glue so everyone can participate. See all the details about the afternoon here.

If you live in any of these areas, please drop by to chat and to get your copy of the book signed.

• March 19, 12:30-2:30 PM: Cloth and Bobbin, Narberth PA
• April 9, 1:00-2:30 PM: Pins and Needles, New York NY
• April 15, 4:00-6:00: Farmhouse Fabrics, Beech Island SC
• April 30, 3:00-5:00 PM: Fancy Tiger, Denver CO

I’ll post additional dates as they become available.

In addition, I am going to be the guest at a couple other special events that have a Little Things to Sew focus:

• April 2, 2:00-4:00 PM: New York Public Library Crafternoons
• April 15-16: Farmhouse Fabrics, Beech Island SC, two all-day sewing workshops featuring a project from the book

Please join us if you can.

At Quilt Market last fall, each Moda designer was asked to make and present a pillow that describes our creative journey, our design process, our background, or something unique about us. Now we’re each presenting our pillows on-line. And today’s the day for my pillow.

You probably already know that my background is in apparel design. I worked as a clothing designer for Ralph Lauren and for Tommy Hilfiger before S was born, and I left my job in order to stay home with her. From there, Oliver + S came to be. (If you want the whole story, you can listen to Hillary’s podcast to hear all the gory details of starting a business when you have a small child at home.)

So when Lissa, our fearless Moda leader, asked for a pillow describing this process, the design solution was fairly straightforward. My pillow should be clothing, right?

This pillow was made from a (now out-of-print)  Puppet Show tunic. This particular dress was made for a photo shoot and trunk show shortly after I launched the company. The fabric is from one Sandy Klop’s first American Jane collections. I love Sandy’s fabric and quilt designs, and it wasn’t until after I started designing fabric for Moda that we realized Sandy’s daughter and I were house-mates and friends in college! So I feel like we’ve got a special connection.

As part of the pillow talk tour, we’re supposed to answer a few specific questions. I suspect this is all more than you want to know about me, but here we go….

What is a little known fact about yourself?

Early in my career, before I returned to school to study fashion design, I worked for one of the world’s wealthiest men. One day I hand-wrote a check to the government to cover his quarterly income tax payment. The check was so many digits long that I had to stop afterward and shake myself.

How do you relax?

I like to hang out with my family, visit museums, explore New York City, read, sew, and get together with friends. Recently I’ve been doing a little sewing for myself and have been catching up on some old New Yorker magazines. I can’t seem to keep up with magazines and books simultaneously, so the magazines stack up while I’m immersed in books.

What do you sleep in –  PJ’s or nightgown?

I don’t like to have anything tangled around my legs when I’m sleeping, so I don’t really care for nightgowns or pajama pants. As a result, I usually wear a pair of my husband’s boxers with an old T-shirt. This really should change, I know. One of these days I’ll have to become a grown-up. But it gives me a good excuse to buy him funny boxers!

What kind of pillow do you like, hard or soft, foam or feather? And why?

Any pillow that’s big and fluffy, preferably down.

When you were young did you sleep with  a  stuffed animal? If so what?

Oh yes. I was very close to Teddy. Today S has Bear, and I still have my Teddy. Teddy and Bear are now very close friends, although S is rather worried about the stuffing poking out of Teddy’s nose. She takes good care of him for me. That’s him in the photo above, wearing the brown fur coat.

Do you sew in bed? Read? Watch TV? Eat?

No to all of the above. I’m not allowed! I do all my reading on the sofa before going to bed because it keeps Todd awake if I read in bed, even with my trusty headlamp. And neither of us like crumbs in the bed, so food isn’t allowed.

How many nights have you or your spouse spent on the couch?

I sometimes move out to the sofa if I can’t sleep, but it’s not a full-length sofa so it’s not really a viable option. In our tiny apartment everyone has to get along because there isn’t enough space to NOT get along. See? There really is something good about living in a small space! We’re very close–physically and emotionally.

Nighttime toddy?

Does it count that my husband’s name is Todd?

Early to bed or all-nighter?

I read somewhere that creative people are frequently night owls. This certainly holds true for me. Back in design school I was just getting started at 11:00. I still have my best ideas late at night, but I wish I was a morning person. And I don’t tolerate caffeine well, so coffee isn’t an option. I guess I’m naturally caffeinated.

Who would you most like to have a pillow fight with?

Perhaps with Lissa, once we’ve all done the pillow talk hop? (Watch out, Lissa!)

Alright, let’s do a giveaway! I’ve been paying attention to how these things are done and now know the proper way to do this.

1. Leave a comment telling me who you would most like to have a pillow fight with and you’ll be entered to win, courtesy of Moda, a Jelly Roll from this coming spring’s Oliver + S  fabric collection which is called Modern Workshop. (We’ll have more to say about this collection in coming months.) In addition to the fabric, we’ve designed a special Modern Workshop quilt which can be sewn from a Jelly Roll.

2. If you haven’t already, sign up for our consumer newsletter using the box in the upper right-hand corner of our website. If you do that, you can come back and leave a second comment saying you’ve registered which will give you a second chance to win the prize. And if you already do subscribe to the newsletter, you can leave a comment saying that for a second chance to win.

We’ll pick the winner on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 15. Comments will close down and the winner’s name will be posted once the drawing is over. If you’re the lucky winner, we’ll contact you by email to get your shipping information.

And don’t forget that pillow talk continues! Tomorrow Sandy Gervais will be showing off her pillow at Pieces from My Heart.

Note: this post does not seem to be taking any more comments. We are addressing the issue. In the meantime, feel free to leave comments in the post above. We’ll do the drawing using both sets of comments.

A little more than a year ago, I taught a class at Spool in Philadelphia. During that class I met Hillary Frank, who was pregnant at the time and was working in public radio. Hillary’s daughter is almost one year old now, and Hillary recently contacted me about a podcast, called The Longest Shortest Time, that she has started for new parents.

I love the concept behind The Longest Shortest Time. Hillary describes it as “a bedside companion for new moms who want to hear in the middle of the night (or day—what’s the difference, really?) that they are not alone. And that as never-ending as those first months seem, they don’t last forever.” Where was something like this when I was a new mother?

Anyway, Hillary invited me to talk with her for the site, and she’s now posted our discussion as her third podcast. You can listen to our conversation there.

I’m sure you’ll want to keep an eye on Hillary and the site. I know I will.

And here is my teaching schedule for the fall, if you care to join me for a class:

• September 19, Purl Soho, New York, NY: Learn to follow a sewing pattern while making the Music Box Jumper
• September 22-23, Children’s Corner, Nashville, TN: two-day workshop including the new School Photo Dress and a second pattern if time allows
• October 2, Cloth and Bobbin, Narberth, PA: knits workshop focusing on the Nature Walk pants, the Hopscotch top or dress, or both.
• November 13, Alewives Fabrics, Nobleboro, ME: workshop topic yet to be determined

If you’re interested in registering for any of these classes, you can contact the shop for details.