Treadlette Tuesday: Get To Know Us

Today's Treadlette is Melissa!

Melissa is our resident Home Decorating Expert. She's always got a clever solution for sewing curtains, Roman shades, quilts, and pillows, and well as recovering chair seats and cushions.

If you've been in recently and seen (okay, played with) the sequined pillow on our counter, you've seen a little piece of Melissa's work. She tackled that tricky fabric fearlessly!

She's no slouch when it comes to garment sewing, though. Melissa can whip up cute blouses and dresses and has a knack for choosing fun and funky patterns.

Melissa also teaches classes with us! She can help you solve your decorating dilemmas in a Sewing Salon, or take her pillow class or Roman shade class to spruce up your space!

Poly Taffeta

If you know us at Treadle, you know we love natural fibers. But sometimes a really great fabric comes along that makes us keep our minds open. This polyester taffeta is one of them!

Airy light and paper crisp, this taffeta has a wonderful sheen and fabulous rustle. This is the nicest polyester taffeta we've seen. It is almost like silk!

Taffeta is fantastic for special occasion dresses and skirts. Make yourself something new for holiday parties! Fancy wraps and jackets would also be lovely. Take advantage of taffeta's crisp hand with ruffles and structural details!

Our sale continues today! Stop in for great savings!

Plaid Friday SALE!

Shop our weekend sale! Plaid Friday and Shop Local Saturday events support local businesses in your area!

EVERY fabric in the store is on sale! Wear plaid for an even better discount! Friday through Sunday, Nov 25-27.

Boyfriend Shirt Class - Starts This Sunday!

We have our new Boyfriend Shirt class coming next week, with our newest teacher Kathleen Richert! Kathleen is a prominent local fiber artist. She even has a piece in the Minnesota History Center! See it here!

Make something special for your favorite guy (boyfriend, husband, son, brother - you pick) in this fun new class! Take your shirt making skills to the next level and explore the fun you can have with piping, custom pockets, and other delicious details. Kathleen makes award winning custom shirts with one rule: she makes all the design decisions. Be prepared to dump your ideas of boring button down shirts; these are one of a kind and amazing!

Sunday 1:30 – 4:30 November 27, December 4, & 11
Skill Level: Intermediate
Fee: $85

To sign up for this class, give us a call at (651) 698-9690, or just stop by the store. You can see our full class schedule at treadleyardgoods.com/classes.

Treadlette Tuesday: Get To Know Us

This week's Treadlette is Meg!

Meg started sewing with her grandmother at around age 8. "We made a grey and red plaid vest with princess seams and matched the plaids! I wish I still had it to prove it."

Like many of our Treadlettes, Meg has been with us a while; she has worked at Treadle for at least 27 years. You will mostly see her on Saturdays.

I find Meg's style to be polished and effortlessly stylish. "I am a sucker for white embroidered cotton, beautiful knits and the challenge of buying remnants. I like to sew simple straightforward things that do not take a long time from start to finish--clothing and home dec."

Current projects and favorites? "I love Vogue pattern 1415 view A with a cowl like neck--I've made it twice and feel very elegant in it. My 26 year old son actually asked me when he saw my 2nd version if it was the same pattern as my cream colored top. I love that he noticed! Currently I am covering an ottoman for my son with a piece of Pendleton wool."

"I am working on convincing myself that if I sew a few minutes every day, it will add up to a significant amount of work at the end of the week." I think it does, Meg! I love that philosophy.

There's more Treadlette Tuesday every week!

Kaffe Fassett Fabrics

We have some gorgeous new fabrics from Kaffe Fassett! His saturated, multi-color designs are truly one of a kind.

These woven stripe cottons are rich in color with a soft texture. Equally at home in shirts or quilts!

These cotton prints from Kaffe are huge in scale, featuring elements from nature amped up with extra color!

Treadlette Tuesday: Get To Know Us

Today's Treadlette Tuesday features our newest Treadlette, Olivia!

"I started sewing when I was 9. My grandma and my mom taught me. I always preferred to sew with my grandma because I didn't like listening to my mom at that age. She would help me with my projects for 4H."

"I have worked at Treadle for about a year and a half but I've frequented Treadle since I was a baby with my mom! I have fond memories hanging out in the store, playing with the toys, organizing buttons and straightening ribbon."

"I haven't tried a wide range of projects yet so I'm not sure what my favorite thing to sew is just yet. My favorite fabric to wear is knit because it's comfortable but can still look cute and put together. I also love the drape and feel of rayon but hate that it wrinkles and shrinks!"

"My most recent projects haven't been anything too exciting. I've hemmed pants and made little burp cloths for friends having babies. My favorite project was a shirt that made for 4-H one year in middle school. It was black with white polka dots in a peasant top with red buttons. I won a blue ribbon on it and felt very proud. Sometimes I still wish I had that shirt and that it fit me!"

Sewing Expo starts TODAY!

Visit Treadle Yard Goods November 10, 11, & 12 at the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo!

Located at the DoubleTree Bloomington, the Expo offers a wide array of classes, lectures, and workshops on diverse sewing topics! Enjoy a runway fashion show and view breathtaking quilts on display.

Plus, visit the vendor area where Treadle's booth will have a variety of totally NEW, exclusive fashion fabrics available for sale!

It's 3 days of sewing fun, starting TODAY!

Treadlette Tuesday: Get To Know Us

This week's Treadlette is Julia! Hi Julia!

"I started sewing with our family friend Suzy Sewell when I was in fifth or sixth grade. When I was in seventh grade I joined 4H and began a more formal study: reading patterns and having garments 'graded' at county events."

Like most of our Treadlettes, she's been with us a while! "I started at Treadle in 1986, left in 1987, then returned in 1998."

Project-wise, it seems like Julia always has something cooking! "I like to sew gifts for other people: pillowcases, camp shirts for my husband, and last year stuffed dogs for my family."

Julia also makes great dresses. We've had several of her projects displayed in the store recently, like this cute chambray double gauze dress.

"I'm a bit late to the 'sewing with knits' party, but am enjoying trying to find the perfect t shirt pattern. I really enjoy a soft knit, especially cotton!

"My most recent project is a t shirt pattern that can also be lengthened to a dress. When it fits correctly as a top, I look forward to making both the dress and many iterations of both!" We look forward to seeing it. Thanks, Julia!

Dressmaker's Essentials

Sewing isn't just about the fun, flashy fabrics. Sometimes you need plainer fabrics to help support your stars, especially with formal and bridal sewing. We've put together a group of essential dressmaking fabrics to share with you. They may not be the most exciting on their own, but they'll lend an invaluable hand to your sewing!

(We've photographed most of these over blue paper to better show the texture.)

First up, a soft, draping, sheer white net. This is a gorgeous alternative to traditional bridal veiling. It would also give soft support as a petticoat under formal dresses.

This soft cotton bobbinette is a rich creamy ivory color and another perfect veiling material. It would also be a gorgeous base for traditional embroidery to give a needlepoint lace effect.

Our new cotton organdy is semi-sheer and paper-crisp. Use it for rustling petticoat ruffles and interfacing hems on silk.

Our new nylon crinoline is super sheer and so stiff you could practically build a ship with it! Use for supporting the fullest ballgown skirts and the heaviest bridal satin.

Horsehair braid in various widths is a crisp hem essential. When you need a structured edge, horsehair braid is the answer. The wider widths have a small cord woven in; to shape the braid around a curved hem, simply pull the cord to draw in one edge!

This soft dotted netting is another lovely alternative to traditional tulle veiling.

The dotted net is also available in black!

Don't overlook these dressmaking essentials. Treadle Yard Goods has you covered!

Cotton Knit Prints

Everyone loves wearing knits! With colorful, creative prints like these, you can have a fun fabric AND comfy, easy knit styling!

Knits are great for gift sewing since you don't need to fit them as precisely as wovens. Shirts, dresses, pajamas, and lounge pants (for kids and adults!) are perfect in cotton knit.

Treadlette Tuesday: Get To Know Us

Today let's chat with longtime Treadlette Anne! Anne started at Treadle in 1979, making her one of our longest-running Treadlettes.

Anne started sewing way back in 7th grade Home Ec. She made a gingham apron and a dress. "But I wasn't defeated yet," she says. Her mother also sewed and they spent long sewing weekends up North working on projects. Sounds like bliss to me!

Anne spent years enjoying sewing from designer patterns such as Calvin Klein, Perry Ellis, Adri, and Issey Miyake. "Their simple styles appealed to me and I made them up in linens and cottons. I still use these patterns once in a while.

"But I have become very fond of quilting - I love putting color and pattern together! It's a lot like jigsaw puzzles - my very favorite pastime!"

Anne made this fabulous quilt a few years ago from a Tula Pink fabric bundle. Her beautifully precise construction really set off these zingy bright fabrics!

Anne also loves making Christmas stockings. "They range from elegant pieced styles with lace and tassels to very silly felt stockings for my special canine and feline buddies."

One of Anne's favorite techniques is bias bindings. "I love making bias bindings. I've even gone so far as to convince co-workers that their projects needs this extra touch just so I could make it for them!"

Current projects? "I'm working on a pieced table runner. I had intended to use only what I had in my stash, but you all know how that goes."

Recently Anne moved to a town a bit father away from Treadle, so she isn't working with us as often. But you'll still see her on the occasional weekend! Be sure to say hi!

You can read previous posts in our Get To Know Us series here! And look for more every Treadlette Tuesday!