Annual Retreat Recipes

 There were several requests for recipes from our Hideaway valley Retreat - especially the Ducle de Leche bars - so I am posting these recipe cards below, they should print 4x6. Enjoy!

 

Dulce de Leche bars:

These are a wonderfully gooey treat, and sooo easy to make. Perfect for the upcoming fall season!

Oatmeal Cinnamon Craisen Cookies:

These are my very favorite cookies. ever. I have a hard time finding the cinnamon chips sometimes, but these cookies are worth the hunt!

Tortellini Summer Salad:

Another simple recipe - and a great way to use up all the zucchini in your garden! I made a double batch for the retreat.

Mikells Yummy Tummy Cookies:

These are the cookies that Mikell (the Retreat owner) had made and brought to us. Everyone loved these cookies, and she was kind enough to share her recipe. This makes a really large batch.

Simple French Seam Tutorial

Why french seams you ask? Don't you have a serger?

Why yes, I do have a serger - And yes, it works and yes I can thread it.

But certain times I just prefer to use a French seam to finish my seams.

For example:

• I like to use a French seams where a hem may be visible - like on the ruffled neckline and sleeves of a peasant top.
• When I use a narrow hem, and I hem all my pieces before construction. (If I used serging construction then the serged seam allowance would go all the way to the edge and would really be visible & ugly. )
• For something heirloom quality
• If I want to make a tiny baby garment - less irritating on delicate skin
• When I want the inside of a garment to be as pretty as the outside. 
• With thin, delicate fabrics where you wouldn't want raveling to occur
• On sheer fabrics where you could see the finished edge through the fabric.

I use French seams to completely construct a peasant top, no serging at all. It might take me a little bit longer than if I constructed the garment using a serger but I feel that the end product is worth the investment in time, both for the quality and the beauty of it. 

French seams can be seem intimidating if you haven't tried them before because sewing them goes against everything you know -  what? wrong sides together, huh?...  but once you sew one you'll be amazed at how simple it is. To help you along there is a tutorial I've made and posted below.  So give it a try, and feel fancy!

Somethings to know before you begin:

Sewing French seams can require a tiny bit of math to make sure your final seam allowance is correct.

 In the examples below I have a total seam allowance of 1/2 inch, so my first stitching line is 1/4 inch and my second is also 1/4 for a total of 1/2 inch seam allowance.

If I were using a pattern with a 5/8 inch seam allowance I would place my first stitching line at 3/8 and the second at 1/4 for a total of 5/8 inch seam allowance.

below I am using a straight stitch foot, a 1/4 quilting foot works great for French seaming too.

Step 1. Place fabrics WRONG sides together and sew using a 1/4 seam allowance

Step 2. Trim seam allowance to about 1/8 inch, careful not to trim too close to stitching

Step 3. Press the seam to set the stitches

Step 4. Open fabric and fold RIGHT sides together at the seam (your raw edge is now inside your fold) Press.

Step 5. Sew another seam, using a 1/4 seam allowance along the folded edge.

 (this seam encases the raw edges you sewed earlier)

Step 6. After pressing the seam to set the stitches

press your fabrics open

Step 7. Press the French seam to one side (usually the back)

and you are done with this seam!

See how nice it looks in a finished garment?

can you even see it? look close!

Ta Da! No raw seams!

Tutorial Originally posted 2/21/10 by Cherry Bubbins

Welcome to the American Sewing Guild Salt Lake City Blog!

What is ASG?
The short of it:
A rockin' awesome sewing group!

The long of it:
 The American sewing Guild, or ASG, is a national organization with Chapters all across America. "We" happen to be the SLC chapter - but don't let the name fool you, we cover most of Utah! Our chapter is sub-divided into smaller Neighborhood Groups (NG) that meet monthly. In addition to our NG's we also have General Meetings where the chapter as a whole gets together, plus other events, classes and retreats.
 What do we do when we get together? We sew! Or we talk about sewing, learn about sewing, show off our sewing... you get the idea. It doesn't matter what you sew, what machine you sew it on, or how well you sew it, there is a place for you here.

Wanna hang out with us? 

Of course you do! 

You can find out the when's and where's here: Utah NG Meetings

 I know, some of you are thinking "what about me? I don't live in Utah!"

Don't despair - as I mentioned earlier, ASG is a national organization. Chances are, there's a chapter near you. Now, I can't promise you they will be as rockin' awesome as we are here in the Beehive State, but as a whole, fabric lovers are just cool people, so I think you'll be glad you joined! 

Why a blog?

The short of it:
Because we're a rockin' awesome sewing group!

The long of it:
To provide consistent posts about happenings around the chapter so you can stay up-to date on NG activities, special events and elections.
 In the near future we'll have posts with tutorials, free patterns and links to resources along with  interviews with members, retailers and other awesome people. While you're surfin' see what our members are up to with links to their own blogs, websites, and Etsy stores.