The Clothesline Newsletter - Dec 09 - Happy Christmas Edition

Deck the Halls...bruise your hand...

Hope your Christmas brings you ice-cream pudding, prawns on the barbie, pristine white sand beaches, and all the great things an Australian Christmas has to offer!

To decorate your deck for the big day, try our sew-it-yourself decorations - super-easy instructions are found here in our Free Projects section.

Hand-made Christmas pressies

T'would be lovely to give handmade Christmas pressies out every year, but sometimes we just run out of time!  Take advantage of someone else's hard work at the Twilight Design market on this Friday 11 Dec (4 to 8pm) at the Gallery of Modern Art forecourt here in Brisbane.  Don't forget to take a look at my sister-in-law Kia's stall of handmade goodies! For those living furthur afield, shop at www.etsy.com to strike a blow against mass-production.

Share the love!

Gift tagStuck for a present for that crafty friend/relative that lives interstate?  Let Clothesline play Santa for you! At no extra cost, we'll gift wrap an In the Beginning pattern pack, write the gift tag and post it to your loved one. Simply use "Add Special Instructions to Seller" to let us know what you'd like written on the gift tag.  When you reach "Deliver to" on your order, change it to add your friend/relative's name and address.  Sorry, offer applies to Australian addresses only. Please order by 11 Dec 09 to ensure it arrives before Christmas.

Dec 11 is also the last day of our Teachers Sale.  Bulk Boxes of 10 In the Beginning pattern packs are on sale at wholesale price of $99.95, a great saving, for a short time only.

Have a lovely break.  Hope you find some time to sew something fabulous!

Cheers

Carmen @ Clothesline

 

 

 

 

 

The Clothesline Newsletter - Nov 2009 - Just for Teachers Edition

Bargain Hunters!  It's a geniune Sale!

In 2010, Clothesline is going green, changing from printed, packaged and posted Clothesline patterns to eco-friendly digital downloads. We're selling off our current printed stock at cost price! Only until 11 Dec 09, Bulk Boxes of 10 In the Beginning pattern packs are $99.95, a saving of 60% on the price of individual patterns. 

Please order early to ensure adequate stock is available and delivered to your school before everyone heads off on holidays!

 

When men sew...

I enjoyed watching my friend Craig slaving over a sewing machine, proving how easy Clothesline patterns are. He sewed his wife this lovely Ally top in just a couple of hours - find out why at the Clothesline blog.

There aren't a lot of patterns geared for guys, but we hope to set that straight soon.  Our next pattern release is the ubiquitous T-shirt, garment of choice for a generation of guys.  Currently working on a method of cloning your favourite T-shirt - tracing off the pieces onto clear plastic is a great intro to simple pattern making.

 

Book Reviews

Fellow bookworms might like to peruse my favourite sewing reference books in the new Book Review section.  I've selected titles of interest to those who like sewing clothing, and included some that cater for beginners to very advanced. Please feel free to drop me a line at carmen@clotheslinehangout.com to suggest your own indispensable titles.

Thanks for reading, especially to the ladies that have dropped me a line with kind comments and suggestions.

Cheers,

Carmen @ Clothesline

 

 

 

The Clothesline Newsletter - Oct 2009 The People's Edition

Finally- our much requested wrap skirt free project is up on-line!  Because it's made from two pillowslips, it's perfect for beginners -  a lot of the stitching is already done for you.  This piece of instant gratification is  essentially a tube shape with ribbons that can be worn three ways.  Also pleased to announce that I've worked out how to put all our free projects into  easy to follow slideshow format.

Hope all you students and teachers had a great September school holiday.  I spent a week on Moreton Island at our church camp for kids and teens.  Catch up on the budget priced group crafts we made on the Clothesline blog.

Sewing patterns that you download off the internet are  available instantly any time, cheaper than traditional patterns, but you do have to print and piece together the pattern pieces.  Finally bit the bullet and sewed this skirt from a downloaded pattern.   It was oddly therapeutic putting together the  A4 pages ( a bit like doing a very easy jigsaw puzzle!)  This got me thinking... Would you like downloadable patterns from Clothesline?  Have your say at the Clothesline forum.

 

The Clothesline Newsletter - Sep 2009 Everyone Else Edition from Vogue April 2008Had a lovely time at the HEIAQ (Home-Ec Teachers) Conference where Clothesline had a trade show display.  Sat in on a great session with the Head of Fashion from local university QUT.  She gave a slide show presentation of photos from magazines like Vogue (see pic) and showed how the pattern pieces were made from simple shapes like circles and rectangles. 

Made me think that Clothesline should offer some simple step-by-step instructions to draft your own patterns.  Anyone who likes this idea, please visit our newly formed discussion forum, Threads, to register your interest.  While you're there, feel free to post any sewing related questions and topics you'd like to discuss.

The Clothesline Showbag

I so enjoyed making a Goodie Bag for the Conference (all that cutting, stamping and glueing is quite therapeutic!), that I've put together a limited number of extra ones.

Showbag Contents:- In the Beginning pattern pack, black tote bag, cute tapemeasure in a tin, black jumbo ric-rac, red twill tape, sewing resources bookmark and a tiny sewing repair kit.

Price:- $35 AUD + $5 Postage Australia Wide - Total:- $40 AUD.

Order yours at our store ...  (Sorry I can't offer free postage as they're a bit heavier than patterns to post.  Overseas buyers please email me for postage costs.)

Photographing what you've made...

We love to see photos of what you've made from Clothesline projects.  Remember you can win $100 Funky Fabrix On-line gift voucher, if you send your snaps before 31 Aug 09.  

Having trouble taking some nice happy snaps?  Clothes look better in real life than in photos? Try these tips from the Clothesline Blog for taking better shots...  Yes, we rashly promise you can look "ten pounds lighter in photos"!

Thanks for reading,

Cheers,

Carmen @ Clothesline

 Notice Board - the Clothesline Newsletter 1 August 2009

New Free Sewing Project 

Recycled cushion cover & pillowcase!Noticing how plastic bags seem to be reproducing themselves in the third drawer of my kitchen bench, I decided I need to use more cloth bags.  Here's the easiest ever fully-lined, reversible bag to stitch up.  Instructions have just been added to our free sewing projects section.

 

 

Funky Fabrix Contest Closes 31 Aug 09

We love Cailin's version of our Halle dress!No skills required!  It's sheer luck! Just send a photo of a Clothesline project you've made (from our free projects or In the Beginning patterns) to carmenhf@bigpond.com.  Mark your entry "Show and Tell"  and label it "For your eyes only" if you don't want it splashed all over the internet, as I'm doing right now with Cailin's entry! The prize - $100 worth of Funky Fabrix to add to your stash.

 

See you at the Show!

 

Taking my trusty portable clothesline to the Home Economics Institute's Creativity Conference at the Brisbane Convention Centre on 8/8/09.  Everyone loves a showbag, so I'm making up some Clothesline showbags too.  Teachers, I'm a bit on the shy side, so please come and tap me on the shoulder and say hello!

 

Thanks for reading,

Cheers,

Carmen @ Clothesline

 

Notice Board - The Clothesline Newsletter Winter Edition 16 June 2009

What's been going on?

Clothesline began in August 2008, as a sewing resource for Textiles teachers. But thanks to a tiny article in Frankie magazine, internet bloggers, and word of mouth, teachers are now just one part of our clientele. But teachers, you aren't forgotten! Our new free project is especially for you, as we know most of you have access to sergers.

We've seen some lovely finished projects like Nicole L.'s  Minnie apron(pictured). Don't forget to email pictures of what you've made to go in the draw for $100 Funky Fabrix gift voucher. (Closing date is 31 August 2009 - mark your entry "For Your Eyes Only" if you would prefer it not to be used for publicity).

"The ability to accessorize is what separates us from the animals"  ... Olympia Dukakis in the film Steel Magnolias.

Learn to make your own scarves, bandanas, even the humble, eco-friendly hankie, using a serger / overlocker. Our new free project, Sew Accessories on a Serger, gives tips on taming the four-threaded beast!

When it comes to scarves, I'd like to look like Audrey Hepburn on her Vespa, but usually resemble Queen Elizabeth walking her corgis. For remedial accessorizers like me, see Cosmo's tips on how to wear 'em!

 

Green is the New Black

Sunday Mail June 7 2009Clothesline's up-coming pattern range, Green is the New Black, is all about eco-friendly, recycled clothing.

Why do we care about environmentally friendly, ethical clothing?
Your clothes are hiding some dirty secrets! Factory workers paid $2.50 for a ten-hour working day, cotton farmers using pesticides so toxic a single drop could kill them, polluted manufacturing communities where children think the sky is brown, not blue ...

Eco-fashion is the movement dedicated to tackling these problems. Supporters such as Summer Rayne Oakes (pictured), author of Style Naturally, promote and wear clothes produced by companies following sustainable practices using organic, recycled or ethically sourced materials.
There's a lot to love about ethical fashion, and we hope to do our bit for the cause !

 The Clothesline Blog

Yes, we've succumbed and joined the millions of blog writers!
The Clothesline Blog documents what is influencing our next pattern release. It covers sewing experiments, (like the pictured dress recycled from an oversized man's shirt), stories, inspiring websites...

Please read along (hit your RSS button and subscribe!) as we need your feedback on new green projects like our wrap skirt recycled from two pillowslips. Leave a comment for us - we'd love to hear from you!

Cheers,
Carmen @ Clothesline

  

The Clothesline Newsletter - Everyone Edition - 24 March 2009

You deserve a medal!

 

Aaron, a Manual Arts teacher at a really tough high school, amazes us with horror stories about what he puts up with at school. But he says it's all worth it when he gets through to his students.

We think he (and lots of other teachers too) deserves a hefty payrise and a medal. The payrise we can't do, but here's your medal!

Full photo instructions to make your own are here. 

 

Show us what you've got!

It's on.  Send us a photo of the

Clothesline project you've made and go in the draw for $100 Gift Voucher from Funky Fabrix Online!

Open to everyone - students, teachers, craftsters, friends and family  ... everyone except me, really. 

Email your photos to carmenhf@bigpond.com.  Enter as many times as you like - make 50 different Best in Show medals and you have 50 chances to win!

More...

 

The Carnival is Over... on 31 March 2009.

The very cheap postage carnival, that is.  After 31 March, postage will rise to $4.95 per pattern instead of the bargain basement price of 5 cents.  Postage costs for bulk packs of 10 will also rise dramatically from $0.00 to $24.95. 

So please buy up now, as I can't extend our Introductory Offer past that date (or I will incur the wrath of Ric, my business mentor!) 

 

 

The Clothesline Newsletter - Teacher's Edition - 16 March 2009

Free Fabric Give-Away!

 

A teacher told me she thought home sewing was dead because there aren't any more good fabric stores. It's true, a lot of draperies have closed their doors, so I was delighted to finally find a terrific on-line store - Funky Fabrix. Bought the pictured Amy Butler fabric (shipping is free!) and made a sweet little skirt with just a metre of it.

Last week, I dropped in to Funky Fabrix as it's based in Brisbane (nice - the kind of shop I'd love to own!). Met the owners, Shona and Jason and concocted the Free Fabric Give-away Deal, so now you can try Funky Fabrix too.

For every ten In the Beginning patterns purchased, get a free $25 gift voucher to spend at Funky Fabrix Online. Buy 100 patterns and that's $250 worth of free fabric!

Brace yourself - Funky Fabrix is not Spotlight cheap, but it is full of some beautiful treats to indulge yourself in. Take a look at their lovely wares at www.funkyfabrixonline.com.

Sorry, the free fabric offer and our 5 cent shipping deal ( normal shipping price - $4.95 per pack) will expire on 31 March 2009, so order now for Term 2 and Semester 2 classes.

Please act quickly - we hate the sound of gnashing teeth should you miss out!

 

Thanks for the glowing Report Card!

Clothesline Report Card

We recently surveyed teachers who bought our In the Beginning pattern pack, asking them to give us marks out of 10 for:

1. appearance
2. ease of instructions
3. value for money
4. suitability for students and
5. overall satisfaction.

We're happy to report responses in the 8/10 to 10/10 range, with one teacher giving us a perfect score of five 10's!

Beat the Recession - Recycle yourPatterns

Save your school 60% on re-ordering costs

Recycle the In the Beginning pattern pack and use it again for another class.

Recycle Kits contain new pattern template sheets, new shopping lists to tick and a new Sizing Up section to record students' measurements.

Add these to the original Instruction Booklet and it's sturdy document envelope and you're good to go with another class!

Recycle Kits are just $8 plus $1.95 postage Australia-wide - a total of $9.95 each. Read more...