Bolt Neighborhood

Call for Fashion Designers of all types!

Check out this great opportunity to show off your talents, have a great time, and raise some funds and awareness for worthy organizations.  Andrea, one of the organizers passed this on.  Bolt will be featuring all three organizations being supported by this event as our Organizations of the Month during the month of May.  And, one of the organizations--Caldera--is our Org of the month for February.   Stay tuned for more on that!

Modified Style: Inspiring social transformation through sustainable art & fashion

If you're interested in sewing, creativity, helping raise money for awesome Portland-area non-profits, or having a rockin' good time at a fashion show, then you may be interested in Modified Style: Transformed Fashion Show.
 
It's all for fun!
 
 
What is Modified Style?

Modified Style is an annual fashion show and benefit that began in Seattle in 2008. The co-chairs of Portland's Modified Style, Andrea Fretwell and Janessa Philemon-Kerp, brought it down to Portland in May 2009. We are committed to raising awareness of select local non-profit organizations by featuring unique and wearable fashion created using sustainable practices by participants of all skill levels.

Modified Style '09:

• Successfully raised almost $2,000 in the first year
•  Inspired creativity in 30 designers
• Inspired confidence in 30 models
• Stephanie Ortman from Fox12 News emceed
• Prizes and donations from BridgePort Brewpub, PGE Park, Portland Center Stage, Honest Tea, Nike, Scrap, Thai Massage Clinic, and many more.
• Silent Auction
• Raised awareness and funds for Farm Sanctuary, Sisters of the Road, and Junior Achievement.

 
If you wish to participate in Modified Style '10, email us at modifiedstyle@gmail.com. Please include your contact information as well as your model's contact information (once you decide on your model). The closing date for signing up as a designer is February 25th, 2010. We will try to get all donated scrap fabric out to the designers by March 15th, leaving you approximately 2 months to make a wearable creation for a model that you choose.  Your model will show your dress at the Transformed Fashion Show  in May 2010. The event will be judged, and the top picks will receive a small prize (it's mostly for fun). A silent auction of the dresses will enable us to donate proceeds to Sisters of the Road, Out to Pasture Farm Sanctuary, and Caldera.

No sewing experience is necessary, just a creative urge or a desire to learn!

Rules and Guidelines will be emailed to designers and models by March 15th.


Resources
Facebook Page
Andrea
Sandra
Vanessa
How to Sew
How to make a sewing form
Dress making 101
Sewing Book
 
 
Interested Participants RSVP to
modifiedstyle@gmail.com
by February 25th
 
We are requesting a $25 donation from each participant. This goes to cover the cost of the room, equipment rental, copies, and all other incidental costs related to the event.  Everyone is welcome to participate whether they can afford the donation or not.  All proceeds benefit:  Sisters of the Road Cafe,  Out to Pasture Farm Sanctuaryand Caldera.
 

****Donations of fabric are welcome as well.****

If you or someone you know would like model, please let us know!
 
Please mail monetary and fabric donations to:

Modified Style
PO Box 10624
Portland, Oregon
97296

by February 25th

--
in progress:  http://www.modifiedstyle.org/

Little Sleep Well Pj’s

by Shelly.

 

As a designer of children’s patterns I’ll admit I’m quite particular about the patterns for children I buy.  I look for comfortable ease, accurate fits and style that is realistic for the everyday child.  Have you ever spent hours on an outfit for your little one just to see them squirm around saying, “I want this off”. 

As a mother I look for patterns to have clear instructions, a realistic amount of time to sew and the comfy factor.  Especially having boys, they need to have wrestling room.  When Gina suggested a class for Pj’s I was very excited.  I am a fan of “Favorite Things” patterns and the style of the Little Sleep Well Pj's particular pj’s are great.  Stylish & Comfortable.  

 

When I went to the shop to pick fabric for the shop sample I decided (with the help of very helpful Amy) to make something for a boy.  There are so many girl clothes that I thought we all needed to see something cute for the boys too.  Since the weather is still chilly I decided to use a nice flannel. The flannel Bolt has in stock is such great quality and the prints by Amy Butler and Anna Maria Horner are better than anything I have ever seen when it comes to flannel.  This is the type of flannel that will last without pilling and because of this factor these pj’s will make for a terrific hand me down.  

Join me for class Thursdays 2/11 & 2/18, 6:30-8:30pm.

Japanese imports

by Gina.

There are just so many great new prints from Kokka, our much loved Japanese fabric supplier, that I just don't know where to start.  I couldn't dare pass up the awesome orange and purple streetcar print for a city like Portland.  There are a few different transportation oriented heavier weight prints--trucks, tugboats and bikes.  There are also a few kids' stories prints including the Wizard of Oz print above and the most subdue, sweet, curious Alice in Wonderland print on double gauze.  That one didn't make it into the photos, along with a few other really fantastic new double gauze prints...I have to keep you wondering about something, right?  

And, from Japanese designer Etsuko Furaya, of Echino--more wildlife floating among trees and shrubbery.  Pretty cool.  Great colors and images.  A couple of bird prints in the group, one going from selvage to selvage, perfect for a short dress, or cut it in half and have two different images for your project.  Clever.  The photo's sort of weird as it was taken horizontally and then rotated.  You get the idea though.

A box from Kona Bay was opened up last night too, with a great koi / wave two-tone and a couple of bold, Asian panel prints.  The other box was filled with more copies of Stitch!  Yay.  If you didn't have a chance to pick one up last time, now's your opportunity.  It's a great magazine full of great projects.  Some even by a few of our local favorite gals.

 
Finally, last week we received a couple of gorgeous silks.  They were hiding a bit, wrapped inside out on bolts.  They were re-rolled onto tubes, right side out, so they can lure you in with all their glory.  I don't order much in the way of slippery silks, but I just couldn't pass them up.  So rich and lovely.

Don't forget, the class list is on the website, and when you see the "previous" button, click on it to see the rest of the list.  Hope to see you soon!

 

  

 

New, new, new...and a sale reminder!

by Gina.

 
It feels like it's been weeks and weeks since I've posted anything about new things at the store.  Maybe it has been...anyway, I've got lots to share!  A new group from Patty Young for Michael Miller arrived, along with some cute, recognizably Michael Miller animals and dots.

Some quirky designs from Lecien of little mushrooms, deer, and chickens.  I really like the many, many eggs around the chickens.  Pretty darn cute.

 
A few western-y prints done well by Moda.  Includes cowgirls and cowboys.  

Bright florals from Tanya Whalen's Dolce line.  And, lastly, the package that was being opened just before I left the store yesterday was full of fine quality, heavier weigth red/cream and brown/cream ticking.  Soft, wide, durable.  Perfect for housewares (dishtowels, napkins, place mats, slipcovers, pillows, curtains), or clothing and accessories (bags of all sorts, pants, skirt...).

 
And, I saved the sweetest for last.  Amy, who wrote up the great review on The Sewing Bible, has made up the ever-so-sweet wrist pin cushions.  Many of you have asked if we carry them and I've never been fond of the plastic cuff, or ill-fitting elastic. Then Amy showed me hers: soft, pillowy, beauties.  The cushion is nice and thick so you won't be pricking yourself when stowing a pin and the strap is made of soft twill tape and velcro.  No plastic cuff!  Check them out when you're in next.  Thanks Amy!   

Don't forget!  This Saturday (tomorrow), the 30th will be a special sale day to benefit our organization of the month--P.E.O. All books and patterns will be 20% off and at the end of the day 10% of the day's total sales (total, not only books and patterns) goes to P.E.O.  So come pick up that title you' ve been eyeing, or anything else you could use and help support a great organization!

PS--be sure to check out the latest class list on the website.  After scrolling through the first page of classes, click on the "previous" button and you'll see the rest of the list.

 

Tote for Christmas

by Lupine.

This is the gift I made for my lovely Mother for Christmas. She loved it, and actually requested some sort of bag specifically. She had some very specific requests and I wasn't sure that this tote would be something she could use, but I figured that one way or another it would get used it in the garden come spring since it is really supposed to be a garden tote.

It is from Lotta Jansdotter Simple Sewing. The pattern was a breeze, but the instructions left out a couple steps and the supply list had some holes. Luckily the pictures were good and I could tell that there were things I would need that weren't listed in the supplies.

I got some great help at the store choosing fabric (thanks Amy), and loved using a bit of Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley line. Mostly I love the printed bias tape that really worked so nicely with this. There are some great printed tapes in the store and they are in bulk, which makes it easy to get just the right amount. 

I got everything for this bag at one time except the boring old canvas which I had from many years ago. I like the natural canvas but knew that it would get awfully dirty fast if I left it that color, so I found the lovely cinnamon color to wrap around for the outside pocket. Shopping for fabric for projects is definitely one of the best parts.

I did add this custom lined inside pocket, which was a breeze. I just added it to the lining before joining the main fabric and the lining together. Working on bags is not something that I do a lot of, but it sure is fun. There is no fitting involved! Easy peasy!  

New Liberty prints are here!

by Gina.

 
That's right.  We've just received eight Liberty of London prints and they are gorgeous, as expected.  There are a couple of repeat prints (the city map and the Cesar--peacock--print), in different colors than we've had in the past.  Other arrivals this past week include new Westminster prints (in pic below) from Kaffe Fassett, Brandon Mably and Philip Jacobs, more recycled hemp/organic cotton woven, the ever popular organic cotton/ soybean knits, a sweet, playful line called Wild Thyme, and cutie pie owl prints on fleece from Valorie Wells.

If you haven't yet touched Anna Maria Horner's new line, Little Folks, you really should.  It is so silky soft.  There's a great post over at Craft about the designer if you want a peek inside the designing process.  There are also some great new fleece-y, sweatery pieces in and more gorgeous wool to get us through the winter months.

 
We are starting a new program at the store that features a different charitable community organization each month.  At some point in the month you'll see a write up about the organization here by someone involved with it, as well as a special sale day to raise funds.  I will announce the details of the special with a week or two notice and a portion of the day's total sales will go to the group.  In store you will see some sort of display along with a write up, so you can learn more about each organization and how to get involved if you'd like. 

P.E.O. is our group for January.  They are women promoting educational opportunities for women.  We will have a post from Margi--our P.E.O. connection--next week.  In the meantime, check out their website for more information and mark your calendars for a sale on Saturday, January 30th.  All books and patterns will be 20% off and at the end of the day, 10% of the day's sales will be donated to P.E.O.  So come by, pick up some new patterns and books and help out a great organization!

So lovely.

by Gina.

The Anna Maria Horner Little Folks just arrived!  It is amazing.  So silky soft. It is the most fluid cotton I've ever seen.  The colors are brilliant.  The patterns fresh, vibrant and rich.  It's amazing.  I can't wait to see it sewn up into gorgeous clothing, luxuriously soft pillows, pretty much anything you make with this fabric is going to be incredible.  There are also the dobby panels and stripes.  So sweet, with such rich colors.

We have been busy making up more jelly rolls and lots of fat quarters from the Heather Bailey Nicey Jane line and the Denyse Schmidt Hope Valley line.  Perfect for last minute gifts!  We have a slew of packages we haven't even had a chance to open up.  Thank you for keeping us so busy.  We promise you'll get to see what's in all those packages soon.  Promise.  We have a new little shelf up high on top of one of the fabric cabinets where serger thread will soon live.  We can special order specific colors if you don't see the one you want.  We also will be unpacking wool / rayon felt bolts, 36" wide.  We hope this helps you be able to get just the right amount for your project.

Don't forget we'll be open 10-6 this coming Monday as well as the Monday after Christmas.

ahhh, warmth

by Gina.

 

It's really cold here.  Bitter cold.  Not Arctic tundra cold, but cold for us used to the fairly mild fall-winter weather that we usually get here.  The cold was so present in my thoughts, it dictated what I purchased today for the store: fleece and flannel.

I wasn't planning on picking up more fleece and flannel, but that's what happened.  All of a sudden I found myself stuffing the third big, fluffy bolt of fleece into my cart.  I kept it pretty mellow with colors--charcoal, ivory and brown.  I started thinking about different projects and thought of scarves.  I pictured a simple strip of fleece with a lovely print attached to dolly it up.  So, since the fleece wasn't going to make a particularly interesting photo on its own, I tossed in a couple of cotton prints that I was thinking of using.

A reminder of our holiday schedule:

We'll have extended hours on Mondays, 12/21 and 12/28, 10 am to 6 pm.  We will close at 3 pm on Tuesday, 12/22 and re-open Sunday, 12/27 at 11 am. 

See you soon!

It's here, it's here, it's here!

by Gina.

 
I feel like I've been waiting so excitedly all week for the arrival of the new Denyse Schmidt line, Hope Valley.  When I walked into the store yesterday morning, there it was.  Three big ol' boxes stashed behind the cutting table.  It's a great line of fabric.  It has been quite a while since I've ordered a complete line.  I've found myself drawn to some, or maybe even most prints in a line, but too wishy-washy about some to justify ordering it complete.  So, I'm thrilled that one came along and made it easy for me to say, "I want the whole thing."

As I entered all the fabric into our computer I kept thinking about how I would talk about it here.  It's great.  It's simple and expansive.  Simple in the sense that there are three color-ways, each print is in each of those three colors and there are only 8 or so prints.  Expansive in that the colors she's used are broad ranging.  There's the "fiesta" group that has oranges, pinks, mauves, a little sherbety, but not too sweet. There's the "new day" group that is blue and grey, subdued and then the "piney woods" group that has olive and yellowy-greens, and brown.  They're all so lovely and great mixed up together.  The joy of seeing them all together in their glory lasts only a little while before the bolts get skinny and clear out, so come see it while you can!

 

Although I find myself gushing so much over this collection, I do not want to ignore all the other fantastic things we received this week.  It's been a great week of opening boxes!  The remaining items from Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane arrived.  Very cute and fun colors.  It's a great combination of florals and geometrics.

Next, we've got Anna Maria Horner's much anticipated coated cottons.  It's the lovely, pliable, wide goods from Westminster Fibers/ Free Spirit, in her adorable new prints.  A cute little group of wildlife-y prints with racoons and squirrels and such, some fine looking yarn dyes from Kaffe Fasset and the group above with richly colored tone on tone prints and sophisticated insects.  With all these great new things to choose from, how will you decide?

What do you think?

by Gina.

cutie owls and butterflies in home dec weight from Alexander Henry

I’m on the fence with a purchasing decision and thought I might try asking our customers for their thoughts.  Novel idea, right?!  There are some amazing new fabrics from Mod Green Pod—they are organic cotton, upholstery weight, and made in the U.S.  What?!  All that?? You ask.  Yep, and they are great designs—modern, colorful, fun, and simple.  They retail for around $40 / yard.  I would love to bring them into the store, but am curious how many of you out there are interested.  Leave a comment, let me know, or mention it to us when you’re in the store next.

http://modgreenpod.com/

The other amazing, amazing fabric that I’m so absolutely in love with is from Australia.  Three gals hand silk screen cloth in their studio over there.  The coolest designs, the most lovely of colors.  Ink and Spindle is what they go by and it would retail for about $70 a yard or more, or around $14 per fat quarter (and that would be approximately 18” square).  It’s a treat to gaze upon their designs.  Again, I’m curious to know how many folks out there would be interested.  It’s a departure from what I typically carry as far as price goes, so let me know what you think. 

http://inkandspindle.com/index.html

Thanks and enjoy browsing!