Category: craft business

Travel irons for quilt retreats and classes

September 3, 2026

I now understand how Oliso mini iron aficionados must feel as they open the final instructions checklist for an upcoming retreat or class only to learn that they need to leave their 1,000 watt Oliso mini iron at home and bring something more in the 400 watt range to avoid tripping circuit breakers at the retreat center.

My recent experience was just the opposite. I have a 420 watt Beautural iron that I take to classes, sew days and retreats since a few of them limit the wattage on personal irons at our sewing stations. (One facility even prohibits the use of wool pressing mats after a couple of tables were damaged at a recent charity sewing event.) Yesterday, I opened the final instructions/packing list for a retreat I’m attending in a few weeks. The only iron that’s allowed is the M3Pro Oliso iron. I couldn’t help but laugh.

I thought back to 2022 when I nearly burned my fingers picking up an earlier version Oliso mini iron that had been set out for classroom use. And it’s why I refused to buy an Oliso mini iron, even though I had a full-size one in my studio (which has since been replaced by a Chi iron from Wal-Mart). After a little research, I think I understand why the M3Pro iron only rule is in place. This particular model has built in safety shut-off features similar to full-size irons, which my Beautural travel iron does not.

Our retreat is at a large hotel, so iron wattage shouldn’t be an issue. Retreat projects consist of multiple small units that’ll need to be pressed frequently and my little seam roller isn’t going to cut it. I used a gift card I’d been saving to order the least expensive M3Pro iron and cover combo (raspberry color) I could find on Amazon. I’ll try it out at this week’s library sew day.

CraftLAB – introducing counted cross-stitch

September 3, 2026
A CraftLAB participant trying counted cross-stitch

Looking for an low-hassle way to introduce cross-stitch or hand embroidery to your students? Consider inexpensive kits (under $5) found at Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, Michael’s and Wal-Mart. Choose small projects that include fabric, floss, needle, needle threader and hoop.

The cherry project kits I picked up at Hobby Lobby were $2 each. I merely pulled out my big beeswax bar and the small scissors we use in CraftLAB to complete my prep for this week’s CraftLAB session. All leftover kit supplies went home with the student in a quart-size zipper bag. (And there was enough leftover floss to make several cross-stitch Christmas ornaments!). One of the girls remarked that this would give her something to do on the plane when she travels during Fall Break.

Our next session will likely involve transforming the finished cross-stitch into something that can be clipped to their backpacks as a decoration. Following that will be a hoop art project with hand embroidery. We will start with a simple design using a back-stitch (think redwork or a line drawing with a few colors). Each girl can determine how fancy she wants her project to be. I will create the kits as I already have the supplies on-hand from previous classes taught. If not, I would consider the $3-$5 embroidery kits available at Hobby Lobby.

September is National Sewing Month

September 1, 2026

Can you believe it’s September already? Labor Day – the unofficial end of summer around here – is still almost a week away. (This means I can wear my white capris to lunch on Thursday!) While our students have been back in school for a month now, we were surprised to learn that the kids in upper Michigan and on the both the US and Canadian sides of Sault Ste Marie don’t return to school until after Labor Day. Must be nice!

Sadie and I resumed weekly visits at a local elementary school today. CraftLAB kicks-off tomorrow. Teen sewing at the public library starts mid-month. Class calendars at my local sewing machine dealers and quilt shops are filled with new classes and events. I’m teaching Sewing Machine Maintenance at the Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum on September 26th. Now’s the time to pull out your sewing machine and plan some projects to keep you busy as the days grow shorter and the weather (finally) turns cooler.

Ways to celebrate National Sewing Month:
(1) Teach a kid in your life how to sew.
(2) Find a local sewing group that meets on a monthly basis. Can be a guild, group at the library or local fabric/quilt shop.
(3) Sign-up for a class on a technique that interests you.
(4) Make a project to donate to a local charity. Pillowcases, placemats and quilts are always in need.
(5) Participate in National Jelly Roll Day on Saturday, September 19th.
(6) Begin planning now for 2027 quilt retreats. Many organizers start releasing dates this month.

As for me, I’ll be working on my guild’s paint-chip challenge quilt that’s due next month. I’ll be back to Friday sew days at the library and teaching kids how to sew. I’ll observe National Jelly Roll Day on 9/19, but am not exactly sure where I’ll be that day. And classes for the Myrtle Beach Quilt Party (in late January 2027) dropped today. Can’t decide between two of the classes, but I’ll be going – even if it winds up a BYO project retreat for me.