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KID’S HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
Our next Kid’s Beginner’s Programme will be held on Tuesday 18th and Thursday 20th January 2022. Each student will receive their own brand new Bernette ‘Sew & Go 3’ sewing machine that they get to use in class and then take home. We will teach students the basics of how to use their new machine and then work with them to make their own tote bag.
Class Fee: $300 (includes full kit and a brand new sewing machine)
$150 deposit is required to secure a place in this class – maximum class size is 6 students age 10+.
Kids will need to bring their lunch. A sewing kit is also available for purchase for $40 and is highly recommended so all the kids are using the same tools in class.
Our Advanced Kid’s Programme will take place the following week on Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th January from 10am – 2.30pm. This time the kids will learn how to make their own zippy bag.
The class size will be limited to 8. The girls must have completed a Beginner Class with us before they are eligible to enrol in an Advanced Class. |
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JANUARY CALENDAR
Because we don’t have our regular classes until February, and also because not everyone gets to go on holiday in January, we will have some ‘Drop In’ days on Wednesdays & Fridays over the summer holidays. You can drop in at 10am, and you can stay and sew until 3pm if you want. Bring whatever UFO project you want to sew or finish and enjoy the company of others around the sewing table.
Dates for these ‘Drop In’ days will be:
Wednesday 12th January, Friday 14th January
Wednesday 19th January, Friday 21st January
Wednesday 26th January, Friday 28th January
You will need to register for these days as there will be limited room around the table. Bring your lunch and $5 for each ‘Drop In’ day you attend. You can register for as many of these as you wish over January.
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We have some BIG projects in the calendar for 2022!
The Acacia Bay Community Hall is booked for one Friday a month for the WHOLE of 2022. This is for the Coral Reef Quilt using the Foundation Paper Piecing technique with Maryann Paterson.
Maryann is giving us exclusive teaching using her expertise in 2022 and we feel very privileged that she has agreed to come and take classes through our store. She is currently the only fully qualified Quiltworks instructor in NZ.
This class has filled fast; there are only 2 places left so if you have been thinking about it, now is the time to commit. Your $280 deposit will cover the cost of papers needed for the class, and we will require this before we close for Christmas please.
The full course fee for this class for 10 months will be $930. This includes Maryann’s tuition fee, the pattern, and hall hire each month. Once you have paid your deposit, the monthly class fee will be $65 each time you come to class. We will need to collect your payment monthly, even if you do not attend, as this covers the cost of having Maryann Paterson’s professional teaching. Your fabric is additional to this fee; Maryann has been helping some students to sort their fabric colours in store – there is so much to choose from!
Dates set for this class are: 11th February, 11th March, 8th April, 13th May, 10th June, 8th July, 19th August, 9th September, 21st October & 11th November.
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STONELEIGH BLOCK OF THE MONTH
There has been a lot of interest in the Stoneleigh BOM. The first block will be released on 18th February 2022. All the patterns have now arrived and the costings have been set. A deposit of $120 will secure your patterns for the year, and the monthly fee will be $50 which will include the cost of your background fabric.
‘Stoneleigh’ by Australian designer Susan Smith (Instagram- notjuzahuswife) has a combination of needle turn, flying geese, English paper pieced hexagons, and several other techniques. There are several options for the background colour which I have ordered bolts of, and I am currently going through all the shop ‘scraps’ that will be useful for many of the 6” blocks. You will need to start gathering scraps or extra fabric for your blocks too.
We will be holding this class in store, usually on the 3rd Friday of each month, starting on Friday 18th February from 10am – 12.30pm. The dates set will be 18 February, 18 March, 22nd April, 20 May, 17 June,
15 July, 19 August, 16 September, 14 October, 18 November & 16 December – please mark your diaries now to avoid any clashes!
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A DAY AT THE ZOO PLAYMAT
The construction of this interactive playmat will be a great way to master your applique and quilting skills!
We will be running this as a Block of the Month, starting in March and running for 10 months. We will put together the kit for you each month and you can either pick up in store, or we can post to you. If you have little ones in your life that need something super cute to lie or play on, this is a practical way to do both – and it is such fun to make!
The BOM will cost $40 month which includes the pattern and kit. Postage outside of Taupo will be extra.
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THE EYE OF A NEEDLE WEEKEND RETREAT
There have been a few people whose ears have pricked up when I have mentioned that we might look at a weekend retreat next year. At this stage I am just gauging how many people might be interested. We have several locations of interest that might work for a retreat, depending on the number attending, and how far you are prepared to travel.
I’m also throwing ideas around as to whether we do a specific weekend project, or whether we just make a weekend of it from Friday afternoon until after lunch Sunday. if you are at all interested, please let me know and I will keep you posted early in the New Year. At this stage it will most likely be May/June, so you have plenty of time to book it in your diary and plan ahead! Meals will be a shared affair to keep costs down, but we hope for some delicious gourmet recipes to be shared, as well as lots of creative juices to flow over the weekend.
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BY ANNIE.COM – Switchback Convertible Backpack/Shoulder Bag
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There has always got to be a new ByAnnie bag to make! The Switchback bag was another of my lockdown projects, but I couldn’t quite complete it during lockdown because I didn’t have all the hardware!
The bag has now been finished and is on display in the shop.
It is a sturdy and versatile satchel, just the right size for running around town or taking on a trip. Adjustable straps make it easy to carry the bag in a variety of ways: over the shoulder, cross body, or as a backpack.
Switchback is designed to be made with a variety of fabrics, alternating them for a fun colour-block style. The colour-block design shows on both the front pocket and flap AND on the bag back.
A recessed zipper at the top keeps everything safe and secure and the flap may be secured to the front of the bag using attached hardware. Accessory straps on each side of the bag may be used to secure a ring of keys or a carabiner, or they may be used to help shape and close the bag. Exterior and interior pockets in a variety of styles carry and organize all of the day’s essentials. Switchback’s shape and design make it perfect for men or women of any age!
The bag measures 11″H x 11″W x 3½” D at top, 11″H x 11″W x 4½”D at bottom.
We will run a workshop to make the Switchback bag on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th January – just before school and our regular classes start again. As is normal for these bags, cutting out and quilting your pieces before class will ensure that you will get your bag finished in class.
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That’s all from me this month. I hope that there is some project to attract your interest in this newsletter!
Thank you all for your continued support this year – it’s hard to believe we are coming up to our 4TH BIRTHDAY on December 22nd! If you pop in to the shop the week before Christmas, come and share in our birthday celebrations with a piece of BIRTHDAY CAKE!
We look forward to sharing in a solid, stable 2022 – with lots more creative projects on the go…
Blessings to you all from the team at The Eye Of A Needle – and Merry Christmas!
Kay, David & Carol
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