Aw! It's October - My Favorite Month!

October brings more Fall for me, my birthday, and more of what I love-fall colors and family time! This October is a big birthday for me. I will be 60! As I look back over the last 60 years, I have been blessed with a beautiful family, lots of wonderful friends, a cozy home, 2 careers I love, and sweet pets (Benji, Toby, Buddy, Leo). Life has not always been easy, but I have a God who is faithful and walks every step with me. 

I count Sew Katie Jean as one of my many blessings as well. I especially love the opportuntiy it has given me to get to know so many more wonderful people. I love the creativity I get to use in creating patterns and and kits, and I love thinking up new classes to offer. So what's new this month? Let's see...

Window Block: Sunflowers

This month's flower is a sunflower-another favorite of mine! Sunflowers, often seen in shades of yellow, can also be found in reds and oranges. One of my favorite attributes of sunflowers is that they turn their heads to follow the sun! Blocks are due by Saturday, Oct. 31 at closing.

October Classes and Clubs:

Tuffet Class: Thursday, 10/1 and Thursday,10/15 from 10-4 pm:

Diana Tatro is coming back for one of our favorite classes, the Tuffet! It is such a nostalgic piece and you can actually make it from sewing and building! We have these classes twice a year, so if you missed this one we will have another class in the new year. Cost is $127 for the class and $170, plus tax for the hardware kit.

Trunk Show: Baltimore Album Quilts: Friday, Oct. 2 from 4:30-6:30:

Betty Kisbey will be here to give a presentation on Baltimore Album Quilts. She will be sharing her own quilts and doing an applique make and take. We will also have appetizers and beverages. Cost is $20. 

Beginning Piecing and Quilting: Saturdays, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, and 10/24 from 9:30-3:30 pm:

This will be our last session of Beginning Piecing and Quilitng for 2026, but our next class is in January. This class is for those of you who are interested in learning to quilt. This is not a beginning sewing class. The class is four sessions and Laurie Johnson will take you through the best practices of piecing and quilting. You will start with accurate measuring and cutting to piecing, adding borders, quilting and binding. If you are interested in learning to quilt, please call the store and get on our waiting list for the class. We will call you when the next class is posted. 

Vintage Stars Series: Session 7, Oct. 8 from 10:30-3:30pm:

 Betty Kisbey will be here to continue her instruction and adventure with Vintage Stars. This month the ladies will work on borders and assembly of blocks. Please bring the blocks you made from last month to share your progress.

Make-It, Take-It Class: Pincushion/Thread Catcher: Thursday, Oct. 8 from 5:30-8:30pm:

I have seen so many ladies with these cute pincushion/ thread catcher combinations. I wanted to make one with all of you! SO this month this is our project. WE have lots of cute sewing fabric to choose from! Cost is $30 and includes dinner.

Free Motion Quilting Level 2: Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 10-3 pm:

If you have taken FMQ 1 or the equivalent, you are ready for FMQ 2. In FMQ 2, Loretta Saenz will help to build your free motion quilting confidence, while teaching circles, semi-circles and swirls. The Cost is $50. 

Turkey FPP Class: Thursday, Oct. 22 from 10-3 pm:

Look at this cute turkey! You need this in your house to greet your guests for Thanksgiving! I always feel like Thanksgiving decorations get a little short-changed, so we are offering this cute turkey to help you celebrate. Barbara Carlston will be here to teach. Cost is $60, which includes instruction and the pattern.

My Grown-Up and Me: Thursday, 10/22 from 4-6 pm:

This month we will be making a fun fall project to use in the kitchen! We will make pot holders, using an applique technique.  Our young sewists will be able to use these pot holiders during the holiday season to help the family prep for Holiday meals. Cost is $30. Of course, we always welcome sewists who are young at heart to join us as well.

Beginning Piecing & Quilting Level 2: Skill Builder: 10/28, 11/12 and 12/10 from 10-4pm:

This month will be session 4 of the Level 2 Skill Builder.  Laurie Johnson will be teaching two more blocks this month, including: Heart and Pinwheels. Please bring all of your fabric and blocks completed thus far.

Intro to English Paper Piecing: Friday, 10/30 from 10-3 pm:

English Paper Piecing is a beautiful hand sewing technique. It is a method of patchwork where fabric is wrapped around cardboard or paper to make intricate shapes like hexagons, triangles and diamonds. Once the shapes are secured on the cardboard or paper, the shapes are sewn together by hand. The paper/cardboard is removed after the shapes are sewn together. Diana Meier is the instructor. Cost is $50. 

Pizza, Pajamas and Playing With Fabric Night: Firday. 10/30 from 5-9 pm:

It's time for our Pizza, PJs and Playing with Fabric Night. Come enjoy an open sew in the evening, while wearing your PJs, snacking, and enjoying friends. Cost is $20. If you want to continue the fun, add on the Halloween Sew Day the next day for a little mini retreat!

Halloween Saturday Sew Day! Saturday, 10/31 from 9-4 pm:

Happy Halloween! Come sew with us and work on those unfinished projects. You know you always get more done when you are sewing with friends! Wear your costume for a special discount! Cost is $20.

Block of the Months:

A Road Trip:

This is our Block of the month from 2026. We will be working on our trees this month! 

Stitchin' in the Kitchen: 

Participants can pick up this month's towel and pattern starting today, Thursday, Oct. 1. September's towel features autumn leaves.

Trade Winds Wool Applique Block of the Month:

Our Trade Winds Wool Applique Block of the Month will meet two times this month.  We will meet during hand sewing on Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 10-4 as a make-up class for August when Robyn was sick. We will also meet for our final session on Thursday, 10/29. I will let you know when the kits are back from laser cutting so you can get your pieces whipped down before class. 

Looking ahead to next year's Block of the Months:

It's time to register for "Love Letters." This is a 9-month program running January through September. Registration is $40, and the monthly cost is $35. We are also taking registration for "Folk Art," and if you are on the waiting list we will be calling you to register. The cost of registration is $72, which includes the patterns. You will also need to purchase a starter thread pack for $97.50, plus tax. The monthly cost will be $40 (beginning Dec. 1), which includes the laser cut wool, punch and place sheets, as well as the flannel background fabric . You will also need to purchase additonal thread after the first month and the Creative Stitching book by Sue Spargo. 

Monthly Clubs and Sew Days: 10-4 pm, Cost $10:

10/7: Villa Rosa Club: Open to all Villa Rosa Pattern enthusiasts! Come work on your Villa Rosa patterns during this sew day. This club fills up quickly, so it is a good idea to sign up early. If the class is full, please call and get on our waiting list. We often have cancellations at the last minute.

10/6 and 10/13: Tuesday Girls (Mini Group and Sew Day): Meets the first and second Tuesdays of the month. This group has room for a few more sewists to join their Tuesday Sewing Group, so spots will open as availability permits.

10/16, 10/23 Friday Girls (Closed Mini Groups): Meets Every Friday, except the fifth Friday. This month the ladies are busy with retreats, so they are just meeting twice.

10/2, 10/9 and 10/14 Open Sew Day: Open Sew Days are for anyone who has a project to work on. These open sew days fill up quickly, so it is a good idea to register ahead. We have two extra sew days this month.

10/21 Lincoln Farm Girls: This is our Lori Holt Group where we sew all things Lori Holt. This group meets the 4th Wednesday of each month. This is a popular club, so be sure to sign up early. 

10/27: Hand Sewing Club: This club meets the 4th Tuesday of each month, and it is for hand sewing enthusiasts. If you love to embroider, do wool applique, sashiko, or any hand sewing varieties, you are welcome to join us. No machine sewing on this day. Please remember to sign up ahead of time, as this class fills up quickly.

Looking Ahead to November:

In November, we will offer School of Sewing Level 2, FMQ 3, a 3-Day Collage Class by Nancy Mayer and a special make-up Collage Day with Nancy on 11/21! We will also offer Holly Jolly Quilt Class by Betty Kisbey, and we have four of our big annual events.

Our Big Annunal Events coming in November are:

Holiday Hop Nov. 6 & 7: Friday, from 10-5 and Saturday from 9-4pm:

I hope you will be able to join us for this 2-day shop hop. We are partnering with Runs With Scissors and Fabric Garden for this fun event. Each shop will give you a pattern to make 1/3 of the door hanger, featuring a quilty snowman! We will also have kits for each section availbale for purchase, in addition to other greta kits, fabric and gifty items.

Pioneer Quilt Guild Quilt Show: Friday, 11/13 from 10-4pm and Saturday, 11/14 from 10-3pm: 

We will be a vendor at this year's Pioneer Quilt Guild Show at the Mahany Fitness Center in Roseville. We are looking forward to seeing a wonderful display of quilts by the guild, as well as seeing all of you who come to the show! Entrance fee is $10, which is good for both days.

Captain Joseph House Annual Fundraiser: Aprons and More: Thursday, Nov. 19 from 5:30-7:30pm:

We support Captain Joseph House every day at Sew Katie Jean, and you can buy aprons year round to support Gold Star Families. In November, we host an apron party to honor Captain Joseph and help fund families who go to the retreat center. Mary Jo, one of our fabulous workers, is Captain Joseph's Aunt and she makes aprons and a multitude of other items to support Captin Joseph House. I hope you will be able to come to our apron event, make a purchase to support gold star families, and get some holiday shopping done as well! The event is free and we will be serving Apple Pie! Please register online so we know how much pie to buy!

Shop Small Business Saturday, Nov. 28:    

Save the date for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28. Let's start the shopping season together! We will have special spin the wheel discounts, treats and more.

I hope to see you at some of our upcoming classes and/or sew days.

Happy October everyone! 

Tammy