What's the Difference Between Mending and Alterations?

The simplest way to express the difference between mending and alterations is this: if you mend something you're returning it to the way it once was. If you're making an alteration then you're changing it in some way but you still have the basic garment. (If you want to turn it into something completely different that's called refashioning.)

So if your favorite jeans have a tear in the knee you can...

Learn how to fix the tear in my Basic Mending class at the Sew-op on September 27th from 10-12. Or...

Learn how to alter the jeans into cut-offs in Rebecca's Alterations class at the Sew-op on September 29th from 5:30-7:30.

Hope to see you there!

Upcoming Events

Somehow it escaped my awareness until this afternoon that this weekend is the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival, Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 9-4. It's in Deerfield, NH, east of Concord and about a 25 mile drive from the junction of I-89 and I-93. The NH Weavers Guild and NH Spinners and Dyers Guild will be demonstrating their crafts all day both days, and there are demonstrations and workshops on needle felting, wet felting, dyeing, and drop spindles.

While we're talking about events, a few more. Many of the entries in the previous installment are still current or upcoming, so check back there as well.

Upper Valley Sew-op:
The Sew-op's classes through June 2 were listed previously. There are a few scheduled after that, for adults unless otherwise stated:

• Custom Gadget Sleeves - sew to your item's measure with a few shaping and finishing options; June 9, 5:30-7:30 PM. Basic sewing skills required.
• Skirts - sew to your own measure; June 14, 10-noon. Basic sewing skills required.
• Tech Holder, for kids - make a pouch for your MP3 player; June 21, 10-noon.
• Letter Pockets, for kids 8+ and adults - sew a simple pocket for practicalities or treasures, while learning to top stitch and sew a buttonhole; June 21, 1-3 PM.
• Tic-Tac-Toe, for kids ages 7-12 - cut and sew a felt tic-tac-toe game, including a pocket to hold the pieces and ribbon ties to roll the game up; June 28, 10-noon.

Open hours in June are every Wednesday 1-3 PM, and Monday the 16th, 23rd, and 30th 5:30-7:30 PM.

Artistree:
Artistree, in Woodstock, has a number of fibery classes and camps this summer, including one tomorrow afternoon. They're roughly chronological below, but alphabetical on the website.

• Scribble Scarf Workshop, adults and 5+ - make a wool and silk scarf, aimed at Mother's Day; May 10, 10-noon.
• Silk Painting, adults and 12+ - tracing, dye resist, and painting; June 7, 9 AM-4 PM with hour lunch; may also register for 9-12 only.
• Fiber Arts Studio, ages 5+ - weekly studio of knitting, felting, knotting, and twisting; Wednesdays June 18-August 13, 1-3 PM. Register for individual sessions or the whole series.
• Simply Crafts, adults and 15+ - three sessions dedicated to different crafts: rag wreaths, easy canvas art, and nail and string art; June 28, July 26, and August 16, 10-noon. Register for individual sessions or the whole series.
• Dragons and Fiber Craft Camp, ages 7-12 - four days of felting, weaving, and sewing dragon-related items; June 30-July 3, 9-12 AM.
• Hand-sewn, Hand-made: Designing and Creating with Fabric, ages 7-12 - five days of creating textile accessories, learning fundamental hand sewing techniques along the way; July 7-11 or August 11-15, 1-3:30 PM.
• Fashion Camp, ages 8+ - five days of restyling clothing with sewing machines and embellishments; July 14-18, 9-noon.
• Zombie Sock Monkeys, 8+ and adult friends - just what it sounds like; July 19, 10 AM-12:30 PM.
• Shibori Scarves, adults and 16+ - Japanese dye-resist techniques of folding, pinching, and binding; August 9, 10 AM-12:30 PM.

Upcoming Events

We've wanted since the beginning to be a source for upcoming event and class announcements, and there is no time like the present to dive into that. If you know of something coming up in the next few months that I'm missing, please announce it in the comments!

The topics below are: Yarn donation and sale to benefit COVER (White River Yarns), yarn swap (Upper Valley Knitting Guild), and upcoming classes (Upper Valley Sew-Op, AVA, League of NH Craftsmen). And don't forget about the fiddlehead craft challenge here on the blog.

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Re-Cover Store Fund Raiser, White River Yarns
Unwanted yarn, needles, notions, and bags will be collected April 15-May 15.
A yarn sale to benefit COVER will be held May 31, 8-2, at the Hotel Coolidge.
For more details see White River Yarns' webpage.

WR Yarns' latest newsletter also had summer hours, reduced from the winter and to take effect Memorial Day. We have updated the directory page.

Annual yarn swap, Upper Valley Knitting Guild
The UV Knitting Guild meetings are the 2nd Wednesday of each month, 7-9 PM at the Norwich Library. The May meeting, May 14th, will include their annual yarn (et cetera) swap: yarn, needles, books, and accessories. Bring the materials for that sweater you aren't going to get around to and pass them along to someone who will. To get on the newsletter list contact Phebe Whitworth, phebewhitworth at comcast dot net.

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Upcoming Classes

These are current to the best of my knowledge, but may change without notice, so always phone. (All classes below require registration in advance, anyway.)

AVA Gallery is offering a fabric doll making course for children age 5-8, July 21-25, 1-4 PM. AVA children's classes have separate enrollment pages for members and nonmembers, so for more information and registration visit the member listing or the nonmember listing (both for multiple offerings, so you'll have to scroll).

League of NH Craftsmen, adults:

• Beginning Tatting, Wednesdays June 4-25, 6-9 PM
• Suminigashi (marbled dye technique), Saturday August 9, 2-5 PM

See the mixed media class page for more details and registration.

League of NH Craftsmen, children and teens:

• Project Runway summer camp for ages 10-12, July 7-11, 1-4 PM
• Cloaks and Shawls (and armor) summer camp for ages 8-10, July 21-25, 9 AM-noon
• The Wonderful World of Color Captured on Fabric summer camp for ages 8-10, July 28-August 1, 1-4 PM
• Transforming (t-shirts into other items) summer camp; ages 8-12: August 4-8, 1-4 PM; ages 8-10: August 18-22, 9 AM-noon

See the summer camp section of the children's classes page for more details and registration.

Upper Valley Sew-Op:

• Learn to Crochet via Granny Squares, April 21, 5:30-7:30 PM
• Pants to Shorts, April 26, 10 AM-noon
• Girl's Smocked Sundress (adult class for child clothing), May 3, 10 AM-noon
• Basic Sewing, May 5, 5:30-7:30 PM
• Reversible Sundress (adult class for child clothing), May 17, 10 AM-noon
• Pajama Pants (adult class for clothing of size desired), June 2, 5:30-7:30 PM

For more information and to register, visit the Co-Op's calendar page. Payment for classes is currently only accepted at the class itself, via check or cash.

The Sew-op also has Open Hours, free drop-in sessions where someone is on hand who knows the Sew-op's materials and equipment and can help with projects. These are generally Mondays 5:30-7:30 PM when there is no class scheduled, Saturday 10 AM-noon when there is no class scheduled, and Wednesday 1-3 PM, but check the calendar -- in particular, the Sew-op is closed Memorial Day weekend and will be reducing its hours in July and August.

Places to take classes

Where can I learn to ... in the Upper Valley?

If you wonder this, with ... filled in with a fiber craft, you've come to the right place. This is not an exhaustive list, but a good first look. You can phone or stop in anywhere, of course, and other options for finding out about classes are listed with the individual locations.

Hanover:

• League of New Hampshire Craftsmen (felt, braiding, upholstery, repurposing clothing, needlepoint)
  13 Lebanon Street
  Hanover, NH 03755
  603-643-5384
  How else to find out: Check the Mixed Media class listing.

Hartford:

• The Upper Valley Sew-op (sewing, quilting, mending, alterations, crochet, embroidery)
  Upstairs at the Upper Valley Food Co-op
  193 North Main Street
  White River Junction, VT 05001
  802-295-5804
  How else to find out: Scroll through the Co-op's calendar, or get on the mailing list for all upstairs events. Stopping in, in this case, means stopping into the food store: announcements and signups are in front of the registers.
   
• White River Yarns (knitting, crochet, needle felting)
  49 South Main Street
  White River Junction, VT 05001
  802-295-9301
  How else to find out: Watch their webpage or Facebook page, or sign up for their email newsletter.

Lebanon:

• AVA Gallery (occasional art-oriented fiber classes)
  11 Bank Street
  Lebanon, NH 03766
  603-448-3117
  How to find out: Visit AVA's education page or sign up for their newsletter (electronic or paper).
   
• Country Woolens (knitting, spinning, needle felting)
  160 Mechanic Street
  Lebanon, NH 03766
  603-448-1840
  How to find out: Sign up for twice-yearly mailings, for classes in the fall and winter.

Norwich:

• Northern Nights Yarn Shop (knitting)
  In Norwich Square, 289 Main Street (corner of Elm and Main)
  PO Box 382
  Norwich, VT 05055
  802-649-2000
  How else to find out: Check the last page of the first section of the Valley News for class advertisements.