Recently I had an inquiry asking what are sack towels, what is the fabric like, do they wash easily?  It made me decide a little Sack Towel History might be enjoyable for everyone. Here are comments from AnnTheGram website in September, 2008.

“Flour sacks are originally from the old flour sacks and feed sacks.  Back in the 30s, women started utilizing the empty sacks and made clothing from them, dish towels, pillowcases, clothespin bags, etc.  Times were bad with the depression.  “Sack dresses” originated during this time period.  They came back in the 60s again too.  The women begged the manufacturers of chicken feed, horse feed, flour and sugar to please make the sacks softer to the touch and try to add some color to them.  Hence, the feedsack quilts of the 30s originated with beautiful colorful prints.  Win/win situation.  Chickens ate well and you had a purty new dress.

The sizing on these towels are irregular today because they are still holding true to what a grain sack was back when.  The grain sack was sewn on one side and bottom and then, the ladies removed the stitching and viola, 30 x 29 inches, etc.  In fact, if the stitching was left in place, it was a perfect, already made pillowcase.  Also, in the 30s, they saved the thread from the side seam and later used to hem any of the items.”

Think how many trees were saved with sack towels…guess that is another subject!  We love sack towels at Creative Chics, check out just a few of the new designs Deb and I have online at www.creativechics.com.

We hope all of you have had a wonderful holiday season and send our very best wishes for a 2010 full of love, joy and peace…

I am not sure I am ready for the holiday to end but reality tells me it is time to get some blog posts up for the month and let everyone know we are back in action.

Creative Chics had a phenomenal holiday online considering it was only six months into our venture.  I have only one designer fabric apron left in my inventory and have not taken time to count how many I made between November 1st and Christmas.  Deb sold Christmas bags like candy to kids.  We certainly appreciate everyone’s support and look forward to 2010 and showing off some new projects and designs.

These photos are sack towel embroidery designs that will be posted online today.  These vintage animals are adorable and towels can be personalized.

We made gifts for Christmas for family members that were so appreciated we decided to offer them online.

Here is an example of dog towels I made for my families pets.

Deb embroidered family initials on large spa sized bath towels that were a huge hit. 

We want to thank everyone again, family, friends and all the new friends we have made and look forward to a fun, fulfilling and very creative 2010.

Deb and I are attending a Christmas charity event with a few of our homemade items today.  We will be at the Shawnee Presbyterian Church, 6837 Nieman Rd, Shawnee, KS 66203 between the hours of 10:00 and 4:00.  If your out doing some shopping and can take time we would love for you to stop by and say hello.

Here are a couple pictures of the busy sewing room of Deb this week, busy, busy, busy…orders everywhere

I was invited to participate at Fave Crafts in their presentation of sewing tutorials for the holiday.

I took an apron already in my supply of inventory and here is the result.  Click on the link to view:

http://www.favecrafts.com/Holiday-Sewing/Holiday-Apron-Tutorial

Yesterday we had our 100th sale when an apron in our Creative Chics store was sold to a gentleman in Spain!!!

We opened our store July 24th and in 84 days hit the 100th sale online mark!!  We think that is awesome.   We had set that goal to occur by year end so needless to say we are thrilled with the response we have had to our inventory of items.

This week I sold aprons to a lady in Canada, a lady in Finland and the gentleman in Spain.  Shows you what a small world we truly live in as probably 25% of our sales are international.  I know I speak for all of the Chic’s in saying how exciting this year has been for us, so “thank you”.

Thank you so much friends, family, and people around the world, we appreciate you!

To celebrate with you we are giving away three lavender sachets free with any order and applying a 5% discount on orders of $25.00 or more and a 10% discount on orders of $100.00 or more with any purchase today through Friday the 20th of November.  If you had your heart on an item you were planning on purchasing for Christmas giving now is the time to place the order and be a part of our three day celebration.  Please convo us before placing your order so we can apply your discount.

Note:  Discount will not apply to handbags/purses/totes due to clearance prices already marked on all of those items. These are priced to make excellent Christmas gifts for the ladies on your list.

There are lots of new items in the store to choose from; here are a select few.

Candy Cane  Napkins                                                     Cowgirl Gift Bag

Yule Critters Gift Bag                                             Joel Dewberry Napkins

More at http://creativechics.etsy.com

Most of us are pretty good at taking leftover food and making a sandwich, soup, or a warmed up meal.  When it comes to fabric sometimes you have small amounts of fabric, too large to throw away but what do you do with them?

Deb and I both have come up with a few ideas.  She has used hers to liven up a gift bag with colorful fabric, here’s an example.

I took some of the leftovers and decided to try a  few ideas putting them on hand towels for Christmas. I was working with a 4″ deep strip that is the width of the fabric.

Here are a couple of the results of my efforts.  I cut the reindeer out of the strip of fabric and using a satin applique stitch on my machine placed it in the center of a white towel.  Added a red ribbon that says, “Merry Christmas” and hopefully someone will enjoy placing it in their bathroom or kitchen.  The second towel is just a strip of fabric with a narrow satin ribbon sewn into place on each side to hold the fabric.  Then a Christmas ornament embroidered in red with a “Merry Christmas” greeting.

Give it a try for yourself, start by perusing the little leftover bundles at the fabric store if you don’t have any on hand.  Never know what you might make and if you do, please, please, share photos with us….

Oh we’ve been busy in our little shops, scurrying about to get all of our Christmas goodies ready for gift giving. Want to take a wee little peek inside?

These whimsical embroidered Santa’s are getting stitched and ready for wrapping gifts.

Finishing up a custom order of quilted placemats for a girlfriend.

My oh my, haven’t quite figured out how I’m going to use these sweet little snowmen on a stick yet. Hmmm, thinking of sticking them into the top of cupcakes. What do you think?

These delicately embroidered snowflakes are going to made into something that smells divine, my dears, divine!

And nothing finishes off a gift bag or beautifully wrapped gift like ribbon. So is everyone else already planning for Christmas or waiting until after Thanksgiving to get your holly jolly on? Please, do tell!

A few years ago I was a critic of the holiday season starting in July.  However, now that the “Chics” have to plan for things in advance, Cyber Monday is only 21 days away, it never seems we can get far enough ahead of the game!

Deb and I like to make things in advance but to make it really work we have to never step foot in the stores this time of year when they are displaying so many fabrics, trims, etc that we can’t resist. Our ability to resist buying one more fabric is almost non-existent and next thing you know we are going a hundred directions trying to do multiple things.

Example is very evident this week when you see all of the new products Deb has put online for the holidays.  Napkins, gift bags, kindle covers, her list is beautiful and I assure you there is more to come and especially if she goes shopping again   Here are just a few, and of course I had to sneak a few of my holiday items in there too.  If you want your purchase shipped to someone, pretty Christmas gift wrapping is available too.

Click on the link below to check all of the new holiday items at Creative Chics!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CreativeChics?section_id=6535955

Here is a picture of the underside of my cabinet above my sink.

Now this is not noticeable anywhere but above the sink.  To say it was unsightly was an understatement as they had glued the cabinets and stapled them and the glue was oozing everywhere.  Deb and I looked at each other and she began saying, “make a curtain, staple it to the cabinets to cover that up!”  Well I agreed the idea of the curtain suspended above the sink was in order but staples, uh not sure about that method.  How about suspension rods.  Yep, that will work.

I bought a yard of black and white checkered fabric and in no time had the problem covered up and the look is rather cozy and very cute.

Now that was not the end of my gee whiz why would they do that?  My breaker box is in my entry way on the only wall available for hanging a picture, etc.  Now why would that have not been inside my laundry closet which is also in the entry way?  Builders really should consult women about these things Here was the wall in my entry next to my front door and the same fabric to fix it that I used over the sink.

Out of that yard of fabric I still had a piece left so my new (cheap) table has a tendency to mar easily so with a piece of black for backing, the embroidery pattern of a rooster and some quilt binding, I used every last thread.

Pretty darned good for $4.44 don’t you think?  There is always a fix and I love it when it requires more imagination than money!

Hey everyone! Well it is finally here, our first art festival selling our own stuff. We are nervous, excited, and working down to the very last minute to get everything done for Saturday morning. Please cross your fingers and pray for sunshine for us. We don’t have a tent over our booth so rain would certainly ruin the day.

If you are in our area, we’d LOVE to see you! Stop by at Bearden’s located on 7600 Metcalf in Overland Park Kansas. We’ll be there from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. so stop by and say hi!

Momma Chic loading up the blog at 11:20 and have to be up early in the morning   Here is what is left to load in my car.

Weather forecast is rain, but I think it will miss us

Watch our blog for pictures in the coming days of our art festival debut!  Have a great weekend everyone.