Stitch Adventures

In a hurry

I'm demonstrating, once again, how to procrastinate.  I knew the deadline was fast approaching for the American Sewing Guild "Sew Creative" contest.  And I do have an excuse - my quilt needed to be done for the quilt challenge last week.  However, now I only have this week to complete my sewing project.

I started with this pattern, which is Simplicity 2659.  The rules of the contest state that all items must be sewn using any of 6 Simplicity patterns, and pictures of completed items are due by May 1st.

  

After spending several months debating the many choices, I chose to make this dress.  I used a beautiful linen print fabric from my stash, and started sewing.  But the first try-on convinced me that the dress was just a sack.  Sorry, it just reminded me of what I used to wear when I was pregnant.  I know that blousy styles are fashionable right now, but they are certainly not flattering to an older woman.  In fact, I think the gathered tops are only good for skinny young people. That want to look like hippies from the 70's.

So I reinvented the dress.  Cut the dress apart under the bust, added a strip of red print cotton underneath, and put everything back together.  Now we're talking.

Then, since I only had a smidgen of red fabric left, I made some skinny piping to go around the neckline.  I would have liked to add more of the red at the hemline, but don't have any more.

I raided my moms old button box, and found these two antique buttons, with little rhinestones in the center - perfect color!

Then, I read the rules of the contest.  The only two categories I can enter are "Creative use of embellishment" or "Best outfit, 5 pieces or more".  Uh oh.  I changed the pattern, and made it into a dress I like, but embellishment?  So, I've decided, If I want to try and win, not just enter, I need to make four more pieces that will create a "weekend summer wardrobe".

Goodness, what have I challenged myself to?  A trip to the fabric store, washed all the fabric (staining my white shirt, stupid me, because I wanted to wash more than 2 yards of fabric, and threw in some of my regular washing).

I've decided to try and make a jacket, a blouse, a skirt, and a pair of pants, using two other Simplicity patterns.  One day left because the quilt show is Friday and Saturday, and I'm working both days. Kind of like mimicking Project Runway.  But, let's see what I can accomplish.

Joie de Vivre - Joy in Living

Joie de Vivre – French for “joy in living”, is a personal goal that became part of my life several years ago, inspired by an article on dying words. I try to live simply, so I will thoroughly enjoy my time, and be grateful for all that I have.  

I don't get to just go shopping and buy all the fabric and yarn I want, as I used to.  First, I try to use what I have, and take pleasure in the challenge.  But, if I really find something great, then, yes, it's okay to buy - as long as I pay with my debit card.

I try to learn something new – every day if possible. I subscribe to the “joke of the day” on the internet, and watch Jon Stewart and House because they make me laugh.

There’s always chocolate in my life too.  A piece everyday, if I want.  My birthday resolutions never contain the words “give up chocolate”.

Here's a picture of the cake my youngest daughter made for me on my last birthday. 6 layer chocolate with fresh strawberries. Pure chocolate heaven. It took me two months to eat it (a tiny slice, thawed, was quite a treat!)

My resolution at the beginning of this year was  a continuation of last year’s physical challenge – trying to be limber enough to put my palms on the floor while bending at the waist (no, I’m not allowed to bend my knees at the same time). I’m inspired by what the limber, yet much-larger-than-me women can do in yoga class – and I know I can do that too. I made it to knuckles on the floor in 2009 – so palms down, I’m going to keep on stretching.

My number 1 reason for doing this – it keeps me exercising, and that keeps my ambition of Joie de vivre active, and then I have so much energy I can sew, knit, embroider, weave, crochet and felt with the greatest of happiness. If I exercise, I have the energy and attitude to get rid of the little voice telling me that the laundry isn’t done and I need to vacuum. Those chores do get done later, when I actually feel like doing them.

Everyday, I surround myself with people who love me (or at least they think I'm interesting).  I stay away from the negative, gossiping people I know.  I smile at sales clerks, and strangers that I meet on my daily walk. I listen - with my whole attention, to those who really just need a sympathetic ear. 

What makes you smile? Do it.  Do something for the child in you!

My new Embroidery Machine - No buyer's remorse here!

So, I finally took the plunge. My new embroidery machine was sitting there in a big box for a week. Finally, I set it up on the table, but it was intimidating! I didn’t have any lessons to take, unless I wanted to fly back up to Washington, where I bought the machine at Sew Expo. And the instructional CD that came in the box wouldn’t work in my pc. (I figured out why, later).

I was having doubts (so expensive, how much would I really use it, how could I learn how to use it, etc). Finally, one evening I sat down, and using common sense and a little of the instruction book, the machine embroidered this.

What a thrill! The machine did all the sewing on its own. As each color was done, the automatic cutter snipped the threads, so I could change thread colors. It took just 10 minutes to complete.

Threading the machine was easy. (Being a Janome, it was exactly like the machines I bought to teach beginning sewing to my students). I used tearaway stabilizer and muslin fabric in the smallest hoop that came with the machine. Following the instructions on the screen, I was fascinated to see the machine complete the design so quickly. So then, I added my name, and off it went again.

Isn’t technology great? I can’t wait to try more. Next design will be bigger, and I’ll film a video so you can see what it does.

I love it, I’m worth it, and yes, I’ll be using it a lot.

Sew Expo is the Best

It must be the after affects of the Sew Expo in Washington, which I went to last month. For some reason, while on my morning walk, I started whistling “Oh what a beautiful morning” from the musical Oklahoma. The song exemplifies the three euphoric days I spent being inspired, overwhelmed, and enlightened. As one lady checking out from my hotel said, (in a sad voice), “oh well, back to reality”.

Here's a picture of one of the vendor booths - enthusiasm is rampant, and wearing a thread spool headband fits right in!

And even though it’s windy and cold here in Ojai, and I no longer get to see Mount Rainer in the morning, I feel energized and inspired. Can’t wait to get back into my sewing room. Can’t wait to try out my new embroidery machine!

For those of you who haven’t heard of the Sewing and Stitchery Expo, I’ll let you in on my “little” secret. It’s got to be the most awesome event for sewers of all ages. It is held at the Puyallup, Washington fairgrounds (just south of SeaTac airport and Tacoma) every year. It is organized, with no glitches, by Washington University, and attended by thousands.

You should sign up several weeks in advance to get your choice of workshops. You can choose from hundreds of topics, well known speakers, and different machine manufacturers for hands on classes. You have choices of 1 hour lectures, 2 hour lectures, hands on half day or full day classes, fashion shows (free and for a small fee), sewing icon nighttime comedy shows, and the Red and Pink morning fashion show, with donations going to the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.

The vendors take up two fairground buildings – patterns, fabric, books, yarn, embroideries, threads, and sewing machine dealers, (uh oh). There are several places to eat, and huge classrooms and plenty of seating everywhere. What’s nice about that is you can change your mind about what classes you want – at the last minute. I did lots of changes this year – because I bought that embroidery machine, and needed to find out what I could do with it!

This year, I took the plane up on Thursday afternoon, and spent three days going to classes. They also have Wednesday classes, but the main workshops are Thursday – Sunday. My three days of Sew Expo admission, classes, fashion shows, vendors, and being surrounded by literally thousands of friendly like-minded sewers cost me $80. How do the wonderful organizers do so much for so little money?

I did spend more money on the air flight ($150) and a cheap hotel. I was just too exhausted at night to care that I was in a $44 a night motel, but it felt safe, and included free breakfast and decent coffee. Lunch was shoveled in - between classes, and I got dinner salads from Trader Joes. I get so involved in the experience, who has time for food?

And of course, I did buy supplies – not so much fabric and books (I had to keep away from the fabric – or I would have had to pay for another suitcase!). But I did buy new notions, threads and designs. And yes, I did buy that embroidery machine (which I hadn’t planned on, but trying not to feel guilty about that).

It is so hard to depict the energy, openness, and inspiration of Sew Expo and all those women who love garment sewing. I’ll write more about the specific classes I went to, in separate blogs. There’s so much to tell!

These are a few of My Favorite Things

I joined this huge quilt guild (300+ members), and have been attending for about a year now. So far, I've been to some fabulous workshops (fabric painting for quilts, fabric dyeing).   During all that time, various announcements have been made about the "upcoming" quilt show at the Fairgrounds, nearby in Ventura.  There were opportunities to volunteer, enter quilts, and make a "challenge quilt".

The challenge was to make a small quilt with the theme of "these are a few of my favorite things". Of course, I had visions of making this fabulous art quilt - nothing trite for me.  I thought of bookshelves with titles of some of the books I read, rows of tea/coffee cups, etc.  The challenge, to me, was how to incorporate a lot of the things I love.  I'm not just about tea and reading!  But part of me is.

Finally, I made a sketch of what such a quilt would look like; my front window, with the chair where I have tea, read, and pet my cats.  But my sketch didn't make a very good outline, and then I misplaced it.  Finally, with only a month to go before the due date, I got my artiste daughter, Kali, to do a real drawing for me. And then I was in for the long haul.

The drawing has paint colors on it, because my first idea was to use fabric paint to make the images, and then quilt around the images.  Several hours of trying left me frustrated. The colors kept bleeding (obviously, too much water).  So, I decided to do what is easier for me - applique.

Goodness, this quilt took a long time.  It is only 22 x 26", but there's so much detail in all the little things.  From idea, to actual quilt techniques and using my new embroidery machine - it was all a real challenge for me.  I started out having fun, but the deadline of turn-in was today, and I sure had to work hard to finish it!  It feels like I spent 50 hours on it. 

I didn't actually finish the little quilt until 11:54pm last night.  There's machine quilting, hand and machine embroidery, machine and hand applique, and a little bit of felting.

On the borders of the quilt, I used my new embroidery machine to script write things that I love: i.e. rain, crochet, google, dyeing, Mozart, sewing, etc. There's an embroidered basket with yarn, a purple hat, my computer, 

and two pink cats.

When I got home after delivering my "masterpiece" for the show, I got an email from the guild.  What was I going to call the quilt?  I've named it "And my husband too", because when I showed it to him this morning, he asked "where's my picture?"  Well, of course he's one of my favorites!