Weekend with Louise

This past weekend, one of our local quilting shops, 35th Avenue Sew and Vac joined forces with our local ASG chapter to present Louise Cutting, the originator of Cutting Line Design.  I’ve taken a class from Louise before, but this was an opportunity not to be missed.

Saturday was a combination lecture and trunk show, and Sunday was a sit and sew.  Both days were absolutely delightful!

Saturday morning we arrived bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, armed with note pads, writing implements and cash.  There were patterns to purchase!  There were techniques to write down!  There were tips and hints to be scribbled, and scribble we did.  There was even (gasp!) quality garment fabric available.

Louise was her usual humorous and informative self.  There was a whole table of samples showcasing both high-end designer techniques as well as those captured from the ready-to-wear industry, and included in her patterns.

Louise explained each and every one, often providing amusing anecdotes about how she unearthed that particular technique.  Apparently shopping in the designer section of Neiman Marcus is not for the faint of heart…or uninventive.  She also provided great insight into why we “ladies of a certain age” have such fitting concerns.

Our hosts, 35th Avenue were also wonderful and gracious.  Lunch was included, as were morning and afternoon snacks.  Learning is hungry business!

I’d also like to give a very heartfelt Thank You to 35th Avenue Sew and Vac.  They have primarily been a supplier to the quilters in the area, so making a foray into garment sewing was quite a step outside their comfort zone.  I do hope they found this adventure as beneficial as I did.  I also hope they continue to stock quality garment fabric.  Hint!  Hint!

By the end of the day our brains were abuzz with ideas while our bodies were quite exhausted.  A good time was had by all.

Sew-In 2010

Sew-In 2010 was a rousing success!  On Friday the doors opened promptly at 9:30, and everyone zipped in like a herd of thundering yertles.   Bet you didn’t know yertles could thunder, did you? There were dollys and hand carts loaded with machines, fabric, project baskets and treats.  There were hugs and high-fives for friends not seen since the previous year.  There was oogling and petting as we envied each others’ creations-to-be.

Besides the usual sumptuous meals, of which there were many we had a special cake-worthy celebration.

Can you believe that blonde youngster in the photo at left turned 80? Neither could I!  She doesn’t look a day over 39.  Everyone sang Happy Birthday.  Some of us sang slightly off-key, but what we lacked in tone, we made up for in volume!

The cake, by the way, was delicious.  So much so, I got my hand slapped for fingering the icing.

In addition to hours and hours of sewing, which there was aplenty, we also had several demos and projects that we could sign up for.  One of the ones I took was learning how to make pin cushion teacups.  My first thought on this was why would a pin cushion need a teacup?  Do they drink tea? Well, it’s not that the pincushions are thirsty, but more a great way to use those lovely china cups that seem to gather dust in the cupboard.There was a lot of picking and sorting to find just the right teacup decoration.  Some of us thought the floras made for a lovely chapeau, and tucked them behind our ears, in our hair and well, other places.

Nary a scrap was wasted either.  One person’s bag-making cast off auditioned as a stylish headband.

First time attendees are sometimes subjected to good-natured pranks.  A completely different meaning to the sewing practice of draping, don’t you think? While the sewing machine was unscathed beneath its adornment; it taught the owner to take a little less time fabric shopping!

Every day at meal time (lunch and dinner) there were goodies at our place settings.  All of these were made by attendees.  Can you believe it? Quite the talented bunch, I must say.  A steno portfolio, scissor fobs, luggage identifiers, pin cushions, stationary, mylar envelopes for patterns and quilting pieces, and note pads.  You’d think it was Christmas!

Whew!  What a weekend.  And of course, I absolutely did not get a picture of our Day of the Dead silent auction pieces.  Suffice to say they found a wonderful home with someone who will be spreading them around the globe.  I was told the pin cushions will be going to Germany, while the placematts and pot holders are a housewarming for a daughter and grandson setting up new digs.

Now it’s time to recuperate, and plan for next year.   Sew-In 2011, here we come!

The Last Fashion Show

It was with a minimum of pomp and circumstance that Alexander McQueen’s last designs were shown in Paris.  In my mind they proved once again what a creative vision he had.  This collection looked much more off-the-rack wearable than previous ones, seeming to have an Old Master’s charm and perfection to them.

Below are a couple of my favorites, but you can see the whole 2010 collection here, at the Guardian, UK

To me, you could wear this absolutely as is!  A lovely jacket for a special occasion – night out, symphony, opera, museum, take your pick.  I particularly like how the fabric was printed and the garment cut out so that the stylized tigers (I think they’re tigers?) are mirror imaged.  Tucks for shoulder definition.  Kimono sleeves.  Ahhhh.

This one is my absolute fave!  It harkens back to the Hollywood starlet era, when one made entrances.  Can’t you just see Jane Russell or Bette Davis tilting their glass of champagne while giving some minion the eye?

Absolutely intriguing fabric.  Look closely – it’s printed with images of Rennaisance paintings.

A red dress for the red carpet.  Or maybe a coronation.

While not everyone can wear cartridge pleating at their hips, some gorgeous fabric and a little stylistic tweaking would make this gown appropriate for just about anyone…

Tucson Gem Show

Every year, during the last week of January and the first week of February downtown Tucson is turned into the Land of Bling.  The Tucson Gem Show comes to town, with merchants from around the world.  They take over every empty lot, motel, hotel and parking lot.  This is not an exaggeration!

There are tents set up, motel rooms have the furniture stuffed into closets, to be replaced with display tables.  If there is anything in the gem or jewelry world you want, it can be found here.  Everything from gem stones and pearls to rock tumblers.

I stock up for future projects.  Before you faint, no, I will not go through all this in 2010.  I may not even go through it in my lifetime, but, like sewing supplies, it’s there when lightening strikes!

There’s also economy of scale.  A local bead shop will charge $4 for a strand of 25 beads.  I can spend $10, and get 12 strands.  Those white beads in the center are vintage Czech.  I have no idea what I will do with them, but they called my name.  Aren’t the tortoise colored daggers pretty?  I already have something in mind for them.

Chinese manufacturers are taking on Swarovski.  These are all Chinese crystals.  Much better quality than in the past.  For my purposes they work just as well!  I can’t tell the difference, though I’m sure a true crystal aficianado could.

I was also shopping for my Aunt.  She is a real artist, with her work in galleries and private collections.  I am very proud of her.  These may make their appearance on some of her pieces.  I hope I got the right colors.

Park Bench Pattern Workshop

About two weeks ago, my local ASG Chapter had Mary Lou Rankin of Park Bench Patterns come for a workshop.  We had a whole day with her expertise, and she would help fit and adjust any of her patterns to us.  All we had to do was come to class prepared to sew, with the pattern already cut out.

I chose the Williamsburg, mainly because it was alreayd in my pattern stash, and had aged a suitable amount of time.  Several years, at least!

Park Bench Patterns operate a little differently than most.  They are one size:  Your Size.  Mary Lou’s whole premise is that as women age, we get hung up on sizes, specifically size numbers, and this shouldn’t be the case.  She feels that women with real bodies shouldn’t be subjugated to muu-muus and saggy sacks; they should have stylish, comfortable garments that help them feel beautiful.  Enter Park Bench Patterns.

Included with each pattern is a permission slip, which in essence says “Break the Rules“, and we did.  Almost all the patterns are adjusted by taking in, or letting out at the side.  It’s up to us to decide how much ease we want.  Almost All.  Yup, this is the one pattern that isn’t adjusted at the side, so of course, it was the one I picked!

Williamsburg is adjusted by cutting down, or adding to the front and back plastron (bib, if you’d like a simpler phrase).  Similarly there are vents at the lower edge, where it joins the sides, that can be made deeper or shallower, to allow more sitting and walking room.

My Williamsburg is made from a combination tencel/linen (the black) and a rayon batik for the plastron.  I decreased the width of the batik by 1/2 inch front and back, for a total of 2 inches less ease (1/2 inch each side).

The sewing couldn’t have been simpler.  The sleeves / sides are cut on the bias, so there’s enough swing to sway about, and no heavy finishing needed on the seams, since bias doesn’t ravel.  I opted to play with the solid / pattern idea, and used the batik to face the linen, and vice versa on the batik.  You can see a bit of that showing through on the sleeve.

I shortened the length of the back plastron by 1/2 inch, at Mary Lou’s suggestion.  There was a bit of a duck tail going on, the result of the linen facing being slightly stiffer than the batik, causing it to kick out.  This is also one of those things that only another sewist would notice.

I hope to finish the jacket with some antique (or antique looking) black glass buttons.  Just as soon as I find them.  Ebay has not been cooperating!

Prince Charming gave the jacket a thumbs up, too!  I like the way it looks, and hope to make another one out of slightly softer fabric.

Sew-In 2009

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…  No wait, there is no worst-of-times where the Sew-In is concerned.

Our local ASG Chapter puts on a sewing retreat at the end of June every year. This was my third year attending. It was, as always, maahhvelous!

Imagine, if you will 80 sewists taking over the local hotel.   Arriving  Friday morning, we set up in the ballroom,  and sew straight through until the event ends Sunday afternoon.  Sew as late as you like, sew as early as you like.  This is an overnighter, so no going home to check on spouses, children, pets or plants.

There is the RuMage table, where previously used fabric, patterns, notions and other bric-a-brac find new homes.  I have scored some wonderful finds there, as well as seen several of my what-was-I-thinking? donations become someone else’s treasure.

Steve, the hotel chef, prepares, wonderful meals, with yummy desserts.  Did I mention games?  Table favors?  The pre-dinner bar?

Attendees made all sorts of things, from children’s wear for offspring and grandkids to back-to-school charity sewing.  Quilts were constructed.  Clothing fitted.  There were things with, and without bling.  Some even had bling to their toes!

To make the weekend even better, my good friend Earin Marybird came in from Sacramento.   It was great to see her, and even better to sew together.  To top it off, she WON the premier prize – free admission to the Sew-In next year.  I am sooo jealous;  she says she’ll still room with me, thank goodness.  It wouldn’t be the same without her.

When not sewing up a storm, there was still much to do, not least of which was lounging poolside.

What can I say.  Sew-In 2009.  Truly the Best of Times!