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I’m working on a summer wardrobe and I’m thrilled to have actually finished this dress. I used Vogue 8232. It’s from the Very Easy Very Vogue line which is my favorite place to find a pattern-I like the “easy” part, grin. I chose a tweed-patterned linen that I purchased from Tayo’s, ahem, a “few” years ago, lined it with Bemberg rayon and underlined with silk organza. TheBemberg makes it feels wonderful on, smooth and cool, perfect for our unforgiving Sacramento summers. I have underlined linen before and I love how it controls the linen, allowing a bit of “patina” while keeping it from…
This may be the last of the spring shows in my area (sniffle)-the Pine Tree Quilt Guild Show in Grass Valley. It was a delightful show with a good mix of traditional, contemporary and art quilts as well as some great fiber art. If you click on the pictures you’ll get a better view of each quilt. I confess-I tried to record the names and makers of each quilt but I blew it! At any rate, let me take you on a tour of what caught my eye. Silk always attracts me, so of course I loved this quilt with its vibrant use of color.…
I’ve been looking to buy a new machine for awhile-one that would better handle the larger quilts that I do. After looking at what was currently available, I chose a Baby Lock Jane. It’s a straight-stitch-only machine with way more room in the harp to accommodate larger work and a motor that is almost twice as fast as standard machines. .. I really did not understand why people were buying these machines until I looked into it. Here’s the math: my Bernina’s harp area measures 7.5″ wide by 4″ high. The Baby Lock is 8.5″ wide by 6″ wide. That doesn’t seem like a lot…
I’ve taken two great classes in the last week and my head is spinning. After each class I was so excited I felt like I was vibrating! x I took a fabric dyeing class from Linda Waddle at The Tin Thimble in Loomis. The shop is located inside an old fruit shed, a funky location which has attracted a variety of artsy shops, a great cafe and an art gallery. The Tin Thimble is a fun shop with a variety of vintage and contemporary fabrics, vintage linens, lace, buttons and trims, and hand dyed wool and roving. The proprietor’s grandson was there that day and…
It’s Quilt Show Season in northern California and I’ve been able to attend two great shows over the last 2 weeks that leave me inspired. One thing I love about going to quilt shows is that you see quilts outside of your genre-there is much inspiration and instruction to be gained from going outside of your normal comfort zone. This quilt received Best of Show from the Foothill Quilters Guild in Auburn. It’s one of my favorite shows because they have such a great balance between artsy, traditional, innovative and wearables. This quilt was just spectacular in person-its maker is Sue…
I have had a busy few weeks with both my boys here, teaching and lots of guild work. But I was able to finish this Burda jumper which actually fits! It’s Burda #8072 and it’s a pretty easy pattern to sew up. Most remarkably, this jumper needed very little alteration. In fact the only alteration I needed to do was move the shoulders forward, something I know I need to do on every pattern. A side note here-the link for the Burda pattern is to SewingPatternReview.com. I subscribe to it (free) and think it’s a must for garment sewers. It’s a…
As the “Special Events Chair” for my 230 member American Sewing Guild chapter, I have the privilege of bringing in a speaker once a year or so. This time I wanted to bring in someone who could make both quilters and garment sewers happy. I made a great choice in bringing in Rachel Clark. We loooved her and everybody was thrilled. Rachel is such a kick-she’s funny, creative, talented, experienced and just a delight to be around. Someone made the comment that she was such fun to look at; her style and clothes were so eclectic and vibrant. We had…
I enjoy going to area quilt shows, so 2 weekends ago I headed out in a raging downpour to visit a community about 50 miles outside of Sacramento to view the Valley Quilt Guild Show. I had never been before and I wanted to share some of the quilts that struck my fancy. Unfortunately I did not keep record of the makers of most of these quilts-my appologies to the makers and quilters. x This quilt “A Primitive Garden” won Best of Show and it was gorgeous in person. The maker, Emily Hyatt, hand appliqued each piece with hand-sewn blanket stitches. x Lin Squires long…
I knew I was hard to fit in pants, but this story is ridiculous. I was on a quest for a pair of light weight pants that fit well, so I went to Nordstrom’s, known for their excellent sales staff. Despite the heroic and aerobic efforts of the saleswoman, after trying on 22, twenty two, pairs of pants, we both gave up, exhausted. Two of the lovliest things about Nordies are their “vanity sizing” and the fact that they use just two words to describe any fit problem you might have: “athletic” or “tiny”. So, in Nordie’s vernacular, I was unable to find pants that fit well because…
Wahoo-I just picked up my mail and found an acceptance letter from Paducah! I have been juried into the “AQS Quilt Show and Contest” in Paducah, Ky. My quilt, Golden Moments, was juried into the “Small Quilt, Home Machine” category and will hang in the show from April 27-30. This is my first entry into this show so I am especially pleased! Also I was recently accepted as a presenter at the Saturday Night Sampler at the International Quilt Festival Show at Long Beach. The Saturday Night Sampler is an opportunity for participants to see a variety of demonstrations by various…