First Annual Getaway Sewing Retreat Report

Picture this...THREE plus days of sewing and friendship (and shopping, of course at the quilt shop and Yarn shop attached!)!

20 of us enjoyed all this and more May 12-15, 2011 at the Threads of Time Sewing and Retreat center in Danville, IL. Look at this huge, wonderful room we had! Check out those great office comfy chairs and the lighting was good too!

While participants could sew ANYTHING, all chose to do creative sewing on a sweatshirt base...ala my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets.
I snuck in stitching up a skirt I'd had cut out for a year - Fajita Skirt from LJ Designs - YEA I got that done finally!

As always, we all got along fabulously, and loved sharing our love of sewing unique garments. The event got rave reviews from all the gals, and dates for 2012 are already set:

April 26-29, 2012

Before I can set a firm registration/teaching/lodging fee for 2012, I need to look at all the costs again, as the lodging has increased some, as has my commitment outlay in order to reserve 25 spots for next year. But for now, a $100 deposit will hold your place. Click HERE to reserve your place NOW.

High School buddy Vickii gets some great fitting advice from Carol. Both of these gals are helpers that travel with me - so this was a great training opportunity for them!

Vickii had found a great scarf for $1 at a dollar store - that she used some Texture Magic on behind the flower. Scroll on down to see the progress she made on the front!










Its so great to have someone handy to pin hems and help you get a great fit!






Here is the front of Vickii's jacket - wonderful, I'd say. Finish it yet, Vickii? She had to leave early - shucky durn!










Check out this on-target lighting solution that Karlene showed us all. It's a headlight that is worn on your head - a large elastic band. I believe it was from L.L. Bean.

Puppet Theatre Creation

Recently, I got to escape to play and create with #1 Grandson! DD had torn out a page from a magazine on a 'hang in the door' puppet theater, so that was our project. Here we are having a great time sewing it...which he LOVED being artsy-craftsy as he is. The machine is one I gave my daughter at the end of my shop days - a Brother - which is a GREAT machine. I got it 'out of the closet' and gave it a good run - since it never sees the light of day otherwise...
Maybe SOME day!

Anyway..... he had a great time deciding on the ribbons to create 'stripes' on the theatre. And he was just pretty durned right one when it came to 'if that color matchded the other ones' or not! That's my Boy!!!! He actually wanted to paint on the stripes - but I convinced him that then it would have to dry and we wouldn't be able to finish.

The heavy denim was a great background. On the magazine version, the curtain was gathered along the top - ughhhh - it would have to stay tied back for the 'show'. So I engineered this so the curtains could easily be opened and closed...
It is heavy piping cord knotted and stitched onto the outside stage 'frame', and then plastic cafe rings stitched to the top of the curtain. For that I used that 'button-sewing-on' stitch that is on so many machines. You can also see here how it is hung 'taut' inside the laundry room to the family room/kitchen area so that he has a ready 'audience' . Ahhh - and see those kitchen cabinets in the background...I claim transforming those from mediterranean dark wood to current light colors. After that painting/antiquing, I decided NOT to do my own cabinets! They do look good though...

Sew.... here's the end result. Lamb Chops there on the right - a gift to daughter from my very creative and clever Sister-in-Law retired Kindergarten teacher who does great things with puppets and plays...and on the left - a puppet 'creature' that Grandson created from the goodies his great Aunt had provided - starting with a green sock.

Back to hopefully the last day on re-working and adding to my own book on Creative Sweatshirt Jackets, as current inventory is about depleted. Tuesday next finds me on a plane to Puyallup, WA for the Sewing & Stitchery Expo... and the beginning of a VERY busy month of travels around the country.

TAG Bag for Grandson Gift

This is a bag I made for keeping the books, cord, Pen and everything for the Leapster TAG reading system that we're giving our grandson (5 years old) for Christmas.
Gee - can you tell they live in the Indianapolis area?

I didn't use a pattern, but figured out what needed storage and size of things in hand, and with 1/5 yards of the Colt fabric(way gobs too much) and 3 fat quarters o the black and white, had enough to create this bag with great body utilizing PELTEX 70 which is really, really thick, stiff 'interfacing' I guess you call it. I do carry it at my site. It was first introduced under the the name of TimTex - not sure if that product is still available - but soon the major manufacturers started carrying their versions. What I have and used is not fusible on either side, but it is available with one or both sides fusible as well. It is very easy to stitch through - which I did, making each section: flap, front, back, bottom and sides (cut bottom and sides 3" wide by the way). I used a 90 Denim needle to hep get through everything. The seams are bulky with it in there, but I trimmed out most of it.

I also lined it, creating a pocket on one of the sides inside for the PEN, and on the other side for the cord that hooks it to the computer. Also, along the back inside I have a pouch with divisions in it to store all the AAA batteries.
Here's an inside view:

The flap closes with Velcro, and I interfaced the strap with purse batting.

I'm hoping he'll like it and it will keep this 'valuable' learn-to-read system all together.

Interesting and Useful 'Sharp' Scissors Facts

Scissors are oft-used items in a household. For those who do NOT sew, the need still exists in a household and rarely do these homes have proper scissors to accomplish daily tasks...Therefore, consider some scissors a GREAT and USEFUL Gift.

The information below comes from "Answsers to Sharp Questions" - one of the many informational documents to be found at my FREE INFO tab at my website: http://www.londas-sewing.com


"Is it a Scissors or a Shear?
A Scissors can only take one finger in each finger ring. A shears will allow more than one finger into the finger ring. A beauty or grooming shears is called a shears because it has a finger rest or 'tang' extending out that allows one to use 2 fingers in cutting. Personally, I think the word 'scissors' is used collectively for this type of cutting instrument, but I will try to be 'correct' on this website... Scissors are normally used to refer to cutting implements not more than 6 inches in length and the two finger loops are equal in size. Designed for lighter cutting tasks, they usually have one sharp point and one blunt point to prevent snagging fabrics. Needlepoint scissors have two extra-sharp pointed blades. Shears are normally 6" or longer and the rings are sized differently - usually one round and one oval. Offered bent or straight with the bent format making it easier to cut material on a tabletop - hence the term "dressmaker" scissors.

'Leftie' Scissors Facts
Some basic understanding: On a right-handed scissors, the upper blade is the one on the right hand side as you are looking down on the scissors as you hold them in your hand. You can see where you are cutting, as the upper blade is to the back - or right hand side as you are working.

So - for a genuine Left-handed scissors, it is the opposite - when holding the scissors and looking down on the blades, the upper cutting one is on the left. You would be able to see where you are cutting because the upper blade is the back - or left hand side as you are working. The placement of the blades (as above) is one factor. The handles are another factor. Handles are either right-handled or left-handled - obviously for the comfort of which 'handedness' you are.

Understanding that ...The k-5210-L is a genuine left handed scissors with left handed blades - and will not work if a left-handed person is used to working with right handled scissors, as they will actually be pulling the blades away from each other - preventing the cutting action from taking place properly. Look for the term "True or Genuine Left Handed Scissors/Shears" on this website to identify other models that are left bladed and left handled.The k-5220-L then is a left handled shears (the handles themselves fit in the left hand) with right handed blades. These scissors have been designed to work for a left handed person who has learned to cut with right handed scissors - (and actually sell faster than the true left handed scissors the k-5210-L).

HOWEVER: this style - with right handed blades, will continue to block the eye path. If a 'Leftie' can retrain their hand to cut properly with a genuine left handed and handled shears (k-5210-L), they will be better off as they will be able to see where they are cutting.

English lesson...
Scissors is one of those unusual nouns that is both singular and plural in the same form: scissors. Another example is deer. You have one deer or several deer. You can have one scissors or a bunch of scissors. Scissor (without an s) is a verb. Like you 'scissor' your legs across each other as an exercise. "

Creative Ideas from Customers!

Gleaning Ideas Galore from Customers' Clothing...is one of the best parts of doing these shows. This potholder purse grabbed my eye

It's creator shared that it was from potholders her kids wove as children - which she resurrected and turned into a purse by looping together leftover COTTON loops (hard to find!) and then knitting - on large needles - the gusset and long handle. It was just TOO CUTE! Especially attracted my eye as making potholders was my very first business when I was in - about the 4th or 5th grade. I made them like crazy and then went door to door selling them 1 for 25 cents or 2 for $35 cents. Guess kids can't go door-to-door any longer (but back then we did the same with GirlScout cookies for $.50 per box too!), but there's always the internet..........

Here's yet another idea - just an extra T-shirt cut into leaf shapes, and stitched onto an existing shirt with straight stitch down the center... I'd seen this earlier on a ready-to-wear top myself and made notes - but a picture is worth a thousand words. This idea WILL turn up on a Creative Sweatshirt Jacket - and people will ask how I can come up with these ideas - well: from RTW to a large degree! Ideas are plenty for the taking...
This smart gal had taken the color que from her great shoes - and you'd never believe how this shirt complimented her shoes!

The little things of life can serve to excite us these days .....

Novi Show Report - American Sewing Expo

Back and recovered from Novi Show - American Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan - had a GREAT time and an amazing helper in Cyndi! Here's a picture of our booth..... you can see Ms Cyndi hard at work - and here's us together...

Thanks, Cyndi for your amazingly wonderful help!!!

Sue stopped by to show us her beautiful necklace - backed with a Tagua pendant... How about those for some nice Christmas gifts??!??

It was a wonderful show - and today Ineed to pack (after I dye up some more ribbon and put together some more jacket kits) for tomorrow night's travel to the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo in St.Charles, IL. My first time there - and so I'm always excited to see and be at a new place.

Say - the new 'toy' in our house is the Wii - thought we better join the new generation! We've never had a playstation or X box or any of that - and we added the Wii Fit this weekend. I put in over 30 minutes on it yesterday - and I'm SORE today - Yea! Also - in case you wanted to know, I'm 45 in physical age - balance, or something like that. Not bad for a 56 year old!

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