LIVING pattern booklet at the printer

Yeah..... before I left for the Atlanta show - I met my goal of creating and writing the directions AND doing the 'TALKING' recording portion of my newest pattern, LIVING.
See the 3rd jacket here at the left - this one I've called
Journey'. it features a large bias scarf type 'collar' and I created some really distinctive seaming down the sleeve to conquer a 'bump' I've been seeing at the top of the sleeve seam when I do my 'Quick and EZ' underarm fitting alteration.

The pink jacket I entitled 'Endurance' to pay honor to all women battling breast cancer and heart disease. Say - about that, I really had my curiosity peaked today while reading while Glenda drove, on my KINDLE book a book by Suzanne Somers - called Ageless: The naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones. If you're a woman - you need to read this book - or even if you're concerned about living the life God has given you to its very fullest for the years He gives you here on this earth - I think you should read it. I can tell ya, I'm gonna get on the phone when i get home to find a Doctor who believes in BioIdentical Hormones. Though I feel I'm very healthy - at coming up on 58, I've seen a mother with breast cancer and now Alzheimers, and have been through infertility, endometriosis, and an unnecessary hysterectomy in my lifetime. SURE glad I refused to be 'cleaned out' by that Dr. and was left with one ovary that served me well - VERY well it seems. I've refused any synthetic hormone replacment therapy - and I'm very, very glad i did when i read this book, but these bioidentical hormones - that's another story. They are from nature, thereby not patentable - hence pharmeceutical companies are not interested - because no $$ in it. No surprise, eh? My main concern these days is avoiding cancer, strong bones, staying active, and improving my SLEEP!
Anyway - I highly recommend this book, and will be devouring the MEN part of it next.

As mentioned in a previous post, the grey jacket - previously known as the 'SWIRL' jacket has become the 'Peace' Jacket for this new pattern. Again, my tithe from this pattern, along with your contributions, will dig a well to give an African village clean water. Read more about it at that post below.

Save $3 since you found this pattern on my Blog. 
Click on the link below...
http://www.londas-sewing.com/Living--a-Creative-Sweatshirt-Jacket-Talking-Pattern-Ddesign-Booklet-by-Londa--CAT-p25336.html

Shoppin' at Sew Bee It on way to Atlanta Original Sewing & Quilt Expo

Ahhhh - shoppin' heaven on the way today to the Atlanta Sewing & Quilt Expo where I'll be teaching and vending this Thurs., Fri., and Saturday...
SUCH a lovely quilt shop - Sew Bee It - Glenda, my assistant, had found in the Quilter's Travel Companion. In Ringgold, GA, this charming shop was so neat, anc clean, and such attractive displays, and lovely women to help.

Photo'd are my selections that I bought either 1.5 or more yards of - in 3/4 yard increments - as 3/4 yard is always enough to one of my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets. Then...the excess will end up in one of my Kits that I sell at the shows and when I visit guilds.

I can't wait to atach that whirly print with patches of Texture Magic on the back, stitched, and then 'textured' when I shrink the Texture Magic on the back...those whirly gigs will just POP! I'll put it on either Mustard or Denim sweatshirts, and probably combine it with parts of jeans - of course! I 'see my Transformed or Worthy pattern in it.

The piece at the upper right was in a group of corals and greens - colors i've decorated my home in in the past - and still love, so I had to have a piece of it. I think I'll end up segmenting it as I have done on the PeriKona jacket in my Transformed pattern.

The solids at the left, I'd seen recently at another shop. They are from Kaufmann - I forget the name, but they are 55% cotton, 45% silk. Sheen on one side. Can't wait to try my Dupioni fur - bias strips layered with them. I also think this fabric has enough 'drape' quality to it that it might work in the insert draped back on my Celebration pattern.

In the center then are 2 colorways of a large floral - 'see that on my Refined pattern. And, the one on the far right is a 'Quilter's Tweed' - like a photograph of wool tweed - with a solid black background.

In the foreground is a blotchy soft mix of hemp, brown and orang - just scrumptious...!

Hope I can sleep tonight after petting and 'imagining' over my stash additions from the day...again - if not, my mind will be creating jackets with them.

Sew Bee It has even opened a large, sunny room where they have lovely yarns. I'm always on the hunt for a textured black with some character - so I was tickled to find this Zinnia Black that is 74% cotton, 26% nylon.

Sew....if your travels get you anywhere near Chattanooga, TN - just hop over the state line to Ringgold in the NW corner of GA, and you're there. Let your GPS take you there - 6103 Alabama Highway, Ringgold, GA. http://www.sew-bee-it.com/.

Chatting along the way, Glenda helped me decide on a succint description of what my career is these days - I'm a 'Wearable Art Designer' who travels the country teaching my techniques to sewers of both quilting and garment persuasion at guild workshops, shops, and sewing expositions. AND - operate an active sewing-related webstore supplying notions and creative sewing supplies. " How's that sound? Seems lately when people ask why I'm traveling so much I'm at a loss for words and hesitantly say that "you're not gonna believe this but .... my niche is transforming a sweatshirt into a stylish jacket - so I've written a book, patterns, and 2 DVD's about this and creative sewing..." I think the first try sounds better. Help - comment with your suggestions!

Oh - have LIVING at the printer - another blog post to come...

Puyallup

What a treat it was to be part of the Biggest Sewing Party in the US - the Sewing & Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, WA Feb. 24-27. I was so honored to have Kathy as both my assistant and my hostess...luxuriating in their large motor home. As evidenced by the photos, it is still amazing to me that WA state is a good 1.5 to 2 months ahead of us here in central Illinois when it comes to Spring! See the daffodils ready to burst into bloom - and indeed, they did while I was there.

I was so humbled to have 3 sell-out classes - you can't imagine!

AND - all my boxes arrived safely here on Friday so I'm busy getting ready to head off for the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in Atlanta tomorrow.

All I can say is ...you know you've been 'on the road' alot when you expect the toilet to flush, the water to flow and the paper towels to spurt out without lifting a finger!

Thanks to all my new friends in Puyallup area - your orders for the patterns, book, and DVD I sold out of while there are in the mail. I'll expect to have lots of great jackets to share!!!

LUV my Kindle!

Stuck in O'HARE airport for 3 hours - plane from Indi late - so will get to Puyallup, WA very late tonight...
Grateful for:

• my new KINDLE - automatic book - not sure how it works - but thoroughly enjoying it!!!! Highly recommend Chris Fabry's "Dogwood". Enchanting - intriguing, and inspiring book.
• Computer - electricity - friends - everything i can stay in contact with via an electrical hookeup here in airport!
• Family supportive of this vagabond 'career' of mine - and all the opportunities coming my way! SO grateful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sewers...Help Drill a Well

OK - so I'm hard at work on my newest pattern, 'Living'. Formerly known as the 'Swirl Jacket' - it has proven so popular that I'm adding 2 jackets to it and making it a pattern - called 'LIVING'.
So named because the swirls remind me of water as it goes around stones - Christ is the 'Living Water'.... Sew...I think: let's join together to dig a well for a village in Africa!

This well costs $2600 to drill through World Vision.
According to their website, "In countries like Malawi, a well just 60' deep can bring health and life to a community of 150 people supplying more than 600 gallons of wafe ater a day for drinking, bathing, irrigating crops and watering livestock."

I will tithe 10% which is $1.50 of the sale of each of these patterns to this cause. However, that would take selling 1734 patterns! That's a LOT of patterns!

Sew...I need your help! At this website, you can help us reach this goal sooner - by donating to this cause directly!

http://www.firstgiving.com/londasdrillawell

This pattern to create a great jacket from a sweatshirt - with THREE related jacket styles - will be available by the end of March, but I'm taking pre-orders at this time.

Eeeks - YEA - I get to teach at Houston Quilt Festival!

Eeks - and once again, I'm humbled to be selected to be on the faculty for the Houston Quilt Festival! I discovered the email notifying me of my selection buried in the hundred+ emails here as I dig through them in the Houston airport!
Not sure which class proposal they selected - certainly one of my Creative Sweatshirt Jacket classes.
Can't wait to get home and dig into the contract being mailed to me...
Meanwhile - I'm just thrilled to smithereens - is that a word?

Keep tracked of my travels on the lower right corner of my website...
Londa's Creative Threads

Observations On the Road

On the road now since Feb. 2 - been to Denver where I was treated to being hosted by and helped by Jo Ann - a wonderful customer from my old retail storefront days who is now located in Fort Collins.
The Rusty Barn Sewing Expo in Denver at the Merchandise Mart was my first real 'educated' effort at flying to a show and having a booth/teaching, etc. Worked quite well - and I'm so humbled by the generous reaction to my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets .
As gals asked "WHAT is a 'Talking Pattern' and I explained it as (I could say this in my sleep...!) "As I design and stitch a jacket, I take a photo of every step of the process. THEN, I actually record a verbal tutorial to go with each step. That then - the photo of each step, and my 'telling you what to do (or not do!)' for each step of the jacket creation is what you have access to online at the dedicated special website for each 'Talking Pattern" as it is given to you in the pattern booklet when you purchase it from me." It was so much fun to see a big GRIN come across their face - and they say, "Well, I guess I COULD do it then..."!!!

Common sentiment was 'please return in July' - so I just need to orchestrate fitting this into my schedule - and hopefully along with a Colorado Vacation for my hubby and I for second week in July, 2010.
Thanks to all of you in Denver area for your warm reception!

I'm now on my way to do a 3 day presentation and workshops for the Corpus Christi, TX ASG guild...that will be a ball!

Along the way...travel observations:
1. I need a travel scale to know when my bags are at that 50 lb. limit!
2. I need to buy some back-up locks for my suitcases, as the airports love to just cut them off!
3. The BEST place to get your shoes looking like NEW is at an airport by those shoe shine manifico guys!
4. Whoever has the solutuion to sleeping well in strange beds and motels - PLEASE let me know! i just pray I sleep more than I think I do~!
5. I was the lone "COLTS" fan on the airplane as it landed at Houston right before the Super Bowl. Here I sit - chatting with a stranger - now a friend as the Super Bowl begins.
6. Colorado has a secret! 360 days of sunshine a year - more than Miami or San Diego! MUCH more temperate here than I ever imagined in February.

Londa's "Talking" Patterns and Book UPDATE

YEA!!!! And kudos to my professional son for ALL his intelligence and help in this project of transforming 3 of my most popular patterns into TALKING sewing patterns!
Not only these patterns, but my great 'starter' BOOK is now 'TALKING" as well!

AND AND AND - even if you purchased any of these products in the past, YOU TOO have access to the new 'Talking' format - just go to the dedicated web pages as they are listed in your product, and you'll see an option to to the "Talking" format! Your printed booklet will not just exactly correspond to the numbering, etc., but the verbal tutorials more than make up for that! If you desire the edited pattern booklet, the best way would be to just order the downloadable pdf version of that pattern - which costs just $12.

For a sample of how cool this "Talking" concept is...over on the right - under my Videos - click on the one of the denim colored jacket and orangy collar and wait a minute - for the sewing audio to kick in - for a sample! My hope - prayer - goal in all this is that this added mode of learning will empower many 'creative-challenged' sewers to be just as creative as God created them to be!

Here are clickable links to all these great products - or more like 'children' is really the way I think about them!

• Transformed - this sewing pattern teaches how I transform that lower band into great collar and neckline finishes! Use this one in my workshops all the time - the cardigan style as it is so popular and ez to wear!
• Worthy - gals love this one for its fit - the angular design, the back, and all the options included!
• Celebration - my design that has that dramatic back flare to it - always turns heads...and now with a NEW cover including the popular brown and black version featuring Italian Trim!
• Chosen - my first and MOST POPULAR sewing jacket design since its debut October 1, 2009. It was the success of this talking pattern that inspired me to edit and add value to these others! It features really great face-framing collars.
• my printed starter sewing book that includes 5 jackets - and now numerous additional optional jacket variations! Creative Sweatshirt Jackets...Londa's Way

I'm 'on a roll' but now need to pack to travel extensively - Rocky Mountain Sew Expo in Denver, a gig in Corpus Christi for their ASG, and then the Creative Sewing & Stitchery Expo in Puyallup are all on the list for between now and the end of February.

Future plans include expanding my "Swirl" Jacket and my "Refined" pattern into this "Talking" format in the future.

Sew - log on and enjoy MORE if you already own any of these products. If not - get yours today! Find them all in this Creative Sweatshirt Jackets department...

Project Runway

I watched the premier episode while working today - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that they re-run it!
I, too thought the winner was amazing - I had marked his and Ping Wu's as my 2 favorites.
I loved the detail work on the bodice - which appeared to be impeccably executed - the juxtaposition of the geometry and the circular designs - how the geometry of the top echoed the geometry of the print - and yet how the full circle (appeared) skirt echoed the shape of the motif in the print...then how those dark bands swinging (did they - or were they 'attached' to the skirt?) pulled - connected the darks in the bodice down into the skirt.
I truly feel that this season's talent takes us back to the level - if not even above - that of the initial season.
Pin Wu's no 'Hanger appeal'? Sew - if I had a store - a boutique, you bet your booties I'd put her garments on a mannequin and they'd sell - sell - sell! I thought her model was far too dull for her design though...hope she selects a more dramatic one to match her style next time!
HOW they do this all that quickly is BEYOND ME - my wildest imaginations!!!

TALKING patterns for TRANSFORMED and WORTHY are ready and released

I've just released the TALKING versions of both
TRANSFORMED and WORTHY sewing pattern designs for my Creative Sweatshirt Jackets.
I believe they are all tested and as perfect as my talented professional web-smart son and I can get them.

YES- if you purchased these patterns in the past - you, TOO can access the NEW format online at the same url for each design as given in your pattern booklet!

Have fun - enjoy - and if you have any comments -please comment here, or email me directly -
londa@londas-sewing.com

Celebration, and my printed book - Talking Versions are about done - and Refined is yet to come...so STAY TUNED for this new type of pattern tutorial!

I'll be a speaker at Sewing & Stitchery Expo in Puyllup, WA

Yea - and how exciting!
I've been selected to be a speaker, and also to do my Trunk Show of Creative Sweatshirt jackets at the ultimate Sewing show -Sewing & Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, WA
Read all about this great event at this online brochure.

1-27-10 - I had an exciting call...to let me know that my Thursday at 4:30 Creative Sweatshirt Jackets Fit & Flatter 1 needle seminar is SOLD OUT! Sheesh - that'a over 100 gals in my class - I'm so flattered! The class organizer, Ann, asked if I would teach it again on Thursday at 2:30 pm - to which OF COURSE, I said YES!

Just shows me how very interested sewing ladies are in:

• sewing creatively
• one-of-a-kind jackets
• casual, yet stylish jackets - we're tired of looking dumpy and TOO casual!!

Read more about my patterns, books, and DVD's on stylish jackets sewn from a sweatshirt.

Interesting Shirt Collar

Ironing (in addition to cleaning!) before I leave to go to Laura's Sewing & Vacuum for a weekend of Creative Sweatshirt Jackets in West Palm Beach, FL tomorrow - and decided to give my new Casio Camera a try....
So while I was ironing, I noticed this very detailed, interesting collar button down treatment - which obviously is intended to keep the collar buttoned down - without seeing the button. So here is how it looks from the wrong side of the collar - THAT's alot of work, I'm thinking...

Here is how it looks underneath the collar, with it buttoned up.
So the collar from outer appearance looks like what you see here.

This is a shirt from Kenneth Roberts - Platinum.

Pretty nice detail...think I'll email shirtmaker Pam Erny about this one and ask if she's ever seen it!

TALKING Pattern Demo

I've been HARD at work - along with my super smart professional webmaster son updating and adding to the value of some of my most popular patterns by adding my verbal tutorials AND editing the printed pattern to include more photos.

So far: CHOSEN & TRANSFORMED are ready and available.

Coming within 10 days: WORTHY, CELEBRATION and my book: CREATIVE SWEATSHIRT JACKETS...LONDA'S WAY.



AND - even if you've already purchased any of the above, YES - you will have access to the 'Talking Version', though your printed booklet won't correspond completely - it will still be useable.



Below is an example from the Convertible Collar version of CHOSEN.

SitUpon Cushion is AMAZING!

OK - I fell BOOM on the ice a week ago Sunday and my tail bone is STILL sore! Doesn't matter if I'm doing website work or sewing, I'm SITTING!

Had just added these SitUpon Cushions to my website - so Iordered one - and WOW! PLUS I think my 'buns' will firm up as well! It's kinda like sitting on the inside of CROC shoes - and balancing on one of those big Balance Balls for exercise (I deflated mine!).

It looks like what you see above - and yes, it's purple.
Side benefit: my cats do NOT like to sit on it - so now there's no cat fur on my seat either...YEA!

SAVE$$ on this item since you found it on my Blog:
Click on the link below...
http://www.londas-sewing.com/Living--a-Creative-Sweatshirt-Jacket-Talking-Pattern-Ddesign-Booklet-by-Londa--CAT-p25336.html