Keynote speaker with a blog that has been recognized by everybody in the blogging world. Check her out.
Lunch menu came from her recipes and was yummy and beautifully presented.
Author: Kristin
I’m at the Creative Connection
I’m waiting for the first panel to start and have to say the uniform for the creative female is a great skirt and thin cardigan with a layer in between, of course. Fun jewelry is everywhere. Already exchanged business cards with Georgia, Chicago and a few locals. Sitting next to a young woman who has eight adopted/foster kids in a house with her mother AND she won a contest so her studio will be featured in Where Women Create. Makes me feel like withering.
Sewing Events and More
Lots of things going on here, trying to winnow the things we do and try to do only what we do best. There was some talk of going to the sewing expo in Novi, Michigan. It’s supposed to be the best for fashion sewing. After looking at the vendors and classes, I’ve decided that it looks alot like the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo that will be here in November so I’m going to pass. I’m taking it off of our calendar.
The event I’m really looking forward to is the Creative Connection. It’s September 16-18 at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis. Amy Butler and Mary Jane Butters (do you know who she is? I’d call her the Martha Stewart of the back to the farm movement-she’s got a great mag but, come ‘on, who could possibly do all she does and look that good-my main complaint about Martha-like we all need another perfect woman to emulate!) Where was I? Oh, yes, wonderful creative women will be speaking; there’s a handmade market that I’m guessing will look like something out of a Somerset Studio/Stampington & Co. magazine. The part I am personally excited about is “social media and your business” speakers and panels. There are also classes that look like fun but are mostly handwork as far as I could tell. If you live in the Shakopee area, the Eagle Creek Quilt Shop is taking a bus downtown on Friday and Saturday. Too bad the Sewing and Quilting Expo people can’t see what’s going on and change their focus a bit.
Peggy Sagers (Silhouette Patterns) has a new set of 4 patterns for fall. I’ve ordered them and especially want to try the cape pattern. There are so many in the fashion magazines for fall but they’re not that great for a pear figure. Check out her version. The set of four sale ends today (Wed.).
After a frustrating jacket fitting, I’ve decided to take the plunge and get a dress form. Any advice out there? Uniquely You was recommended as I was searching for answers to my jacket fit problem. Bernina has one. What do you have?
On the subject of fit-check out The Fashion Code. It’s a $30 option for getting your perfect neckline, hemline, sleeve length. You take your measurements and upload them on the website and get your perfect measurements, based on the Golden Proportion, and a pdf file of a 30 page book to explain your best look further. The measurements are taken from the floor and are a bit tricky to do alone. If you’d like we’ll do them before or after Fashion Sewing Club for you.
Hope to see a bunch of you at Hancock tomorrow!
The Weddings and the Dresses
My feet feel like they’re back on the ground and I think I could sleep for a whole day but, wow, what a wonderful month of weddings! Meeting new people, dressing up, going new places, watching life change before my very eyes… I am in awe of how full life can be.
So on to the pictures. The Colorado wedding was first so those pictures are first. This is also my youngest son-he proposed first so he got the earlier date. I wore the Vogue 1138 dress out of rayon from last month’s club (scroll down 3 posts to see Wedding Dress #2) to the groom’s dinner in Colorado but still haven’t found anyone that took a picture. The dress for that wedding was from Nordstrom’s and I really liked the neckline.
Then it’s the Milwaukee wedding and the eldest child. Can I still call him child? I double dipped for the groom’s dinner in Milwaukee because the cast of characters was mostly different. The dress for the wedding was KwikSew 3735 which is a copy of a Kay Unger dress that is carried by Nordstrom’s and also a Vogue pattern (but more on that at Fashion Sewing Club in September).
Classes at Southtown Hancock
Just in case you’ve been directed by the Hancock website Class Finder to come to this site for more information-please come back in a few days as they’re under construction. September classes should be posted here soon.
Thanks for your patience!
Making a muslin
Recently I went to the movie “Coco and Igor”. The storyline piqued my interest and I ended up reading “The Gospel According to Coco Chanel”. I highly recommend it. Short, funny and lots of facts (which I’m not sure the movie had a lot of). At one point there was mention of Coco always using a toile or test garment to make her creations. I had only ever heard of calling that test garment a muslin. That same day I was reading a blog and the word was used in the same way. So I took the time to look it up and, sure enough, one of the meanings of “toile”-pronounced twal-rhyming with ball, is a test garment.
Which brings me to my second wedding dress. Several of us Material Girls attended the Peggy Sagers event in July at Hancock Fabrics. I was struck by how easily she altered the muslins on the women and decided that, in the future, I would try to use them more often. According to Peggy, “If you get the wrinkles and puckers out of muslin, they’ll surely be gone when you use fashion fabric that has body and drape.” I have now completed the muslin or toile (very cool word if you’re feeling particularly Coco-ish) for the dress for the second wedding. There’s a sleeve in one side and not the other. I’m still deciding which I want but have plenty of time to think while I cut and sew.
I miss everyone this month and wonder what you are sewing….
July Fashion Sewing Club
Yes, it says “July”. A bit of catching up to do. I’m back from the first wedding. Such a wonderful weekend! Pictures in next blog. But now I have to catch up with the garment pictures from July.
Remember-We’re not meeting in August!!! We’ll be meeting at Hancock Fabrics in Southtown (Penn and 494) in September. I also just received an email from Judy at Associated and they’ll be moving to St. Paul-their lease is up.
Here are July’s pictures:
Remember the mini wardrobe challenge? Well, we all found out how hard that is but will keep working at it. Our winner was Kay Dole from the Treadle group. She took home the designer Gingher scissors. Thanks for inspiring us always, Kay!
What we’re up to
The first day of kids’ camp went quickly. Here are the pillowcases and their proud creators.
And for those of you that may be interested in the serger class on Thursday, July 22 at 2 pm and again at 6:30-here’s the rough draft of the placemat using the flatlock stitch. Email us to sign up or go to the class listing, $15.
What’s your favorite tee pattern?
Fit is always part of garment sewing and with all of the collective knowledge out there, maybe we can find an answer to this question. There are qualifications, though.
The tee must be:
fitted
feminine
long sleeve
an assortment of necklines is desirable but not mandatory
something like the Gap’s Favorite T’s
wearable under jackets, etc. in winter
I’ll start with my two cents-I love Marcy Tilton’s tees because of the cut of the bust and underarm. You may have to skinny up the waist and hips (of course, the extra room in that area is what I love). Arms are also a close fit. She has funky neck bands but those are simple to modify.
The other patterns are the Stretch and Sew tees. They seem body skimming on me and are shaped through the waist.
Now it’s your turn. Let’s see how much wisdom we can get into one website!
July could be a busy month
My sons just spent their last days in my house as single men(!). We had a great family potluck shower at my sister’s and now the weddings are becoming a reality. Decisions need to be made, etc., etc., etc.
July Fashion Sewing Club will reveal a few dresses as options for the mother of the groom but I’ve got to admit that Nordstrom’s is my fall back. Club meetings begin this Thursday at Associated Sewing in Bloomington (10:30 and 6:30) and Saturday at 10:30.
You may want to take in the Eagle Creek Garage Sale in Shakopee on Saturday (9 am-2 pm) after Club. I haven’t been for a few years but I remember some great vintage notions and fabric. Click here to go to the website.
On Tuesday, we’ll be at Treadle Yard Goods (10:30 and 6:30). Their big summer sale goes from July 8-18. Some of their dress silks are on my MOG dress list.
We’ve had a few requests to hold Fashion Sewing Club at The Sampler (551 W. 78th St.) in Chanhassen, so this is our trial month. Wednesday, July 14th we’ll have our meeting at 6:30 pm only, but we will have it no matter what. We’d like to see eight people to continue the meetings into the fall. Email us or call The Sampler (934-5307) to let them know you’ll be there. Bring your friends-first timers are free (at any meeting). The store is starting to carry more fashion fabric so support them if you want great fabric in a west metro location. Pics of some of the fabrics are below.
Remember Kathy’s scarf from last month? Here is a picture of it laid out. It’s a 32″x22″ rectangle and 7″ wide until it goes down to the points. Hopefully we’ll see a few from the serger class at Club meetings this month.
And then there’s the half of an oak tree that fell on my deck last night. No one woke up, no holes in the roof or broken railings-at least as far as we can tell at this point. Someone is coming later this afternoon to get the tree off so we can look more closely. Life is never boring!
One last clean up detail-last month Sarah Tufford told us about a group in the Madison, Wisconsin area. New homes are found for sewing machines that still work, and in the process gives new hope for the future to poor people. They sew for themselves, their families, and to make a little money to live on. Here’s the website: thesewingmachineproject.org. Some of us have been thinking about a trip to Gayfeathers in Madison and a trunkful of donated sewing machines would be a great impetus! Any takers?
Other calendar details (listed on the website)-Join us Tuesday, July 27th for a trip to SR Harris. Imagine the treasures to be had when a bunch of us start looking! We’ll car pool up to Brooklyn Park and have lunch because it will be hard work 😉
If you’re looking for a sewing related getaway, you may want to consider the Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan. What if we got a group going together? Novi is supposed to be THE expo for fashion sewing. Here’s the link to the registration: americansewingexpo.com. The dates are Sept. 24-26.
Well, that’s all for now folks. I better get back to my sewing. The tree is being removed piece by piece (and distracting me just a wee bit). Every once in a while everything shakes as it falls more and more! Glad I slept through it.
Material Girl Sewing 