It’s so hard to make decisions when there’s no one to give opinions so I thought I’d seek your advice. Low booties are all the rage this fall but how to wear them when one doesn’t have a model’s figure. I have no answers but a few pictures that shed a little light on my personal outlook. What’s yours?
I think a trip to Schuler Shoes is in my future…
I made it to the Junk Bonanza down at Canterbury Park in Shakopee. My registration for Creative Connection got me in free and a nice person gave me her $2 discount ticket for my friend. We wandered through on Friday morning. Three buildings of old furniture, stuff, jewelry, vintage everything. I find that it feeds my creative spirit. Seeing things that others do, their unique displays and some of the genuine characters who move from junk market to junk market across the US. I wish I would have taken pictures of a few of them.
So here are a few pictures of things that may feed your creative sewing spirit-the first one is of the treasures I picked up-cordial glasses and vintage button/jewelry from the junk market and the owl and headband from Handmade Market downtown. Handmade Market is over at 3 today and the Junk Bonanza is open till 5 today for $8. Today is the last day.
Have I convinced you that wandering/shopping can be part of the creative process?
It was truly a great event for me-and it’s not over! If you want to take a crafting class you can pay at registration as long as it isn’t sold out and you bring the supplies. You can find supply information and some Sold Out info on their website. And then there’s the Handmade Market.
The market is good if you like the Stampington Art style. If you like making jewelry there are some great raw materials. A wonderful higher end jewelry designer-Bittersweet Designs-had many pieces that appealed to me. Crafty Planet is there; Eagle Creek Quilt shop has Amy Butler bags that are very reasonably priced. It’s fun to see the wide age range of the designers that are present. The Paris-inspired shop (door pictured below) got my vote for the best booth. Fun kids clothes and stuffed animal designs to see. I didn’t have much time between workshops to actually buy so I’m going to do some online shopping. It will be fun to see their etsy stores, too, after hearing so much about it.
So, yes, you must go if you like Stampington Art style or check the Creative Connection website and look at the stores that are there. And if you have another reason to be downtown, I’d definitely stop by.
The social media/how to launch a business panels I went to were very pertinent for my purposes. Small panels-mine was Social Media Metrics-are also helpful. Celebrities, table decorations and a full “swag bag” put the icing on the cake. I felt like the organizers created a special event just for me.
The word was that there will be another event next year, again in Mpls., because of the Junk Market.
I’m headed to the Junk Market this afternoon. I want to find an old chest of many small drawers for storing sewing notions.
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.
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.
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).
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!
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!
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!
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 