Sewing Party

 I saw these Clothworks by Karen Roti fabrics on a blog post and spent quite awhile searching for just the right price.
Online fabric websites can suck up a bunch of time unless you have the exact title of what you are looking for.

 Iris's are from last weekend. Instead of starting my taxes, I pruned my roses & my raspberries. A little more sun today and these miniature iris's are full-blown.

 Sasanqua Camellia by the front door is loaded with blooms.

I am headed to the big sewing party next weekend in Puyallup. After many hiccups at work trying to keep it's grip on me, I have persevered to leave town for three days starting at 5:30am this Friday.

Sheesh - all the work that went into taking two days off work. Not even a question of me being indispensable. Not sure what's gonna happen during five days in May or, gasp!, two weeks in August!

I am taking classes;
 # 3029b Classy & Clever Computer Case, aka; how to use my serger inserting a zipper (!),
#1046C designer handbag details
#1087C  new tee necklines
#1088B Adding stay tape to make knits look professional
#1094c creating texture the easy way
#1096c making resin buttons

I am also looking at a Bernina 450 sewing machine and may buy one. What else is terminal overtime good for??

 Spring Heather blooming it up for the bumble bees.

 Close-up of sasanqua Camellia.

 Christmas Cheer Rhododendron

 Can't resist these tone-on-tone airplane prints. On sale too!

 Not sure what these will become - still dreaming. . . .

 Found some race car fabric for my girlfriend in Sweden. She likes Formula 1 racing.
Might make some pillowcases - except I have to get her pillow dimensions as swedish pillows are smaller than american ones.

It was cold last weekend. Crocuses are emerging like rockets but are closed up tight.
This weekend - tad warmer - opening up.

Some of my favorite iris's....until the next type of iris's start blooming.

Sewing Tool Organizer

#3029 Classy and Clever Computer Case
Gail Kellogg, SVP Worldwide
VIKING CLASSROOM, SHOWPLEX
Thu. (#3029A) 8:00 – 10:30 am, Thu. (#3029E)
11:00 am – 1:30 pm, Fri.(#3029B) 2:00 – 4:30 pm
Experience the fantastic Husqvarna Viking Huskylock S25
Serger to create this stunning and useful case for your laptop
computer. You will learn how to apply zippers with the serger,
use accessory feet to embellish with decorative trim and leave
class with a sophisticated and finished project.
$25 KIT FEE INCLUDES: Two 13" × 18" double sided quilted
cotton, lining fabric, light weight batting, clear vinyl, two 18"
zippers, thread
STUDENT SUPPLIES: General sewing supplies

Description is from the SewExpo brochure.
 I am going to learn how to apply zippers with a serger (?).
All I need to provide is a kit fee and "general sewing supplies".

I don't take a lot of classes so I usually scramble  sewing notions together from my sewing room into a ziploc bag.
Yes.
A ziploc.

But this is SewExpo. I kinda need to look like I sew.

Bernina

VeryKerryBerry

JustSomethingIMade

I explored online and found some inspiration. I wanted to use some Pendleton Wool and make it big enough for a small cutting mat. While a roll would be nice and secure and smaller, the pesky cutting mat wanted to be in on the action.

"Q: I am planning on taking a 3 & 4 needle class and under student supplies, it lists 'basic sewing supplies'. What do I really need to bring?
A: Basic sewing supplies means to bring: Scissors (fabric & paper) pins, seam ripper, chalk, seam gauge, ruler, measuring tape, sewing needles, rotary cutter and mat. Optional: mini iron and ironing pad. And anything else you use that will make your sewing experience pleasurable."

 I laid my basic sewing tools out, figuring out some math numbers on paper.
Then I selected my fabrics.

A vintage Pendleton Wool Wrap Skirt was sacrificed for it's plaid properties (and possibly a chance to win something at the Pendleton Booth).

A nice coordinating airplane print and a neutral off-white.

Airplanes & Pendleton

I made the side-facing pockets with the airplane print. Re-enforcing the cotton by doubling up and sewing a grosgrain ribbon down the edge.
The pockets were custom fitted to the  notion with sewing lines 1 3/4" apart.

Basically, I started with an extra-long blue panel, using up inches as I needed to and trimming the excess at the lower end. Another way to handle this is with an elastic casing, easing in room where you need it.

 You can see where I sewed the pockets flat on the right-hand edge - couple of pleats.

 This is the smooth white fabric on top of the off-white textured fabric. This will become a pocket to store the small cutting mat.

On the left-hand side, I wanted two clear vinyl pockets to hold my small clear ruler and some pins and what-have-you. I edged my vinyl with some bias tape and the vinyl sewed much better this go around. You may remember some vivid cussing with my last experience with vinyl.

 The scissors rest in the pendleton fabric pocket with a piece of that gorgeous ribbon snapped in place across the handles.

So now we have the scissors secured and all pockets done.
I was thinking of embroidering an airplane on the front but decided to head back to simple and just zigzag on the up-cycled Pendelton Label.

I've misplaced my finished product photo but by that time the light had gone except for the Ott light at my sewing table.

Basically, I have a notebook with handles that will lay flat when opened.
Should be easy to take along.

I can tell I am feeling better because the different design elements went easily together with a minimum of hand-sewing (Scissor securement had to be hand-sewn because I forgot to do it before I sewed the pocket together.)

I'm ready to figure out zippers and sergers.






Sewing tool organizer tutorial images.

How To Take Time Off To Sew

First of all, work for a place with no one to spell you the first three days of the flu. Nevermind the fever and the coughing back at the same customers who coughed at you in the first place.

 After someone took your place at work, you go home. Only on the sixth day, do you even have energy to think about sewing.

 For this year's SewExpo, I wanted to make two pillowcases for the Mary Bridges Children's Hospital. I believe they collected over 4500 pillowcases last year. These pillowcases are for children who stay at the hospital for an extended time to take home with them.

I could tell I wasn't at my usual "make it more difficult than it has to be" status, when I followed directions - as written.

However, I was feeling just enough better to make sure of french seams throughout. --Because pillowcases get washed. No fraying edges exposed.

I used the first fabric on the pile. This is one of the fabrics I received as a WINNER in SewMama Sew's Giveaway Day last December. I paired it with the striped fat quarter that came with and added plain white cotton for the end. I did not overthink this - which should tell you how sick I have been.

I have to go back to work tomorrow but I think I will not work all day as my guy is still there.
But if I want to pay myself (Friday chore - lol), I should go in and make sure I give myself  enough money for SewExpo - coming up in three weeks!

I am going March 1,2,& 3rd. Three whole days.  Pencil Girl and her mom are going all four days! We are staying at the same hotel. I have all my classes arranged except one - but I can go put myself on the waiting list when I arrive. That's the class on ETSY Selling. Very popular.


***And the seventh day, there were pillowcases.

Ceramic Non-Stick Pans

I had last Monday off for MLK Day. First up was a doctor visit with the discovery of sunshine surrounding Canbyland which meant there was no way I was heading back into that inversion layer  wall of fog.

I went shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond for a wedding present. I was also looking at juicers and a new non-stick frying pan. The old fry pan was getting cranky (not to mention those toxic fumes)  so we wanted to try a ceramic one.






















It works.
My Sunday yams/sweet potato hash fried up fast. In fact, the pan gets a little hotter than the old non-stick pan so you need to learn how to turn down the heat a bit. Nothing stuck - at all.
The ceramic browns wonderfully.

We'll see how long it lasts - probably as long as the old non-stick pans which is about three years.
My BB&B coupon on my smarty pants phone was duly scanned and we all agreed how easy that was.

I don't remember the brand on this pan. There were about three to choose from at BB&B. I don't see it on the web site.

Sunday breakfast;  fried yams with bacon (voget's)  & eggs (did I tell you about the seaweed wraps?).

Back to MLK Day: Totally enjoying the sunshine which made the interior of the car toasty warm even though it was only 35' outside, I took my mom out for lunch without our coats.

I made a few other stops and then as soon as I took the left-hand turn at Columbia Helicopters back to Canbyland, I could see that wall of fog still intact isolating Canbyland; dreary and cold and wet.
That inversion layer broke Friday (Thank God) and we are now enjoying cloudy/sunny skies around 40'.

Off to a bridal shower today  and then to Retro Revival. My creative friend owns this shop in Oregon City and they are hosting a gigantic grand opening today.

Three Days in March

Yes!
I have approval for two days off work to go play.

Save the dates for 2013!

February 28, March 1 - 3, 2013

Puyallup Fair & Events Center
110-9th Avenue SW
Puyallup, WA 98371

Off to re-read my catalog of classes. Get admission tickets. Hotel Room is booked.
I'm going to SewExpo Friday, Saturday & Sunday this year.

My Birds

We are in the midst of two weeks of dreary weather.
Below freezing temps so it is frigid & dreary.
Apparently, it was just us in Canbyland & Hubbard (and I heard Silverton as well). Everyone else was enjoying freezing temps and Sunshine.
We have been trapped in some fog/cloud inversion layer.

I hang both my bird feeder and my hummingbird feeder so I can see the little birdies duke it out by the kitchen window. I had one hummingbird who turned and gave me the stink eye because his sugar water was frozen solid.

I ask for black thistle seed (niger) for christmas every year because I enjoy watching their antics. There is definitely a pecking order to the disappearance of 3 cups of seed in a few hours.

My sasanqua camellia is nearly done blooming by the front door.
When I prune it in the spring, I always find a bird's nest inside.

This was our first snow in Canbyland - more of a frozen frost than actual life-size snowflakes.
Canbyland gets a little banana belt thing going on. The rest of the Portland area has had snow several times in the last month.



Still working six days/wk with o/t.
I am hearing a rumor that my junior clerk might come back in about three weeks. This will give me some much needed days off as well as make the possibility of working four days/wk with 30hours come about.
I am figuring out how to deal with issues of my giving too much customer service to  my customers. They are not going to like going back to dealing with Miss I Quote Regulations.
But I don't need to work so many hours. It was not easy getting thru Christmas at work and my auto-immune was screaming.
Having the junior clerk take over some of the retail will not be popular with my customers, but it will enable me to take care of myself better and have time for my other life. I miss it --- my other life.

The one where I can sew and create, dream and play.

We went and saw the movie, Jack Reacher, on Christmas Day and now I am about halfway through all the novels that Lee Childs has written about Jack Reacher. This has been good winter reading. Working, reading and sleeping are what I am into these days.

On another bright note, I helped a customer re-pack something so we could save him a pile of money and the items smelled so good. Turned out they were loose teas from his friend in Seattle going to another friend somewhere else. These friends were all bartering their finds back & forth. The next day, he brought me a huge sack of various loose teas. Now my workplace smells divine.

My favorite tea is the  hand-tied jasmine flowers that unfurl under hot water.
I think what has gotten me through this tough time at work has been my buying an electric kettle at Amazon.com. It's difficult to take any breaks during the workday but I can boil water fast even if I often drink the tea cold by the time I get back to it.

Electric kettles are all over the place in Europe as they heat water fast to save electricity. I wasted a couple of months trying to figure out what they are called before I found one at Amazon.com that answered my need.

Here's hoping I get some help at work even if it is not the best help and I will have more time for watching my birdies squabble over who gets to sit front & center at the bird feeder.

Downton Abbey - anyone else watching season three?   Fabulous.

More Pressies.

This was a super  gift to me this Christmas from my lovely friend in Japan. She writes a blog too.
We met during a SewMamasew giveaway and it turned out she grew up right behind me in Beavercreek. Small world.

Since then, we have met a couple of times. Her family lives in Oregon and Janine comes back to visit each summer. She and I really enjoy playing Draw Something together  - me on my smarty pants phone and she on her IPad.  We are also figuring out sewing stuff and etsy stuff together.

She sent me these two felted leaf coasters that are  gorgeous colors - fuchsia and heather gray.
Plus the zippered pouch in the background.

This pouch is entirely hand-sewn.
From the quilting on the pink spool fabric to insetting the zipper.
Beautiful craftmanship.

Someday she will get my gift. I mailed all my international gifts on the 10th but obviously, customs is backed up.

Thank you Janine for bringing a smile to my face.
It's so lovely to receive packages in the mail.