Saturday, October 31, 2009

Long absence explained




The Creative Show in Toronto brings together creative people from all over Canada and the States. I was delighted that my Mother and two of her sisters and a friend made the journey from Alberta. Not much time for visiting at the Creative Show, there is always so much to see, and being the first Creative Show for one Aunt in particular, it can feel like overeating at an all you can eat buffet! The friend and first time Aunt went home right after the Show, I'm sure they are still digesting all they saw and learned!


Mom and the other Aunt stayed with me for the week after. What did we do...more shopping of course! We visited St. Jacobs and St George. These are two great destinations for quilt shopping! In a simple house on the corner in St Jacobs is a quaint little shop with the most beautiful hand quilted quilts. The proprietess shyly told us she didn't know how to quilt by machine, but I can tell you she excelled at her handwork! Reichards was the next stop, filled with inspiring colours and projects this was a treat for the eyes! After a delicious lunch and browsing the other great shops we made our way to St George and Lyn Bell Creative Studio. Even though we caught them as they were just closing they graciously allowed us to shop and I can tell you plenty of Alberta dollars were sprinkled over Ontario! We couldn't leave St. George without visiting the "Brown Dog" for an apple fritter and fresh ground coffee! We took another road trip a couple of days later and it was a treat to visit Northcott Fabrics. Mom thought it was amazing how they got the fabrics onto the bolts, everyone was so nice there and it was neat to see the behind the scenes of what we usually see in a fabric shop. We finished the day with a visit to Ruti's Needlebed in Mississauga. This shop truly has everything you can imagine, if you can't find it just ask the ladies behind the counter, they know their stock!
This is my Mom working on the Shattered Angles quilt they started in a class at the show, Aunty Sylvia is watching the embriodery machine work its magic.

Monday, October 19, 2009

My Kingdom for a Muslin!

Sigh, Vogue 1129 is pretty much done and it was not worn at the creative show :(. It just didn't fit right and the cowl was too fussy to work in. So many of you make your muslins before the garment and somehow I thought I could skip because the measurements on the pattern matched mine and it is a loosely fitting garment. I didn't think I would have to make a full bust adjustment because my bust measurement was stated on the pattern. The sleeve cap was too high and I would have been able to fix that if I had done a muslin. It looked like I was wearing someone else's jacket, I think the model was well over 6 feet tall. I shortened the jacket by four inches which is just past my finger tips and the length looks appropriate on me.
The Creative show was amazing! It is so inspiring to rub elbows with creative people, I came home with a renewed sense of inspiration. Quilters, sewers, beaders, and crafters are so generous with their creativity and ideas. If you ever get the chance to come to the Creative show you'll find out for yourself!
I will post pics and do a review of the jacket soon.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

If it weren't for deadlines nothing would ever get done!







The Creative Show in Toronto looms ever closer and the sewing seems to be moving in slow motion! Things are getting done and Monday will be the final day for things to get finished. We took a little time off today to take the train, York Durham Heritage Railway that runs between Uxbridge and Stouffville. Just the two of us; kids were all busy socializing... kind of that empty nester feeling again. It was a lovely ride and this time the train went all the way; we took this trip several years ago and one of the cars slipped off the track. The speed never gets up that fast so no damage or injury, just the pride of the volunteer crew. That trip was also in the fall, I think it is my favourite time of year!



Want to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! (Now you know for sure that I'm in Canada, eh!)

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Sneak Peak!







Well as promised here is the dress! Don't you find the little details can take the longest? The hand sewing takes a little time but there's something comforting about taking needle and thread to sew the hem and finishing details; I feel a kinship to the seamstresses who did all their sewing before the sewing machine was invented. Thankyou, ladies, for steadfastly sewing everything. You inspired a machine, an industry, even entire economies.
This dress will be at the Creative show in Toronto, I hope you get a chance to come see it!

Monday, October 5, 2009

No pics but my nose is to the grindstone!!




The week has flown by and I don't have anything to show for it yet, but I have been in the sewing room! I've been working on the sweetest little dress featuring sashiko on the bodice, and Vogue 1129. There couldn't be two garments that are more different and I'm not really doing myself any favours by working on them at the same time. The dress is palest pink silk dupioni and the Jacket is black crepe. It's a chore keeping the black bits off the dupioni! My goal is to have the dress finished on Wednesday and the Jacket and matching pants on Thursday. I want to wear it for the Creative Show in Toronto.http://www.csnf.com/