That Dreaded Bias Tape – Conquered!

Honestly, the bias tape was no big deal.  I don’t know why I work so hard to avoid it. My daughter sewed everything but the bias tape.  We ended up having to take the neck in at the front and the back.  Unfortunately, I had already sewn on the bias tape before we realized we needed to make it smaller.  To do this, we made inverted pleats.  Next time we make the pattern (Simplicity 2593 by Cynthia Rowley) we will either gather the fabric more or gather and pleat it before the bias tape goes on.

My daughter and I decided to add the lace at the bottom.*  It adds just the right touch.  I bought the lace at Fabric World for only $5 for an entire bolt.  I officially got my $5 worth.  Using it again will just be gravy!  

 

*While taking these pictures I realized that the lace shrunk after several washes. It still looks nice as it gives a little shape to the shirt, kind of like a band at the bottom, but ideally I should have preshrunk the trim.

Creativity Camp for Adults Only!

(Sorry to take such a long break. I will pick up where I left off.)

Two weeks of peace and quiet…  No way!  My husband and son were planning a wonderful trip out west with the Boy Scouts while I was busy making plans of my own.  I have always wanted to attend summer camp for adults with opportunities to socialize and be creative both day and night.  It took a while to figure out the details, but I finally came up with a workable plan – please see below.  (Special thanks to my daughter who was a huge help and so tolerant of all the women in the house.  Between the cupcake demo and the s’mores, she was pretty happy to help!)

The highlight of camp was really all the time we spent visiting while we worked on our projects. We made new friends and got a lot accomplished.  The Goodwill Challenge in my last blog post was skipped when we realized no one needed another project to add to their already lengthy list of goals for camp!  One person not only slipcovered a chair but also made a duvet cover and shams. 

Dinners had the highest attendance.  The cupcake demo was the biggest draw.  (We were too full the first night to eat s’mores so we fixed them for dessert the last day.)  Everyone made it day camp, so I only fixed lunch and dinner.  If I get the opportunity to do this again, I think I will probably have some takers on sleeping over.  A full day of food and fun topped off by theme based drinks made staying over pretty tempting.

If you are thinking about hosting  a creativity camp of your own – plan ahead!  I sent out my invite emails only about 2 -3 weeks in advance.  So many people responded that if they didn’t already have summer plans they would have loved to have come.  Many encouraged me to do this again next year and they would plan their summer around it.  I think it would also make a great church retreat – minus the alcohol!

Creativity Camp 2011

June 27 - 29

Thanks to those of you who blindly committed to coming to camp! To those of you who are still on the fence, I hope the following details will give you a better idea of what to expect. Dinners are open to all. Please join us even if you can't make it to camp during the day.

Please see appointment times/reservation info below for massages ($75), Intro to the Enneagram ($10), and Individual Enneagram Counseling ($10).
Simply email me to sign up for camp, dinners, enneagram activities and the cupcake demo. Fees are in () for all events and activities.

Camp Schedule

(Camp Time! is free time to explore your projects and ideas.)

Monday

10:00 am Camp Check In - Unload your supplies, meet other campers and settle into your room/space. This is check in time for Day Campers and Overnight Campers.
11:00 am Camp Opening Activity followed by Camp Time!
12:30 pm Lunch - A collection of cold salads, breads and summer drinks (Just make a donation)
1:00 - 5:00 Camp Time! Work on the projects you brought or visit the Inspiration Table and try something new!
Special Attraction - Joan will be on hand to help with embroidery projects. Beginners and experienced stitchers alike can bring an item to decorate or use scrap fabric that will be provided.

3:00, 3:30, 4:00 and 4:30 - Individual Enneagram Counseling with Tavye ($10) - a 30 minute one on one session with Tavye. Sign up with Laura.
5:00 Special Event - The Enneagram with Tavye ($10) Do you feel like some of those around you are talking in code? She's such a 3! My husband is a

classic 5... What's your number? Tavye will lead an introduction/review of the enneagram. Sign up with Laura or Tavye.
5:00 - 6:30 Free Time/Clean up Time/Cocktail Hour
6:30 - Dinner Mexican Night (Donation) - Enchiladas, Guacamole, Corn and Black Bean Salad, Rice, Sangria, and Mexican Beer

Special Event - S'Mores and Magazines After dinner instead of sitting around the campfire we will gather around a HUGE pile of magazines and look for inspiration or purely for entertainment. (Please bring a favorite magazine to add to the pile!)

Campers are always welcome to keep working on their projects. Attractions and events are optional.

One hour massages ($75) available Monday night - 6:00, 7:30 and 9:00. Kim lives just down the street and is a certified massage therapist. She truly feels called to this work and it shows. Her massages are divine. To book a massage with Kim, please call her at …

Individual Enneagram Counseling with Tavye ($10) - 30 minute one on one sessions with Tavye are available Wednesday mornng as well.

Tuesday
8:00 am Walk with Lisa - As many of you know, Lisa will be busy walking the length of New York City for a month this summer. She will be missed at camp, so in her honor we are going to walk with her in spirit! We will send her a picture so don't sleep in.
9:00 am Coffee, breakfast, social time
10:00 Camp Time!
Special Attraction - Maxine will lead beginners through the first steps of knitting as well as assist those who would like guidance with their current knitting projects.
12:30 Lunch - Corn Dogs, Fish Sticks and sweet potato fries in addition to cold salads, etc. (Donation)
1:00 Camp Time! Keep working on those projects and new ideas.
Special Event Goodwill Repurposing Challenge Those who are up for a challenge will head to Goodwill and look for a diamond in the rough! (Repurposing is the hot new term for taking someone else's trash and turning it into a treasure. I will post on my blog a picture of a skirt I made from a Goodwill purchase to give you an idea. Although, the purpose of the item actually stayed the same. You might want to Google repurposed thrift store finds for examples.) We can stop at Ace for anyone who needs spray paint or other supplies. Please pack a few basics like elastic, a variety of threads, paints, etc. if you are going to participate in this event.
5:00 Free Time/Clean up/Cocktail Hour
6:30 Dinner Asian Night (Donation) - Asian Slaw with mix-ins, spring rolls, orange slices and fortune cookies

Special Event - Susan's Cupcake Secrets!! We will bake and decorate dozens of cupcakes while learning Susan’s secrets for decorating and flavoring custom cupcakes.

One hour massages ($75) available Tuesday night - 6:30, 8:00 and 9:30. See note above.

Wednesday
8:00 Coffee/Breakfast Bar
10:00 Camp Time!

Individual Enneagram Counseling with Tavye  ($10) - a 30 minute one on one session with Tavye. Appointments available throughout the morning.
12:30 Lunch - Leftovers - A true last day of camp tradition!
1:00 Closing Activity
2:00 - 5:00 Finish Up/Clean Up/Pack Up

Camp Notes

Packing List: Supplies you would like to have on hand, sewing machine if you are sewing (I have an extra but it is very basic.), clothes that can get messy, supplies you would like to share, anything that inspires you, and any snacks or drinks that make you happy.

Space Planning: To give everyone a place to create, the house will be divided as follows:

2nd floor - Quiet Zone - for writing, napping, and any activity that requires quiet.

1st floor and porch - Food and Social Zone - Meals, snacking, games (Scrabble, cards, etc.) and hanging out.

Basement - Creativity Zone - This is where the magic happens! Anything messy needs to be done outside or in my sewing room which has a tile floor.

Vegetarian Options are available at all meals.

Please let me know if you will be joining us so that I will have plenty of food and supplies!

Laura

Goodwill Repurposing Challenge!

Next week some friends and I are going to participate in a Goodwill Repurposing Challenge.  We are going together to Goodwill to find an item and turn it into something fabulous.  We will try to do this in one afternoon at my house! 

I promised some friends I would post a picture of a repurposed Goodwill item.  The only problem is that all I did was remake a bigger skirt into a smaller skirt with a pocket.  It was a size 16 Oscar de le Renta 100% silk skirt.  I originally made it for my daughter - hence the pocket for the cell phone and the shorter length, but she didn't really like it.  It sounds like it was easy to do but it was fully lined and had french seams.  Adding the pocket took a lot of time and if you saw it inside out you would not be impressed!

Before

After

I wore it for the first time on Sunday and couldn't help but share that it started as a thrift store skirt every time I received a compliment.  I need to learn to just smile and say thank you!

Words with Friends and Sewing on Sunday

McCall's 5425 View A

Yesterday I bounced back and forth between Words with Friends and my sewing machine.  It was a great way to spend a hot sunny afternoon!

I fell in love with this fabric at an estate sale - $3.  It was a remnant that had already been used many years ago.  I am basing "many years ago" on the fact that it smelled like it had been stored for years in a musty basement.  I looked online to try to find out what it might be made of - a synthetic or silk.  The bottom line was that if I treated it like silk, it didn't matter.  So I washed it on delicate with Woolite.  My wonderful black and white geometric fabric was now black and light grey.  My guess is that really old fabrics are not as colorfast as they are today.  Any feedback on this is welcome!

The dress is just as shapeless when I am wearing it as it looks on the dress form.  My husband thought it was a swim cover up and that might be how I wear it.  Or it might be just right for relaxing on the porch after a day at the beach.  The side seams curve in at the bottom which makes the middle pooch out a little.  I don't need any more curves in the middle so I will flare the bottom out or at least make it straight if I make this pattern again.  Belting it might help.  I have enough fabric left to switch the tie to a belt and make the straps like views B and C.

The next project is a Cynthia Rowley top (Simplicity 2593) for my daughter that has The Dreaded and Feared Bias Tape at both the neck and arm openings.  (You can see her fabric behind the pattern envelope above.)  Wish me luck!

Perennials - SO Thrifty!

Perennials are the perfect thrifty plant for the garden!  It is more of an investment the first year, but this is only the second year for these plants and they have come back beautifully.  Well, except for the pitiful one I tried to transplant in 94 degree weather.  I just deadheaded these last week and they are in full bloom again. 

The wall behind the flowers - free!  When they dug out the foundation for our house they removed these huge boulders.  One is so big it is still in the front yard as it was too heavy for a landscaping bulldozer to move.  When it came time to design the backyard we replaced plans for an expensive retaining wall with the rocks we had on hand.  The natural look of the stone makes a wonderful backdrop for a border garden.   

When you have new plants you have to keep them watered.  To water the plants without feeling guilty about the amount of water they need or about a huge water bill, I have a number of water collecting places around the house.  This one collects the condensation from the main air conditioning unit.  I fill the 5 gallon bucket and partially fill the smaller bucket every day.  There is also a large ziploc that collects a smaller amount of water from another unit.  I collect water when I heat up the shower (when I remember) and I also use the water from the dehumidifier.  Another benefit to collecting water is not having to unroll the hose and put it back away each time I water.  Developing upper body strength is also a plus!

Perennials are buy 2 get 1 free at Home Depot - with the coupon in their gardening club email.  I might just have to add something new this year... if the weather cools off a bit!

I Confess ... I Went Back!

Honey checking out today's purchases.

(I don't know why my cats are so curious about fabric!)

I went back to Fabric World today.  Anyone out there with a fabric "issue" understands perfectly!  My daughter joined me and together we found 4 bolts of clothing fabric - now only $3 per bolt - and 4 drapery/upholstery bolts - still $5 each.  Trim is now only $5 per bolt and I somehow limited myself to 5.  They are all amazing!  The pile is my daughter's - in addition to the bolts my cat is sitting on.  They are remnants that were $1 each.  Some are only about 1/2 yard and some are over 2.  She stayed right in the $20 budget I gave her.  I hope to have her sewing by the end of the summer.  She certainly has enough fabric!

My favorite of all the bolts are the 4 I bought today!

These two look and feel like kitchen towels. It is perfect fabric for an emroidery project or aprons or both! (If I repeat that it was $5 per bolt would that be bragging?)

The fabric below is a very soft chenille and a grey denim (it looks blue but it is a beautiful grey) for our upstairs landing. The trim looks like burlap but is very soft. We have built in benches that have stayed bare since we moved in.  I might have these cushions made. It would be a lot faster and I think the final product would be more professional looking. Foam is so expensive to buy retail that often having upholstered items made is not that much more expensive. I will make the throw pillows.  I am thinking combinations of red, hand woven linen that I found at an estate sale, some interesting embroidery, and hopefully, something unexpected!



PS - The frogs in the background are for a friend - not my daughter!  She wouldn't be seen in purple frog fabric but I know 3 (soon to be 4) sisters plus a niece that would look great in it!

Good Day! Bad Day!

Biscuit sits above my spoils from a "quick" trip to Fabric World. 

Good Day because what you see in the picture is not everything I bought and it was all on sale for $5 a bolt or less!  Yes, I did say bolt.  Many of the bolts I bought have as many as 20 yards on them!  3 of the bolts are fusible interfacing.  I only made it around half the store before I had to get my sister back to work.  Hmmm...
Another trip tomorrow?

Bad Day because my favorite store for buying cheap materials for costumes is going out of business.  I don't know what I will do next year when we need massive amounts of fabric and I can't drive to Fabric World and find it for $1-3 dollars a yard.  Maybe I should alert the theater department that the cost of costumes just went up!

I can't wait to show you what I bought and how I use it!  I have purchased many more treasures that I will share as well.  Looking forward to getting caught up!