Books and Baptisms

No sewing recently, but I did do some sewing related activities. This past weekend we had a family and friends get together. On Sat. the girls attended a quilt show. My SIL is a member of Quilters Unlimited, a very large northern VA quilt guild. Despite her very busy schedule as a middle school music teacher and mother of young children, she still finds time to sew and she always has at least one quilt in the show. I love the colors in her quilts. Always nice and bright. This year she was actually pushing herself to buy dark fabrics in an effort to push her comfort zone. After the show, we drove to the Centerville, VA, G Street fabric store. Neither I nor my shopping buddies bought a single thing at G Street! This was amazing given the size of the store and the selection of fabrics. But there were no bargains or “have to have’s”. I was also very good at the quilt festival. I kept the purchases down to three fat quarters, 2 yards of woven ikat fabric, several trims and handkerchiefs from a vintage booth, and two books. One of the books was 200 Braids to Twist, Knot, Loop, or Weave by Jacqui Carey . I have wanted this book for several years. It shows how to create decorative braids using three techniques; braiding, weaving and twisting. It contains many "to scale" pictures of completed braids, the individual cords, yarn, and bead strings used for each example, and step by step instructions. I bought the book as a source of ideas and instructions for braids that could be used to trim jackets and home decorating items, or used as handles for purses. My decision to buy it was clinched when I watched the Signe Chanel series on YouTube and saw how the Chanel jacket trims were created. Threads are unraveled from the jacket fabric and woven with other fibers to create coordinating trim. While I have no desire to replicate a Chanel jacket, I thought it was a great way to create custom coordinated trims.

On Sunday we attended the baptism of my niece and nephew. (Ages 3 & 5) They both looked very nice in their special occasion attire, but she looked especially adorable in an off white silk dress with hand smocked yoke and sleeve bands. It was made by her maternal grandmother, and was just gorgeous. She is a very girly girl and loves dresses. She danced and spun so her dress flared out around her. She looked like a mini whirling dervish. Whirling Dervish Video Some times I wish I had a girl child. Whenever I say this out loud, my brother’s eyes light up and he eagerly offers to bring her to my house for an extended stay. Perhaps a little too eagerly. But hey, I’ll try anything once.

I am signed up for a fitting class with a Palmer-Pletsch instructor next week. These instructors are trained to use the pattern fitting techniques shown in the books Fit for Real People, Pants for Real People, and Jackets for Real People. Palmer/Pletsch I am really hoping to come away from the class with a bodice sloper that I can use to make some of the patterns in the Japanese pattern magazine Mrs. Stylebook. For the ASG meeting in July, I am doing a presentation on using the patterns in international pattern magazines; Burda, Diana, Knip Mode, Patrones, Modellina, Mrs. Stylebook, etc. There is an excellent article on these magazines at Patternreview.com International Pattern Magazines . I have been using the presentation as an excuse to buy copies of these magazines. You know, for research, so I can show examples, and talk from my own experience. Unfortunately I have seen so many patterns I want to try, that I became overwhelmed and couldn't start any. I hope to get over the indecision hurdle this weekend and start a new project.