I'm sitting in Corina Bakery (took a day off from my South Beach diet :) ) just enjoying the entrance and exit of customers wanting a hot coffee and pastry on this cold, wintry day. We finally saw snow yesterday here in the Puget Sound area. Actually, the forecast for the next few days is snow. It would be a great time to engage in some sewing or knitting, but I'm preparing for my long trip to Ohio.
Within the last couple weeks, I have read several books on Old Order Amish to prepare for my study in Bainbridge, Ohio. I will be staying with my parents and hope to include a trip to Holmes County Ohio - the largest population of Old Order Amish live there.
I have missed my Needlecrafts for Charity group. I will not be able to attend club meetings until I return in March. I'm still thinking of sewing though. Maybe I can purchase some fabric at an Amish Fabric store in Ohio and work on a sewing project while I'm there.
Next week, I will probably not post, as I will be traveling, and then adjusting to life without daily internet service. I hope to visit McDonald's in the town where my parents reside. Besides the library, this is the only place where I'll have access to the internet.
Be sure to check back in a couple weeks when I post from Hillsboro, Ohio :)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Happy 2012!
This is my first post for 2012. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's Eve. My hubbie and I went out dancing for the evening. It was so much fun - we just don't get out enough.
Just before Christmas I sewed some pj bottoms for my husband for Christmas. To stay "green" I chose some LL Bean flannel that I had in my fabric stash. I used to worked at a fabric store, Famous Labels, in Tacoma years ago. I had purchased that flannel way back when, and had just enough to make the pj bottoms. Unfortunately, the flannel was off-grain and I couldn't straighten it, so I cut each leg out separately to ensure that the plaids matched. More time consuming, but the end product was well worth it. Needless to say, he loved the pj's and he didn't know I had made them until I asked him to look for the garment tag :)
Have you ever had one of those projects that is simple, but takes forever to finish? That was the second project that I finished this past Sunday. I started a black cashmere and mohair scarf last October for a good friend 's birthday. Well.......it turned into a happy birthday/late Christmas gift. Better late than never, right? She was very pleased with the scarf.
I hope 2012 has been a good start for you. I wish you a very happy and prosperous remainder of the year!
Hubbie's pj's
Friend's scarf
Just before Christmas I sewed some pj bottoms for my husband for Christmas. To stay "green" I chose some LL Bean flannel that I had in my fabric stash. I used to worked at a fabric store, Famous Labels, in Tacoma years ago. I had purchased that flannel way back when, and had just enough to make the pj bottoms. Unfortunately, the flannel was off-grain and I couldn't straighten it, so I cut each leg out separately to ensure that the plaids matched. More time consuming, but the end product was well worth it. Needless to say, he loved the pj's and he didn't know I had made them until I asked him to look for the garment tag :)
Have you ever had one of those projects that is simple, but takes forever to finish? That was the second project that I finished this past Sunday. I started a black cashmere and mohair scarf last October for a good friend 's birthday. Well.......it turned into a happy birthday/late Christmas gift. Better late than never, right? She was very pleased with the scarf.
I hope 2012 has been a good start for you. I wish you a very happy and prosperous remainder of the year!
Hubbie's pj's
Friend's scarf
Monday, December 26, 2011
Last Meeting of 2011
Okay, it's been way too long since I posted - I apologize. The month of December was crazy busy for me with finishing up my college classes, creating a huge contract class for winter quarter, preparations for Christmas, etc., etc.
My Needlecrafts for Charity club met on December 5th and 8th. We needed more time to finish the pj bottoms and work on the sanitary pad kits. Everyone decided that the kits would be an ongoing project. Now that we know the need, how could we ever say that the project is completed? We had 50 almost completed by the last meeting. As for the pj's, see the pictures below. This really was a fun project and everyone was happy with the results!
Looking ahead to 2012 - I will participate in an exciting class for winter quarter. I will observe a family-run cafe by an old order Mennonite family in southern Ohio. My stay will be over a 6 week period and I will stay with my parents. My dad was diagnosed with cancer last spring, so I am looking forward to spending time with him while I work on my studies. Please follow my blog as I record my adventures in Ohio.
As for Needlecrafts for Charity, they will resume meetings the end of January. They plan to work on the kits and any small projects that benefit a charity or improve their sewing skills.
I want to thank everyone who has given emotional and financial support during 2011. Needlecrafts for Charity wouldn't have existed if it weren't for the help of our supporters. I'm so thankful that this club continued to thrive throughout the year, and that I could help facilitate a passion for sewing and knitting in a group of college students.
Happy 2012!
Heather sewing pj's
Jacob modeling new pj's
Trisha with her new pj's
My Needlecrafts for Charity club met on December 5th and 8th. We needed more time to finish the pj bottoms and work on the sanitary pad kits. Everyone decided that the kits would be an ongoing project. Now that we know the need, how could we ever say that the project is completed? We had 50 almost completed by the last meeting. As for the pj's, see the pictures below. This really was a fun project and everyone was happy with the results!
Looking ahead to 2012 - I will participate in an exciting class for winter quarter. I will observe a family-run cafe by an old order Mennonite family in southern Ohio. My stay will be over a 6 week period and I will stay with my parents. My dad was diagnosed with cancer last spring, so I am looking forward to spending time with him while I work on my studies. Please follow my blog as I record my adventures in Ohio.
As for Needlecrafts for Charity, they will resume meetings the end of January. They plan to work on the kits and any small projects that benefit a charity or improve their sewing skills.
I want to thank everyone who has given emotional and financial support during 2011. Needlecrafts for Charity wouldn't have existed if it weren't for the help of our supporters. I'm so thankful that this club continued to thrive throughout the year, and that I could help facilitate a passion for sewing and knitting in a group of college students.
Happy 2012!
Heather sewing pj's
Jacob modeling new pj's
Trisha with her new pj's
Saturday, December 3, 2011
PUL Fabric
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break! I certainly ate too many pieces of pie.
We resumed sewing last Monday and finally were able to begin cutting out the PUL shields for our Days for Girls project. In case you are unfamiliar with this fabric, let me explain. PUL is a water resistant fabric that is used particularly in baby items, like for diaper covers. For our project, PUL is sewn between layers in the sanitary pad shields.
Heather was industrious with tracing (pinning would make holes and allow for moisture leakage) shield patterns on the PUL with a black marker. The other students worked on pinning and cutting out pajama bottoms, and cutting out more flannel pads. I took a final picture of what we have accomplished so far.
We have two more meetings left - wow, the time has flown by! We will meet this coming Monday and then again on Thursday evening for a final project/pizza party.
Enjoy your weekend!
Trisha & Jackie pinning pj patterns
Heather tracing shields
Kim & Jackie showing sewn shield pockets
Pads & shields to date
We resumed sewing last Monday and finally were able to begin cutting out the PUL shields for our Days for Girls project. In case you are unfamiliar with this fabric, let me explain. PUL is a water resistant fabric that is used particularly in baby items, like for diaper covers. For our project, PUL is sewn between layers in the sanitary pad shields.
Heather was industrious with tracing (pinning would make holes and allow for moisture leakage) shield patterns on the PUL with a black marker. The other students worked on pinning and cutting out pajama bottoms, and cutting out more flannel pads. I took a final picture of what we have accomplished so far.
We have two more meetings left - wow, the time has flown by! We will meet this coming Monday and then again on Thursday evening for a final project/pizza party.
Enjoy your weekend!
Trisha & Jackie pinning pj patterns
Heather tracing shields
Kim & Jackie showing sewn shield pockets
Pads & shields to date
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Field Trip
Our needlecrafts club had a field trip day last Saturday. We first visited Artco, a local crafts store that has an impressive selection of mostly cotton fabrics and sewing notions. Our second and last stop was at JoAnn's Fabrics. Our group learned to determine the quality of a fabric, as well as how to select thread and elastic for a pajama bottom sewing project. Everyone purchased a fitting (pardon the pun) piece of fabric!
At our meeting on Monday I decided to teach a little about crotch depth - yep, crotch depth. A little awkward to teach, but the pj bottoms need to fit. Basically, the person being measured sits on a hard chair and another person measures from the waistline, down the side of the hip, to the top of the chair. Most of the time this measurement is required in order to determine whether the waist of the garment will be too high or too low. And the instruction was immediately applicable because everyone had to make an alteration to the pajama pattern for the crotch depth.
Our club won't meet next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday, so I'll be busy writing a research paper for my college class and working on some items for an upcoming arts and crafts fair.
I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving; peace and good times with whomever you will be celebrating with!
Artco
Jacob Pinning Pattern
Kirah & Heather Cutting PUL for Shields
At our meeting on Monday I decided to teach a little about crotch depth - yep, crotch depth. A little awkward to teach, but the pj bottoms need to fit. Basically, the person being measured sits on a hard chair and another person measures from the waistline, down the side of the hip, to the top of the chair. Most of the time this measurement is required in order to determine whether the waist of the garment will be too high or too low. And the instruction was immediately applicable because everyone had to make an alteration to the pajama pattern for the crotch depth.
Our club won't meet next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday, so I'll be busy writing a research paper for my college class and working on some items for an upcoming arts and crafts fair.
I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving; peace and good times with whomever you will be celebrating with!
Artco
Jacob Pinning Pattern
Kirah & Heather Cutting PUL for Shields
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Taking Measurements
The weather has definitely changed this week to facilitate activities indoors - sewing! My Needlecrafts for Charity club spent Monday continuing the Days for Girls project and also receiving a lesson in taking body measurements.
The club members wanted to start a sewing project for themselves and add some new sewing skills. I was delighted to oblige. Kim graciously volunteered to be my model for measuring techniques. Did you know that to find your natural waist, you bend to the side, and wherever that "crease" is on your side, is the location of your natural waistline? It helps to use some yarn or string to then tie around your natural waist. From this marker, other measurements can be taken.
Later this morning, our group will visit a couple local fabric shops where we will purchase fabric to make pajama bottoms; I'll post some pictures next week. It's supposed to be rainy and windy today, so a great time to be inside a fabric shop and gaze at all the wonderful colors and feel all the nice textures...... Enjoy your weekend!
Finding Natural Waist on Kim
Heather Teaching Jacob
Finished Flannel Pads to Date
The club members wanted to start a sewing project for themselves and add some new sewing skills. I was delighted to oblige. Kim graciously volunteered to be my model for measuring techniques. Did you know that to find your natural waist, you bend to the side, and wherever that "crease" is on your side, is the location of your natural waistline? It helps to use some yarn or string to then tie around your natural waist. From this marker, other measurements can be taken.
Later this morning, our group will visit a couple local fabric shops where we will purchase fabric to make pajama bottoms; I'll post some pictures next week. It's supposed to be rainy and windy today, so a great time to be inside a fabric shop and gaze at all the wonderful colors and feel all the nice textures...... Enjoy your weekend!
Finding Natural Waist on Kim
Heather Teaching Jacob
Finished Flannel Pads to Date
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Portland Weekend
So, as usual, Portland proved to be a very memorable trip for my husband and I. We left Friday the 28th and spent the afternoon in the Alberta District at Bolt Fabric Boutique. Bolt had a wonderful sale going on - fabric, patterns, etc. I love visiting this store every time I visit Portland.
The evening was spent at Modern Domestic, also in the Alberta District, at the "Sew-cial" from 6 - 9. It was pure heaven! I was able to make good progress on a top for myself by using a fabulous Bernina sewing machine. But.....that was not the highlight - I actually met Shelly Figueroa who is the author of Sewing for Boys. She was recently featured with her two handsome boys on a morning show in Portland. Shelly designed some really cool clothing for boys. Check this book out; I'm sure you'll want to own a copy. I have to say, I was just in awe during my conversations with her that night. She is like your favorite friend; down-to-earth, fun, kind. I certainly didn't want to leave the sewing studio that evening, but my husband had tired of going from coffee shop to coffee shop trying to find one that stayed open late.
It was a really fun weekend except for one problem........my car developed a cracked exhaust manifold Friday evening after the "Sew-cial." Saturday was mostly spent at the Toyota service department to diagnose the problem and find that there were no manifolds in stock. On the way home Sunday we had to drive at 55 mph and stop at each rest area to let the car cool down. Thankfully the car was drivable!
All in all, it was a great weekend. When it comes to sewing adventures, you never know where you'll land :-)
Shelly and I at Modern Domestic
Outside Modern Domestic
The evening was spent at Modern Domestic, also in the Alberta District, at the "Sew-cial" from 6 - 9. It was pure heaven! I was able to make good progress on a top for myself by using a fabulous Bernina sewing machine. But.....that was not the highlight - I actually met Shelly Figueroa who is the author of Sewing for Boys. She was recently featured with her two handsome boys on a morning show in Portland. Shelly designed some really cool clothing for boys. Check this book out; I'm sure you'll want to own a copy. I have to say, I was just in awe during my conversations with her that night. She is like your favorite friend; down-to-earth, fun, kind. I certainly didn't want to leave the sewing studio that evening, but my husband had tired of going from coffee shop to coffee shop trying to find one that stayed open late.
It was a really fun weekend except for one problem........my car developed a cracked exhaust manifold Friday evening after the "Sew-cial." Saturday was mostly spent at the Toyota service department to diagnose the problem and find that there were no manifolds in stock. On the way home Sunday we had to drive at 55 mph and stop at each rest area to let the car cool down. Thankfully the car was drivable!
All in all, it was a great weekend. When it comes to sewing adventures, you never know where you'll land :-)
Shelly and I at Modern Domestic
Outside Modern Domestic
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