Sewcation Projects

At 1:00 yesterday, I turned my back on the dishes, stepped around the laundry, and headed to my studio to sew. When Howard phoned, his first question was are you sewing? So nice to have the support of your spouse. He's taking Thursday to Monday off work while I'm away on holiday. YES YES - this will be good for both of us.

I'm going to a three day workshop in Nanaimo, BC on Vancouver Island. There will be eight students in the class. Our instructor is Ron Collins who you might know from his work with Sandra Betzina. I've studied with Ron before and he's a wonderful instructor, lots of fun. One of the other students is Sarah, my friend who visited a couple weeks ago. I met her in two previous workshops. Another is Ann, a member of Stitcher's Guild who I met on-line. I'm looking forward to a wonderful time.

We can work on anything we want with Ron's help. My main focus is two of the patterns from my Self Imposed Sewing Club (SISC) however, I'm also going to cut out another black t-shirt to work on at the beginning while waiting for my turn with Ron and/or at the end if my projects finish up sooner than I think. Most likely, my eyes are too big for my sewing time BUT... if I need it, I'll have it. Too much to do is better than sitting around doing nothing.


The jacket of Vogue 2983 is also on my SISC list however, I'm only taking the skirt with me. It'll be my starter project in a lightweight black linen. The pattern is unlined. I think I'll add a lining otherwise a slip will be needed to keep it from catching on tights and walking up my thighs. NOT a good idea.

In the front, there are three pleats. On each side, two fold toward center front and one folds toward the side creating a group of pleats in the middle and a box pleat on each side. There are supposed to be pockets under the outside pleats. I left them off to avoid unnecessary bulk. The side back piece ....

... wraps around to the front on a diagonal. The center back pieces are cut on the bias. This will help with a closer fit although right now, the pattern is slightly too tight and somewhat too long. There are no length adjustment lines on the tissue. I know how I would alter the pattern but before I do, I want to see what Ron suggests and why.

I've talked about the Vogue 2893 top before. I sewed it last Christmas out of a knit, washed the finished top to remove chalk marks, and it shrunk even though I had prewashed the fabric. That time, I used a rhinestone zipper in the back. This time, I'm sewing it in a raspberry colored, silk dupioni and will use fabric loops instead of grommets, and a self fabric tie or organza instead of the recommended shoe lace, to lace it up.




The pattern I used last year was too big. Downsizing it caused a lot of unnecessary frustration. This time, I ordered the correct size - for my shoulders at least! Like the skirt, I sewed this muslin in one size without my typical adjustments (widening for the hip for one) and will see what Ron has to say. The center front and center back openings, the princess seams, and the side seams will make alterations easy.

This back view in particular intrigues me because it illustrates where fabric needs to be removed in order to compensate for my high hips and short center back length. I'll start by opening up the princess seams and see how much added width shifts those wrinkles but I know they won't go away completely.

This top will need a strapless bra. I read the instructions for sewing one in The Bra-makers Manual - it bugs me that there's an editing error in the title even! - and it's not that complicated. There's a pink, iridescent, athletic fabric in the bargain section at Fabricland right now that would make a perfect bra to go under the raspberry dupioni. The fabric is a very strong stretch, like band fabric. I could get enough to make co-ordinating control panties to go with. What fun!

The linen and the dupioni fabrics for these sewcation projects are from my stash. So is the lining fabric and all the notions except for a 9" black zipper. That's the only thing I had to buy. It's such a good feeling to be sewing from my stash. YES YES

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - feeling well prepared for my holiday

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Personal Growth - 1 Corinthians 15 - Throw yourself into the work of the Master confident that nothing you do is a waste of time or effort.




This textile postcard arrived in my mailbox yesterday. It's from one of my students. On the back, she wrote: There's at least some lime green on this card. I just wanted to let you know how much all of your classes (all 3 pressing classes, the QU creativity class, especially Women Art Life) have influenced me. My style has developed into colorful scraps stitched like this card, sometimes it's rectangles, sometimes vertical or diagonal stripes. I love scraps and postcards.

On the weekend, I received several private emails written to share how much my blog, my books, or my workshops have meant to the writer. Life is good but as you know it's not smooth at the moment. In my struggle to figure it all out, these words of affirmation are such a gift.

I'm thankful for these gentle reminders to send out positive ripples and the awareness that I am exactly where, and doing exactly what, God has for me now. I'm also aware that this may be it. Instead of thinking it's not enough and looking for something more. I want to embrace the here and now. If more arrives, fine. If not, by always watching for it I will have missed the opportunity to be all that I can be in this moment. Remind me next time I'm being cranky - VBG.