On Packing Light

I've said it before but just in case you're a relatively new blog reader, my friend Caroline and I met when we were sixteen. We showed up in Sunday school in the same dress. I decided she had good taste, took mine back, and we've been friends ever since. Both of us have just celebrated our 50th birthday and this trip is a celebration although...

... we typically have some kind of sewing holiday together each year. Sometimes we rent a cottage, a B and B, or a hotel suite and sew whatever we want to sew and other times we take a specific workshop. Above, we were at a Ron Collins and Sandra Betzina workshop.

This pretty in pink picture was taken in my studio when Caroline was in town on a quick visit. I'd just taken the bra-making workshop and was teaching her what (little) I knew at that point. It was a fun day. Another time, she stayed with me for a week while Howard was away with the boys on their annual retreat. Just the two of us, no schedule, no responsibilities, was a holiday and working in my studio is a lot different than packing up and leaving. Everything we needed was right there. We still shopped!

Since she lives 2100 miles north of me, Caroline flies to just about everything we do. I have no idea how she manages because on the subject of packing light, I fail. We're driving from my house so I keep reminding myself that just because I have the car doesn't mean I need to take EVERYTHING although it certainly felt that way as the cooler, sewing machine, suitcase of supplies, computer case, knitting bag, suitcase of clothes, and my bag of toiletries went into the car. Above, I put all the tools and patterns into the sewing suitcase first and what was left was filled with fabric. I was surprised...

... by how much actually fit in. These are all knits. The white on the bottom is a thin burnout that will be perfect for surface design. The blue one up is the lining fabric that was so amazing from the Vogue dress. The ruffled knit is a souvenir from a different trip to Victoria last February when Caroline and I took a smaller workshop with Ron Collins. The lace in the middle is left over from my dress. The print and two blue pieces on top are yardage. That's definitely enough to do something.

Before I forget... again...

Kathy wrote - I've been jealously reading about your preparations for Marcy and Diane's workshop... maybe someday! Wondering if you can give me a definition of polyvore fabric. I googled it just now and keep being referred to a social network about styling clothing... but nothing about a specific fabric... I'm intrigued. Have a wonderful time at the workshop and I will be waiting with bated breath for your posts!

I went back to the store and looked at the label and it's not polyvore as she told me, it's 75% polyamide and 25% elastacine. It feels a bit like parachute fabric except thinner and softer and permanently wrinkled.

Thanks for the well wishes. We're off this morning. As mentioned, I have my laptop but I don't intend to pull it out every day so posting will be hit and miss until I'm settled back into the studio. Since my house will be managed by men for the next while, I'm guessing there will be a bit of catching up (read cleaning) to do when I get back. There may be one or two posts in the middle - hopefully - when I have time.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - traditions