Gail Yellen, Gail Patrice Design

Last year my path crossed multiple times with Gail Yellen at several Original Sewing & Quilt Expo shows.  What first caught my eye was this wonderful tone-on-tone jacket on display in Gail's booth.

It's sophisticated, subtle color blocks and textures drew me to Gail's booth.  The jacket is so cozy - although I refrained from hugging the sample - and made from her Mother's sweaters.  Gail excels in designing comfortable and flattering jackets from sweaters and sweatshirts then adds her own distinctive details.

Twin needle work is frequently found in her samples such as on this sleeve cuff.

Here's the back view of the jacket with the inverted pleat and you can see how snazzy the twin needle work on the cuff edges adds subtle attention to the jacket.

Gail's work with beads is intriguing especially on the back of this jacket,

but this close-up of the bead work on the front shoulder blew me away when Gail said it was done on a serger.  One of her favorite tools is the Edge Perfect Blade to perforate the fabric.  I really need to take one of Gail's classes and get a hands-on experience on how to do this beautiful bead work.

Gail wearing the beaded Counterpoints Jacket

Gail's teaching schedule is posted on her website.  I'll see her next at the fabulous Sewing & Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, WA.  Sign up for her classes now and make sure you drop by her booth to see her Counterpoint Jacket and other patterns perfect for embellishing.
Sew SCHMETZ!
Rhonda

http://www.gailpatrice.com/
http://www.sewingexpo.com/
http://www.sewexpo.com/

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HOG & Simplicity

Seeing HOG (Harley-Davidson Owners Group) magazine and a Simplicity pattern on the same work table is not a frequent occurrence in my travels, but last fall while vending at the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in Kansas City, I met the ever energetic and talented Virginia Phillips. 

HOG and Simplicity Pattern

Ever so gracious Virginia invited Rita Farro and I to her home before chowing down on ribs at Ricky's Pit BBQ one night and Stroud's Restaurant another night.  Virginia has more than a passing interest in riding Harley's.  She travels to local Harley dealerships setting up an on-site embroidery service for those hearty leather motorcycle jackets.  Plus she creates custom garments for Harley customers - leather jackets, chaps and vests. 

Leather Vest with Embroidery & Patches

Virginia gets a very pretty penny for her work, and rightfully so.  Just look at the detail in this leather vest.

Inside Detail of Leather Vest

Every stitch is in place, but the remarkable feature is the side detail. This vest will last forever - no matter how the wearer's body will change or bulk up.  Virginia's thoughtful solution is lace-up sides instead of the traditional side seam.  Gain a few pounds, not a problem, just loosen the sides.  Ingenious! 

Harley T-Shirt Quilt

On a lighter note Virginia showed a Harley t-shirt quilt hanging in her dining room that she made for her husband.  

Just a Sampling of Virginia's Machines, Tools & Notions

She sews on a variety of machines - home sewing and commercial machines with all the appropriate notions, tools, books and inspiration galore. 

Glove Dyes

We also saw a broad collection of glove dyes.  Really, when was the last time you thought about making gloves?  Maybe knit a pair of mittens, but sew a pair of gloves?  Hmmmm, maybe next winter. . . .

The Dynamic Virginia!

Virginia, thanks so much for sharing your love of sewing.  Glad to know SCHMETZ is your favorite needle brand!  Learning about your experiences as a nurse, American Red Cross volunteer, brewer of Kombucha (a miracle health tea), Street Strider elliptical trike rider, foodie and Kansas City historian made a nice trip . . . .  fabulous and delicious too!

http://www.sewingexpo.com/
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Fashioning Helen Gibb's Ribbons

Last year for my birthday I received a wonderful little kit - Helen Gibb's Ribbon Flower Bracelet Kit.

Helen's knowledge of ribbon work is extensive.   I have admired Helen's work for many years especially her first book The Secrets of Fashion Ribbon Flowers: Heirlooms For The Next Generation published in the 1990's.  It's out of print now, but I still enjoy pulling out my precious copy to languish over all the glorious silk flower projects - peonys, hollyhocks, sweet peas - so many of my favorite flowers.

I have never done silk ribbon projects before, so this was new to me.  First I emptied the contents of the kit and found lovely, intricate little silk ribbon flowers, trims, ribbons and beads.

Also I thought this was a hand project, but I was wrong.  Except for adding the beads and ribbon flowers by hand, the project was stitched using my machine.  Which means.........this little project was quick .........

and adorable. 

Here's the full view of the bracelet.  On the far lower right a little elastic loop slips over the iridescent button on the other end of the bracelet.  

Helen's little kit made my assembly appear beautiful with so little time and effort.

Thanks Helen for your ribbon artistry... and thanks to my sister for the kit.

In your travels if you find a copy of Helen's book, pick it up.  The Secrets to Fashioning Ribbon Flowers is a jewel of a book.

http://www.helengibb.com/



SCHMETZ Needle Used:  Microtex 80/12

Rhonda

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Thangles - Not Tangled - Christmas Scraps

Christmas and holiday gifts have been stitched and given away to family and friends.  The Christmas tree and all the holiday decorations are packed.  Now what?  What about all those scraps of Christmas fabrics?  Well, here's what I do . . . . an ongoing project.

Gather up all those Christmas scraps of fabric.  As mentioned earlier I love fabrics with a glint of silver and gold.

Start cutting up strips.  I just happen to love the little 1" Thangles, so my strips are 1.5" wide.

Pick up a package of Thangles and start stitching.  Seemingly I have an excess amount of a nice tone-on-tone holly print married with endless Christmas fabrics in assorted colors and prints. 

I love Thangles!  The stitching and cutting lines are easily viewable on the paper strips.  I even use up those nearly empty spools of threads that collect dust and space. . .  you know what I mean.  Plus I use a Universal 80/12 needle or some of those gently used assorted needles that may be laying around from projects past.

Once my Thangles are stitched and cut, they are stored in little clear bags for easy viewing.  Now the fun part begins.......

auditioning these little 1" half-square triangles. 

I love Thangles!  When I want to sew, but don't want to get involved with an intense quilt or garment project - but just have that burning urge to sew, sew, sew . . . . I sew Thangles!
Rhonda

http://www.thangles.com/

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Christmas Convergence

I love Christmas fabrics especially when there is a glint of gold metallic.  I also enjoy trying new projects.  This time my endeavor was based on Ricky Tims Convergence Quilts, a technique based on piecing techniques of two or more fabrics cut into strips, sewn together, then cut and pieced again. 

Two fabrics were used in this piece - giant paisley designs and a red crackle.  I love the flowing movement of the paisley.

Again two fabrics are used, this time a rich green with gold metallic grids and for continuity the beautiful  giant paisley designs. . . . . 

Now the magic begins with the convergence of the three fabrics.  I love how the fabrics are integrated . . .  and it was so easy!

This project began after my husband mentioned that our sofa was boring - an over sized, but comfortable sofa fabricated in a lifeless taupe fabric.  Really I am not certain why I ever agreed to let such a piece of furniture into my house.  He said, "Hey you can sew anything.  Why don't you just reupholster the sofa?"  Hello!  That's labor - at least for me, not a hobby of joy.  So my solution was to  create quiltlets to drape over the sofa - give it some pizazz.  Really I was flattered that he thought I could cover a sofa, but that is a whole new skill set with a lot of tools that I do not have. 

This was a study of colors and movement playing together.  Each quiltlet measures 40" square.  Happily that old bland sofa has been replaced with a beautiful cheery floral sofa, matching chair and ottoman . . . . and the quiltlets gained permanent placement in a hallway. 

In the next posting I will show some Christmas scraps and how I am using them.

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SCHMETZ Needle used:  Universal 80

The SCHMETZ Gift Box

Looking for a way to share your joy of sewing?  Here's the perfect gift!  The SCHMETZ Gift Box.  The packaging of these little gift boxes are ever so cute and reusable.  Plus the are featured in Fon's & Porter's Love of Quilting Jan/Feb 2012 that just arrived in my mailbox.

Quick and easy these little gift boxes sell for less than $25.  Inside you will find needles nestled into a foam insert that will later hold and organize up to 20 packs of needles, a Sulky PolyLite sample thread spool, and the ever popular SCHMETZ ABC Pocket Reference Guide. 

Available in four collections:  Stretch, Quilting, General Sewing and Universal.  Find them at your local quilt or fabric shop or machine dealer.  Visit www.SCHMETZneedles.com for more information.

PS:  The General Sewing collection is especially terrific for the young or returning sewist as it has the widest needle assortment.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

www.SCHMETZneedles.com
http://www.sulky.com/

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A Stitch in Time

In the rush between the holidays, I took a few moments to remember a trip home this summer to Nebraska. My husband and I traveled by star ship - well that's what we call our smooth driving SUV with its elevated view. Throughout the trip there were little stitch surprises.

Mom pulled out a special box of old family quilt blocks made by Aunt Emma. Aunt Emma is long gone, but our memories of her quilting skills remain strong. Mom and I studied the blocks deciding on the best way to assemble them into a wall hanging or small quilt to be sold at our tri-annual family reunion.

At church the local Piecemakers worked on hand quilting Mary Luhr's stunning purple colourwash quilt. Mary quilts with precision. Perfect intersecting seams and every stitch properly placed. 

In Kearney, NE we finally stopped at the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument. How many times we have driven on I-80 under that archway, I don't know, but at last we had some time to explore this informative tribute to the pioneers traveling west.

Unexpectedly as we were exiting the tour this wonderful patriotic quilt hung above the escalator.  The stars and stripes border made the center star eagle soar.

Our final stop on this trip was having lunch with Rita Farro and her husband, John, in their Iowa home near the great Mississippi River.  No doubt Rita loves color... and fabric.  She covered one wall of the special room reserved for her grand daughter with bright and bold fabrics.  Sayings from t-shirts add even more attitude to the wall.

Rita also has a long hallway of cross-stitch treasures.  This was my favorite.  Whether a memory or present or in the future, our love for putting hand or machine needle and thread to fabric is timeless  . . . as a stitch in time. 

www.archway.org
www.ritafarro.com

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