Shipshewana Quilt Festival 2011

Last week was the Shipshewana Quilt Festival in beautiful northern Indiana.  Bucolic hills among the Amish back roads of LaGrange County, friendly residents and wonderful comfort foods contributed to a memorable shop hop weekend for quilt lovers. 

Kaye England was the feature speaker.  Her "Memoirs of a Quilter" was a light-hearted conversation about quilt making with lots of beautiful quilts.  Kaye is a staunch 1/4" seam user, not a scant 1/4", but a 1/4" with the needle in the middle position of the machine foot.  I really appreciated her take on a scant 1/4" since it never made sense to me especially when a ruler with exact measurements is used.  Kaye has an extensive quilt collection of antique, civil war, 1800's era quilts.  Kaye's "Threads of Time" quilt collection - about 40 quilts - were magnificently displayed at the Hostetier's Hudson Auto Museum in the Shipshewana Town Center on impeccably restored 1900's Hudson cars.  Oh, I wanted to take pics soooo bad, but photos were not allowed. 

Besides authoring and publishing books, Kaye designs fabrics for Wilmington Prints.  Her Bread & Butter collection was unveiled at Yoder Shopping Center. 

This was my third year to teach SCHMETZ Needle Education at the Shipshewana Quilt Festival.  I always love talking with quilters and sewing enthusiasts in this delightful venue.  And to take quilting a step further along 90 miles of scenic roads are 18 quilt gardens in full bloom among 90,000 flowers.  Colorful!!! 

It's shop hop season and quilters are gleefully adding to their fabric stashes.  The Cotton Corner was not only part of the hop, but also celebrating their s.p.a.c.i.o.u.s new location.  Linda and her staff took a few minutes between sales for a couple pics. 

Imagine my delight when I saw their SCHMETZ needle display on their checkout counter. It's an easy reminder to start projects with a new needle or at least to pick up a couple needle packs rather than find yourself at 2AM without the appropriate needle.

Plan to attend the 2012 Shipshewana Quilt Festival - June 20 - 23, 2012.
http://www.shipshewanaquiltfest.com/

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Summer Projects

It's officially summer.  What summer projects are on your list?  Let's see what a few friends are stitching up:

4-H projects will soon be due. 
Bailiee models her newly sewn purple pansy skirt.  In a few days she will finish sewing a black top. 

Mary created this wonderful Irish Chain which is . . .

now the summer hand quilting project of The Piecemakers.
Garneta and I share a few good laughs while stitching. 

Mom studied these blocks purchased last summer at a family auction.
With them she is creating a small quilt to auction again at the next family reunion.

Rita loves zebra print.
How will she incorporate these felt squares into her sewing projects?

Yes, it is summer time.  Time for sewing machines to sing.

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Samples

We are spring cleaning in the office.  Well forced to clean since soon we will have newly painted walls and fresh new carpet.  Bravo, a fresh new work space!  When I teach classes, frequently I travel with beautiful samples showcasing impeccable machine work.  It's time to return samples, but first take a look at these wonderful projects offered by a few of the 2010 SCHMETZ Portfolio Designers:


Debra Justice, Labours of Love
Isn't this dainty camisole lovely!  Debra uses the Hemstitch (Wing) needle size 100/16 to create old fashioned "pin stitching" or dainty little holes in natural fibers.  She uses the Hemstitch to attach and embellish lace.  When she joins laces her bonus is the creation of entredeux.



Louise Cutting, Cutting Corners Inc
These shirts made of batik and quilting weight cotton were each stitched using Louise's preferred needle, the Quilting 70/11.  Louise finds the sharp tapered point of the Quilting needle to pierce fabrics beautifully without puckering or rippling.  Louise is known for stitching very, very close to garment edges.  Her stitches are impeccable!

Kaye Wood, Kaye Wood Productions
Kaye is a "Quilt Engineer".  She is always simplifying the quilt making process, breaking rules and developing new tools and patterns.  Kaye's needle of choice is the Universal in sizes 70/10 and 80/12 combined with a cotton or poly-cotton thread. 

Carol Ahles
This delicate ring bearer's pillow is a cadre of heirloom techniques:  Pintucks using Universal Twin 1.6/70, Shadow Work and Scallops using Universal Twin 2.5/80, Fagoted seam using Universal 80/12,  and a narrow hemmed and pin stitched Ruffle using Universal 110/16.  Learn all these techniques in Carol's book Techniques From Fine Machine Sewing, Taunton Press.
  

Mary Mulari, Mary's Productions
Mary, a former English teacher, started her design career with sweatshirts... and she has not stopped designing.  Look for her Church Ladies' Apron and recycled  Sew-Green patterns to name only a few.  Mary is also the most frequent guest on Sewing with Nancy.  To friends that buy new sewing machines, Mary makes up a nice usable sewing kit that always includes her favorite needle the Topstitch.  Mary is always designing cleaver new projects! 

Rebecca Kemp Brent
Prolific writer, editor, educator and machine embroidery expert.  How does Rebecca fit all these activities into her work life?  I love these samples showcasing delicate embroidery.  The Hemstitch (wing) is her favorite needle for a quick embellishment of ready to wear.  Plus she uses the Hemstitch to quilt fabric for a really unexpected look.   I love the simplicity of redwork and this sample from Rebecca's book, Redwork from The Workbasket.

Thanks ladies for sharing your samples and for inspiring sewing enthusiasts around the world.  I look foward to seeing you on the road!

Each 2010 SCHMETZ Portfolio Designer has a website.  Check out their links in the upper right column.

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A "Supreme" Evening with Connie Crawford

Once upon a time did you sew garments for yourself?  Maybe you stopped sewing years ago and want to start sewing for yourself again or perhaps you are just learning to sew now.  One of the most important elements of garment construction is fit.  You can be the most skilled sewer using the most exquisite fabrics, but if the garment does not fit properly, your work is compromised.  What's the answer?  Finding patterns that fit and adjusting them appropriately . . . and Connie Crawford, an American Sewing Legend, designs for us - real women with real bodies.  Connie designs for women with curves - Rubenesque, pear and apple body shapes - up to sizes 6X. 



Connie showing samples from her Butterick pattern line.

This weekend Connie is in Chicago teaching classes on fit.  Wish I could attend - I need her expertise - but at least last night I was able to enjoy her special Fall/Winter 2011/2012 Fashion Predictive.  Black, black with intense color accents, black openwork, denim, mixing blues and browns and finally beeswax yellow are just a few color trends Connie predicts for the upcoming year.  Besides trends Connie talked about adjustments for the full figure woman and how women of all sizes want to wear beautiful clothes and feel terrific.  

I love Connie's jackets!  That ruffle around the neck is special.

We gathered at Supreme Novelty Fabrics.  Bridal, home dec and wonderful sheers, wools, knits, evening fabrics. . . . I didn't know which way to turn.  From every corner I was surrounded by glorious fabric treasures!  The setting was lovely.  A clean, well organized warehouse loft filled with beautiful fabrics.  Here's Connie with Richard Schneider, third generation owner of this wonderful fabric destination.  Richard and his staff are textile experts offering original design solutions in clothing, special occasion gowns, interiors and event-scapes.



Richard and Connie

Laura showed me a few of Connie's favorite Supreme fabrics.    I would like a cut from each of those bolts please!

One of Connie's newest patterns is this wonderful Spiral Wrap.  I have her pattern already and can hardly wait to sew it up.  Just cut, finish the edges and I'll be ready to go.  . . . . Connie is teaching classes throughout the country and Australia too.  Check her schedule for a class near you.


Connie showed me several ways to swirl - wear - her shawl.



Connie's patterns make dressing well accessible to every body shape... and Supreme has just the fabric for every occasion.  Thanks Connie and Supreme Novelty Fabrics for a special evening. 

.

Check out these websites for more information:

http://www.fashionpatterns.com/

http://www.supremefabrics.com/

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Dad's Embroidery Project

Next month my Dad celebrates his 80th birthday.  So rather than the usual gift card, I thought "Hey,  how about creating a card.  I'll try embroidery."  Here's what I did:

First I selected a favorite photo.  Ok, Mom's eyes are partially closed, but this project is all about Dad.

You may know that I'm an embroidery novice, but am learning.  I brought the photo into Creative DRAWings.  Over 330,000 stitches!  By the time I was done with it, the stitch count was 27,000 - still a lot, but certainly more manageable.

I love all these beautiful colors of thread.  To avoid color confusion, especially the various flesh tones, I labeled the spools with thread change numbers on sticky notes.  One nice thing about the software was that it solved one huge mystery by suggesting the stabilizer.

You know that sinking feeling - "Oh no, do I have enough thread?"  Well about now I'm holding my breath hoping I have enough thread.  That spool is from my stash with no label - little luck finding the exact replacement in a day.  . . . .  Ok, I was able to exhale with thread to spare for another small project.

At 10:30 last night I had to stop as the next day was another work day.  This project is not done, in fact I may start all over again.  Stay tuned... I still have another week to finish this project, but shhhhhhhh . . . . if you know my Dad, don't tell him about this little project.  :)

http://www.creative-drawings.com/
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Oprah's Surprise Spectacular . . . A Giant Love Hug

Have to bump my Salt Lake City International Quilt Market update with OOOOOprah!  Yes, I got two tickets through the Oprah on-line lottery.  And spectacular the show was indeed.  Over 20,000 well dressed heart filled Oprah fans gathered to celebrate Oprah's 25 years.   The evening was well orchestrated and star studded - well there were a few blips, but who cares!  A few edits and the evening will be documented perfectly for TV.   The evening was memorable starting with Oprah signage outside the United Center. 

Fans were excited to be photographed and interviewed by the media.  Lindsay of The Hollywood Reporter interviewed my husband and I outside the Chicago United Center.  We talked about recognizing "a ha" moments, while kudos to my husband talked about being a fan of me, his wife, an Oprah fan.  It's so easy to adore my husband!

Fans with signs, portraits and even an Oprah look-alike paraded before the electrified audience.

I did abide by the rule of no photos during the performance, well not really.  Our seats were just too far away - only 2 rows from the roof, so the best photo I offer is me holding a gift issue of Oprah's magazine.  I'm wearing a black skirt and top with a beautiful sheer vintage floral embroidered shawl.  Thanks Rita!

Oprah is the ultimate communicator and educator.  Her dedication to education allowed over 62,000 young people to obtain their dreams of a better world through education.  The evening included a candlelight parade of seemingly hundreds of fine young men from Morehouse College who dedicated themselves to higher learning and now contribute to their worlds with service and knowledge.   The big show surprise for Oprah was audience participation in an organized book donation.  Over 20,000 books were donated for libraries across the country.

Who were the memorable performances?  Jackie Evancho, the 10 year old girl with the other-worldly operatic voice that won the hearts of America's Got Talent, Christine Chenoweth, Jerry Seinfeld. . . . And who brought the house down?  It's tough to decide Michael Jordon, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder, Maya Angelou, Aretha Franklin singing Amazing Grace, Beyonce.  The evening was fabulous!  The United Center rocked!  What a night!  . . . . Loved Oprah's beautiful full length plum dress with aqua and turq bejeweled neck and waistline.  And for those tears of joy moments, every row in the United Center had a box of Kleenex - how's that for knowing your audience?!

Last night, two of the three final shows were taped.  They will air on Monday and Tuesday, followed on Wednesday with her final studio show.  I wonder if Oprah sews?  Seems like she should have time now. . . .

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What's In Your Spring Wardrobe?

Last week, Soni Grint, Creative DRAWings Director, and I spent 2.5 days embroidering nearly non-stop.  We created samples and promotional items for upcoming sewing shows using Creative DRAWings.  I have always dabbled in machine embroidery, but after this last session, I must say I'm hooked.  Creative DRAWings made it so simple!  I didn't struggle with stitch parameters or even stabilizers.  Creative DRAWings set the parameters for my fabric and suggested the stabilizers.  Whew!  Two mysteries solved right there.

These were our major projects:  I took a nice, but boring ready-to-wear suit on the left - a $200 suit marked down to $19.99 - don't you love a good sale -  and gave it some zip with embroidery.  Soni took a coat she had made and added embroidery also. 

 I wanted to do fully embroidered black lilies, but decided that doing just an outline was more intriguing - and faster too.

Soni combined milk and dark chocolate Ultra-suede to her appliqued trio.


 She choose earth tone and sky blue threads that created a lovely embellishment.



Here are our projects - not yet done, but at the end of our session.  I don't know what additional work Soni has done on her coat, but over the weekend I added even more black lilies to the back, front and sleeves and added satin dots, just to punch up the coat even more. 

Soni and I are meeting next week in Salt Lake City for International Quilt Market.  I will be promoting SCHMETZ, while Soni will be promoting Creative DRAWings.  We'll both be wearing our outfits and I'll take more pictures.

Here's the link to Creative DRAWings, a graphics based software for machine embroidery:  www.Creative-DRAWings.com.