Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

A place for Artistry, Crafts and Needlework; Decorating and Holidays.
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby BookSaver » Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:31 am

Sewing camp report
Thursday ~ Most of the tables and chairs were set up for us, which was a nice gift. I got there about 8:15AM and first thing turned down the a/c because the humidity level in the room was awful.

I hauled in all of my gear and groceries and started setting up. We each make a little nest around us with sewing machine on the table, bags and bins of fabric, patterns & tools surrounding us. I also had to finish setting up the meeting room and kitchen. Actually, I did not get my machine out of its travel case until much later because as people started arriving, we rearranged the tables a few times. Way more discussion about that than necessary :roll: , but finally we had tables and chairs for everyone and their stuff.

As the morning moved on, we realized that the room was still hot and eventually someone started keeping track of the thermostat and said it was going up instead of down. :? The temp outside got closer and closer to 100, and inside the temp and humidity were becoming unbearable. A couple of the attendees belong to the church so they know the building committee and one of them was able to "call the man!" :) He came in mid-afternoon to confirm that the a/c was broken, and did what he could to get at least part of it running. By evening it was much better, and we kept it set low to run all night after we left.

Thursday night when I got home, I did a load of laundry and checked Email, updated some financial reports, sent them out, made sure there had not been any problems with this site, and looked up a few online patterns that people had asked about during the day. Finally got to bed about 12:30.

Up Friday morning before 6 (not enough sleep!), S2s, ate breakfast, packed my little cooler, and hit the road again. When I unlocked the door to the meeting room, I was met with a blast of cold air and relief that everyone could be comfortable.

Friday morning I cut out a pair of slacks first thing. When I started pinning them together, I saw several small holes in the fabric that would end up right in front of my belly. :shock: :x I had just enough fabric to cut replacement pieces, pinned and started sewing -- and found more holes. :evil: Maybe I could have figured out a way to hide them, but it really wasn't worth the time. I had bought the fabric at the library fund raiser and only paid $3 or $4. I threw all of that fabric in the trash and moved on to another project.

Friday night I was all packed up and ready to leave at 9 when a couple of the attendees asked if they could stay another hour. As keyholder I had to stay with them, so I tidied my nest and pulled out a pattern to study while they worked on their quilt tops. We left at 10:30. When I got home I looked for another length of fabric to use for those pants, checked Email etc., and was asleep sometime around 1.

I stayed in bed a little bit later Saturday morning so did not have time for breakfast. S2s and back in the car. I knew there was lots of extra food at the site so had leftovers for breakfast. One thing about these sewing retreats, we always eat really well. :)

The general pattern at a 3-day retreat is that everyone is always really talkative the first 2 days, and then on the 3rd day we all realize that we're running out of time. :lol: The room is much quieter as people are concentrating on their projects and sewing as fast as they can before they have to pack up everything to take home.

Everyone helped clean up the room and take down the tables before they gradually left throughout the day Saturday. 3 of us were there until the end of the night and I was last out the door.

Arrived on site each day between 8 & 8:15AM. Left the site the 1st day shortly after 9PM, 2nd & 3rd days at 10:30PM. Half an hour commute each way each day.

Overall I had to spend a lot more time in the kitchen than I wanted and that cut down how much sewing I could do, but we all had fun, laughed a lot, and were surrounded by fabrics and creative friends. :D

My personal projects:
* 1 small zippered bag for carrying change to the bank from the library donation jar.
* 2 small zippered bags and a small fold-over bag for travel. At least one of them will hold snacks in my tote bag for upcoming all-day classes.
* Practiced 10-minute and 5-minute quilt blocks -- and was glad I had watched the youtube videos several times when 1 of our most experienced quilters asked for a reminder of how to do them. Quietly patted myself on the back for being able to show her.
* Wrap-around slacks cut out (twice! :x ) and half sewn.
* Dressy top cut out; hope I have time to sew it before my trip.
* Studied purse pattern but could not get space at the time-share cutting table to cut it out.
* Still have not found the pattern for the multi-pocket travel tote. :? It has to be in the house somewhere.

Loaned out several of my tools -- various rulers, French curve, tape measure, pens, Netbook to call up a website to look up product numbers for a group order.
Also converted other people to the benefits of some of my tools --
* Bodkin for pulling elastic through a casing
* Fasturn tools for turning fabric tubes right side out
* Travel cases with clear vinyl zipper compartments for storing/carrying spools of thread and small tools
* Large "flour sack" kitchen towels from Sam's

Community service projects:
Someone donated some boxes of fabric that I had to sort through to pull appropriate pieces. Several discussions about various projects. I had hoped to sew some small bags that have been requested, but had so many problems with personal projects that I ran out of time for charity things.

Most of my gear is still out in the car. I didn't have the energy to deal with it today. I'll bring it all in tomorrow.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby BookSaver » Mon Jul 22, 2013 1:28 am

Some of the last pages out of my printer before it died Wednesday night were for a jacket pattern. I had planned to tape the pages together at sewing camp.

Unfortunately, the test square that was supposed to be 2 inches printed out 1/8 of an inch smaller. When I calculated the difference to scale, it looked like it would take a significant amount of time to adjust the pattern after taping it all together. :(

Lucky I remembered to measure that test square before I did anything else.

After I unpack and install my new printer, one of the first things I'll test it on will be that pattern instruction page with the test square. If it still prints small, I'll use the old printouts. I'll need to take the time to redraw the pieces to scale, but it will be faster to do that manually than trying to figure out how to adjust the print size.

But hopefully the brand new printer will print a 2 inch square as a 2 inch square.

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Nancy
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby Nancy » Mon Jul 22, 2013 10:09 am

I finished a crochet project main color yesterday and got some accent color on it now for the stitching together.

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Harriet
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby Harriet » Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:15 pm

BookSaver, thank you for the great Report From Them That's Doin'. :D I could sense your frustration at several examples of "what can go wrong, will!" Also one amazing unwelcome surprise - fabric with so many small holes you had to just give up on both the purchase and the work so far? - wow. That's a cautionary tale for us all, that we offer for charity or gift only those things that we are sure have value.

Still, you are the envy of the seamstress at my house! Kudos to you for the zippered bag finishes and the moments you had knowledge to share - very gratifying! :) Your mention of the "wrap around slacks" pattern is very interesting to me - is that something to which you could link? I hope you find time (well, first to bring everything in the house) for finishing the dressy top. Of course you know that now that you don't need the multi-pocket tote pattern so immediately, it will easily be found.

Creativity here has been a redo of our middle-sized one of our 3 bedrooms, so that dd can move there from the smallest. I linked to the color she chose in PWYC. BookSaver, she was interested in your concept of a neutral because of the possibility of placing a lot of art on the walls. But in the end, she couldn't bear not to choose color. Soon, the creativity will change to textiles for her room. Frankly, I tried to win an online auction of a particular quilt that I thought would be perfect, but the price doubled in the last hours. I think she was relieved. She wants furnishings she can consider casual and not dear to my heart!!! LOL. As I glance at bedroom ideas on the net, I notice that a focal textile that really makes a lot of difference is a toss pillow on the bed. This one pops in with a new color and changes the room.

Wise move I'm happy about - when a quilt rack had to be moved to do the work in the bedroom, it went to a more sunlit room with large south-facing window. So I covered the whole thing in a sheet to keep the rays off the quilts.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby Nancy » Tue Jul 23, 2013 10:38 am

Grey project is finished I made a tote! :mrgreen:

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby BookSaver » Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:50 am

It's nice to see a finished project, Nancy.

I forgot to mention the mending: Patched a pair of jeans, added darts to the waist of a pair of pants, repaired the strap on a book bag. Not creative, but was sewing that needed to be done.

Harriet ~ I understand DD's preference for that pretty blue color on the walls, especially if her brother is doing the work. :) She always has the option of a version of a design wall -- tack up a piece of sheet or flannel to which she can easily pin sketches, bookmarks, etc.

Wrap pants Simplicity 5124 from the 1970s or more current 4192 or 5508

I made my first pair many years ago from an old book about making clothes without buying patterns. I think they called them Island Pants. Must be out of print, I can't find a link to the book.

I recently saw a youtube from some men who wear them for RenFair events. No, wait, it couldn't have been for RenFair, they are not accurate for that time period. Must have been ComiCon or a fantasy game thing with swords and such.

Also available at wildginger.com in their free pattern called iCare which they call medical patterns for hospital patients. I used this program when I did theatrical costumes because the free download includes all sizes for children and adults, and I needed to start sewing pants for about 30 kids without knowing their actual sizes. The kids liked wearing them so much that several of them asked if they could keep their costumes. (No, because I had made plans to rent those costumes to other community theatres as a complete set.)

I know the modern version shows them riding low on the hips, but I like my waistbands up around my waist. They are so adjustable that I can still wear the pants that I made when I was many pounds lighter, they just don't overlap as much anymore and my loops in the ties aren't as big. ;)

They are very cool and comfortable, but I've only worn them at home because it's a little tricky to use a public restroom due to the logistics of the ties.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby Ivy » Tue Jul 23, 2013 2:34 pm

Am continuing to crochet kitchen mats. I hope there's enough leftover 1-Lb. cone yarn so I can crochet myself a mitered hanging dishtowel to match. :idea: :)
Touch the earth, love the earth, her plains, her valleys, her seas. Rest your soul in her solitary places. ~Henry Beston

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Nancy
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby Nancy » Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:11 pm

Got my mailer from Joann's fabric today so glad I got those to come via snail mail instead of e-mail yippie!

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby Ivy » Wed Jul 24, 2013 1:44 pm

I'm awaiting a mailer from Joann's. It should be here by the 30th or Aug. 2. :D I used my gift card to buy 3 Lbs. of yarn, in different colors for the 2 youngest grandsons' Christmas afghans.

I'll try to finish my kitchen mats today or tomorrow. :idea: Then, it's onto the mitered hanging dishtowel, if there's enough leftover yarn.

After that, I think I'll make more potholders, to have on hand for quick gifts. They're either be the Lion Brand 1-hour potholder pattern or the origami fold-in-on-itself potholders.

Does anyone know if Cabone plastic rings can go through the dryer as well as the washer? I believe washing them is okay, but I'm curious about drying them in a dryer. Do they melt? Are they hard enough they stay together, and hard and DON'T melt? :?: :?: :?: :?: I tell people they can go through the washer, but to flat dry anything with them. I don't know if I'm right or not. Dryers are quicker! :!:
Touch the earth, love the earth, her plains, her valleys, her seas. Rest your soul in her solitary places. ~Henry Beston

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

Postby Nancy » Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:28 am

Oh yarn that's a great idea! Thanks IVY!
CI from the sewing cave!
I have some pressing to do today and hem & waist band to do on capri's easy elastic waist later on today.


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