Princess Blocks finally done.

I took Lorianne Reeves princess-block workshop last week.  I didn't finish and worked on the blocks on Monday at the ASG meeting.  Then I worked on them more this week and today I finally finished putting the last pattern on the tag board and cutting  it out.  I'll have to do another sleeve sometime, but I think I'll let it go for a while.  Now I need to get back to sewing again.  I haven't even turned on my machines this week. 

Wool Fabric and Modeling your fashions

When I was in NYC I purchased some wool fabric at Moods.  Yesterday at my ASG wearable group meeting we were given free wool fabric that someone had donated to ASG.  I also have some wool fabric that I bought at the Pendleton outlet in Vermont on a trip Dave and I took years ago.  I have decided that since the temperature has finally dipped below 90 degrees in Houston, fall is only a few months away and I want to sew with all of this beautiful fabric.  So I have been researching what to do with it.  Today I found information on how to preshrink the wool without sending it to the dry cleaner that I will try on Pamela Erny's blog Off-the-cuff-style.blogspot.com.  Basically she says to serge or finish the edges of the wool so it doesn't ravel.  Then wet some towels with hot water until very wet but not dripping and put the fabric and towels in a hot dryer for 40 minutes.  Then pull out the fabric and lay flat to cool.   Other ideas I am looking for are what kind of interfacing to use, and what kind of lining to use.  On her blog Pamela Erny recommends Pro-Weft Fusible available at  Fashion Sewing Supply.

Peggy Sexton gave our ASG group pointers on how to walk when modeling your garments at a fashion show.  Peggy said hold your thumb to your third finger, walk straight while twisting your shoulders a bit, and sing to yourself "Isn't she beautiful".  Many of the ladies in our group are showing off their creations at the Stitches in Time Fashion Luncheon at the International Quilt Festival.  I don't think I am up to doing this yet, but I hope by next year my sewing will have progressed enough for me to enter an outfit.

Travels and a few stitches

Last week we flew to Irvine, California, drove to Las Vegas, drove back to Irvine, drove to and from San Diego and flew back to Houston, TX.  In Irvine we visited our son and his wife and my two gorgeous grandchildren.  It was the Sean's 3rd birthday party.  He has beautiful strawberry blond curls and doesn't speak too clearly yet, but he is absolutely adorable.   In Vegas we visited Dave's cousins and saw the  Freemont Experience and the Terry Fator show.  He is a terrific ventriloquist/singer comedian.  We also had a wonderful lunch at an Inn on Charleston Mountain. 

We drove back to Irvine for Rosh Hashanah with Gabi's folks and the South African extended Family.  I took a trip with Sydney (age 7) to our favorite store, Joann Fabric and Crafts,  to buy shiny red fabric for her devil cape for a Halloween costume.  Her Mom found a "devil kit" at Target with a red horn headband and a red tail which matched the fabric really well.  Sydney said she wants to be a devil because it is really scary and kids with scary costumes get more candy when they trick or treat.  I don't think it will work because Sydney really is a little angel.  We had only a little bit of time to practice her sewing on her sewing machine this trip.   

On Saturday, we drove down to the Marine Air Station at Miramar in San Diego for the air show with the Blue Angels.  Wow is all I can say. Dave got some really great pictures.  He says he took 800 so some were destined to be fabulous and they are.  Some day I will learn to make a quilt from one of Dave's wonderful photos.