Sewing Conference fun

Last Friday, got to attend the annual Calgary sewing conference. It's full of great temptations to spend money -- booth after booth. I resisted - mostly. However, at A Great Notion's booth, I was able to peruse and purchase two serger books. I was aiming for great photographs with the instructions and these fit the bill. Also purchased a flexible ruler which will be handy measuring around curves and trying to replicate body shapes on pattern adjustments. You can see between the two photos how it can bend. The teens at home particularly liked this new tool! The Design Plus Fusible Bias tape was actually bought a mail order purchase that arrived. BWOF is always asking for a fusible bias tape only available in Europe. Here's the American counterpart. Thanks to Cidell who pointed me in this direction. I've yet to use it on arm and necklines but it definitely cuts down on bulk for stabilizing shoulder seams on knits.

Food disappears fast!

Food disappears fast in this house with two teenagers and now we've added a third. What fun! We have a Japanese exchange student for a few weekends and E will join his family in Japan next spring. I cooked up a large Hutterite chicken Saturday night and our student returned to the serving plate 5 times. Very few leftovers! Sunday a new subdivision in town had its opening celebration with a great bonus -- free barbecue.

Dancing Butterfly

Here's a delightful demonstration from J after her dance class along with a bit of her commentary. She and her classmates acted out being caterpillars to cocoons to butterflies! The pink skirt - just finished -- was referred to in an earlier post. Uncle T and E's voices in the background.

Driving on a small scale

Joel sold his beloved Cadillac this past week. Ironically -- just for the fun of it -- I'd ordered him two radio-controlled toy cars through Sears and they arrived a day after the sale. So we presented him with the cars at supper last night -- and J didn't give away the surprise! One car is this VW Van and the one he particularly enjoys is a Cooper Mini. All the family, including the Japanese exchange student, had fun 'driving' the new cars.

Was it the 'fertilizer'?

I pulled an onion out of the garden Thursday and before it got put into the supper pot, I had to take a photo. OK, I know your onions are likely bigger but this is the biggest I've ever grown. Should say "we" since J and I planted them and Joel's done lots of watering. We've three garden boxes and in the spring were rather frustrated with the neighbour's cat who thought one was its own litter box. By the end of June, fortunately, the cat couldn't find room in the box or the layers of cayenne pepper actually worked. However, we've noticed that the 'cat's box' has produced a lot plus big onions.

Sewing for Africa

It's an even better work day when it can involve sewing. About 8 women spent Wednesday sewing kids' book bags with colourful fabric for the Oct. 18th sale to raise money for the Stephen Lewis Foundation's work in Africa. You'll find details at www.pursesandprojectsforafrica.org For a few hours I was able to join these fine women at the sewing machines. Yes, it meant working 'til late to get other work done but what a great day all round.

I can make that....pink tuttu

J starts pre-school ballet with Crossings Dance Ministries in a week. So on Friday we went to get her ballet slippers, as promised. Aren't these cute?

I'd intended to buy her slippers and tights, then I would make her pink leotard. But I ordered the wrong-sized Kwiksew pattern from Wazoodle, I was running out of time and J was absolutely enchanted by the pink dancing gear and bigger girls trying on shoes and I got caught up in the moment. So $70 and a bit later, here's what we ended up with:

She also needs a flouncy, short pink skirt and for that, I figured I could wait the arrival of the Kwiksew pattern via Canada Post. But she fell in love with these tuttus of various colours. They cost $16 and were just two rows of gathered tulle sewn to a 1" wide, round piece of elastic. 'I can make that,' I thought and told J we were off to the fabric store. Since J was a baby, I've avoided fabric stores and shopped online. While her patience was limited, she found lots of pink cloth that she liked and wanted Mummy to make her something from each piece she found. To this sewist, her enchantment with the fabric was rather delightful and she didn't mind being re-directed to the projects at hand.
The tuttu material cost me under $6 but back at home and several hours later, I was wondering how much I was really saving....but... J loves it.
J lets most people know she loves pink. When MJ and I were preparing Sunday am's children program, we pulled off the internet the spiritual meanings of colours. J's delight in pink made even more sense when we discovered this: "Pink represents unconditional love – love requiring nothing in return. It is also the colour of friendship and conviviality. It can signify balance between the spiritual and material."

Fall Fair Sewing

Every year the local Millarville-Priddis Fair is a fun event. This year I helped 13-year-old N make a skirt and an 11-year-old friend make a tote-bag.  They both won prizes in their category and age-groups, along with gift certificates to Fabricland.  It was wonderful to see their satisfaction in their projects.

    I also received awards for J's pink dress and hat and a women's knit dress.   The child's dress surprised me because competition is usually pretty stiff in that category.  But entries were down this year.  So...because some of you didn't enter -- I took home a prize.  Thank you very much.  But for next year, if you're a sewist living around Calgary or near  Millarville-Priddis, this is a fun event.

       A second edition of J's hat is going in the Purses for Africa sale in October in Calgary.

Shelley's Garden Blog Begins

Shelley's Garden Blog seems like an apt metaphor for life, family and vocation.   And with such a name, I'll  start with a photo from the garden, such as it is.  The Hollyhocks are a bit worse for wear after a few bouts of frost this past week.   There is snow on the mountains.

       I rather delight in these flowers -- the seeds are originally from the manse in Manitoba and they went with me to Vancouver Island and now here.  While everything grows on Van Isle, these flowers at least fare much better here -- less chance of disease from the rain.