Hats, Hats and more Hats!

A Scottish Tam
Originally uploaded by leahholland

hats
Originally uploaded by leahholland

What starts as one hat, and becomes three! Once one kid got a new hat, they all wanted one!

Spring Sewing for me

Leah's Spring Top
Originally uploaded by leahholland

Ottobre 2/2010 #1 Top & Skirt based on Ottobre 2/04 #40

TOP: I added sleeves using the sleeve pattern from Ottobre 2/2010 #11 and shortening them to be short sleeves. Other alterations include adding more drape at the neckline - I think I could have added a little more especially for this knit....

The fabric is a midweight Rayon-lycra blend that I purchased at a local independent sewing store. The fabric was on clearence (60% off! a great find for beautiful fabric)

SKIRT: is an 8 gore skirt based on Ottobre 2/04 #40. I traced the size 152, as I wanted a slim fit for the knit and then I shortened the pattern too. The fabric is a lightweight Poly-Lycra that I purchased when I was at a sewing course.

I purchased some additional beige fabric today to make a pair of matching capri length leggings. I'm not ready to wear skirts without leggings or nylons underneath. I think the lighter colour leggings will look better under the skirt -- currently I only have black leggings...

Cats

At the beginning of April my daughters were in a fund raising performance called "Celtic Celebration" to raise funds for a local Highland Dance association. They both performed as cats to a song called "Sam the Skull".

I made tails and ears for the whole class of 8 kids. They did a great job and had fun.

A sneak peek

A sneak peak at something I've been working on... completed item will be posted after May 1st!

It involved matching plaids!

My Gram

Last week I went out for lunch with my youngest daughter and my Grandmother. My Gram turns 94 in 2 months and she's such a joy to take out. This time she wore an outfit I made her for Christmas in 2008.

Sewing a dance vest

I'm busy sewing another Highland Dance Vest. Vest is made now time to argue apply the silver braid around the edging.

To see the last Highland Vest I made --- Highland Vest. The one I made earlier this year was much easier as it didn't have any braiding -- National Vest.

Sewing for me: Ottobre 2/10 #2

Ottobre 2/10 #2
Originally uploaded by leahholland

My new Capris! These were simple to put together... I did change them a bit as I didn't want to pull out the stitching.

Note to self: READ the instructions WHILE making them, not just the day before. I forgot about putting the size zipper in, and used the 5 thread stitch on my serger to do the side seams! Oops!

So I changed them to be pull-on by changing the waist to be a casing. I do need to open it again and take out some of the elastic....

Alterations - the only alteration I did was take in the CF seam 1/4" and CB seam 1" at the waist and taper to the crotch seam.... (and change the width of the waistband to fit my elastic, and decreased the length & shape to go with the above alterations)

Next time I make these -- I will put the zipper in, and I will have to change the waistband.

Sewing Show!

Today was the sewing and craft show. This year it is under new management and they've included a scrapbooking show with it.

Impressions of the show
Good Things

• Admission was still only $10 for the two days. And the kids were free. This was great because it was a Professional Day for teachers, so no school for the kids. Due to other commitments, I will be unable to head out again tomorrow.
• Great deals! We stopped by the Wonderfil booth looking to pick up some multi-packs of the 40Wt Polyester Thread they had on special. The girls were having a great time looking at the thread -- searching for various colours. The rep came over and handed each girl a bag full of thread.... The bags were "freebies" and included 10 spools of 120d/2 100% Rayon Thread (150m spools). When I paid for my purchases, she gave each girl a reusable bag to carry their thread in... and then she gave my son a bag too! Wow!

The bags of thread the kids received!




Other thread we purchased. One of them was the Razzle or Dazzle thread -- glittery -- Bought for the girls. They did have to compromise on colour as I was only going to buy them ONE colour. I also purchased magnetic pin holders for each of them.



If I was without the kids

• I love that Ron Collins and Linda MacPhee continue to come back! They are wonderful instructors. Didn't take any of their courses this year (due to the kids), hope they are back again next year.
  
• The Bernina Booth was doing a hands on demo, but it was the same project as last year -- a little cosmetic bag, and I couldn't do it today because of the kids. Not a problem, I did the project last year, but it would have been great to sit and sew at the show today. I am glad that the Bernina Booth still has a freebie demo.
• The Janome Booth looked like it had machines setup for hands on workshops, but while we were there no projects were visible. Great if they had a hands on -- their instructor is wonderful! If I didn't have the kids I would have enquired about the demo.
  

Neutral Items

• Many quilt vendors, and few supplies for garment sewing... Gala Fabrics was there, and MacPhee Workshop with some beautiful fabrics, as well as some garments featured in the recent Threads Magazine, but for those of us who don't quilt (or quit only a little...) there wasn't much.
  
• I'm not much of a scrapbooker, but I can see how the two can be tied together. The trade show did have most of the scrapbooking supplies grouped together.
• There was way too many "other" products. I'm not interested in Avon, Tupperwear, Sheets, and various other products. But I guess they pay for their tables, so....
• The Quilts from the quilt show were beautiful, but really divided the show as they were in the centre isle. They did get more exposure than at past shows, but it did really separate the two sides of the showroom.
  

Dislikes from this show

• Bring your own machine -- in the past the show has provided one or two "rooms" of machines for hands on classes. This year the brochure said "bring your own"! I like being able to try another machine. It is a great opportunity. And the show really needs more for Embroidery in the classes.
• Not enough variety. I've been attending the show for a number of years now, and the courses are all starting to sound the same... Love to see some new hands on stuff!
  

Wishlists for future shows

• More hands on -- free or low cost!
• More embroidery classes -- hands on! They had some one year, but haven't since....

All in all, from what I saw it was a good show: lots of people shopping, some good prices, some beautiful machines, gorgeous fabrics. And best of all I survived it with 3 kids!