What A Week

I know that I should have been working on the downsizing but this was such a great week that I do not regret not doing it.

Last Saturday, my daughter TeAntae and I, went to the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival in Berryville, VA.   Great show but it is spread out so there was more walking than I really wanted. In the last barn, we found Elizabeth of Wolle's Color Changing Yarn.  She does not have much on her site because she is doing shows but as soon as she finishes SAFF at the end of the month, she will start updating the site.  I just love this cotton fiber.  I picked up  three skeins of course. 

This is what I got from Elizabeth between the Berryville fiber fair  last weekend and the Montpelier, VA fiber fair this weekend.  I got one other ball but one of the ladies from the knitting group had asked me to pick up something pretty for her in purples so I am sending that on.  The ball closer to the top is really shades of brown but photographed  looking like the same as the one below. 

During the week, I went to the Original Sewing Expo in Chantilly, VA on Thursday and Friday.  Next year the show will be moved to Fredericksburg, VA, in the fall and they are adding another one in March to be held at the Baltimore Convention Center.

 I met up with a friend but we did not get to spend much time together because of our classes.  This year I did not take all sewing classes because of my move next year and I wanted more surface design classes to make things for the RV.  On Thursday, I started the day with Sew to Look Slim: Knits, Slinky and Stetch Woven.  I think I took this class last year, at least it felt like it.  The idea of the class was that a garment made from a pattern fitted just for you can make you appear 10 to 20 pounds slimmer, and fabrics with give makes sewing and fitting easier still.  We were to learn how to choose patterns and adjust for the stretch factor.  

My next class was a surface design class,   Paintstiks Inspiration.  I was to learn  a variety of techniques using Shiva® Artist’s Paintstiks® for layers of color, design, and texture on fabrics. We created a series of samples discovered the wonderful luminescence these “altered fabrics”  would give to our projects.  This is some of what we did in class, learning how to use the paint stik and doing rubbings on textured plates and stencils.

I brought some stencils and the Paint Stik package she had put together.  I can see me using this a lot.

Today, I took what I learned from this class and the one I took the next day and did my first project.  I make or buy things plain mostly because I like to decorate them.  This is what I have done on one of my jersey nightgowns using a design I found on the internet of my zodiac , tracing it on freezer paper, and cutting out the pieces to use as a mask.

To make this washable, you have to heat set the image.

The last class I did on Thursday was  Seams Make the Difference.  We created a workbook of seams and finishes including Hong Kong, flat felled, French and the instructor's  own take on Hong Kong seams.  This was a fun class and I really enjoyed working on the Baby Lock new Sofia 2 sewing/embroidery machine.  I am considering getting it for the RV and selling the other two straight sewing machines.  

I had taken a class with the instructor, Barb McCallaham, last year.  After class we started talking because she remembered me and I found out that her and her husband full time in an RV traveling to shows.  She said that they never stay in a campground.  This time they parked at the hotel next door to the Expo Center at night and drive the RV to the show the next morning.  I guess that is what I will be doing  next year.

On Friday, I started the day with the class Perfect Fit Tee.  The class was to create that perfect tee shirt that would  be comfortable, easy to make and, of course, great looking!  We were to learn how to draft our pattern and gather professional tips for fitting and construction.  The instructor measured each of us and adjusted the pattern to fit.  In my case, my tee shirts are too big in the front at the stomach area because I have to have the boob fit.  I am not very large but I guess I am just enough that it makes the stomach area too large in ready made shirts.  She adjusted the pattern so that now the tee shirt will hang straight, my front piece will be cut smaller than the back at the bottom.

After that class I took another paint stik class but with a different instructor.  The class was called Paintstiks for Your Art Quilts.  I like taking the same class with different instructors because I always learn something new.  This instructor explained how to use freezer paper to create designs and to buy cheap regular paint brushes and cut them off to make your stencil brushes since you need many to keep the colors not getting muddy by using a different brush for each color.  She also likes to use her sewing machine to outline her design and then painting inside. This is the project we did, I have not finished shading.

That evening, I took my last class for the show.  I had made plans for Saturday and did not take any classes.  I decided to try silk screening.  I was shocked when I got to class and found that I would not be using a screen like you normally see.  This class was called Silk Screening for your Home.  We used silk screen like stencils that we taped to the upholstery silk fabric to be made into a pillow or wall hanging later.  I really loved this class until I got home and found out the cost of the screens.  I won't be adding this to my long length of crafts I do.  This is  my final piece.I used freezer paper for the jar, cut out the center so that I could stamp the dragon, shaded around this and then ironed the freezer paper back over the dragon and pull off the jar.  I used the same stamp but just kept turning it.  I put the jar back on so that I could stencil the tree.  The tree was suppose to be green but the person before me had not cleaned the stencil before putting back in the pile so it came out a red green.  I like it now but was upset when I did it.

On Saturday, My daughter and I went to the Waterford Fair, in Waterford, VA.  We just love this fair and try to go every year we can.  If you like crafts, wine tasting, re-enactments, enterainment, craft demonstrations  and food, you will love this fair.  There is also house tours everyday. I can home with wine and a cup from my favorite potter.

On Monday, I went to the artist group meeting that I love called Assemblage.  I was introduced to them by one of the ladies from the knitting group.  These ladies are true artist and such inspiration.  One of the ladies, Peggy,  had brought her friend that is a knitter and photographer and lives full time on a boat.  Peggy and her husband are getting there house ready to sell but  will be moving on their boat in November and going to Florida to meet the other lady.  I have to email her so that I can get in touch with the mailing service they use that specializes in full time RV and Full time boaters and will help you establish your address and get your license, and tags.  Don't forget I am going to be a Florida residence.

Now I am coming down from the excitement.  Back on call and hoping that I am left alone for a little while longer.