I'm back, a little bit

And I think I know what happened to my photo's when they wouldn't post. Amazing what a little R&R will do for you. Or perhaps it was the alcohol fuzz?

Regardless, we had a blast in SF, the weather was beautiful, the shopping fun and the wine available. More to come when I have a chance to transfer my photo's to my computer.

For now, here're a few pic's from Novi. Long overdue, but still fun.

First, a quiet shot before the hustle and bustle of the day began. Classrooms were in the black r0oms on both sides. Beside and a little away from the exhibitions so it was fairly quite and roomy.

Second, are a couple (um, or so) quilt photo's. The Expo wasn't primarily quilting, but there were lots of pretty ones featured and I took pics of my favs.

One of the prettiest booths with lots of buttons and ribbons and trim, oh my!

Of course, THE KING! He's showing us his patch pocket in the works. He showed us how to do this and gave us a pattern. Mine turned out quite nicely, thank you.

And the haul. Much smaller than I thought it would be, some stay tape for knits, a marking pencil and a fix for my foot fettish. And the purse organizer I SERGED.

And finally, what NOT to buy at a sewing Expo. You all have seen those gathered, puffy, one-size-fits-all-because-it-stretches-from-XXXS-to-Car-Cover? Well, here they are, in all available colors. And doing quite the business, I might add.

No, I didn't die.

Or drop of the face of the Earth, or run off and join the circus (don't tempt me) or get sucked into a black hole or have a computer failure or break my right hand. But life did intrude very rudely into my life and it was immediately followed by a big blue funk that I'm still struggling out of. I had sincere plans to update my Novi Expo adventures that Sunday. Instead, I spent most of Sunday at the ER, my son totaled his car about 4:30 that morning. I wasn't even aware he'd left the apartment and I got "One-of-those" phone calls. He was unhurt, but because he has no feeling below the waist and was quite confused we went to the hospital. And since they were very busy that night - apparently my son wasn't the only idiot out driving that night - we had quite a wait. Made it home around lunch time. What this has signaled is that there are some real changes coming and amoung these are a requirement for me to spend a lot more time in Detroit. And yes, I have a day job. I'm not happy about a lot of things right now.
On an up side, I am still going on my mini-vaca. Leaving tomorrow (God willing - and he hasn't been very often lately - and the creeks don't rise, a better bet - the rain has stopped) for San Fransisco. Wine country, Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, seafood, snoop-shopping. Quick trip - probably as much traveling time as vaca time. And not without it's own worries.
But I did get a new tote bag JUST IN TIME. I won Laura's ghost story challenge and she sent my wine-themed tote bag that arrived today. Nice size, beautiful work and a cork as a zipper pull. Does it get any better? Yes, I'm a little geeked. Live with it.
I do have a few photo's from the Expo. I took them, I downloaded them. I may as well share them. Well, next time. Blogger isn't cooperating and allowing me to post. Sorry. But maybe I'll be in a better posting mood and you'll better shots. And San Francisco and the farmer's market from the early fall.

Novi Expo, more goodies

I arrived pretty early, around 8, my first class: Sewing Sewphisticated Knits started at 8:30, they let us into the hall around 8 but with limited access - not including the vendor hall. But it did give me a chance to hit the ladies' room and determine the lay of the land.
Emma Seabrook was great. She had some wonder suggestions and tips for working with knits. She sews mostly knits and a great deal of slinky - not my thing. But her recommendations and information was for more than just slinky stuff. Starting with purchasing fabric, treating it after, cutting it out. She spent a lot of time talking about stabilizing knits: when, where, with what, how. She's a good spokesperson and her samples and illustrations were very good. Of course, a hands-on class would be better, but this was very good. She crammed a lot into an hour.
Then I had a about an hour to peruse the vendors. I met Depeeka of PR on my way into the hall, then I headed over her booth and picked up my PR button. I saw lots of pretty, pretty quilts, millions of yards of beautiful fabrics - including a faux fur from Emma's booth that I really wanted, made a purse organizer (yes, I serged, see yesterday's post), lots of cool notions and gadgets, patterns and fun stuff.
Sandra Betzina's class was a little disappointing to me. I was hoping for some instruction and techniques. It was more of a presentation of her Vogue pattern line. I will say that I like her stuff MUCH better now than I did before. Vogue really doesn't do them justice on the pattern envelopes. She had some beautiful stuff, her work is beautiful, her eye for detail unique and her renditions are lovely. She's a great speaker, funny and real. It was interesting that, while she enjoys working with Vogue because it gives her the resources and exposure she wouldn't have alone, she had less than complimentary things to say about their fashion sense, pattern drafters, envelope designs and sewests. She often presents 3 or 4 views to a pattern, but they cut it down to 1 or 2. She marks gathering or pleat or seam lines and they remove them. They add extra ease and change proportions. So, while I didn't get what I expected out the class, I got something else: a new eye for her designs and a desire for a faux fur vest (see above for the fabric I DIDN'T buy).
Next time: THE KING , the haul (not as much as I thought it would be), and the fashion show. Not necessarily in that order.

Novi Expo first report

First, let me say this was a blast. But there are a number of things that surprised me today:
1. Serging may be adictive. I don't have a serger and had never used one. I did today. It totally rocked. I love speed and this cutting off as you sew, well, it rocked. I have no place for one right now, but I may have added it to my list.
2. It's amazing how fast your get used to your machine and take features for granted. Like the automatically lowering pressure foot. I sewed on 2 machines today (a Janome Magnolia and a Bernina quilter's something). Neither had this feature and I created some multiple giant thread nests by sewing without putting down the lever. I felt REALLY stupid on the Bernina - not only did I forget, I couldn't find it. It won't actually sew without it down - it sends out an error message and stops. But it did make me feel really DUMB.
3. Kenneth King is a riot. A hoot. Nice, funny, helpful. I loved him.
4. It never occured to me to bring any of my sewing books to get autographed. I could have a KK and Sandra Betzina.
4. Popcorn does not make a good lunch when you're 50 years old. Bleck.
5. It's a lot harder to find people than you think. I met only a couple of the peeps I was hoping to hook up with.
I took some pictures but can't download them until I get back to DC. I will post more tomorrow, too. This was just a teaser.

Novi Expo

Short post this morning. I'm up at 6, drinking a cup of coffee before heading out to Novi. It's about an hour (probably less on Saturday morning, unless MDOT has closed major roads - and they often do). The ASG Sewing Expo 2009 is finally here. It's actually been ramping up since Wednesday, but I'm only attending today. I have an 8:30 class on knits (better not be all serger stuff. I don't have a serger and the description didn't indicate that it was), some free time, a class with Sandra Betzina (looove BS. she has the best techniques. I live for her front fly tutorial), some free time, and a class with THE KING (again, remember that's Kenneth, Elvis is long gone), then free time or come home if I'm pooped. I'll be there with my PR button, my "I made the button, and my SG heart on.
I have my camera and plan on photo's galore, but I forgot to grab the data cable, so I can't post any shots until I get back to DC. Sorry, but just think it's like Christmas - remember the anticipation? Yeah, just like that.
And I apologize for any misspelling or other odd typings. It's 6;30 on Saturday morning. I'm barely coherent. Woo-hoo!

Totally Geeked

Thanks for all the comments (looove the comments) about my class with THE KING. Kenneth, that is. Everyone knows that Elvis is truly gone. I am totally geeked about the class. Meeting him - he's also going to be at the Pattern Review booth for chatting, learning what he has to teach. My attitude towards classes did a complete about face in April when I took the "Get to know your machine" class at my dealer. I learned so much and was amazed at how much I was able to learn in just a few short hours. I know THE KING isn't magic (or is he?????), but I'm sure to walk away with some, well, cool tricks.
Same with Sandra Betzina, who has been my secret BFF (sorry, Karen) since I discovered her fly front video. It rocks.
Don't worry, peeps, I won't forget you or my humble beginnings once I'm hob-nobbing with the sewing elite (and a few hundred of my "closest friends"). I'll be sure an report back. Did I mention I was stoked about this?
If you're going to be in Novi next weekend, leave me a comment (yes, I will do anything for a comment. As Cmarie says, I'm a comment 'ho. A starving one at that). I'd love to meet you or at least recognize you if I see you. I'll be wearing the SG heart. And carrying too much stuff, with my now big head from meeting KK in the clouds. You can't miss me.
Betsy, your mother's scarf is safe, KK will be providing strips for those of us without access to the NYC shopping district. Whew, good news, there, eh?
In other, um quilting, news. I'm STILL fighting the same 2 strips. They are very narrow: 3/4" cut, so only 1/4" finished and I can't get them straight enough for nothing. Especially #11 (Remember #12 was the center and starting point). In places I only have about 1/8" showing. Looks like crap. Going to rip it out AGAIN **sigh**. I'm going to recut (again) adding some width for error. A little wider and cleaner would look better than this wonky, bunched up mess that I'm too mad about to photograph. The first half looks so good to have the second half all mucked up.

Arrrg!

No progress on my quilt at all. In fact I had to take a step back. I started, as directed, with strip #12, ran thru #20 fine. Put on 11, and then couldn't figure out 10. That's where I left it last night. Probably stared at the book and quilt for an hour. Repeated this evening, to finally figure out that # 11 was just wrong. I'd placed it wrong and had to rip it out - not an easy or fun experience. And the strip can't be re-used. Replaced #11 with a new #11, correctly this time. But to find out - after stitching - that my cutting was off too much. This strip is only 3/4" wide, add 2 1/4" seam allowances and there isn't much room for error. So ripped that one out, and cut 2 new ones. Didn't try to sew it on, figured I'd had enough for one night. But ARRGGG! Maybe tomorrow night.
In other news... I'm looking for "loosely woven hairy mohair - a fashion fabric" (I think that may be debatable - the fashion part). I need it for the Kenneth King class in Novi in a couple of weeks. But I (a) don't know what this stuff is or (b) where to get any. G Street? I should call them tomorrow. Michaels? He has lots of stuff. Any ideas?

Abducted by UFO's

That's pretty much sums it up. My sewing mojo (and apparently blogging along with it - sorry) has been sapped by the UFO's piling up around me. These included some black pants from, oh I dunno, March maybe?, another pair of pants from June-ish, the skirt from the last post, and my quilt that takes up a lot of room. What do I do when I'm not sewing? I go on a short vacation (Atlantic City, baby - for you Friends fans), have friends visit, shop and apparently eat. Eat my way right out of my UFO's. One of the reason's they aren't finished (ok, no, I'm not too fat - yet - to fit under my quilt).
But the black pants are too tight and don't hang right to hem them. Yes, I know I could just measure another pair and do them and finish them. THEN they wouldn't be UFO's would they? The other pair lacked a hem and some buttonhole re-working, the BH didn't do well and left too small an area to cut. I was tired of trying so I cut it anyway and it did cut thru some of the threads so I need a little handwork there. I did get them hemmed. Handwork just isn't my strong suit, I'm afraid
My skirt is finally hemmed. It really needed a hand hem due to the depth (or lack of) the hem, the flare and the smoothness of fabric. That's done.
I worked hemming a pair of RTW purchased on one of the above mentioned shopping trips (see Atlantic City and their bodacious outlet mall - no sales tax on clothing in NJ).
My quilt is quilted (YEA!) and the edged trimmed for binding. I'd bought binding for it but (a) had single fold and needed double (b) had 6 yards (yeah, not so good that this estimating thing I guess) and need 24. I went to JoAnn's at lunch on Monday to get the right stuff, but at $3 for a 3 yard pack, I just couldn't do it. Instead I marched over the quilting notions and bought a bias binder maker. (no, not the fancy Simplicity one, the Dritz one that you use your iron with, though thinking about making 24 yards of this stuff does bump up the appeal of the high dollar Simplicity model) So, now I need to make some binding. I DO have enough fabric (barely), but not enough time. I'd like to get this done both for the space in my room and because my batting is fluffing all up in my nose and eyes and on my machine and carpet **cough**.
The commute from Alexandria to Columbia is really starting to wear. 2 hours out of every day is now spent in the car and my DH (not necessarily DARLING) works until about 6 every night (we ride together). That puts us at home around 7 with dinner still to do. And repeat the next day to leave the house by 7 am. NO LIFE. None. Sewing? What's that? TV? We still have one? Reading? Yeah, I do that - work emails all day long. Looks like it's time to get serious about finding a house in this area. (yeah, and the apartment management's really ticking me off, so that's helping focus on home ownership again)
Anyone planning on attending the ASG Expo in Novi, Michigan in September? I'll be there with bells on (if I have time to sew them, that is) on Saturday. I'm registered for a S Betzina class (oh, Sandra, you of the invisible zipper tutorial, I worship the very machine you sew on, please share additional enlightenment with me. NOW!), a Kenneth King class - Son of Cool Tricks (can't believe I actually got into this one, yeah!!) and Sewphisticated Knits (or similar - my knits are a disaster and I'm hoping this class with cure that. I'll be really disappointed if it's serger only). Drop me a line if you'll be around and we can meet and shop and talk a bit. I'll be the short, slightly overweight, middle aged redhead carrying sewing notions and bags. You should be able to pick me out of the crowd, no problem.
I owe pictures, but apparently the UFO's sucked the life out my camera, as well. I at least need to share the quilt. You've seen black pants before, right? In hopes of doing this over the weekend. Friday's supposed to be my day off, but I won't get to take it this time. That's why it's called FLEX TIME, you have to be flexible about it. **sigh**
And I'm editing to add this Time article on a topic near and dear to my heart. Covering it, even. I think it both speaks the truth and will make you squirt your coffee out your nose at the same time. That's a good thing, by the way. Enjoy.