TIP OF THE MONTH – LORNA‘S “CHEAT SHEET” CARDS
Ever wish you didn’t have to keep reinventing the wheel when you’re working with notions you’ve used before? Lorna suggests making up recipe cards with examples of various items such as button sizes, elastics and knit fabric samples: no more starting from scratch every. single. time!
NOTION OF THE MONTH – NANCY PRESENTED LIGHT KITS
These dazzlingly useful bendy light strip kits will light up all our lives: easy to install & if slight additions ordered to a kit, then two machines can be illuminated for ~$70. Cndn.. Inspired Lighting kits. Happy Holidays & Happy eyes from you to you?
HOLIDAY QUICKIES
Since Lorna was already in full steam, she started off the Quickies with ideas to use – of all things –Tyvek (the house construction moisture barrier)! It is made of olefin, is waterproof and breathable & comes in 10’w for ~$1.35/foot. She even experimented with painting on it. She shows a shoe bag in this “fabric”, as well as a fast scarf/hood project & a couple of thin knit hats that can be layered for extra warmth – rather like preemie caps for big’uns!
Barb was inspired by a necklace given to her to create her own button necklaces – a lovely interesting way to highlight (& use up, ahem) some of our ever-growing button stashes.
Rhea is both upcycling & making quickies with slippers from wool sweaters (you can line with fleece). as well as cozy flannelette sheets for jimjams (*see Australian “pyjamas”). Slipper pattern can be found here: new use for old sweaters.
Mary showed us Brenda‘s apple mug rugs – very easy technique that was a bonus lesson Brenda added to the recent ASG table runners class. Kathleen‘s easy “technique” was ordering cotton/linen fat quarters from Spoonflower :a few seams & you’ve made a great-for-gift tea towel. (There are hundreds from which to choose.)
Lori used origami methods & her “teacher’s” voices to show us her tree decorations & the tutorial can be found here: Katrina’s fabric ornament (another way to use those special buttons). Elizabeth presented us another use for hardware store items: her box-bottom bags use window screening, one of which was augmented with Disney fabric for her G.D., who will also be pleased with the “I Spy” dolly quilt (click image to look at all those little things she can search out!)
Nancy had many ideas & samples of fast projects she’s done, including bookmarks; book-straps; seat-belt covers; and cute little zippered pouches. She’s suggested we have a skate around sites like Craftsy’s free patterns; Sew Sweetness; and Lazy Girl Designs.
THE SHOW & TELL SECTION OF OUR EVENING – TA DAH!!
Suzanne‘s children are lucky to have such a dedicated Mom – who else do you know that would take such great care & time for Hallowe’en costumes? We have here the modern-day Robin (of Batman fame), as well as Alexander Hamilton, direct from the Broadway musical.
Anita‘s Yabut top; Mary‘s Butterick 5954 fleece top with fullness excised f & b; Kathleen‘s OOP McCall’s 6553.
Bev sewing up the Classics: Ruby Slip and the ever-adaptable Loes Hinse 5110 Sweater. ~Knock knock: when is your sweater a housecoat?~
Nancy made up a dopp bag with another free Craftsy pattern (fusible foam for stability) in a lovely vintage upholstery linen she scored at our “favourite importer”. She and Lorna approached the Cloudsplitter Summit Pack in radically different materials: Nancy in some of her linen & Lorna in Tyvek from the hardware store.
Norma has found more paisley for a shorts version of Silhouette jeans and has worked her embroidery magic on a golf shirt from above-noted fave importer, to coordinate a vacation outfit.
Twofers! Pat presents a much-altered red McCall’s 7382 dress (who needs that big V in the front anyway?), while wearing the OOP McCall’s Palmer/Pletsch 6792.
Elizabeth made two quilted star table toppers – one for autumn & one for winter by Fons & Porter.
Marilyn sewed up a burgundy & a green top for her sister from KS 3915. And she’s finished OOP Simplicity coat 7803, designed around a hand-embroidered wool scarf from Nazirah, sleeve inserts of vy-nel & old purses from one of our favourite importers & a great lining we can just see peeking out of the bottom.
What better way to finish up our meeting than with Rhea‘s aptly-named Friendship Quilt, shown with help from Anita, who aided in sewing it all together after Rhea had cut all the raggedy jeans, then proceeded to break her arm. As ever, friendship to conclude our meeting. – & Edgar helps to fly us out into the night with tales from HalCon 2017, where he created a full Tuxedo Mask outfit & had his subsequent TV debut.
ATLANTIC SEWING GUILD 