Would you like to hear about Conference this year in DC?
The above picture is the Simplicity Group photo. You can see Kathy in front on the ground floor, Anita and Joyce are on the highest. Judy Longacre and Denise Diaz is in the photo too.
There is somebody missing! She was very hard to find! Where was Sarge hiding? Diane had a good time! She was everywhere! no pictures?
It is great to see friendly faces! Linda Clark and Judy Longacre from Hudson Valley Chapter.
and the Boston Chapter...Karen Sehl
A fun class I had was a Beaded Button Class with Kathleen Chrisman. It was a low key non stressful class, just was I needed! She was so not fussy about what kind of beeds you used or what design you made. The red beaded button started is Dianes'.
I took a class by Jan Bones. She does those nighties and soft bras with no wires, has some other patterns too. Her methods are easy to do on home machines, I asked about using a coverstitch machine for the elastics, and she said she doesn't do it that way but you "could".
I took a Jennifer Stern Full Bust Adjustment workshop. She fitted each student with her muslins, which had special velcro tapes on them with measurements. This told her how we should make our adjustments to her pattern, for our shape. Unfortunately, I feel we ran out of time and I don't think we fully got the instruction we needed on the adjustment part. It takes so long to fit each person. However, each student did leave with a pattern in her size and what adjustments to make, and a workbook telling us how to make those adjustments. I tried in my hotel room to make those adjustments for the second time, since I made them in class wrong, while she was fitting the others....and made the adjustments wrong again. I think it will take more effort than I was willing to give it at that time!
My last day was with Jennifer Stern, this time for a Jeans Restyling class to change up a fitted jean pattern. Well, since I was still having problems with my jean pattern from last year, I spent my time trying to fix it. There were others that took my lead (?) and did the same! When I was with Sarah Veblen in June she told me that I had a tilted pelvis, I took this to mean tilted in, but I think it is, really tilted forward. so that the the front curve not so curved, which I think is the cause of my issue of all the bunching. So what Jennifer did was have me straighten my curve, then when that wasn't enough, she had me pinch a horizontal line from CF to nothing at sides in the bunching area. This made a big difference in the NEW muslin. I think I will make this change on a new pattern, make another muslin, and check it out before cutting denim.
Below is a picture of the actual jeans restyling part of the class. She was demonstrating how to change up a pocket.
I had one class with my fav Sarah Veblen! It was on Facings. It was a little bumpy, since her equipment that she requested for the classroom was not present, but she made it through. It was great, and made me very conscious of my facing of the jacket I was wearing that I made! See below!
Another class about knits with Lyla Messinger gave me inspiration not to be such a snob against polyester. She said if you can feel your breath thru the fabric your body heat will pass thru it and you will not feel clammy when you wear it. Another tip she gave was to cut off selvages before cutting your pattern to release the tension to get accurate cuts.
The vendor hall was the smallest I've seen in my 4 conference history. But Susan Khalje made an appearance at this vendor...where there was a rumor the prices were over $100 a yard. I kept walking.
I bought myself a new Janome! It is a QDC 4120. I think its 12 pounds? It felt heavy when I lifted it out of the box, so I compared it to my 10001, ok, not so heavy! This will be my travel machine after we get acquainted. What sold me was that it was a Janome, it's so quiet, it has a auto thread cutter, a semi auto threader, had a great deal, and it was 12 pounds, came with an extension table, and lots of feet. I bought it after lunch on the last day, perfect time to buy a machine when the dealers are looking to unload all the leftovers they haven't sold! You see, the sponsors buy all the machines we use in the classrooms. Then they try their best to sell them during the show at discounts to us! I was running late after my last class after I had already bought it, just to pick it up, and knew I would have to make a stop to my car to drop my bags to get the machine. So I made a quick stop to tell John from Calvert Sewing Center in Prince Frederick Maryland what I had planned, and he offered to carry it to my car! How nice!
On my way to DC, I stopped at NJ at a friends house to break up the driving and visit. Then, I stopped at Fabric Mart! and bought a few pieces...and on my way back I stayed overnight again at my friends house. Only to wake up and take the train in her town to Penn Station to go to the Garment District in NYC! I did this because it was so unusual that I was there on a week day and just had to take advantage of my locality!
I went to Metro Textiles (above pic), he said he had some wool to look at, and even a customer came in to take samples...but I wanted knits! I had remembered I made some dresses from his knits and wanted more! I also made sure to stop by AK Fabrics (below pic),
and bought a couple pieces of unusual denim, since I have "normal" denim washed and ready-already! It is really hard to restrain oneself in the garment district! However! I didn't buy any trims!
I was on the hunt for some bra cups for swim suits in large sizes, very hard to find in NYC? If anyone finds a good store for this let me know, they all shook their heads when I asked for larger than B cup.
I also bought some foam by the yard that had a tricot type cover on both sides that I hope to use in bra making. I had so enjoyed my adventure. When I finally made my way home, then I realized...I should have bought several colors of jean top stitch weight threads! Next time!
ASG in DC was a good time, I think all there were sewing with friends! Meet me in St. Louis in 2014? and San Diego, CA 2015?
