Adventure Awaits!/Rocky Mountain Sewing Adventure

For me, there is nothing better than combining my love for the outdoors, and...well, just about anything creative! 

Although I live in the city, I'm most at home in the mountains. I love the fresh air, the beautiful scenery, and the ease of the everyday pace. I am especially excited about offering what I think will be a wonderful opportunity to learn, relax, and rejuvenate at our very first....

Date:

June 10-16, 2017

Cost:

$1385.00

*The trip includes transportation from Denver International Airport as well as return transportation. You MUST make arrangements to arrive no later than 1:00 p.m.  

*6 nights accommodations at the Indian Peaks Resort. The condos have 2 private bedrooms, with 2 private baths, and each condo comes with a beautifully maintained hot tub. The kitchens are well stocked, so you may cook as you wish.

*1 relaxing massage.

*A 1-day class at the Tandy Leather Outlet in Denver, with transportation. We will be learning the art of leather tooling. Time to shop will also be included.

*A guided, daily morning hike, with a longer hike on Wednesday afternoon for anyone interested.

*3 days of instruction with Helen Haughey. The workshop will give you the opportunity to make a couture sheath dress.

*1 day leather workshop with Rhonda Buss. We will be making a bag, using zippers, and learning how to properly work with leather.

*A welcoming dinner on Saturday evening. Rhonda will have homemade soups to choose from, a salad, fresh bread, and dessert.

The sheath workshop will take place at the Historic Fraser Church. The room is lovely, with a large stone fireplace on one wall. So if it's chilly, we can light a fire! The sheath workshop will take place on Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

The leather workshop will take place at the Fraser Public Library on Thursday. 

Transportation to both venues will be provided. 

An optional workshop will be taught on Tuesday night at The Fabric Nook in Granby, Colorado. You will have the opportunity to create the Row By Row Design. A design that is unique to The Fabric Nook. Transportation to and from Granby will be provided. The cost of the workshop is $50.00 and includes the kit. 

Not included in the cost of the adventure:

*Airfare to and from Denver, Colorado

*Daily meals 

If all of this sounds exciting, and you would like to participate, please download the registration form HERE.

Once your registration has been received, you will receive a supply list.

Remember, the adventure is only open to 10 participants.

I hope to see you in Colorado!

 

Write it Down, Make It Happen

A quick update on the sewing adventure that Helen Haughey and I will be hosting in June. All of the information will be up on the blog first thing tomorrow. I'm really excited as I think it is going to be such a fun experience. 

It seems that if you are creative, it's rare that you enjoy doing just one thing. In the past, I've shared that I began at an early age doing embroidery and hand sewing. That lead to knitting, crocheting, and ultimately tatting, taught by my grandmother, and all of which she did beautifully. While I love to tat, my first passion after sewing is probably knitting. Crocheting has a never been a real passion, just something I know how to do, but not super well.

Quite a few years ago, I met and became friends with a wonderful woman who had the most incredible knit shop in Houston. This place was simply amazing. Friends of mine in Chicago were always surprised to hear me say that I waited to do any yarn shopping until I got back to Houston. After all, Houston is not exactly the sweater capitol of the United States. Maybe a few light weight wool sweaters, and cotton pieces, but not the heavy duty things we need in a colder climate. But, my friend carried it all. Her shop was like a knitting wonderland. And trust me, my eyes would glaze over when I entered the store, and all memory of the projects I had waiting at home seemed to magically jump right out of my head. 

Life seems to take twists and turns that we never really expect, and the same held true for my friend. She had never wanted or expected to have a baby, but as fate would have it, she became pregnant and her passions changed. She no longer wanted to run the store, she wanted time at home with her child, and who could blame her? 

Her closing the store was probably a favor to me as well as I amassed quite a collection of projects. A few years ago, I learned of Lorna's Laces and that she has a warehouse sale on occasion, not the same as my friend's store, but this too added to my collection. And it also doesn't help that Lorna's Laces is merely blocks away from my home :/

So this year I decided that I am not purchasing anything new, I MUST begin to thin the stash. My goal is to finish 12 projects by the end of the year. I'm already behind. But, if I have nothing else, I do have blind faith :) 

I began the year with this scarf project from Rowan Yarns. If you subscribe to their magazine, you get a free project(just what I needed!). This is the first time that I have not been happy with a Rowan yarn. It's the Rowan, Alpaca Colour yarn. If you look at the picture below, you can see how the yarn does not have a consistent color. The dye lot was the same on all the skeins. 

I decided that I would weave a small cord of coordinating yarn through the lacing, so I purchased a yarn that picks up the darker color in the yarn. I'll also use it in the fringe. So much for thinking that I had a project finished.

The next project that I have been working on is a shawl with yarn from Lorna's Laces. The yarn is lovely, but it's like knitting with thread, and there's nothing to the pattern to hold my interest, so I am bored beyond belief!!! The only saving grace is that I think I will really enjoy having the shawl once it's finished.

Once I get the shawl completed, I have a few quick to knit projects that will hopefully get me back on schedule.

This one will be super fast, it's just a little neck piece from Classic Elite Yarns. It was a thank you gift for attending the Yoga and Knitting Adventure in Maine a couple of years ago. 

A number of years ago, I knitted a pair of felted clog slippers for my husband. He LOVED them! So much so that he completely wore them out. He'll be thrilled to get a new pair.

When I went to the Knitting and Yoga Adventure in Maine, I ended up skipping the knitting as I preferred to hike and then go to the yoga classes. The project that we were supposed to do was a cabled neck scarf. 

I've only knitted 1 pair of socks in my entire life. Like many who begin to knit socks, I enjoyed the first, the second was a bit laborious, but I am determined to get this pair finished. The yarn is really quite lovely, so maybe that will help.

I really need to get this little sweater finished as I think I'll truly enjoy having it in my wardrobe. Here again, it's rather boring, and nothing to really hold my attention, but the yarn is so lovely, so once again, I'm determined. At least I hope so ;)

This will be the bigger project of the year. I purchased the variegated yarn below at a Lorna's Laces warehouse sale. 

 I finally decided upon this sweater from a Rowan  book. This is something I know I will enjoy on cold days.

I could have paddled to China faster than I have moved on this sweater!!! It's done in Rowan yarn and it's from a Kaffe Fasset book. I know I am going to enjoy throwing it on with jeans, just a matter of buckling down and getting it done. Basically, the front and back are finished, I just need to do the sleeves.

The last 3 projects are a scarf, a hat, and a bag, so not intense projects. I'll share those once I get to them.

Last year I read a book entitled, "Write It Down and Make It Happen." A few years back, I wrote down a dream that I had for our church. What I had hoped for was huge and not something I could accomplish on my own. But, I wrote it down, and I was amazed to see how it all came together last year. I had a part in making it happen, but seeing how it all unfolded was exciting and renewed my faith. 

Another day, I'll share a book that I put together a month or so ago where I can write and dream for 2017, and maybe beyond. My knitting list is in the book, so I am believing that this will happen. Then next year I can dream about 12 more projects. Yep, there's at least 12 more waiting in the attic!

Sunday Night Reflections

Sewbussted's Material Witness/Come Fly With Me!

A VERY HAPPY Sunday to all of you!

Well, I thought I would give something a try. I thought it would be fun for you to tag along with me and experience a takeoff and landing. So, with my I-phone taped above my compass, off I went. The problem is how the camera sees the propeller. At one point, it actually looks like the propeller stops and starts going in the opposite direction!!!!! Now, that would truly be an OMG moment!!! I am going to talk to a friend who does a lot of aerial photography and see if there is something that I can easily do so that the propeller doesn't look like a bent line running through the picture. 

It was a very windy day, so in the first portion of the video the wind is a factor. The video is far from perfect, but you might enjoy going on a little virtual ride with me. 

Enjoy :)

A Sewing Adventure!

I have some very exciting news!

Have you ever dreamed of getting away to a place where you can sew, learn, and rejuvenate? 

Well, today I have a little sneak peek at what I have been working on.

Helen Haughey and I have paired up to offer a unique escape to Winter Park/Fraser, Colorado. 

All who attend will need to arrive in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, June 10, 2017. From there, we will drive up to the mountains, about a 2 hour drive. 

We'll be staying at the Indian Peaks Resort. The condos are 2 bedroom/2 bath condos, with fully equipped kitchens. Each condo includes a private hot tub that is beautifully maintained.

For those who would like to join me, we will do invigorating morning hikes along the Fraser River. This is a flat trail, so quite easy to do, but a great way to start the day.

Beginning on Sunday, Helen will be teaching her class on making the Perfect Shift Dress. Class will be held at the historic Fraser Church. Transportation to and from the church will be provided.

On Monday, we'll take a break and head into Denver where we will visit the Tandy Leather outlet and have a private class on leather tooling. Tuesday and Wednesday, we'll be back in WinterPark/Fraser where we will continue the class with Helen Haughey.

If you are up for it, we'll take a break from sewing on Wednesday afternoon and head to the Bonfils-Staton Outdoor Center where I will lead a hike along the Jim Creek Trail.

   

If a less rigorous hike is desired, we can do the circuit that just touches on the Jim Creek Trail. Both are beautiful, especially in June.

On Thursday, I will be teaching a full day class on leather.

Included in the experience will be a relaxing massage for each participant.

We will also be offering an extra activity for those who would like to participate and do a piecing project. Tina from The Fabric Nook in Granby, Colorado will be teaching a class on doing her Row By Row Design. This is an optional class, and will most likely take place on Tuesday evening. 

The adventure will end on Friday when we will return to Denver and say goodbye.

Later this week, I will have the pricing together along with info on how to sign up. We will be keeping the adventure to no more than 10 participants. 

Doesn't this sound fun?!! I know I'm excited :)

Monday Morning Inspiration/The Beret

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine and I were shopping, not for anything in particular, just going in and out of some fun shops. We popped into a store that sold shoes (I can't walk past a shoe store without going in!!!), tights and hats. We both spotted the cutest little hat, more of a cloche style. She pulled it on, and it looked so cute. About that time, her husband walked in and said, "you aren't going to wear that hat." I felt like telling him to walk right back to where he came from. Rather than reply to him, she handed the hat to me and told me to try it on. Now, I love hats, and maybe it's because I love hats that they always seem to look as though they were made for me. As she looked at me in the hat, she said, "Oh, I love that hat, but I guess I don't need it." Since I too loved the hat, I decided to take a gamble and purchase the hat as I thought she would change her mind, and if she didn't, I had a super cute new hat. When we got back to my house, she walked into the bedroom and then came back out with the money for the hat. My gamble paid off :) And...she wore the hat a number of times before while they were with us. 

What is it about hats that draws us in, but then makes us hesitate? There was a time that we wouldn't leave the house without a hat on our head. 

A few weeks ago, I saw a delightful piece on a Sunday morning program that I enjoy. It was all about the French beret, and not just any, the Laulhere Beret. I've attached the video below. Take note of how the employees banded together to save the company. Just such an incredible story.



For most Americans, when we think of a beret, we visualize something like the picture below, a svelte Parisian woman in a striped top with a red beret.

Another lovely look, a sweet blouse, tweed trousers, and a plaid wool beret. The hat just seems to pull it all together.

Another lovely, polished look. This beret, if not from Laulhere, it's the type that they make. If you think you might like to have one for yourself, I found THIS SITE that carries the Laulhere label.  

Berets can be made in any type of fabric, even hand knitted.

They can be customized with a wide trim. You can find this hat HERE on Etsy.

If you enjoy needle felting, a beret will lend itself to anything the mind can imagine! 

The above hats came from a cute shop called Elves In Glass. Click on the link to see other delight concoctions.

And how cute is this?!! Is she a fox or not?!!! :) I found this hat HERE. Just so whimsical!

After watching the video, I too want a Laulhere beret. A hat company with that type of history is well worth owning at least one for myself. But...if you would like something a little more customized, you can find my free beret pattern HERE.  

I think berets are the perfect hat. They help keep your head warm when it's cold or chilly out. They look great with everything. And they can easily be popped off and thrown in your bag if you would rather not wear them all day. 

Oh, and one last thing...whenever I wear my berets, I get so many compliments. Nothing can turn a day around like a lovely compliment :)

Sunday Night Reflections