Rhonda's Creative Life: January 2015

Friday, January 30, 2015

Taping at Sew News

Earlier this month I shared with you that I was supposed to be at the Sew News offices in Denver to start taping the new sew alongs for the upcoming year. Well, that didn't happend since I came down with the flu, lost my voice and ended up with a huge fever blister on my lip. Thankfully, we were able to reschedule and the taping for the first 3 sew alongs was done yesterday. Here's a few pictures.

Before the start of the video, they have me go over just what I planned to do so the camera guy has an idea of where I will be going. That is what's happening in this first picture.

Below, in the background you see the slip that we will be doing in the first sew along. The mic is being attached to my top.

The first sew along will be the Sew Chic Valentine Slip. A lovely pattern. In an upcoming post you'll see that I have made more than one. I wear slips on a regular basis and I really like this pattern.

A shot from the magazine. The lace trim was applied by hand and then I beaded it with pearls.

Sew News is celebrating their 35th year! Quite an accomplishment.

I'm working on a few surprises that I hope to announce next week.
In the meantime, thank you to all of you for making last year's sew alongs so successful, as they asked me back!!!! It wouldn't have happened had you not watched. THANK YOU!!!!!!

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Cape Part 1

I wanted to call this a Thrifty Thursday post, but as I looked for the pattern, I couldn't find it. I thought for sure that I downloaded it from the Sew News site, but now I don't know. The pattern is for a cape, or cloak as the pattern states. I will continue to look for the pattern and if I find it, I'll share it next week on Thursday.
I had one issue with the pattern. It was originally cut as one piece with the center back on the fold. What I didn't care for was the fact that this would put the center front on the bias.

So I cut the pattern apart at the shoulder and then put both center front and center back on the straight of grain.

Another change I made was to lengthe the pattern by 12".

Here's a close up of the fabric that I am using. It's a lovely low pile faux fur.

I decided that I would like to trim it in black, so I purchased another faux fur to trim the cape.

I also found a piece of piping that I thought would make a lovely break between the patterned fur and the black fur.

It won't be an obvious addition, but I think it will add just a little spark.

And finally, here's my lining, a lovely piece of Asian silk. I abolutely love the dragons!

The sewing club that I belong to, The Haute Couture Club of Chicago, will have a segment devoted to capes and jackets. I am writing the blog for the fashion show and I recently did an inspiration post on capes. If you would like to take a look, you can find it HERE.
I'm really excited about my cape as I think it will be lovely. In the meantime, I hope I find the origination of the pattern!!!

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

The 2014 Wednesday Showcase Hall of Fame

Good Morning from America Everyone!!! I hope your Wednesday is off to a wonderful start. For some of you, you are well into your day, so I hope it's been a very good day. A little thought on having a good day. A few days ago. I fed my dog Little Bit and as I was sitting the bowl down, she jumped off the chair and tipped over the bowl, food all over the place. Then we were off to church and the priest that resided over the service seems to feel the need to make everyone feel rather bad about their lives. Then he did a good portion of the service in Latin. Being a convert, the Latin makes no sense to me, so not well received on my part. As my husband and I sat down to breakfast a little later, he laughed and said, "you're having a bad day." I quickly came back and said, "no, no, I'm having a GREAT day!" We can choose to focus on the normal daily occurrences that just go wrong and the people around us that have an agenda, or we can rise above and just smile and say, "regardless of it all, I'm having a great day." Believe me, there are days when what comes at me just seems to be too much, and I slip into a day long pity party, maybe even a few days pity party. Hey, we're all human :) I have found though that when I take a stand and say no, it's going to be a great day, something great always happens.
As I put together this post, I was amazed by how my life has been so richly touched by a number of the ladies whose blogs I have showcased. Most of you I will never meet, but a number of you I know in my heart and I think that's a good second best. I could do a commentary on each and every blogger whom I've showcased this past year, but rather than my commentary, I hope that you will take a little time to go and discover their blogs and the lovely ladies behind them. Like me, you just might be surprised and find a new friend, or maybe 2 or 3!!
So here they are, the Wednesday Showcase Ladies of 2014!
Gillian of http://crafting-a-rainbow.tumblr.com/