Scrapbooking table

The fastest way to organize a desk is to use it. So I organized my scrapbooking stuff! I made a friend a Birthday card. The area above the desk has some wonderful energy!



Well as with most of the stuff I do - it is a little late. However this year I have decided to finish my idea's no matter how long it takes me! My friend hosts me while I attend the Puyallup Sew Expo every year and her Birthday is the First week in March - Actually her Birthday has always landed during the Show dates, but this year it didn't.

I took a picture of her cat while I was staying with her and thought to myself I can print out the picture of her cat and make her a Birthday card.

Well I did it! I haven't made a Card, Invitation or Scrapbook page layout in over 4 years, and guess what if you put away your scrapbooking stuff you shouldn't expect it to not dry out if you don't get to it with in a reasonable amount of time.



All my stuff is out and accessible, I realize I need new stuff, but I think that's the plus side to organizing. So now when I get an idea, it shouldn't take me 7 weeks to implement it!

Garment Designer Pant Tutorial

A couple months back we created a facebook fan page for Cochenille. You can join us here. .

I posted a question asking what people would like for specials - I have a hard time coming up with them each month, feel free to comment on the subject if you like!!!

I didn't get a 'specials' suggestion - but it was suggested if we could do a Tips/Techniques once a month instead of or in addition to. My next question then became 'What would you like to start with?' and the suggestion came 'Copying Ready-to-wear'.

The thought for the post quickly formulated in my mind, mainly because I answer the Cochenille phone's and know a lot of the common questions - which by the way I have started to write down to include in these monthly Tips/Techniques posts.

I will start with the answer to the most common question 'Do you have Tutorials?' Yes, yes we do. You find the Tutorials in the Tutorials plus folder that is in the Garment Designer program folder on your Hard drive.

For Windows people - you click on My computer then Open the Hard drive (C: drive for most computers) then open the Program files folder then open the Garment Designer folder and there you will find the Tutorials plus folder.

For Mac people - you open the Hard drive then open the Applications Folder then open the Garment Designer folder and there you will find the Tutorials Plus folder.

Garment Designer versions 2.1.3 and below have the Tutorials plus folder:



Garment Designer version 2.5 has no folder, just the Tutorials PDF:



Tutorial number 2 (Pant Tutorial) Method One is a Tutorial that Susan wrote taking you step by step in how to copy a pair of pants you already have. Once you work your way through this tutorial you will be able to copy anything you already own using Garment Designer to create your pattern pieces.



Also most of you also own the Garment Designer lesson book 1, in that one Susan copies a Top, also step by step with fully illustrated instructions.





So the facebook fan group challenge for the month will be to take a garment that we own and replicate it using Garment Designer and what you have learned from the Tutorial.

I'm working my way through a pair of sweat pants that I'm turning into long shorts for summer - I'll write up a blog post, and tell you all what I learned working through the Tutorial and show you my results.

Feel free to join us on Facebook - or the Yahoo Group to tell us how you are doing and show us pictures of your project, and ask any questions that you might have.

New to me Serger

I bought my serger when I was pregnant with my daughter and I was doing a lot of sewing. It has made projects go fast. It has saved a lot of my knit pants from the rag bin. It has given me lots and lots of years of good service.



My daughter is in her 2nd semester in college and my poor little serger is ready to retire, well maybe I am going to take it in and see if they can fix it. I don't want to get my hopes up since I paid less than $200 for this little serger, sometimes it's just not worth it to fix things. The poor thing starts to smell like burning rubber after a few quick bursts of the power peddle. Towards the end the poor thing would bounce all over the place, so my husband build it a wood retaining wall!



So now I have this little serger to replace it - It has come to me all the way from Canada. Susan Lazear my boss has graciously brought it all the way here just for me.


This is her serger from when she started sewing. I'm greatful to have it. It serges beautifully! Now I can finish a few projects that have just been sitting. A couple of which are sample skirts for Cochenille's Easy 7 Skirt book!

Back to Organizing

Ok, so where was I before I was so rudely interrupted by life, illnesses, a major move and a week long tradeshow? Oh, Yes. I was trying to organize my crafts, since I do way to many of them and It was either time to do them or sell everything off instead of having it sit in storage boxes under beds.

So the Move was great for this purpose, because now I have 2 living rooms, 4 bedrooms and a two car garage (oh there are two bathrooms but I can't do crafts in those - well I probably could but I wouldn't want to especially after my husband has used them)

Currently the front living room just has a few book case, because this is where I'm going to put all the sewing stuff. I finally have enough floor space to make and set up on a dress form a wedding dress with a full train. I have way to many idea's in my head I'm not sure which one I want to do first!!!

One of the bedrooms is Stephanie's bedroom she still comes home from college when school is not in session.

Another bedroom is the office, two desk's 3 computers, one shipping table to build Cochenille product and the shrinkwrap machine that's all that fit.



The other room is the one I'm currently working on. I have been looking and looking and trying to figure out how I was going to separate the different crafts


- I finally just asked my husband to build me four simple desk's.



So one is for stamping and scrapbooking stuff,

one is for beading stuff,


another is for a knitting machine


and the forth I had my wood purse supplies with all the stuff I use to decoupage the clip art on them, but know I'm thinking I might put up another knitting machine. Since I have 5 and I haven't used them so I think I want to give each one a chance before I decide which to keep or get rid of.



Some progress has been made in the organization of all this stuff - It will be conquered one day - hopefully one day soon!

Sewing Expo 2010

I've been going to the Sewing Expo in Puyallup WA for 5 or 6 years - I don't remember when my first year was. I love flying in to seattle the views are spectacular. I love the area. Some day I'll go there and not have to spend 10 hours a day in a convention center. Don't get me wrong the Expo is Advertised as the largest in the Nation, so the amount of sewing eye candy is amazing. The amount of talent that walks up and down the isles is amazing. I always come back with sketches all over any kind of paper I can get my hands on.



So for over 5 years I've admired Mt Rainer - I would like to climb it someday. It is a 4 or 5 hour drive from seattle and yet when you can see it (which isn't often) it looks like you are right next to it - that is how big it is. I have been trying to get a good picture of that mountain for as long as I've been going.

This year I did it. The last day I was driving to drop the rental car off and then get taken to the airport and I see this:




a clear shot of the mountain - rats I'm low on time - I have to make my plane. I can't stop - Well I've got a couple from the road. But I really really want a good one. I couldn't see it from inside the airport there was a control tower in the way. Well at least I got one from the road.

I get on the plane and we start to take off - and I wonder am I on the right side of the plane to be able to see the mountain on our flight out. I don't see it - I don't see it. And then This:



I was in Ahh! I will be back to climb this mountain


- but not in the winter - It was way to cold.

Riverside County Date Festival

The Fair comes once a year - when I was younger I remember waiting for it - you knew when it started when the last day was, how much money you needed to save up in order to ride all the rides.

Then as a teenager we still knew all that stuff but if you were cool you didn't show your excitement as you did when you were a child. You were 'going just to hang out'.

As an adult with children you go to all the stuff the children want to do and share in all there excitement.

As an adult with children that are to cool to go with you - you go alone as adults and you walk the exhibits for the first time in your life you drool over the food - you wouldn't have considered spending your hard earned money on for fear that you wouldn't have enough to ride all the rides.

This year I got to take my little sister's baby boy - keegan! He is a handful.



This year was the first year he realized what was going on. He just wanted to sprint from one place to another.

and he wanted to eat everything, he didn't care what the signs said, he couldn't read.



Here he is excited he could climb to the highest heights he's ever climbed.



the only problem was that he realized he needed to go potty as soon as he got there.



He wanted to feed all the animals.


He wanted to ride the rides - and after showing my sister the pictures she tells me that the helicopter ride is a big boy ride. That would explain why they wouldn't let him on by himself - so Randy had to get on with him.






We had a wonderful time.

PS. sorry I haven't sewn, I haven't knit, I haven't created a pattern nor have I designed a dress of any kind. I have Moved, go to a Tradeshow in Puyallup (post about that later) worked my butt off, and finally got into a routine of taking care of Mom and have been able to split that work with my Sister and Sister in law. I will sew, knit and design again, hope you stick around.