Sewn Bolero Jacket

As always, my customer came and picked up her outfit and I forgot to take a picture of it. I guess the fact that I started a blog to document my projects didn't really light a fire under my behind to "make sure I take a picture".

Any who... It wasn't a big deal, she brought in a strapless prom dress that she wanted me to add sleeves to and then create a bolero jacket to go with it. The bottom of the dress was all tule so she wanted big tule on the collar and sleeves.

So I took her measurements and went to Garment Designer and there brought up a sloper that was really close to her measurements, and drafted the bolero pattern pieces.



I made a Muslin, she came in and tried it on, and the sleeve wasn't big enough yet. So in order to get some inner width to the pattern I slashed and spread it by hand. That was the only pattern adjusted that was needed.



So I put it together, with some tule that came from the dress after we shortened it. The customer loved it. And I did something I had never done, I didn't point out to the customer what I thought was wrong with it, or how it could be better. I stood back and let her talk.

Off go the Aussies & Student Work from Jenny Dowde's Workshop

Here is the Student work from Sunday's Embelish workshop:







Monday morning (Sept 22) it was the first day in about a year that I wasn't awake at 6 AM. I opened my eyes, and was amazed it was 8 AM. The only task to accomplish for the day was to get my new Aussie friends to there hotel in San Diego.

You would think that would be an easy uneventful day. It wasn't. Susan had research a Japaneese book store in Kearny Mesa they wanted to stop by. Well I must have been brain dead because I left the house without writing either the name of the place or the address, I looked at the map Susan brought up on a Yahoo search. I recognized the area so I didn't think I needed more direction. Well we drove in circles and never found it.

There hotel was on Hotel Circle North. So I figure we would get on the 8 freeway and drive it until we saw the hotel from the freeway then we wouldn't have to drive the entire stretch of hotel circle. We never saw the hotel. So I was driving them in circles again. I think Sue was sea sick by this time. I come back on the 8 get off at hotel circle and the exit ramp runs us straight into there hotel.

So much for thinking. Next time I just won't think and just do it.

Back to work!

Cochenille Design Retreat - Jenny Dowde Workshop

Sunday the 21st. It was Jenny's day for her all day workshop. "On the surface: Embellish it..." Oh boy did they Embellish.


Jenny Dowde has a book out called 'Surface Works' the ladies got to see the author demostrate a wide variety of these technique's step by step. All free-form, go with the flow, a bead here a bead there, a bead tassle here and there, a small bead, big bead, a bugle bead. It was great.



Then she showed them what they could do with emboidery floss, fancy yarns, cording, and anything else you can get thru the eye of a needle. And off they went back to there work area and created.

And then came the fancy tools, Felting brush and needles. Oh the colors, shapes, and images they created. It was wonderful.

Cochenille Design Retreat - Susan Lazear workshop

Saturday the 20th, I slept good and woke up. I realized were I was. The Ocean, it's there. It wasn't there yesterday. (well I'm sure it was, but I didn't see it)



We were at the beatiful Carlsbad INN in Carlsbad, CA. It was amazing.

Susan has always been a great motivator. Makes you feel like you can do anything. She always starts her classes with a Creative exersice. On Saturday she seperated the group into 3 smaller groups, and asked them to spell out a word with there bodies. (I don't remember if she said 'creative' word)They came up with some interesting body shapes.



Susan Lazear taught her all day workshop. "On the Surface: Color it. . " and color it they did.



They did iron transfer's, created stamps with potatoes, linolium, leaves, and anything else that had a raised surface. They tie-dyed, and stenciled. Susan also taught a really cool marbling techinque with the jacquard inks, and shaving cream.





I think everyone one was happy, glad to be there and most of all inspired. Thank you ladies!!!

Cochenille Design Retreat - Registration

So On Thursday the 18th, I'm up at 3:00 AM and back to San Diego. (Life would be so much easier if we could afford to live there).

We had our Garment Designer workshop on Thursday. It went well, everyone enjoyed themselves. I hope! I was on Auto Pilot for Thursday and Friday.

I do recall getting to meet our guest teacher Jenny Dowde and her friend Sue, from Australia. I arrived at Susan's at 7AM. Everyone was still sleeping when I ran the door bell. So I woke them up. Up Up, time to get working. Susan and I started working we still had stuff to get ready and organized. I was up the stairs, down the stairs, in the garage making copies. Then I walk in to the kitchen for something, and there they are sitting outside at the table having moring tea. I felt like a dork, I didn't know which was which. I knew there names but I hadn't gone looking for picture's on the internet of Jenny. Which would have been better preparation, that way I would have known who she was.

Or I could just stop being a Red Neck, and learn how to introduce myself. I reach out my hand and tell them my name and then they reach out there hand and tell me there name. Dah!

Friday was also a blur. I got everyone registered. Got there handouts, and there supplies. Jenny did a Powerpoint presentation I do recall seeing so really cool paintings, from her early Painting years. Then off I go to get lunch. Got everything set up and passed out. Then I sat behind my table and turned into a zombie, during Susan's Italy Trends Report, and her Creative Exercise afternoon class.

The Merry Wives of Windsor

Oh boy, the past 10 days have been a blur. I have a two day low before I have to start preparing for a couple other fuctions. So I better do this now.

On Tuesday the 16th Stephanie and I got the chance to go to the Old Globe in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA. So we went. It was in the outdoor Theatre, It was wonderful.

I was so tired, I went in just hoping I wouldn't fall a sleep. Now way, it was so funny, and fast moving. I was great. Oh I love the costumes in the last part. Sorry, I haven't attended enough Theatre, to know the terminology, of Acts, Scene's and so on. .

Stephanie love Shakespere, She offered to translate if I didn't get a joke. I'm so glad she has the chance to experience this earlier in life than I ever did.

We will always Remember!

There are days in my life when I feel my sacrifices have been many. Then there are days like today, when I realize that I haven't sacrificed much at all. Raising kids by yourself while your partner is gone for 6 to 9 months out of the year, sleepless nights because you forgot to turn off the TV before the news came on. Nightmare about the worst possible things that can happen to your active military family members. These are not sacrifices they are just a part of military life.

It is days like these that I remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, there lives. Those family member that have had to endure the end of a young person's life, the end of the life of there spouse or child. They are the one's I remember on these days.


I am greatfull that my husband was able to retire from the US Navy after 22 years, as crazy as he may be now - He still has his life. I am trully greatfull that Michael God willing in Nov when he gets back will have endured two long tour's of Duty in Iraq.



I am trully greatfull this day, as I Remember.

Sonia

Stephanie's Senior Year - Homeschool

My baby has started her Senior year of High School. She had hoped she would have been caught up to be able to go back to La Quinta High School. She could have she did great last year catching up, but now she has a new goal. University, any University. In order to accomplish that she will need to take 9 classes first semester and 8 classes 2nd semester. So there will be no time for senioritis.


I had something I was going to say when I started this about an hour ago.

Then the UPS guy brought a box of books, They are Jenny Dowde's books that I will be taking to the Cochenille Design Retreat so that she can Autograph them for those Retreat participants that wanted to purchase a book from her.

Sewing

Here is what I was sewing while I was waiting for a sponge bar. I just put the elastic on it Yesterday. I guess knitters aren't the only crafts people with UFO. I always seem to print a pattern, cut the fabric and then set it aside. Then I'll pick it up sew it, and then set it aside with one unfished detail, in this case it was sewing the elastic. I'm not sure why that happens, I guess it's just part of the design process.

The pattern is one from Susan Lazear's - Easy 7 Skirts collection, That she is in the middle of putting together. I get to make sure the pattern works for "large women". ie.. Me. I don't wear a lot of the stuff I sew for my self. I'm way to critical, and it's really hard to fit yourself. But I think I would wear this.