The Wheels on the Van...........

                  On the Go!

     On one of my visits back East, I was chit chatting with Kathy Dacey and she mentioned that "If I won the lottery....."  she was going to buy a tour bus and have it outfitted with sewing stations so she could travel and sew with her friends, all at the same time.  My first thought was that I hoped I was one of her friends, quickly followed by I wish I would have thought of that!

 

 

     As I was reading the LA Times this past Saturday, I came across this article that reminded me of the sewing bus idea.  The Yarnover Truck used to be a Little Debbie delivery truck that has been repurposed (one of the new 'big' word this year, along with consumable products) as a yarn store on wheels.

 

 

     Los Angeles has hundreds of upscale food trucks and the market has grown to include non-food retails trucks.  Think of the Marshall's commercial with the truck that is a traveling store!  Maridee Nelson and Barbra Pushies got the idea when the saw a fashion truck parked on Melrose with customers going in and out and the rest is history!

     They travel around on the weekends, going to street fairs, festivals, and private parties.  They are also getting requests to travel farther away.
     While this truck is full of yarn - heaven for anyone who works with yarn - wouldn't it be so neat to have a Stitching Truck?  You could focus on embroidery or sewing or smocking or heirloom sewing............. Wouldn't it be delightful to have one of these that traveled around with the main purpose be to TEACH the sewing and needle arts to everyone?!
     When I win the lottery.............  Here is to you, Kathy!

Happy Stitching,
Vaune



Another Kind of Pleater!

                     Quick Pleater
          My new favorite notion...........

     In case you didn't know it, I am a notion nut!  I love to try new things, and who knows - I may find something better than sliced bread!  Sometimes in my quest, I find notions that I don't EVER want to buy again (see the iron cleaner in my March Newsletter that I just posted), but more often than not, I am please with how things turn out.
     I ran in to a new notion at a ETAC last fall and have fallen in love with these.  They are called Quick Pleaters and look like a 2 prong fork.

                                        Small Set - 1/2", 3/4", and 1"

                             Large Set - 2", 3", and 4".
                This set is used most often in home dec projects.

     The Quick Pleater makes 'quick' and easy work of making pleats, both knife pleats and box pleats, as you sit at your sewing machine!

     Take the Quick Pleater and put the fabric in the center of the fork.

                For knife pleats, lift the fabric with the QP.
 

 

                            Fold the fabric towards you.

 

     Remove the QP and stitch along the seam line to sew down the pleat. 

    Insert the QP in the fabric again, and fold up and over towards you.

     As you go stitch down the fabric, you creat a row of pleats!

     To make a box pleat instead of a knife pleat, just turn the QP away from you (toward the foot of the sewing machine).

     Once you have finished your pleats, press with a Rajah cloth to set them.

     Add your piping................

 

     Here is an exapmle of kife pleats....     

     Here is an example of a box pleat.........

     Attach the piped pleats to your garment for a finished look!  Here is a sample where there are knife pleats onthe left, a box pleat in the middle, and then kife pleats to the right.

If you want to try these, I have just posted them on my website:
www.vaune.com

Another notion to add to your collection!

Happy Stitching!
Vaune



     

      

2014 - Sewing and Stitchery Expo

         Save the Date
Sewing and Stitchery Expo
 Feb. 27 - March 2, 2014

     Mark your calendars for next year.  Even though many of us sew for little ones, think about sewing for your selves.  The Sewing and Stitchery Expo is a great place to learn a LOT from some great national teachers - information that will make your sewing easier and more professional looking.  Invest the time to learn the ins and outs of sewing for your self and being pleased with the results!
     I will be there, and if you have any questions, please feel free to email me or call me - I would love to see you in Washington next year!

Happy Stitching (for yourself!)
Vaune

Gone but not Forgotten!

                   Home at last!

  The Sewing and Stichery Expo is over and 2 books on CD later, I am home.  I apologize up front fro not posting more of these pictures while I was there, but not enough hours in the day.........

     All of the major sewing machine companies were at the show -here is the Bernina booth.

 

 

     Viking was was here also.  Janome and Pfaff had booths, but I didn't have my camera when I went past them!

     More fabric booths!

     and more fabric booths..........

     but not only fabrics - here is a yarn booth, and believe me, they had some beautiful yarns!

     Hancock's of Paducah...................

     Independant Pattern companies were there in full force, with some great patterns!

     Fabrics and knick knacks.............

     Kits.................

     Tools................

     And my favorite, books!

As you can see, there is something for everyone!  I am so full of new ideas - can't wait to start stitching and sewing.  I have one more post from the Expo, and then on to other things!

Happy Stitching,
Vaune

 

 

 

 

     

The Sewing and Stitchery Expo.... Day 2

  Friday and Still Going Strong!

        Friday is (almost) over and I still have not made it around all of the booths yet!  We arrived at 7:30 this morning (the earliest that they will let the vendors in), so we had an hour to walk around and look at the booths.  They were not open until 8:30, but at least we could look and see where we wanted to come back to.  For once, (fortunately for my drawers at home), there was not anything I could live without at Vogue Fabrics.  Of course, they bring new things in each day, so who knows what I may see tomorrow.

 

 

 



     Me at the Blue Gate entrance, where we park.     

     Walking to the Showplex.  This is held at the HUGE fairgrounds in Puyallup, WA.  There are 2 showrooms, and the Showplex is the larger of the 2.  I am in the Showplex building.

     As we all know, the fair has the best food!  The Scone Wagon has scones with raspberry sauce and Strawberry shortcake with homemade buiscuits.......... a must at least once while I am here.

     Suzanne Brisach (President of SAGA) and Tawn Hunka (President Elect of SAGA) at my booth - they are helping me this week - yeah!

 

 

     Vogue Fabrics booth - yummy!

 

     Janome booth

     This booth has the cutest things - they are all machine embroidered and she sells the discs with the designs.  One of my favorites is this train mat - all of the mat is embroidered - even the bridge and the houses.  All of the little wooden trains with the magnets on each end fit in here - Perfect for a little boy!

 

     More shops to enjoy........

 

 

     Pacific Fabrics (yes, I have a tab runnng there.............)

 

 

     Koala furniture - beautiful!

 

Viking Sewing machines

Another cute little shop to explore.


This was quick pictures from 3 of the 10 rows..........more tomorrow, as we are exhausted and are off to bed.  More pictures tomorrow, and I have 3 classes that I am teaching, so for now,

Happy Stitching,
Vaune