Soleil Ole

Here's a quick peak at the dress, hat and purse from my 2004 Bernina ensemble. (There's also a duster that goes over the dress.) It's due back soon and I can't wait for its return. I love this outfit!

My daughter, Elisia, is the patient model since she was the right size at the time. I'm hoping she's still the right size so I can include it in my fashion show.

No, this isn't something I'd wear to the grocery store, even if it fit me, but every now and then it's fun to let lose and make something extreme. There are lots of crystals and beads on the dress which really catch the lights on the runway.

2004 was the year of the sun for me. Along with the sun theme for my Bernina ensemble I made a more wearable jacket for myself and I sponsored a group made sun quilt. Okay, so I only wear the jacket to football games since our mascot is the sundevil, but at least I show my Sundevil Pride!

Everyday Wearable Art and Beyond

The Fashion Show/Trunk Show (I'm not sure which term I prefer... is there a difference when you're talking about wearable art?) was a huge success. The North County Quilters' Guild couldn't have been friendlier and more receptive. They're a terrific group and my only regret was that I didn't have time to join! Oh well, an excuse to go back next month :-)

They laughed at all the right places in my talk and so many of them came up and told me how much they enjoyed my jackets it was almost embarrassing. Except that I was having too much fun to be embarrassed. And the models thanked ME for the privilege of wearing the jackets and getting a chance to see them up close.

My daughter, Elisia ran the back room for me and modeled a couple of the smaller jackets. She did a great job, especially as a model, but I missed Wendy's calming presence. She was doing a lecture at Canyon Quilters the same evening. We both hope that schedule conflicts like that won't happen again. I'm the featured speaker for Canyon in January and Wendy will be there to help.

I've found my niche! And with 65 coats and jackets (I'm not even counting the Bernina ensembles since they're still traveling), as well as numerous vests, dresses and skirts I have plenty to choose from :-) My talk is entitled Everyday Wearable Art and Beyond because most of my jackets (90%) are things that I do wear all the time: to guild meetings and quilt shows, of course, but also to school functions, my kids' band concerts and field shows and the grocery store. These are not costume-y runway or show pieces (the Bernina pieces being an obvious exception which prove that I CAN do that sort of thing) , but just interesting jackets that are very wearable.

The best part is that all the accolades I've been receiving have truly stimulated my creativity. I now have a new idea (someone else has probably already thought of it, but if so, I haven't seen it yet!) and have 3 jacket variations in the planning stages as well as ideas for so many more it makes my head spin! This is the best time of year for making jackets. The cooler weather means that I can wear them as soon as they're done, a real incentive towards finishing. Watch this space for future developments.

Another fashion show is scheduled for Sunday: and afternoon high tea for a women's group. It should be fun. I'll change my show to gear it more towards non-quilters this time.

I'm off to go create something wonderful! Hope you are too :-)
Lisa

Seminole Tote Bag and Upcoming Events

Here's a picture of the Seminole pieced totebag I made for the Palomar class that Wendy and I are teaching this semester. I really miss fall this time of year (but not the chilly weather that follows!) so I make myself happy by creating pieces using my favorite fall colors.

This week was the start of the fall semester classes at Palomar. So far we've had two classes of over 40 students each! How exciting! Tomorrow will bring 2 more classes, and if this trend continues we'll have record attendance.

I have other commitments in September along with the Palomar classes:

Monday night, September 18th I'll be the featured speaker, narrating a fashion show at North County Quilters in Escondido. I'm hoping that lots of Palomar students will come so I can see lots of friendly faces :-) Wendy won't be with me this time because she's the featured speaker at Canyon Quilters in San Diego at the same time. I'll miss helping her with her talk and I'll definitely miss her help running the back room! The models often become so engrossed in checking out the jackets that they forget they're supposed to be getting ready to come out and walk the "runway"!

Sunday afternoon, September 24th I'll be doing another fashion show at an afternoon tea at the Sundance Clubhouse. It's a dressy affair with hats and gloves, there's a scrumptious menu and it sounds like it will be a blast!

Saturday, September 30th from 10-4 I'll be doing the curvy bias tote bag workshop for North County Quilters at Bits and Pieces in Escondido. If anyone is in the area and interested I think there are a few more openings!

And in October (October 21st to be exact) I'm doing a curvy bias jacket class at Paradise Sewing in Poway. Then I'm free until after the holidays other than the usual 4 Palomar classes per week. Yep, I'm busy, but loving it!

Today is my 20th wedding anniversary. We celebrated last week because my sweet husband is out to sea. Yup, he not only manages to be away for my birthday almost every year, but this year he managed to LEAVE on our anniversary! Good thing I'm a tough Navy wife, LOL. I'm celebrating by eating homemade chocolate chip cookies (my all time favorite food) and going to bed early. Just as soon as I set the VCR to tape Project Runway :-)

Lisa

No Comments, How Sad :-(

I'm trying really hard to keep posting, but it's difficult when I don't get any comments. I need feedback! I know that a lot of people haven't discovered that I'm back yet, that will take time, but this is discouraging.

Yesterday I spent the day with Wendy, planning the semester. It seems like we change our minds every other hour, LOL. The projects don't change (much), but the order we do them in and how we present them changes all too frequently ;-) Oh well, they'll get great projects no matter how we present them.

I've decided to pull the pillow from the semester lineup. It's just not exciting enough. I'll make another in fabrics that are more "my" colors and go with that. It's a really quick and easy project, like most of them this semester. Think quick holiday gifts!

Speaking of which, I'll post a picture of the notebook cover I made. I call it Leaves Adrift and it's raw-edged leaves with serpentine stitching on the edges (freemotion or just one of your machine's decorative stitches) to hold them down. I like the idea of a notebook cover each semester so they can keep their handouts in one place and the cover will identify which semester's work is inside. They could even hole punch some baggies for their nametag and samples of some of the handwork we do in class.

I'm off to work on MY name tag :-) Have a great weekend.
Lisa

Maple Leaf Pillow

Here's a picture of the maple leaf pillow I made last night. To give you an idea of the scale, it's 20 inches square. I have long been fascinated by 2 color quilts that have colors changing from positive to negative space. This was my experiment along those lines. Of course it cries out for metallic threads and beads, but I opted for comfort over glitz. For a change, LOL!

Fall Tote Bag

Here's that picture of the tote bag that I promised you. It's done using my curvy bias technique. This closeup picture shows the beading and tiny prairie points I added for interest. This is the newest workshop that I'm offering along with my trunk show for guilds and women's groups. I use the same techniques that I would for making a jacket, but they're in a more manageable and more easily finished size for a one day workshop!

San Diego Quilt Show

I went to the San Diego Quilt Show yesterday. Wendy and I sold opportunity tickets from 2-4 for the Friendship opportunity quilt, designed by Peggy Martin. It was an easy sell since it's a gorgeous quilt :-)

The show itself was very nice. No, it's not on par with a Mancuso show or even Road to California, but it's a very nice show. Attendance was quite low while we were there and there's been talk of discontinuing the show. We've already lost the wearable art guild here and it would be a shame to lose our quilt show, too, considering how many guilds there are in the area. The vendors seemed unhappy that there was so little traffic, too.

I didn't buy much, but I found some lovely wooden seam rippers (hey, everyone has to do a little reverse sewing every now and then, just to keep themselves humble!). The handles were made from a variety of woods in a variety of styles and it was hard to choose. So I bought two!

I did come away with lots of inspiration, an idea for another jacket :-) and lots of compliments on my totebag. I'll be teaching the totebag in a workshop in Escondido in September. I'll try to post a picture of it later today once the sun is up.

Meanwhile I'll be plugging away on the class samples. I have the placemats and tablerunner done except for the binding and am almost done making the 4 maple blocks for a pillow. I still have 2 notebook covers, a tree skirt, a couple of name tags and a quilt to make. All in 10 days. Yikes! I'd better get sewing!