June 2009. I can hardly believe we are half way through this year! Where 2008 was filled with travel and teaching - 27 events in all- this year finds me at home catching my breath. Along with teaching I also produced 2 new DVDs and 3 patterns last year. The Madeira Appliqué by Machine DVD was special for me because I was able to share some pieces from my vintage textile collection as well some of the history surrounding this beautiful technique. The Fabulous Embellishments DVD was fun because I used some of my favorite machine accessory feet and show how to use them to create fancy effects and trims by combining fabric, cording, ribbons and braids. There are 3 patterns to use to create a project using the new techniques: the Vintage Madeira Pillow and Fabulous Pillows I and II.

In May I had my first Quilt Market experience. It was held in Pittsburgh, so I was able to drive. I have never been to the Houston Quilt Market or Festival. However, I have attended and worked the last couple of Quilt Expos in Europe! I have found that all quilters and sew-ers share the same love and obsession of all things related to 'textile arts'. Attending the spring market gave me a chance to see what was new, meet interesting people and see how I may cross over or combine some quilting techniques with my areas of sewing. I was on visual sensory overload with all the colorful fabrics, quilts and variety of garments and bags that could be created using these new fabrics. What is the new hot color scheme? Is it neon green? Fluorescent pinks? Cool turquoise blue? Do we call the designs Retro, Funky, Vintage or Modern? Certainly something for everyone. And to throw some names around, I did get to see Alex Anderson and Nancy Zieman. Most fun of all was unexpectedly meeting people I knew. And who knew there were so many quilting publications!! Now my challenge is to create some new projects using the ideas that were inspired by attending the market.

I was also invited to tape another segment for Martha's Sewing Room for PBS. So off I went to the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa where they do the taping. It is fun to see the behind the scenes of taping TV and nerve-wracking to be in front of the camera. I suppose if I had done as much TV taping as Martha, I would be more relaxed. But it certainly is a great opportunity to be with the whole crew and share some of my favorite techniques with the audience. Jody Hooker was also taping that week as was Lezette Thomason and Wendy Schoen. Our projects were heirloom-style blouses and I had fun doing puffing and ruffles and ruching. I believe these segments will air sometime in the fall.

My other spring activity was attending the Vintage Fashion and Textile Show held in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. It is held 3 times a year, in May, July and September. I absolutely love this event and have been attending it for about 20 years. I am passionate about old textiles. I love looking at or rather feeling the quality and texture of a fabric, or its color and design. They are works of art- the old hand-made laces or hand-embroidered linens. What skill went into creating these textile treasures. You will also find fashion accessories such as hats and shoes not to mention the antique jewelry or other stuff of a non-textile origin.

Me and Mary in her booth

I always love looking through Mary Troncale's booth of exquisite antique and vintage clothing. Antique being recognized as 100 years old and vintage being merely 'not new' or outmoded but something with enduring interest or quality. Is something circa 1890's, 1940's or 1950's? Mary and I have taken lace identification classes with Doris May as we both share a love for the artistry of old lace….and the talent and skill of the lace maker. Looking through her collection of clothing and accessories takes me back to another era …wouldn't it be fun to play dress up and go to a tea party and sip our refreshment from dainty porcelain cups? Forget about wearing a corset, but just for a day it would be fun.

If you have never gone to a vintage textile show, go with the intention of being entertained. It is a feast for the eyes for any textile lover. Depending on the size of the show, it can be overwhelming. If you know that you want to look for a specific thing, it is easier to browse through the booths focusing on one type of item. Of course, you will be tempted by other things and may even forget what you were looking for. Best to let yourself wander and just take in the variety of things on display. And to make things more interesting, most things have some kind of "provenance' or history that makes them even more valuable. Oftentimes I come away with a "who knew" response to a seemingly common item. For me, learning about history never was so much fun.

Haute Couture

To give you an idea of some of the things I saw at the show in May here are a few photos. It is easy to wander through the aisles a second or a third time to see what you missed the first time around. You could concentrate on the booths full of fabric- be it French Toile, Bark Cloth or Silk Brocades. There are tables full of trims, ribbons, buttons and yards of lace. Fashion accessories such as jewelry, shoes, hats and even eyeglass frames are available. You will wonder at who wore these fitted garments with such fine details - were women really that tiny back then? Then there are the quilts, and rugs and home furnishing items such as draperies and elegant side chairs. Remember that although the same vendors may participate at each event, their merchandise is always changing. The most important thing to remember is that these items are unique and cannot be re-ordered from a wholesaler or manufacturer, so if you fall in love with something, you should buy it now because it may be a long time before you find something like it again. Or, maybe never!

For more information on this show visit www.vintagefashionandtextileshow.com.

Exquisite Ribbons and Trims	Quilts and more Quilts
High Fashion Head Gear	Antique slippers, bags and busks

And back to the current world of sewing, I just returned from the Husqvarna Viking Sewing Convention. It was a fun week of meeting the sewing machine dealers and learning about the newest products and machine updates. There were classes featuring projects that focused on new techniques and new notions. The attendance was down from last year; however, those attending this event were no less enthusiastic about keeping the interest in sewing alive and well. At the banquet there was a lovely testimonial for Sue Hausmann and Stan Ingraham who retired from the company this year.

Last but not least, I am now repacking my suitcases to attend Martha's Sewing Market in Arlington, Texas next week. It has been a few years since I last attended this event and since I had the time available this year I decided it was perfect timing for me to attend once again. I will be doing lectures on Machine Smocking and Pleating as well as Madeira Appliqué and Fabulous Embellishments. My friend and artistic consultant Christine LaFlamme will be joining me and helping with set up and manning the booth. We always have fun working together and look forward to seeing familiar faces. The dates for this event are June 18th - 20th with some preday events scheduled on the 17th.

And looking at the month of July, I will be working with the Viking Truck Event in Albany, NY at Lady Cher in the JoAnn store on July 11, the Yankee Quilter in Oxford, Ct on July 12th and at Viking Sew n' Vac in Poughkeepsie, NY on July 14th. If you are in the area, please drop in and join us. You can contact each of the stores for more information. Feel free to go to the Husqvarna Viking website and check the dealer listing to get their information.

And then off to Huntsville, AL for the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion July 20-26. So it looks like it will be a busy summer. This year I have gotten to enjoy the blooming of the wisteria and my peonies….the first time in years, since I have usually been away teaching at this time. And I even picked my first rose of the season. Ah, the simple things in life! Enjoy the summer season and make some time to be creative. Do keep in touch and never hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, sewing or otherwise!

Enjoy the summer season!