Hey There,
Today I'd like to share a bit of the progress that has been made around here.
First, here is a little outfit I made for a new customer.
Her daughter is a going to do some modeling for me. Her mom ordered a new set, but with capri length pants instead. She had actually modeled a similar outfit for me, just with long pants (see below). She and Leah have become great buds, and the two of them had a blast with the couple photo sessions we've done so far. This customer has also booked a home show with me! I am so excited about this...my first time doing something like this. We will work out the details for this next week, but I do know the show will be mid July, just in time for some back to school shopping. As soon as I get the website launched (hopefully in the next 2 weeks!), I'll have to start planning that.
Here's my new little cutie model wearing the set which be on the new website soon. :)
Here are a few more pictures of the girls modeling sets for the new website.
I also made some progress on the wedding reception items I am working on. The tablecloths are done. The quilt is about half done. I will be shipping everything off at the end of the month. So I need to get this done next week. I'll share pics of these when they are all complete!
I also completed a little swap that Penny organized, called scraps to treasures. You can go here to see pics of the bundles I received. And below is a snapshot of the bundles I put together for the ladies.
I used a fat quarter of that darn cute scissors fabric to wrap everyone's bundles in. I am excited to get working on the project for this scrap challenge. I have a couple ideas I am toying around with. We'll see what comes of all these lovely scraps.
Penny also sent me this cute little hand towel as a thank you gift for her winning one of the freebie fridays giveaways.
Wasn't that nice of her! Thanks Penny! It reminds me of my grad school days in the Boston area. Now I have to make my lobster salad soon, as this cutie has me thinking about it big time!
What else. Oh the sewing classes. I am about half way done the projects for the class. I decided to work through all the projects so I can show photos of them with the flyer that will hang in the store. I'll be teaching my local Hancock Fabrics, btw. I am starting with 3 classes and we'll see how they go. 2 of the classes are for kids and one is for adults. I may add on 1 or 2 more, depending on the demand. And if all goes well over the summer, I will continue and add on more classes in the Fall, once the kids are back in school. Getting this all together has been alot of work, but such fun! I have been wanting to sit and write up patterns for over a year now, and this new venture has forced me into for sure!
What is really driving me is the teaching part. I think I am really a teacher at heart. I have mentioned here lots that I am really a face to face sort of person. The internet is nice, but I am most comfortable face to face. I like the true connectedness you can only get face to face. Hopefully, more face to face teaching will help me with the pattern writing/development. I can tell you and show you in person how do things very well. But I am not certain my written explainations will be the same. So this will be the test!
Teaching is what I actually went to graduate school for. Well, I trained to be a scientist, but I actually intended to teach unversity level chemistry and run a research lab. I went to MIT on a full scholarship funded by the Ronald E. McNair program which specifically targeted minorities and women interested in teaching on science on the University level. After graduating, I ended up doing an industrial post-doc ( I figured having some industrial experience would make me a better teacher/professor since most scientist end up working in industry) and had some quick success on the project I was assigned, wrote up a couple patents and was hooked on industrial work. I loved the praticality of industrial research. But a part of me has always felt I was meant to teach. I never thought it would be sewing, though!lol In retrospec, it is not too surprising I guess. I did teach a group of teenage moms sewing back when I was a first year grad student at MIT. Since I was on scholarship, I did not have to do the first year teaching, so I volunteered instead. And you all will remember my blog posts showing you all how much fun I had with my friends in Germany teaching them all how to sew! So I guess it isn't a huge surprise. But once again, I have diverged. Back to the progress...and some pics of fabric!
With all the "work" on my plate, I need to take some breaks to have just play and have fun. That usually comes in the form of putting bundles together for future projects. I took put this bundles together.
Nice combo, huh?! Organic linen, cotton cable knit and gorgeous cottons with vintage mother of pearl buttons. A little modern...a little vintage! These will be used to make a quilt & pillow set.
I also put this bundle together
and turned it into this!
It is just a top so far and some startings of some patchwork pillows made from the scraps. I actually have it all layered and basted and ready to quilt. But I have to get back to my to do list first.
So, I'd better go. I have some progress in the garden to share soon. Maybe tomorrow...Maybe the next day. And I'll be back on Friday for sure for another round of Freebie Fridays!
