Travel Savvy

I just returned yesterday from a few glorious days in Florida.  Having left 6 inches of snow on the ground and super cold temps, walking around without a coat in sunny, 70-degree weather seemed like the ultimate indulgence.  This was the first time either of my two boys had been on an airplane so I was interested in making our travel experience as easy as possible.  The weekend before our trip was spent at a sewing retreat where one of the participants showed us all how to make Studio Kat Designs' Aeropac.  This handy little pouch hangs around your neck and holds boarding passes and ID in a convenient-to-find spot.  I used some black and white fabrics to make my own, using the free pattern directions as a guideline and personalizing my own Aeropac the way I wanted.  It was a quick and easy project.

The plane ride was also a great opportunity to start knitting a hat for myself, since I knew it would only be a couple of days before I was back to the reality of cold weather.  I’ve got to hurry up and get that hat done so I can wear it before spring arrives (after all, Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring this morning).  I’ll post pics when I’m finished.

Lots of Little Projects

People who sew are the most generous people in the entire world. 

I spent a wonderful two days at a sewing retreat over the weekend:

George Washington Hotel ballroom

• a fine, luxury hotel with a lovely ballroom where we sewed (with floor to ceiling windows and lots of natural light);
• socializing with friends I hadn’t seen in a long time and meeting some new ones, too;
• excellent food (and someone else to wash all of the dishes);
• gracious staff who took care of all of our needs;
• shopping at the local shops and finding some treasures;
• completing some long overdue projects
• inspiration by the truckload;
• mini-classes with lots of fabulous ideas.

One of my favorite parts was the last item on the list.  Various members generously volunteered to share a quick project that they had made and showed the rest of us how we could make our own.  There was a great variety of items. 

Michele showed us how to create fabric covered pattern weights using metal washers and strips of fabric.  You can find this (and other fabulous) projects on her blog Sew Inspirations.

Photo by Michele at Sew Inspirations

My friend Jane came all the way from Florida to attend this retreat and I was so glad to see her.  I follow her blog Lucky Sew and Sew religiously (and you should, too!).  Jane was my very first table mate at my very first sewing retreat years ago.  She showed us how she created gorgeous fabric flowers a la Kenneth King. 

Photo by Jane at Lucky Sew and Sew

You can find Kenneth King’s original directions on the Threads website.

Anne made Studio Kat Designs’ Aeropac, a very clever pouch that stores your travel documents and hangs around your neck.  Studio Kat offers the pattern free on their website.  Anne was so generous that she handed out many of the materials needed for the project so we could all make our own.

Photos by StudioKat Designs

Martha showed us how to make the very popular snap bags that use a metal tape measure as the closure.  She had made several from fabric but also had the brilliant idea of making one from clear vinyl to carry her liquids on airplanes – she reports having no trouble with the bag at security.  There are several blogs that have tutorials for making these bags, and Martha shared those web sites with us.  You can find these tutorials at Tattered Garden and Stash Manicure.

Photo by Samm at Stash Manicure

Grace had made the most adorable little silk bags called Little Japanese Bags that resemble flower blossoms when all tied up.  She showed us step by step with samples she had made just how easily we could create our own.  She had a set of instructions written by Hannelore Nunn which I was not able to find anywhere on the internet.  But I was able to find Hannelore’s email address and sent her a note.  She very graciously emailed me a copy of the instructions for the bags which she tells me are a traditional Japanese design.  We have been emailing back and forth over the last day and she is a warm and generous person, someone I’d like to go to a sewing retreat with.  I'll post some pictures of the process when I make one of these myself.

Photo by Hannelore Nunn

I am working on my own version of a couple of these projects and will post pictures as soon as I’ve completed them.  In the meantime get on over to some of these wonderful sites and make some of these goodies for yourself.