Second Friday Featherweight Day!!

During Jackie's recent visit -- we had TWO FEATHERWEIGHT FRIDAYS at the Princeton library.

At our second event, we had a FULL HOUSE...TEN in attendance. Wow!! How great is that??

Sandy with her Featherweight...

She was working on some of the rows by Row by Row. This one was ready to be laid out.

LP's shirt says: "Imagine a world where fabric is free and quilting makes you thin."

LP had TWO Row by Row quilts ready to be laid out...(please note we are taking over THE WHOLE LIBRARY at this point...we start at 9:00 AM, and it doesn't open until 2:00.  Perfect, eh?)

This could be LP's panels from the Iowa quilt shops??

I'm pretty sure this represents the Illinois shops...

Although Sharalan looks like a deer in headlights (she would hate this picture, but that's okay because she doesn't read my blog) -- please note the hallway behind her.  We used EVERY ROOM of this fabulous little small town library. 

Jackie was learning the TMBC QUILT AS YOU GO technique.  We have perfected this -- and, if I have finally taken the right pictures, I WILL BE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU how it works. 

Photos on Fabric

My CURRENT BIG PROJECT is putting together the leftover Splendid Sampler blocks to make a quilt. I wanted Lilly to help with some of the sewing...and it seemed like a good idea to incorporate some HAMILTON elements into the project...

Hummm....

 I want to experiment with some new techniques, like Quilt-As-You-Go (more about that later)...

So this project was a topic of discussion at a recent Featherweight Friday event...

I brought my pile of Splendid Sampler blocks...(most of them are Linda P rejects)...

I thought about writing Hamilton lyrics on other blocks, so I did a laundry test...And THAT was educational!!

I don't have enough blocks for an entire quilt...and have no energy to make another 20-30 blocks...so the layout will be something like this...

THEN -- the big question was going to be whether or not I should incorporate some pictures of Lilly in her Hamilton garb??

The first thing I did was experiment with the print-a-photo-on-fabric using butcher paper to carry it through my printer. The results were SPECTACULAR!!

But, then, I decided it would be wise to WASH those photo/fabric blocks BEFORE I got too far along with the project...

You'll see what happens....

The picture of the Hamilton Playbill came out GREAT!! I set it with a hot iron, and let the ink cure for almost a week, then more of the hot iron...

I was VERY HOPEFUL...

But, sadly -- this is the Playbill photo AFTER I washed it.  Ugh.

Same thing with the picture of Lilly, wearing her favorite Hamilton outfit!  It printed GREAT...

Then, I washed it.

This picture of Lin-Manuel Miranda came off the internet.  And it PRINTED GREAT, using my HP printer and butcher paper to carry the fabric...

But, after just one washing -- clearly, 80% of the ink is just gone.

The lesson I learned is that a home-style ink-jet printer uses water soluble ink. DUH!! WHAT DID I THINK WAS GONNA HAPPEN WHEN I WASHED IT?? And, believe me -- my experience is not unique.

 I  received 20 emails from people who spent a lot of time and money creating a "memory quilt" with their home printer -- and the pictures simply dissolved the first time it was washed. (in one case, the quilt had been under a bed for nearly 10 years...and after laundering, there was nothing but gray blotches where the pictures had been..)

Gheesh...I was sooo disappointed.  It seemed like such a cheap and cheerful way to incorporate some photos into this project.

I could use the pre-packaged Photo Fabric sheets.  They are expensive, but the photos won't fade so badly (they WILL fade -- because it's still water soluble ink in my printer).  But my biggest issue is that the sheet will remain stiff...and that felt like quite a negative... 

HEY CHICAGO!!

After the train ride into the city, and visiting the Privatebank Theater (and seeing the ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS)... we were HUNGRY...

But I knew EXACTLY where we should go!! Right across the street...the Beef 'n Brandy!!

They have one of those huge menus you find in a family owned Greek restaurant.

We were all SO HAPPY!! And the food was so delicious -- I forgot to take pictures...

Lilly wanted  Jackie to see the amazing MARSHALL FIELDS store. (now Macy's). It was only a few blocks -- so we went walking...

From Wikipedia:
The 13-story granite building was constructed in stages between 1891-1892 and 1914 on a partitioned block with sections that were added to the building in 1902, 1906, 1907, and 1914.

For a time, the building was the largest store in the world at 73 acres of floorspace, with the largest book, china, shoe, and toy departments of all the world's department stores.

The current building has several atria: A Louis Comfort Tiffany, (1848-1933), mosaic vaulted ceiling dome caps a 5-story balconied atrium in the southwest corner; the northwest section has a 13-story skylit atrium, and a newer atrium with a fountain in the center is bridged by double escalator banks.

The Tiffany Ceiling is over 6,000 square feet and it is the first iridescent glass dome and it continues to be the largest glass mosaic of its kind.

Then, we saw the iconic clock.

The store windows had amazing fashions.  Hey -- WE COULD MAKE THESE JEANS, LILLY!!

The atrium...

It is AMAZING space.

On the 7th floor -- they were waving at the people across the street, enjoying their rooftop space.

Sitting on the fountain. They tossed in some coins to make a wish.

Private Bank Theater in Chicago

When we left Union Station, all we had was the little goofy map I'd printed -- showing the walk from the station to the Privatebank theater. However, the Adams street bridge was under construction...so we walked in another direction. After the train ride and all that sitting -- a little walking in the city felt good.

But then -- I looked ahead and saw this...

The marquis for Hamilton!!  I couldn't believe we were ALREADY THERE...and Lilly hadn't noticed it...Yet...

Remember -- visiting this theater was THE WHOLE POINT OF THE TRIP!!

We stood in front of the theater doors...of course, Lilly knew who every character was...

Just inside the doors, I took this picture...

We looked into the lobby area -- there was a big assortment of souvenir  shirts...

Warren on the inside, Lilly standing on the outside -- with Eliza and Angelica!!

OH, YEAH...we're off to a great start!!

****************
MMWI:  231.4.  I just looked back -- and it was July 10 when I entered the 230's.  Losing weight can be a sloooow go, people.  It took me two months to lose ten pounds..ugh.  But, when I think about it -- even at that slow pace -- a year from now, I could be down 60 pounds.  This is NOT ABOUT THE NUMBER, but I'm okay with the pace.   

R&R Fat Camp

So -- does the R and R stand for Rest and Relaxation? Or Rigorous and Radical? RESET and RENEW...??

Actually -- it's ALL THAT. And more...the two R's stand for Rita and Rhonda.

WE ARE GOING to Fat Camp AGAIN. AND WE WANT YOU TO COME, TOO..!!

Both Rhonda and I agree that giving ourselves ONE WEEK at Weight Crafters in beautiful Maderia Beach, Florida last November was the BEST GIFT WE EVER RECEIVED...

And we are doing it AGAIN -- the week of November  12-18,  2018,

WANNA COME WITH US??

This is a photo of me -- the week BEFORE I went to Fat Camp last fall.  I weighed somewhere north of 300 pounds...and I'd already been dieting and exercising for a month, hoping I would be able to DO THE WORK once I got to Florida.

MAKE NO MISTAKE -- IT IS A LOT OF HARD WORK...we were down in the gym every morning by 8:30.

The view from our condo -- that beach looked SO INVITING...but, most nights, we were too tired to walk across the street...

I loved, loved, loved NEVER having to think about what I was going to eat.  Every meal was delivered...and I enjoyed each bite!!

The sunsets were stunning!!  It is a really beautiful part of the world.

Conn, our trainer, did a great job of MIXING IT UP...on this day, we walked to a local park...and played basketball!!

In a million years, I NEVER THOUGHT I would go kayaking on the ocean!!

On our last day -- we finally did manage to WALK ALONG THE BEACH...

Below is a current picture of me. THE NEW, AND IMPROVED RITA FARRO.

I cannot tell you how Fat Camp changed my life. At 68 years old, I weighed over 300 pounds and had to take the steps to my basement one foot at a time. I was content to pretty much sit in my chair for 12 hours a day...and I had convinced myself that this was just my life now. I was oddly content to be old and fat...

During the week I was in Florida, I lost 12 pounds. But the really amazing thing is that when I got home, I adopted a whole new lifestyle.  I eat breakfast every morning, I joined the Y, and I aquasize almost every day. 

At this point, I've lost 70 pounds.  I've gone from wearing a size 3X, to a size 18.  

I can't thank Conn and Weight Crafter's enough.

Fat Camp (my term, not theirs) changed my life.

A picture of the new me.  I do NOT FEEL fat or old...!!

WE'D LOVE TO HAVE  YOU COME WITH US for the next round!!

Weight Crafters have offered us a terrific deal....instead of the usual price of $2799....(they have a special right now for only $2399)...

IF YOU GO WITH US, DURING OUR R and R SPECIAL WEEK, YOU will only pay $1,799 per person (for shared condo)...

SO -- COME ON DOWN!!  Join me and Rhonda this November to push the RESET  BUTTON on your life!!

To get this pricing, you need to commit before September 15!!

Believe me -- this is a GREAT DEAL....and I'd be happy to answer any questions, and give you more information:

Contact me:

ritafar@aol.com
my cell:  563 529 5438

Library Featherweight Friday

When cousin Jackie comes home for a visit, the TMBC tries to ramp up a Featherweight Sewing Day. One of our favorite spots is the back room of my hometown library...(we ALL own Featherweights now)...

The Princeton Library used to be the Farmer's Savings Bank.  See the room in the back?  THAT's our unofficial sewing headquarters...

It's a sweet room -- with two sturdy banquet tables, bathrooms, a frig, sink...

We set our Featherweights up -- along with an ironing station, and a cutting station...

THEN WE GET BUSY...SEWING...

I did a demo about writing on fabric...and then WASHING the writing...

We all worked on our individual projects...

Like, for example, the panels from the Row By Row Experience!!