Feedsack Fabric!!

Last Saturday, the TMBC had an extra-special outing. We went to a class at a local fabric shop about Feedsack fabrics. Wow...WE HAD SOOO MUCH FUN!!

Connie Barr was the teacher, and she brought her amazing personal collection of vintage feedsack fabrics.

I have never seen so many feedsack fabrics in one place.  The Land O Lakes label is an example of the paper labels that used to be glued on to the bags...I'd never seen one of those.

Here's some of what we learned:

In the early 1800s, canvas bags replaced the heavier, more expensive wooden barrels and tins to store and transport things like grain, feed, flour, sugar, etc.

By the late 1800's, textile mills were producing strong, inexpensive cotton, which quickly usurped canvas as the preferred material for feedsacks.

Farmer’s wives were quick to take advantage of this new source of free fabric. The bags were white, with the product information printed on the fabric. The clever housewives would bleach the bags to remove the product information -- then they would use the newly white fabric to create everything they needed in their daily life. Dresses, aprons, diapers, dishrags...An average farm would use enough supplies to gain the farmer's wife 16 bags a month.

Some feed companies, alerted to this reuse of their bags, began to print their sacks in gaily colored patterns—since it usually took more than one bag to make a dress, the idea was to give the farmer an incentive to keep buying their products.

My Great-Aunt-Glad told me that on the first Saturday of the month, Uncle Barney would say, "C'mon, Gladys...I'm going into town to buy chicken feed, so you need to come along to pick out your new dress." She needed three bags to make her dress, and she would NEVER trust her husband to choose the fabric.

At the outset of World War II, there were dozens of U.S. textile mills producing feedsack material, from Bemis Brothers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Percy Kent of Buffalo, New York. Particularly collectible are feedsacks with prints depicting Disney characters or scenes from “Gone with the Wind,” as well as sacks that had patterns on them to help a busy homemaker turn them into an apron or doll.

Connie had a wonderful booklet in perfect condition..

Chock full of ideas for different feedsack projects

It was a WONDERFUL DAY...of course, after our class, there was a great lunch at the local dive/bar -- overlooking the Mississippi River.

YES...we are the lucky girls.

My Towel Fashion Show!!

YOU LADIES IN PUYALLUP are amazing, and I miss you, too. I loved following the show with Rhonda and Laura on Facebook -- and it was fun to do some actual fabric shopping via those Facebook posts!!!!

THANKS AGAIN, RHONDA!!

Can you see the wonderful NEW YORK CITY print?? Rhonda bought 3 yards for me -- and I AM OVER THE MOON!!

Ever since Fat Camp, I tell myself I am IN TRAINING to take Lilly to New York City. AND THIS IS THE MONTH WE'RE DOING IT.

As you know -- a big part of my training is Swimfit classes. I go three days a week. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??

The truth is -- nobody is more surprised than me, people!!

At this point, I almost always have a bag in my car with a swimsuit and a towel. The beautiful pool at the Bettendorf YMCA has become my new happy place...

I spend five or six hours a week doing water aerobics...

The good news is that THEY MAKE TOWELS BIG ENOUGH to wrap around me!!  And, with a bit of Frankensewing -- I have developed quite a wardrobe of swim towels. I took two of them to a recent TMBC for Sew and Tell.

By adding a piece of t-shirt along the top of the towel, when it wraps around, it becomes a sundress...

Then, taking some inspiration for the Ya Ya Sisters Wrap pattern, I made two 12 inch slits -- creating armholes...

Really -- it's a great idea. You slip your arms through the holes, and don't have to worry about trying to hold the towel on your body...

I also used some t-shirt strips to create a ruana out of a gorgeous yellow towel..but I don't have any pictures of that yet.

(It's hard to carry a camera into a swimming pool environment...)

If you are coming to Sewing Weekend, THERE WILL BE A TOWEL FASHION SHOW...I also have two wonderful kid towel ideas ...(photos to follow)...

Sew Expo, Bonne and Jan

2013 was my last year with Sew Expo. It was also the ONLY year my cousin Jackie came to attend. Like many wonderful things in this life, it only happened once. And we made the most of it. I didn't take enough pictures...but I did record this moment...

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 From 2013:


One of the BEST things about working for the Sewing and Stitchery Expo has always been meeting the PEOPLE. Bonne Swett and Jan Potter -- A.K.A. the Inspired2Sew team -- have become very good friends. And they truly have INSPIRED ME TO SEW....

They have been doing Sew Expo sewing challenges for MANY YEARS -- and I am grateful they let me play their sewing game...

I got a little preview of the fabric they were using for this year's challenge...on Wednesday night -- we were going out for dinner...

Jan, of course, is the birthmother of the Hey Rita TOTE...the best gift I ever received...


Of course, Jackie already felt like SHE KNEW THEM...even before we met at their hotel that night...

Jackie was there to take this picture -- my favorite of the year -- the Ya Ya Sisters and the Inspired2Sew team...

We were on our way to our favorite Mexican restaurant...

With Jan -- this is A RARE picture of me and Jackie during her one and only visit to Puyallup (mostly, we were too busy WORKING to have our pictures taken)...

The food was delicious, the company was fabulous....

And wait until you see what THESE TWO GOT STARTED on Friday...!!

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MMWI:  254.8.   I lost 1.2 pounds last week...and I feel great!  I was thinking this weekend about all my friends at Sew Expo -- and wondering how many of them are wearing Fit Bits this year?  I am QUITE SURE they all walked about 5 miles every day.  GOOD WORK, LADIES...thanks for all the emails...I missed you, too!!

Inspired2Sew New York City Challenge!!

For many years, Bonne and Jan came to Sew Expo every year, and did a personal challange with the fabric they purchased the previous year. They were great friends, and I encaouraged them to SHARE THEIR challenges with the Expo audience. This post is about what we called the "New York City" challenge...because I brought fabric back from Mood Fabrics...they sewed, they trash-talked...they made it SO MUCH FUN!!...from 2011...wow...where does the time go, eh??

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Welcome, Expo Insider readers!! As promised -- here are the pictures of the recent "Inspired2Sew" NYC sewing challenge!! I will only leave these photos posted for ONE WEEK -- then, you'll have to come to their show at the 2011 EXPO to see the finished challenge garments IN PERSON. (They will be the Friday afternoon free Nooner event up on the Expo Runway!)
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From Bonne:
WOW Jan! You are Speedy Gonzales! Talk about pressure!!! LOL!!! I'm not done, but close enough I can match your new shortened deadline...thought you were going to catch me mid garment construction...HA! :-) Since we actually have another week I wonder if Rita would like a peak at our YA YA Sister challenge from the T-shirts we were given at their Expo show for next weeks Blog?


Well ladies, I just couldn't do it. Remember last week I mentioned I was hesitant to cut my shawl? I had the garment sketched out... okay Jan quit laughing :-) Truth be told I'm artistically challenged with paper and pencil so I did my usual...copy the front and back views from the pattern envelope and scribbled in my design. But I just couldn't do it, every time I look at the shawl it reminded me of how deeply Lady Liberty has touched me each time I've seen her in person. Since I couldn't combine the shawl into the jacket, I had to make the shawl coordinate with the jacket!






GREAT JOB, BONNE.

From Jan:
I'm done with our Statue of Liberty challenge!!! Got 'er done, yes sireeeeee!!! How 'bout it Bonne, are you ready yet? See dear friend, you pulled this with me last time, and I'll be darned if I'll be last done this time!!! So keep me posted and we'll send our pics at the same time!!! This is FUN!!!! byeeee for now, jan the fearless.......let me see, what's next?......Hye ladies, did you watch the first project runway?!!! I wished they would've gotten rid of casanova - arghhh!! and a few more!!! Gonna be a good season I think!

thanks rita! this is one of my fave things I've done - was very nervous as once I cut into it, as it was wanting to ravel - poof!! I serged all the edges right off! But it turned out soft and drapey - there is no lining or stabilizer at all - the inside is as pretty as the outside!! And it just fits and hangs perfect!! Ha! Wait til you see the t-shirt challenge!!! You'll love it! Do we save that for expo? Rats, reality check day - house cleaning!! arghhhhh! Bye, jan

Here it is! I love my Statue of Liberty vest! I used Ghee's shirtail vest pattern #595. The two fronts are cut from both ends of the shawl, and the New York and the fringe are from the very ends! See the cute little collars! The handbag is from the base of Liberty and has the left over fringe on it! In the last pic you can see the cute small zippered money purse (that fits inside the handbag) and Linda's pattern covers! the vest has black bias for binding. I've never done anything like this - it was sooo much fun!!










AMAZING.....I love, love, love the way the words work out on the vest, Jan. AWESOME JOB...

Sewing Sister Moments

This blog is a very personal thing. In the beginning, learning "how to blog" was just an exercise. I needed to figure it out because of my job with the Puyallup Sewing and Stitchery Expo. So I took some classes -- learned how to post...then how to upload a picture...change the design...etc...

If you're a regular reader -- you know there is often NO POINT WHATSOEVER...

Maybe that's what I like about it. I'm not trying to sell you anything...I don't worry about being politically correct...(MOSTLY, I AVOID POLITICS LIKE THE PLAGUE THAT IT IS)...I share a lot of personal stuff...I never know what I might blog about.

Often -- I'm inspired by the pictures....there was one pre-show day of Sew Expo...in 2013...

It was a miserable cold wet day...





When I look at this picture of Connie Crawford's class -- I remember the wonderful visit I had with her -- YEARS AGO -- when she had her studio in Sedona, Arizona. My friend Marion and I were on one of our fabulous "road trips" -- and Connie invited us to her home and gave us a tour. It was my first (and so far, last) trip to Sedona.

In Sue Hasumann's class, I had a similar moment of memory. Sue and Herb were the official hosts when Mary Mulari and I went on our first (and so far last) trip to Sweden. What a fabulous time we had...we visited Mary's relatives in Norway, cruised through the mountains, Sue set up a country tour of a barn where a woman made linen (or was it flax?)...Herb was our bus driver....I weighed over 300 pounds at the time and nearly DIED walking up a hill in Sweden trying to get to a museum to see some boring damn Viking boat...(On the other hand -- Mary could have walked to Paris...)
In the next picture, Janet Pray is having a conversation with Ann Sagawa. Looking at it, I remember the incredible trip to New York City with Ann. We experienced frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity with my friend Jeff. And then, my mind snaps to a wonderful weekend at Janet Pray's family lake house in Michigan...Janet was going to teach me and Donna Babylon how to dye yarn and knit socks...

I've never been back to either the Serendipity or the Lake House...

And this picture of Cindy Rowell -- teaching machine beading. I remember the time I stayed at Cindy's house -- in Canada -- and we were driving to the ferry so we could go to the big sewing show on Vancouver Island..in the Empress Hotel in stunning Victoria. WE RAN OUT OF GAS...and I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants...
And I've never been back....either to Cindy's house or the Empress Hotel....

Wow. It suddenly hit me. How lucky I have been to meet so many interesting women and visit so many incredible places. How many moments I've shared with these sewing sisters of mine. All over the world.

Looking back, I realize that I only had that one shot....that one chance to enjoy that place and those people...

...and I can live with that.

Sew Expo Weekend

This weekend is the Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, Washington.  I MISS YOU GUYS!! 

Here's a vintage post...about one of my favorite Sew Expo people...

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From 2013:

On the second day of Sew Expo -- Sharon Stone called to tell me she had ARRIVED. Sometime before I even left Iowa -- Sharon had emailed to let me know she would be delivering 350 pillowcases for the children of Mary Bridge. I gave her my cellphone number and said she should call me ANY TIME -- and I would help her deliver the pillowcases...

Mallory from the hospital went with me...it turns out 350 pillowcases makes for a VERY HEAVY LOAD...

Sharon is one of my special Sew Expo friends. One of those really good people...she reads my blog, sends me comments, cards, and encouragement. She loves the show -- but is always honest about when things are good or bad. AND she and her friends worked all year long to make these hundreds of pillowcases... (she always wanted to make sure SHE DIDN'T TAKE ALL THE CREDIT) --
Hey -- I miss you already, Sharon!!
The other day -- she forwarded this email -- and it is so well thought out -- I had to share...!!

Being Green...

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were truly recycled.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags.

But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that young lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart-a young person.

The Splendid Sampler™

The Splendid Sampler™ Wednesday
(...skip this part if you're not new here...)

The Splendid Sampler™ is an internet sew-a-long created by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson. It is an EPIC sew along...

• 83 fabric designers have created specific blocks that feature different quilting techniques. (paper piecing, fused applique, etc.).
• The blocks will be released each week, and are FREE to participants until March 2017. (at that time, they'll use the designs to publish a book).
• You can use whatever fabric you like.
• There will be pictures on their Facebook page, etc.

The new block designs come out twice a week....on Sunday morning and Thursday morning. I'm doing this with my TMBC...and, therefore, it is my pleasure to BLOG ABOUT IT every Wednesday. *******************
The Splendid Sampler™ had been an AMAZING journey. It's hard to believe that it's over -- and even more difficult to believe that a YEAR HAS GONE BY..!!

I first learned about this incredible quilting project a year ago, when I interviewed Pat Sloan for the Inspired To Sew magazine. (here's a link to that issue)
https://issuu.com/schmetzneedles/docs/its28-apr2016?e=10258703/34066416

I am not a quilter -- so the six inch block format seemed like the PERFECT opportunity to learn some quilt techniques. AND IT WAS AMAZING..!!

In the beginning, I was all gung-ho...I didn't keep up, and I got overwhelmed with the pace of TWO NEW BLOCKS every week.  I am very disappointed in myself -- and I didn't even get close to completing the 100 beautiful blocks.

BUT THESE TWO STUCK WITH IT....Sandy and Linda P....as it happens, Sisters-in-law....did EVERY SINGLE BLOCK...NEVER MISSING EVEN ONE DESIGN...NO MATTER WHAT THE TECHNIQUE...they both went week by week...sometimes getting behind, but always managing to catch up.

It has been an absolute pleasure, every Tuesday morning, at our weekly TMBC, to admire their latest creations.  Their quilting skills improved with every stitch...they mastered paper piecing, and nearly rose to the level of expert when you look at their points.  EXQUISITE...

THEY ARE SPLENDID SAMPLER ROCK STARS...!!

Sandy and Linda -- in the beginning...

As the weeks went by, we learned so much...

Their technique got better with each set of blocks.

Sometimes, there were "bonus blocks"...and since Linda was doing TWO sets of everything (for her twin daughters) -- some weeks they had a DOZEN to share.

The Splendid Sampler Blocks became a MAJOR PART OF our weekly TMBC event!!

I think they're both going to miss the tyranny of TWO NEW BLOCKS every week!!

Sandy laid her blocks out on the floor. You can see what a wonderful variety she has...

But -- NEVER FEAR -- this is not the last post I'll be writing about The Splendid Sampler™ !! Even though I didn't do all the blocks -- I have every intention of using my blocks to make a quilt.

We all agreed that we wanted to use a quilt as you go technique to put our quilts together...and THAT is going to be the rest of the story...

Linda already started to prepare her blocks for the QAYG ...

The truth is -- WE THINK WE INVENTED A WHOLE NEW SYSTEM...and you will be impressed. I think...