Happy Thanksgiving

I've been having a good morning. Yesterday, I baked bread and such, and between risings, I digitized some more designs. Now I'm waiting to start the side dishes, I thought I'd transfer the embroidery designs to images and post them.

The first is a name tag for Embroidery Club, I know it looks simple, but it used three or four tools in the software. We had to manually digitize the applique frame and the eyelet, then we were in import into the Embroidery and add our name.

So I was playing and writing up my notes. Some how I got volunteered to type up my notes and email them to all the classmates.

I also met a nice lady at the Sewing Expo, that lost her Viking dealer in the night. One day the dealer was there and the next day, the store was gone. I am sharing our class notes, so she can practice too. I tried to get her to visit us, but the 2 1/2 hour drive was too much for her.

Then while playing I made the turtle and the weird lizard for my Christmas gift giving. The turtle is a Hawaiian Tattoo my girlfriend has on her ankle. The lizard is for our Geocaching friend. All I need to do is add the lettering and test stitch.

I also have started two more designs, but I'm not done, yet. Maybe tomorrow I'll get a chance to stitch them out and take good pictures.

My Hubby is down to 2 working days, before he starts the new job on 1 Dec. So Friday, I'm going into his office and help him, box up his pictures and books. He also has three boxes of forms to shred. I think I'm going to be on my feet for a few hours shredding. I think he is taking me to lunch, as payment.

Things I'm Thankful for.

Family, yes all of them.

Health

Friends

Again Happy Holidays. Watch out for crazy drivers tomorrow on Black Friday. I'm staying away from the stores. I like shopping in my jammies, via the Internet.

Digitizing fun

I want to tell you that I have been busy, but today I had a second class on manually digitizing. I wanted to show you my homework. I digitized the designs using the manual tools in my software.

Flowers, I put four copies the design on the image below.

I've started to redo some of the designs I did with the Wizard, because they need help. My classmates asked me to type up my notes and email them to them, wow what a compliment. Two weeks ago I helped a classmate, by pulling my notebook over and walked her through the steps in my notebook. She told me she never takes good notes, so before we left I copied my notes and gave her a copy. This morning she stopped and told me that my notes helped her finish her homework. We had to digitize the tree and the flowers and stitch them out.

Tomorrow is all about the baking, but between dough rising and such, I can work on the laptop at the kitchen island.

Sorry I got lost

I wanted to blog about the Original Sewing Expo, while I was there. I got asked to put away my camera twice. So the few pictures I got are with my iPhone and are all blurry.

I took a full load of classes. I mentioned the day before classes, I still need to finish my skirt.

I finished my Tote and love it. I used it the rest of the weekend. There is also a small pocket just inside the top that perfectly fits my cell phone . Next time I may make the bottom wider. The mesh vinyl is fun.

Thursday was laptop day. I took two classes, a digitizers workshop that turned out to be the same class as last year, but the instructor switched software brands. I couldn't follow him click by click. The second class was on the new 4D Monogram module. I liked it and can see tons of use for this module. The module is a wizard that lays out everything you want and then makes it into an embroidery, without fussing around with sizing. Then I got the call. At 630 I took a copyright class and learned a few new things, like the difference between copyright and copyright registration. The teacher, Connie Spurlock was also the Mesh Tote bag instructor.

Friday was a lecture on pucker proof embroidery, a refresher on stabilizers. Then I got a class on Photoshop, so My photos on the site should start looking better really soon. Katie Bartz taught Photoshop and I can't wait until her new book comes out.

My friend Bobbie and I took a quick drive the the Mall of America and had lunch at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Shack. Bobbie collects Madam Alexander dolls and wanted to check out the American Girl Doll Store. You would not have known that there is a recession going on by the crowd. They have the cutest crafts set, which includes a table, sewing machine, thread pins, tape measure, etc. I don't collect dolls, but I wanted it. I restrained myself. We both had 4 o'clock classes so we zipped back to the hotel.

My Exciting Bags in a Flash class, was fun because the instructor had us show off our bags, then did a trunk show of some of her bags. She recycles old bags, belts and leather from thrift stores to make bags. She used an old clip on earring as a closure clip on a small dressy shoulder bag, with lace and it looked very vintage.

The evening class was Embroidering for a Profit. I knew alot, but I'd love to visit Melanie Coakley from EmbroideryFx in her shop in Tennessee. I need to define my business a bit better and find my niche. I'm very sure what I don't want in my business.

Saturday, Bobbie went off to visit her grandkids who live in the cities. I had a hands-on class, You embroidered this for me? We embroidered a tote with an Applique Monogram, then a golf towel and a hankie. I did the hankie for my step-mother, she's going to love it. Debra Bohn teaches this class and she is fun.

I got to talking and skipped a stabilizer class, LOL. Then I was shopping and thought my last class was at 2:30, but my friend Dori said no the class is at 2. So I snuck in the back 2 minutes late. Embroidery Trouble Shooting, again with Debra Bohn. I got great ideas how to rescue some of my mistakes.

I was pretty good with the shopping. I bought one bundle of fabric (got a free quilt pattern). I bought a bias tape ruler, wash away basting thread, an organizer purse (to copy) and a tool called the Embroidery Wand. I also bought 4 design packs from MomoDini, they have great Chinese embroidery. I bought dragons, koi and two flowers. I like how their designs are flowing lines and simple fills versus very heavy dense fills. Their designs are listed in the new Nancy's Notions catalog, the design pack comes with the thread for the designs.

Long Moment of Panic

This afternoon, I had a very long moment of panic. Then my training kicked in and the calm, became business. What am I talking about? My son is in the Army and is stationed at Ft Hood. He called home and is okay. Today a gunman, maybe two gunmen killed 12 people and 35 injured on the largest military base in the US. I've been on the phone reassuring family and friends that our son is fine. So I'm going to go back to calling and will post about the conference tomorrow.

Thank you for your prayers for our nations sons and daughter who have choosen to serve our country in the military. My family is military. Hoo Rah, Go Army, Aim High.

Serve Country and God.

The day Before Classes

I had a great time at the Sewing Expo. I took two classes.

This morning was the Perfectly Skirted class. The teacher, Emma Seebrooke brought racks of knits and slinky to choose from. The class fees included, the pattern of our choice and the needed fabric. I started a trumpet skirt in cranberry (my favorite color). I need to finish the waist band and hem my new skirt. I learned that using a stay tape in the seams of a knit makes it easier to sew the seams. I will post pictures once I'm home and can finish the hem. I can so see me making more of this skirt.

Then after a quick bite and potty break, my afternoon class rocked.

Tote-ally Fun Vinyl Mesh bag, taught by Connie Spurlock of Idaho. The class fee include the pattern and the kit to make a great tote bag. I'd post pictures, but goofy me. I left my bag next door in my friends room, she was yawning at dinner, so I'll get it from her in the morning. I learned a new technique to make the bottom of a tote. You know when a tote has a different color bottom, like LL Bean Boat Bags. I learned a quick way to make that bottom. Then we used an enclosure for the top of the bag. Once we were fnished with the totel, we had time to make a small zippered mesh bag from the leftover mesh and a scrap of fabric. My bag was 7 x 8 finished. That bag is next door too.

I know I know I promised pictures. Tomorrow, for sure.

Tomorrow is all about the digitizing software. I signed up for two classes, then in the evening I'm going to take a Develop it, Copyright it, Get it to market class. I'll take some pictures of the exhibit hall. Okay. I need to check my email and then run downstairs to the little shop and get some batteries for my mouse, it died.

Original Sewing and Quilt Expo

I'm so excited.

I'm packed and ready as I'm going to be. I'm picking up a friend in 2 hours and we're driving to Minneapolis to the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo. This is going to be my second year going. Last year I went armed with my laptop and learned that I didn't like my software. So I bought new software and love it.

This year they have the "Bring Your Own Machine (BYOM)" for sewing classes. I'm bringing mine and I can make small bags in the hotel in the evenings. Last year I kept wanting my machine. I'm not bringing the embroidery machine just the regular simple machine.

I've been running around trying to get a weeks worth of chores done in 2 days, which is why there has been no sewing. I will take pictures and post while I'm there. Of course there is no guarantee, but I'm going to try.