Day Three of IEC

Yesterday was fabulous.  I had a basic digitizing class with Terri Hanson of Terradon Embroidery. She is also from Minnesota.  She gave me a few good hints.  There was another lady in the class who also has 4D Pro, who was not happy with her software.  I helped her a bit, but I think she's going shopping for new software. 

After lunch Edie W, showed us how to print on fabric.  She talked about different brands of fabric sheets for ink jet printers.  She also showed up how to use Bubble Jet to make our own fabric sheets.  

I roamed around Evansville for a bit, stopped at Toys R Us for the grandkids.

Today, was all about embroidery.  My first class was Edie's Fun with Mylar class.  

After lunch, I had class with Reen, from Embroidery Garden. We made a small pumpkin coin purse in the hoop.  Putting my stuff away, I climbed in the truck and went to the mall for jeans and dress pants for my Dad.  He's tall and skinny, finding 36 inch inseam pants is hard.  Then I found the Joann's looking for more pirate fabric. 

Of course, Red Lobster was on the menu.  I came back to the room to watch Project Runway, but I guess I have to watch on the Internet tomorrow, because the hotel does not have Lifetime.    

Day One of IEC

My day started at 5 am, I was on the road at 6 am. 

I drove past Evansville, IN, to Ft Campbell KY.  My oldest son is stationed there.  We talked him into waiting on his car, until he found out what was going on at his first duty station, could he be deployed right away.  The answer is not until May 2011.  The deal we made was that I would bring his car in Oct when I came to visit my Dad. My dad lives 4 hours east of Ft Campbell. 

After finding his unit, I started to unload the car from the Tow Dolly.  I was startled when a sergeant asked me if I was repossessing the car.  I laughed and said no, I'd be a bad repossesser. Then I told him I was delivering the car to my son.  He offered to help me unload it.  After visiting with the boy, I dropped off the tow dolly and headed north again.  I'll stop back when we have more time together next week.

I made it to Evansville in time for the opening ceremony and first class.  Mary Young taught basic digitizing, called "Where do I start?"

 Mary is helping a student try to ungroup lettering.

Class was spread out, due to power plugs.

Mary and a couple of new friends. Darlene, sitting next to me is taking her part-time embroidery and quilting business to full-time.
 

On the Road

7 am Bemidji

9:15 pm in El Paso Illinois, 20 miles north of Bloomington.

Well I'm packed and ready to go.

Yesterday my husband traded me time to bake potato rolls for helping me hook up the tow dolly and load the car.  I made three batches of rolls, for a BBQ at one of his co-workers. Every time we go to a cookout or a holiday dinner I get "Can Carol bring rolls?"  I'm wondering if my Husband is not starting it and they just agree.

The first batch didn't seem to want to rise, so I warmed up the oven under the bowl and placed it closer to the vent.  Twenty minutes later we were ready to roll out the dough. I should have taken pictures, of my three big bowls rising on top the stove. I make a batch and set the timer, then make a batch and set the second timer. This gives me 10 minutes between to roll out the first batch til the second batch is ready. The three bowls or batches gave me five tinfoil trays of rolls.  Each try has 20 rolls in them. 

I left one tray at home to be nibbled on and took the other four to the BBQ.  One of the youngsters was sneaking rolls, when he thought no one was looking.  I had given his Mom the recipe, but telling someone that they take 3 hours to make, slows them down.  The dough rises twice for an hour each (2 hours).  Mixing takes 15 and baking takes 25 minutes.

Between I packed my sewing machine and I hope everything I'll need for the Conference.  I packed my laptop and digitizing work to bring with.  I packed my audio books, and muchines.  The Hubby helped me load up the son's car with all that he wants me to bring him.

POTATO ROLLS



1 Tablespoon Yeast

1 Tablespoon Sugar

½ Cup lukewarm water


· Mix together and set aside. To speed the yeast activation set over a bowl of hot water.



1 Cup scalded milk or canned evaporated milk, (Dry milk – reconstituted)

1 Cup hot potatoes (can use reconstituted potato pearls or potato flakes)

2 Teaspoons salt

½ Cup margarine

½ Cup sugar



· Mix above ingredients and let cool until lukewarm

· Add 2 eggs and yeast mixture

· Knead in 5-6 cups flour (2 cups at a time) until not sticky (Can use Kitchaid or Bosch mixer).

· Cover and set aside to rise (double the size) for 1 hour

Rises faster in a warm place/close to warm oven

· Mix down and roll out to about ½ inch thick. Cut out rolls, with circle cutter or glass.

· Place in pan (touching) (20 to pan). Set aside to rise (double the size) for 1 hour

· Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown

· While rolls are hot butter the tops.

Shirts for me

Getting ready for my trip I decided that I need some t-shirts embroidered.  I like this one best, because the variegated thread goes from lavender to pink. Plus I have always loved the geometric look, reminds me of my youth and drawing with pens and the gears.  I'll remember what that is called at midnight tonight.

I used the Sewing with Nancy Place and Stitch book. You lay your shirt on the book to figure out the neckline, then you open your software with the neckline embroidery (basting stitches). I copied and pasted the neckline, because it only gives you one side, lined then two up and flipped one over,  Then I browsed my bazillion stitch files for something cute, but not to old. I added the first one at the center of the neckline, then copied the rest up the collar. I didn't go all the way to the shoulder for two reasons: 1: my hair covers the shoulder area and 2: the way I laid it out on the hoop would not let me.  LOL

So after I finished these two, I started to look for more shirts to do. I found was some white shirts with stuff on them already.  I let the teenager rummage through the pile and she took two.  This is what she left - a mess on my bed. 

I had to run some errands, so I stopped at Fashion Bug and got a bunch of shirts On Sale. It was buy one on clearance get the second clearance $5.  I got 6 shirts.  Three of them are perfect to decorate: 2 white and one teal green. Plus a cute tunic with lace, then a blue t-shirt, with a weird fabric flower thing and a nice black 3/4 length sleeve with hot pink swirls.

I have plans for the fabric flower covers t-shirt, but you have to wait until tomorrow for the before and after pictures.  The Hubby called and said he needs another scrub cap with Pirate stuff on it, because one of the guys is having a rough day and needs to growl at another office. Grrr Arrgh

Getting ready for Indianna

 

  

I've been working on Projects for my upcoming trip to Indiana.   You can't read it very well but it has the name of the conference. I choose a grey thread that blended in the denim.

I'm excited about going to the International Embroidery Conference in Evansville IN.

I added tons of pockets. There are four upper pockets with two lower on the top by my hand, and three upper and three lower pockets on the bottom, closest to the cutting table. This flower burst pattern has been on the stash pile for over a year now.  There is also the same pattern in a plum/purple color.  My daughter liked the blue with the denim, but she frowned over the plum. (she's my artist child) The fabric might become my working out the kinks fabric, because it's a nice home dec weight.  I had a problem, I cut the boxed corners the wrong size. I wanted it to be narrower.  This made the bag almost square. My travel cadoodle plastic box fits inside the bag perfectly, even with the corners oversized. I can also slide in rulers, my soda, etc.  This is going to become a good going to sewing class bag.

Every Tuesday morning I have to go read Tool Time Tuesday by Sew Many Ways. Karen always has some interesting ways to use different items from a hardware store in your sewing room. Plus I want her sewing room, it's 12' x 24'.  Today Karen took two side tables and a hollow core door and made a new desk. I did something similar with my cutting table.  Karen is 5ft 3/4 inch and I'm 5ft 8 inches. So we have similar problems of normal furniture not being the right height.  My cutting table, one from Joann's with the folding legs, which kept trying to fold up and one of the legs became bent. I bought two cubby bookshelves from Target and a bunch of the fabric drawers. I slid then cubbies in place and flipped my table on top, then literally pried the legs off, my husband had glued them.  Then I flipped the table back over. One side of the table is hanging down, but I'm looking for the perfect hinge and bracket to hold up the rest of the table, but still allow me to fold it back down. I put a lot of my stuff in the fabric drawers, but I ended up flipping them on their side so I can see what's in them.  Until I find the right method of labeling the boxes.

My cutting table fixed.

Like my model

I asked my husband to model my newest creation and he looked at me like I was crazy. I found a new model in the garage. I think he's kind of appropriate. My husband has been visiting the surgeon monthly for the last six months and This should be his last checkup visit. I thought a nice gift was in order. Hubby thought it was funny and liked it, but would not wear the scrub cap.

Butterick Pattern 4946 was fast and easy

I used the scraps and made two more Name tag holders from Reen at Embroidery Garden, for the Disney trip. Yes I gave in and booked the trip in January to Florida. Here in the Great Northwoods of Minnesota the end of January and beginning of February are known for being cold (50 below zero cold). Florida in January is good. This is our anniversary present to us. The name bagde holders are made in the hoop. I also made some travel folders. A long time ago I was given a plastic folder that I use all the time to hold the trip papers; flight reservations, hotels, car rentals, the maps, and then all the receipts. My plastic one is great, but I only have one. I have four trips coming up and I need a folder for each trip. I could have made it totally out of fabric, but the file folder method works for me. I sprayed the back of the folder and laid it on the fabric and pressed. Once the fabric was in place, I covered an extra piece of the file folder for use as a pocket. I stitched across the bottom of the pocket and then stitched up one side of the folder catching all layers in the seam, across the top and down the other side. This will be perfect for holding all my documents in one place for each of my trips. I need to make a few more, but I liked how it turned out. I can cover the inside of the folder too, but maybe next time. The file folder added just the right amount of firmness. I cut the file folder the right size to hold a bond sheet of paper folder in half.

Buried under hats and shirts

I've been buried under hats and shirts. I just finished 18 shirts in 3 hours. a shirt every ten minutes.

Just so you don't think I've only been working on shirts and hats. I am going to an Embroidery Conference in Evansville IN. I made a name tag. I hate the plastic things or the "Hello my Name is" sticker ones. I found this great design on Embroidery Garden's website. Of course I modified it. I'm going to make some of the original design, she added a plastic pocket to the front for the name tag to slide into. A second additon is the pocket on the back. I love this thread fabric. These are my colors, red and green. The design has a great sewn button hole to add the clip snap thing for a retractable badge holder to.

I also finished another bag for my mother-in-law for Christmas. It has her name on it, using my quick tote tutorial. I also cut out two more bags from a yard of demin I had in the stash pile. I found a nice blue for the straps. I also cut out a surprise bag. I haven't decided who is going to get this one, yet. It's going to be a cross between the quick tote and the big market bag. I have black cordura for the bottom, and the perfect fabric for the body of the bag. I have an embroidery design I made that I want to put on it, but I'm debating, because then I will not want to give the bag way.

I got my Original Sewing Expo package in the mail for the 11 - 13 Nov trip to Minneapolis. I have a hard time picking classes. I need to check in with my travel buddy to see if she can still go. Plus the Hubby wants to go on a trip, so after I get back from dropping off shirts and hats, I'm going to be knee deep in Delta.com for travel arrangements. Our anniversary is coming up and he wants tickets to Disney World. Plus he's working overtime to make sure I can't say No. Isn't he cute. I haven't said yes, but like a kid, he's decided that if I don't say No, then it's Yes. He's plotting and planning; driving me crazy with his plans. Every day is more plans. Got go here, eat there. etc. I'm going to keep him, even the kid part of him.