CYNTHIA GUFFEY, REST IN PEACE

I was very sad to learn today that Cynthia Guffey passed away in January.  The Worcester Sew and Quilt Expo is taking place in September and I searched Cynthia's name to see if she was teaching at it.  I came across her obituary instead.  She was only 67 years old.

I had the chance to take classes with her on two separate occasions.  She was a magnificent dressmaker, a wonderful teacher, and one of the funniest people I've met, in a very charming, southern way.  She wrote many patterns for elegant jackets, dresses, and skirts.  I made one of her jackets years ago and it was a work of love -- lots of handstitching, a lining that was whipstitched in by hand.  Everything fit together like a puzzle and the result is one of the pieces I'm most proud of, although not the best picture. I love the detail in the belt that slides through a slit in the band.  Those were the kinds of details she was known for.

Cynthia also wrote a number of sewing books, small paperback books, written by hand, with illustrations by her.  She didn't own a serger; she was a believer in hand overcasting, understitching by hand, and all those lovely couture techniques. 

I am sorry not to study with her again, but very grateful that I had the opportunity.  She was one of a kind!

Taking Stock or How Did I Get All This Stuff??

Warning - no pictures! :(

This week I made up a pattern I have been wanting to try as a wearable muslin, using up some fabric that I had to have, but that has been sitting for several years.  I finished the top, hated it, chucked both it and the pattern, with no hard feelings.

But what it made me realize is that I have so many patterns, and so much fabric, and I become so distracted in my sewing, that I find I have lost focus.  I don't know how many others out there share my frustration.  Part of the problem, I know, is that I taught an Open Sew for seven years at a local shop, where I was really the only garment teacher and most of the patterns, fabric, and notions, were non-garment related. But I got distracted! Beautiful fabric and patterns came in daily, and I thought I might like to do a wall hanging, make a quilt, try to force quilting cotton into an acceptable garment!

What really happened is that I stopped sewing what I love, bought too much stuff, and lost myself. Now, it wasn't all bad at all! I met some very creative people. And, I did do some creative things, as you can see if you scroll back and see a wall quilt, a baby quilt, some home dec projects,etc.

That, or course, wasn't the only problem. While trying to clean out my sewing space, I counted close to 12 Style Ark patterns I have never made! They were the new kid on the block and, as usual, I had to have the patterns. Same with Cynthia Guffey. Same with Sewing Workshop. Did I make any of them? One Cynthia Guffey jacket that was so satisfying to make and so beautiful, but that is it.

I don't know if I am the only one out there who gets so distracted by looking at what everyone else does, that I spend my time buying and not doing!  One other thing holding me back, and I am probably not alone, is the pounds that have crept on, and the promise that I will sew when I lose the weight.  Not happening - either the weight loss, or the sewing.

I am trying to recommit, to discover why I want to sew. The fabric, the style, the fit, none of which can be found in the local TJ Maxx! 

So, as we prepare to head to Florida, where I prefer short skirts and tops that skim them, I aim for two skirts, and three tops.  Nothing complicated! But, beautiful fabric that I won't have if I buy disposable clothing for my trip.

I will keep you posted.  If any of you have run into similar roadblocks where you have let yourself be buried, and have come out alive, please share!

Slan

Tula Pink and Tone Finnanger in the Guest Room

With three grandchildren under the age of 3 it was time to make the guest room seriously more fun.  Only the three year old is old enough for the bed; the others are still sleeping in the crib, which is also in this room.  I am a huge fan of the fuschia, aquas, lime green, orange, and other combinations that Tula Pink puts together. Not all of the fabric strips are Tula, but many are.  The quilt is simple strips of varying widths, sewn together, with a coordinating border and binding.

 

The quilting is simple straight lines, stitched approximately 1/2 inch apart.  I simply used the edge of my walking foot. I was able to make corrections in the ditch where the strips met, if needed, to keep the lines fairly straight.  I like the clean, contemporary look of it.  And, since I don't do a lot of quilting, straight line quilting is my fall back.

Of course, once the quilt was done, we needed some funky pillows! The bird design is Ethnic Birds from Hatched In Africa, one of my favorite sources for interesting embroidery designs. 

 And, the animals are African Jewels, also from Hatched in Africa.

 
And, of course, you need friends. Tilda and Monkey are both from the Tone Finanger books.  I've made Tilda a number of times for other people, but this is the first time I've made her for myself! And, the ballet skirt on Miss Monkey is netting from one of my daughter's ballet costumes from oh, way too many years ago! Fun fact to share with her little three year old!  We need some baby boy things, so I think a snake may have to be my next project. 

Slan