Coming up for Air & a Martha Pullen Report

Yes that is me, coming up for air! Life is crazy.

 

I REALLY wish I was this girl. I might get to everything I wanted to get done.

 

I feel like this is what my house looks like. I don't think my husband would disagree. It is a cinch my sewing room does. We won't even discuss the kitchen.

It feels like I have been out of town more than I have been in. The past six weeks I have been away from home a total of two and half weeks. Time to stay put. I have sewing to do!

The first trip out of town was to Hunstville for the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion. I had a great time. If you are a faithful reader you know that I am no stranger to "sewing camps." I think it would be safe to say including SAGA Convention for 16 years, I have been to almost two dozen different schools over the years. Not counting the workshops my local SAGA chapter holds. All that to say, going away for a sewing school was not a new experience. The School of Art Fashion was a new "camp" this time around. I must admit I was an abysmal picture taker this time around.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Kathy Dykstra. I took her "School" at Martha Pullen's. I had chatted with Kathy several times on either some sewing forums I belong to or in email. This was our first time to meet in person. She is very warm, laid back, so creative and even more willing to help. 

 

Via Australian Smocking and Embroidery

Via Sew Beautiful Magazine

Many of you may be familiar with her designs featured in both Australian Smocking and Embroidery and Sew Beautiful. So many have been on my to-do list. Much of which I will never complete. Never enough hours in the day.

This is Kathy's sample for the first garment of the school. I have to show you hers, mine ran into a snag right off.

 

See a problem here? It might not be obvious right off the bat. If you study it for a moment you will realize that who ever wears my dress is going to be a bit breezy on her left side. Because I have TWO RIGHT SIDES of the dress! Grr. Don't ask, I have no idea how that happened. I fixed that boo-boo only to make many more. I don't usually ditch something, but I purchased more fabric to start over! I love this little dress and Princess would be beautiful in it. I am determined to get it right.

As part of the "prize package" for winning the Sewing Awards I was able to have tea with Martha Pullen. I apologize for the less than stellar photo. My friend Abbie lovingly agreed to accompany me. We had a great time sharing stories about our shared passions, family and stitching.

 

I was so intent on photographing "details" of the second garment of the school, I neglected to take a picture of the whole project.

Via HS&S Forums Album

It is a sweet pink linen dress with beautiful embroidered bodice edged with corded scallops. I want to finish this one pretty quickly since it is the right size for Princess right now.

It is always inspiring to see so many gathered to learn and improve their skills. The on site retail store not so good. Don't get me wrong, it was a great thing that it was there to shop and dream but not so good on my checkbook. My husband who rarely says anything even asked "What the **** did you buy?" I gladly showed him my purchases.

Friday night was the banquet and fashion show. Darn it, I had left the camera upstairs so I was unable to get a picture of my winning dress on the adorable little girl who modeled it. I am told it will be in the July issue. I look forward to seeing it in the magazine.

All in all it was a great time, I met some new people as well as had the pleasure of getting to know one of my local chapter members better and of course spent four days stitching. It doesn't get much better than that.

From Martha Pullen's I drove behind a tornado to New Orleans for Mardi Gras with some of my kids. That was fun, I hadn't been to Mardi Gras in 35 years. Good times. I have been busy, busy, busy stitching so in the coming days I have more to share with you. Here is a sneak peek.

I hope these busy sewing days leading up to Easter are going well for you faithful reader.

Spring is almost here!