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Sunday, April 10, 2016

Retreating (& More)


Last weekend I attended a sewing retreat. Lots of sewing happened but, for this or that reason, I was only able to finish one quick project.

TOC:

Another Presto

I found this ITY knit in my stash and it fits with my teal color scheme. The pattern has a 3/4 length sleeve, but I lengthened the sleeve on this version. I made no other changes.

And, yes, I have new glasses. After many years of stable vision, my prescription changed substantially this year. I now require less correction though my eye doctor refuses to say that my vision has "improved", I just "require less correction." Hmmm....

Sewing Retreat

I enjoy a good sewing retreat! I recently spent 3-1/2 days in the hills outside of Watsonville with some sewing friends. What a beautiful location! It's a charming little retreat center called Venture Valley.

An apt metaphor for creative dithering

Dorothy wearing yet another of her wonderful Alabama Chanin pieces

On Instagram, I posted pics of what some of my fellow retreaters were sewing and wearing. I won't re-post all of the images here, but you can find them on my Instagram feed.

Luanne got the sunny spot

On her Instagram feed, Luanne busted me. I sew with bare feet. ;)

All packed for the retreat. Clothes in the suitcase on the left. Fabric and patterns on the right. Sewing machine and Ott light packed separately. ;)

Talk at Cañada College

My talk at Cañada College is next Saturday. If you are coming, please know that you can park for free in the college's parking lot. (You can ignore the parking fee for this event.)

I spent today preparing (no sewing for me this weekend), and I hope to see you there!

Style 16

I'd heard about the Style 16 show for years, but I finally attended this year. Style 16 is a fundraiser for the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) and supports cancer survivors. This was especially poignant for me as a friend recently died of breast cancer.

This event brings together over 50 wearable designers for a delicious sale of their goodies. Style 16 was held at the PAMF center in Mountain View, a beautiful building featuring two impressive Chihuly pieces.

I ran into many friendly faces, including Carol Lee Shanks, who led the Design Outside the Lines retreat with Diane Ericson that I attended last fall. She was selling some of her beautiful garments. I also saw Jane Foster, who was there with a posse of her students, who were attending her sewing retreat. (She posted pics from her retreat on her Facebook page.)

Gayle Ortiz was there and, after the shopping, a group of us enjoyed a long lunch.

left to right: Lisa, Gayle, me, Lynn, Tamara

Annie Liebovitz "Women" Exhibit

Misty Copeland, one of my favorite Liebovitz images from the exhibit

I have to thank JillyBe for bringing this exhibit to my attention. If you are in San Francisco before April 17th, you might want to check this out. This exhibit has been mounted in an old military barack-style building at Chrissy Field. All of the pre-registered tickets are gone, but you can stand in the walk-in line. The exhibit is free and definitely worth a visit.

Outside the exhibit at Chrissy Field, San Francisco

The exhibit will eventually travel to New York, but it will also travel to non-U.S. cities. It has already been to London and Tokyo and will be visiting Hong Kong, Frankfurt, and Zurich, to name a few. Check out their website for more information.

The walk-in line moved pretty quickly and was filled with (mostly) women of all ages

Walk to Work Day

Last Thursday was National Walk to Work Day.

I decided to participate. I live on the western side of San Francisco and my office is on the eastern side.

Cresting Twin Peaks

Stopping in Union Square for my favorite green smoothie with chia seeds

I made it!

It's six miles from my door to my desk. It took me two hours, which includes waiting for stoplights, taking and posting pictures, and stopping for a smoothie... I won't be doing this every day. ;)

I didn't sew this weekend. I won't be sewing next weekend. Next week I have another quick work trip to Seattle. I have some half finished projects, but I'm not sure how soon I'll have anything to show.

I hope you have a great week!

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Friday, April 1, 2016

Oscar de la Renta


The Keith Haring sculpture in front of the De Young

This post is picture heavy. You've been warned!

TOC:

Oscar de la Renta

Hello! I've been meaning to blog about this for a week! A couple weekends ago I made it to the Oscar de la Renta exhibit at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. It's a beautiful exhibit, curated by André Leon Talley.

It's only scheduled for San Francisco, so if you're in town before the exhibit leaves on May 30th, check it out!

I took loads of photos, but can't show them all, so I'm sharing a sampling, in no particular order.

Gilt feathers!

Exquisite embroideries! This is one of his wedding dresses.

Oscar was a hopeless romantic

He was well known for his caftans

I love this day coat! It's embroidered leather.

Look at the fringe on this Chinese-inspired evening ensemble!

This was one of my favorite outfits of the exhibit. I'm not an evening gown sort of person, but I'd wear this in a heartbeat!

You might also want to look at the 176 photos from the Oscar de la Renta Benefit Gala, held earlier this month at the De Young.

OOPS, I did it again!

While digging through my stash recently, I found a great sweater knit. It's from Emma One Sock and is a wonderful teal print. (I'm really into teal these days.) I decided to sew it into a Presto top. I wear my other Presto tops a lot. (People always ask me if I've lost weight when I do.) I knew I'd get a lot of wear out of it.

But I didn't have quite enough fabric. I was deciding whether I would make the fronts and sleeves from the print (with a solid back) or whether I'd make the fronts and back from the print (with solid sleeves).

I hadn't yet decided, but I went ahead and cut out the front pieces, very carefully. I matched the stripes with great care, and sewed up the center seam. My first try wasn't perfect, but it was close. I could have easily fixed the slight mismatch near the hem, when...

...I realized I'd made a horrible mistake...

Can you see it???

Probably not, so I'll tell you.

I hadn't cut out two fronts. I'd cut out two backs! D'OH!

I could have cut out two fronts from the remaining yard of fabric, but the finished front and back would have completely mismatched at the side seams. I no longer had enough fabric to lay it out correctly.

The final yard of fabric, and the two backs, have been put in a corner for now. I have no idea what I'll do with it, but I have considered making the remaining yard into a short skirt. So we'll see...

Spring!

I have been enjoying the glorious spring here in the bay area.

Spring blossoms in Mountain View

Fun shoes! (I recently bought these from Simply Bella. She doesn't have them on her site, but she has them in the store in several colors (orange, red, lime green, teal, and black).)

I went to see the Oscar de la Renta exhibit on a Saturday morning at 10am. Golden Gate Park was particularly gorgeous that morning! While waiting for my friends, I took a few photos around the De Young.

This weekend I'm off on a sewing retreat. I hope you are having a great weekend!

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