Sew Camp ~ August 2021

I got home from Sew Camp last Monday and I had an absolute blast! It was so invigorating to meet up with my sewing friends, talk and laugh, watch movies and TV shows together, fabric shop and sew a little bit. 

Sew Camp pre-pandemic was all about the sewing. This one was definitely heavier on the relationships and talking part. It's been awhile since I've seen my Sew Sisters in person and I wanted to drink them in! LOL! I took a lot of pictures so this post is very picture heavy!

Once more this was a private Sew Camp. My friends and I rented out Gaylen's B&B for a four day weekend. Did you know that she did that? I know she advertises it and a couple of other sewists have done it. If you want to spend some quality time in a safe place during these pandemic times, I would definitely reach out to Gaylen.

I left for camp on Thursday morning, headed to Lancaster via Amtrak. I have to say this was one of the nicest trips I've taken on Amtrak because I rode in business class. Loads of legroom, outlets to charge your phone and thankfully 2 seats to myself. 

I did take my Janome 9450QCP to Sew Camp and taking it on Amtrak was really easy. My regular little rolling suitcase is strapped to the top of my Tutto Sewing Machine Case using straps provided in the case. I love this case because not only did my sewing machine fit in but all of my sewing tools and projects fit too. There are so many pockets to place items which makes it a perfect carrier for sewing adventures.

We did base our Sew Camp on previous Sew Camps we've attended.  Everyone arrived on Thursday afternoon/evening/night. Most of us had dinner together and set up our sewing spaces.

Andrea and her Bernina Sewing Machine and Serger

LaQuana sewing on her Janome back-up 

Carol who flew in from Chicago is sewing on the Janome Gaylen keeps on hand

Friday ~

We traveled to Fabric Mart and shopped until we dropped. Fabric gems were purchased by us all.  Carol even came with an empty suitcase to fill, which she did!  

The obligatory shot with our goodies outside of Fabric Mart with Julie

Shopping in the store - so many goodies

Gaylen

LaQuana did not buy this piece!

Gaylen and LaQuana wearing Me-Made

(I may have bought some of that paneled fabric that Gaylen is wearing)

Carol in Me-Made

Julie cutting for the team...

We stopped for lunch at an Italian restaurant that I would like to eat at again. Next was a trip to Cedar Lane Dry Goods Store where we picked up buttons, bias binding and I got another cotton quilting panel print. I'm determined to get another panel print shirt made!

Last stop for the day was the Centerville Bulk Foods store which I highly recommend.  We bought candy, spices, and soup mixes. I've already used the chicken rub on a pan of baked chicken that was gobbled down quickly by me and my granddaughters.  

After that we headed back to the B&B. My fellow sew sisters headed to the Sewing Room after dinner but I did no sewing on Thursday or Friday evenings. I was so tired from my work week that I needed to decompress.

Saturday & Sunday ~

We decided as a group that we were only sewing Saturday and Sunday and not visiting any of the other fabric/notions stores. I mean we did come to sew and along with many conversations, that's what we did.

Q is the Queen of the Selfie and I loved this picture she posted to Instagram

...okay we also watched every episode of Making the Cut Season 2 and a few other movies too while we sewed and chatted.

So what did I sew? While I brought four projects with me, I only worked on two while there. I made another Vogue 9299 tunic and a seersucker version of the Verano dress. When I got home I worked on a maximized version of the Style Arc Jules Tunic.

Carol left Sunday evening. LaQuana left Monday morning and Andrea and I left Monday afternoon. It was THE perfect weekend! I highly encourage you to get your tribe together and plan a weekend. The last scheduled Sew Camp is this week and then Gaylen will release a schedule for 2022.

I will say finishing up these pieces at home sparked my sewjo. My cut pile is calling my name, as well as several of the new pieces of fabric that came home with me. There will be formal blog posts later this month/early September. My daughter has a full August with birthdays and school starting soon for the first time in 18 months.

Parting Shot ~

The granddaughters spent the final days of my vacation with me and I can't believe how much they've grown!

...as always more later!

Sew Camp Summer 2019

I know y'all must be tired of reading about my Sew Camp adventures BUT y'all these are some of the best sewing weekends.  Not only do I get to go to Fabric Mart's brick n mortar store, I get to spend time with sewists who love this artform as much as I do.

With that introduction, I'm giving an overview of my five days at the Carriage Corner Sew Camp but this post IS picture heavy.  Suffice it to say that I had a good time and that I bought a lot of fabric (not as much as last time but enough).  Suffice it to say that the conversation was poppin' and not all about politics.  Suffice it to say that there were sewing techniques shared and some pattern fitting done...mostly though it was a sewfantastic time!

Camp was five days and we arrive on Thursday afternoon, set up & sew. 

Cennetta showing what she brought to sew

Arleen & Barbara arrived Wednesday afternoon so they were full on 

sewing when I arrived on Thursday afternoon! 

The sewing set up!

On Friday we travelled to Fabric Mart by van since there were 9 campers and it allowed us to all go together. I will say that we blew in, took control and shopped until we dropped!

Barbara in the van on the way to Fabric Mart

At the check out table at Fabric Mart

Shar from Sharbozz joined us at Fabric Mart

Andrea with all of her bags

Gaylen sharing what she bought

400 yards were purchased by the crew and I only purchased 34 yards

After lunch we headed back to the B&B and had a fabric show and tell. Cause y'all there were some interesting bundles purchased! Since I shipped my fabric home, it was not part of the show and tell. It was, however, waiting for me when I got home.

Here is what I purchased... 

5 yds each of black & blue ltwt denim, 5 yds black midweight 3ply silk

4 yds of lt. blue & dk blue sandwashed silk, 3 yds linen/cotton blend floral print

4 yds blue/black/white stripe cotton shirting & 5 yds black floral linen/cotton blend print   

After the show, we sewed the evening away. I went to bed around 1am and there was still a crew sewing. 

Saturday after another delicious B&B breakfast we headed to the quilt store ~ Zooks in particular ~ by way of A&E Candies and the Cupcake Shop. 

Checking the rows and rows of amazing cotton prints

Cennetta deliberating

LaQuana trying to convince us to purchase a batik

We met a fellow Sewist (Samswife2) who follows our blogs

Here's my haul from Zooks...

3 of the prints are 4 yds purchased for shirts or shirtdresses

& the last gingham is a 2 yd gauze that Bonnie and I shared.

It was a great walk there and back after which we headed back to our sewing machines. We had dinner out and then more sewing. I went to my room after dinner to call my family, change my clothes and I fell asleep...waking up at 12:45am.  I could hear the crew still downstairs so I headed down.  Ended up sewing to 5am, turning the lights off about 90 mins before the morning crew started in.

Cennetta sharing a technique

More technique sharing

Gaylen getting the best shot!

Sunday was more of the same. Breakfast then sewing until we couldn't sew anymore. Though I did call it a night around 1am.

Monday after breakfast we decided to take pictures of everyone's garments, who hadn't left already, because the lawn at the B&B is so well landscaped. Those who left early had theirs taken on Sunday afternoon.  Below is a composite of SOME of the garments that were photographed. There was some serious sewing going on at this Sew Camp! 34 garments completed in total!!!

A group shot after pictures on Monday afternoon

I took four garments to make but started with my two most challenging pieces and ended up with 2 finished garments...ALL done...nothing to complete when I got home! I was happy with that since I really wanted the experience. 

So this is what I made...

Detailed blog posts about their construction will be coming soon.

I highly recommend getting on Gaylen's email list for Sew Camp. Besides all of the shopping and interaction, the ability to sew uninterrupted for hours without having to clean or cook makes this a fun, relaxing and very productive time.

There is a 3 day Sew Camp in September and while Gaylen already has some sign ups, I know there is some availability if you're interested. Mostly though get on the mailing list because she usually opens registration about three months before Camp starts.

...as always more later!

#carriagecornersewcamp March 2019

This is gonna be a long post.  I have a lot of pictures and I'm being lazy so one post just tap out when you've had too much! LOL!

The March Sew Camp is 2.5 days starting on Friday going through Sunday afternoon.  However, some of us more experienced campers show up on Thursday. Yes, there's a charge for staying an extra night but Gaylen usually gives us a discounted rate.  And honestly, it's nice to come in on Thursday evening and get settled.

Thursday Night ~
This year most of us came in on Thursday evening. When I arrived, Cora Lee and Marji were already set up and sewing.

Marji found this border print on the fabric giveaway table

and had completed a long sleeve dress by the time I arrived!

Cora Lee was working on a Sapporo Coat

Karel came all the way from Austin, TX to sew with us!

She's using one of the machines Gaylen loans out.

Fabric on the giveaway table

After the new arrivals got ourselves together we went out to dinner. It was the only dinner we had away from the B&B.

When we came back to the B&B most of us set up and sewed. I will admit I was the last to go to bed and turned the lights out at 1ish am.

Friday and the trip to Fabric Mart ~
The last of the Sew Campers showed up at breakfast time and we left shortly after that.

The Sew Campers taking the traditional end of shopping spree picture with Julie.

Left to right: Bernice, Cora Lee, Melanie, Karel, Gaylen, Marji, Shenetha, me & Julie of Fabric Mart

Julie graciously allowed us to bring our treasures out to the cars

in the cart. Cause only Shenetha shipped her fabric home.

After fabric shopping was lunch at Crave the cafe up the road from Fabric Mart. Marji left us after lunch, she had a prior family commitment, but the rest of us headed back to the B&B for some afternoon and evening stitching.

The Dining Room table with all of our purchases laid out

Bernice started working on 1 of the 2 blouses she made that weekend

Shenetha is working on a bomber jacket using a McCalls pattern

Melanie fixing a UFO

Cora Lee and Gaylen talking sewing with the group

Again, I was the last one up and turned off the lights.

Saturday Morning ~
We're staying at a B&B so the breakfasts are always amazing. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! 

With full tummys we descended to the sewing area and spent the day sewing. Helen, a Daytripper, joined us in the afternoon to sew along with us. 

Bernice, Helen & Cora Lee

Yes, if you live locally, Gaylen has rates for daytrippers.  Just contact her at hello@carriagecornerbandb.com to find out what they are.

More pics from the day...

The sewing table with the sewing machines

(Can you see the Mountain Dew at the far end - my spot! LOL!)

Melanie checking grainlines

Helen managed to get a picture of all of us sewing

I took this picture of the day's completed and items worked on hung up. So endeth Saturday...oh and I turned the lights out for the final time!

Sunday the Final Day of Stitching ~
After another great breakfast for the last day. The majority of sew campers were leaving that afternoon. I'd originally to head back to NYC on Monday morning on Amtrak but Melanie lives 20 minutes from me and offered to bring me and ALL of my fabric home.

Some final pictures...

Karel working on her dress

Karel's dress was so pretty I had to take a close up!

Cora "Hollywood" Lee working on a pair of Thurlow Pants

A weekend worth of stitching!

A final photo of the Sew Campers

Conclusion ~
It was another successful sewing weekend filled with fabric, laughter, conversation all about sewing and more sewing and meeting new sewists who brought some color and interest to my life.

I will be back in June for the 5 day Sew Camp. This one is sold out already but September is looming. I will tell you that when Gaylen opens registration for Sew Camp, using her mailing list, it sells out in 48 hours. So if I were you, I would send a note to Gaylen and get on the list. Cause really do you wanna miss out on the sewing fun?

Next up on the blog will be a few newly sewn pieces...

...as always more later!