Garment Time

Though it doesn't feel like Fall yet, it is time to make the Garments--the two I need to make for International Quilt Festival/Market.

As part of the Education Show Team in Houston, we work each year at Festival, helping students and the Faculty to have a wonderful, even thrilling, experience. To help identify us as "education staff", we are given great new fabrics from manufacturers that we use to make whatever kind of garments we want.  Here is a photo from 2011 to give you an idea:

This really helps with wardrobe choices all week. We need to look professional but we have to be comfortable too. I work Quilt Market, also, so I am in Houston for 13 days with no time to do laundry. A simple jacket over black slacks and tank shirts works well.

This year is the 45th anniversary of the International Quilt Festival--the Sapphire Celebration! Blue and White will be seen everywhere, just as Red and White was 5 years ago for the Ruby Jubilee--the 40th anniversary.

For a blue garment, we are working with Michael Miller fabrics, selecting from several of their collections from specific blue fabrics. My selections, including a pattern from Indygo Junction--they kindly offer us patterns as well:

The other fabric line is from Art Gallery Fabrics: Indie Folk. We get to select up to 5 yards of whatever we want for our garments. Here is my choice with the pattern I am using:

This week I started both garments but have to wait for lining fabric I ordered online to arrive to complete them. Before Hancock's Fabrics closed, a few years back, I was lucky enough to have one just a few blocks from my home. I sure miss them when making garments--linings, interfacing, buttons, trims, patterns--all used to be right there. No longer, I have to shop for those things online now.

Progress shots:

I head to Houston in just over 5 weeks so these have to get done. My guild quilt show is two weeks before that trip and I am pretty busy working on that as well. At this point, I think I am ahead of schedule...

Let's quilt (and sew).

Barbara