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How Do We Know Each Other? Oh, You Know. The Internet.

16 May

Our fellow travelers asked Lynn, Trena and I how we knew each other. It was great fun explaining PatternReview.com and how we had friends in the Netherlands. We gathered together in a little town called Nieuwport. How cute is this City Hall? The canal flows right underneath.

It really warms your heart to know how generous our community is. Really. These days, isn’t the most precious gift time?  I was looking forward to this ALL week. And not in that, ‘What will we talk about? What will we do? I hope they like me!” kind of looking forward. But, the ‘Woot! Woot! I’m going to see long lost friends!!” looking forward.

I was rather sad about missing PR Weekend in Chicago last weekend. It looks like it was the biggest turnout ever. But, honestly? This was just as good!
I had the pleasure of first meeting up with Sigrid, Joana, Marta, Hilde in a little town called Nieuwport. And truly, when you start talking, you feel like you’ve known them forever. I also learned that in the Netherlands, you greet with three kisses on the cheek. You can believe I’m going to be whipping that one out  at my next greeting.

Lynn, Trena and I joined them for some espressos, tea and wine.

Joana wanted our opinion on some handbags she crafted. I tried to buy the velvet bag Sigrid is holding below but Joana wasn’t selling them yet.

The time flew! The next thing I knew it was minutes to 10:00 p.m.! We’d kept them out all night.

I have to go on the record here to say that there is nothing better than traveling overseas and meeting people you ‘know’ that you never thought you would actually meet. It shows you how small the world is and how far reaching the internet has become. This is officially my thing. Wither I goest, you will be called / e-mailed / stalked until you agree to meet with me. I really cannot express how much I enjoyed my evening.

Plus, we left with magazines!

I’ll post about our second rendezvous seperately which was a visit to Kantje Boord. Be still my heart.

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Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

16 May

I’m back from a week in Holland! The weather cooperated and it was gorgeous just about every single day. The one day it rained in the morning, I decided to stay on the boat while others cycled. It was perfect, I took pictures along the canals and caught up on some reading.

I have to say after seven days on a boat I swore the ground was moving underneath me at Amsterdam Airport!

Here’s a quick rundown of what I wore during the week. While there for seven days, I just have a few photos because I was washing every night in my sink.

RTW top purchased in Panama. Patrones skirt from issue #252.

New black Burda bubble skirt from August 2007 mag. Top so old I don’t remember making it. I think it’s a Vogue. And it’s clearly before I knew how to do an FBA. Or that I needed one. Dude.

Blue version of Burda bubble skirt and anonymous Vogue top. This top is at least seven years old. Even in my sports bra this top screams FBA ME!!

Burda tunic from August 2008 magazine. I wore this a bit more than planned. It was great on the cooler days and it was the only top I brought with sleeves.

I also worked in about three RTW Under Armour sleeveless tops with two different zip up hoodies for layering.

Now, truth be told. I put the knits in the washer last night with Tide Sport and a healthy dose of ammonia. I don’t know that these tops (and dress) are going to make it. They smelled a little funky after a serious washing. That being said, two of the tops are so old I can’t remember making them and the new top and dress won’t kill me to remake my dress.

Per my routine, I have half a dozen travel posts mentally planned and will just throw them up as I complete them. I can’t wait to tell you about the sewing friends meet up(s)!

Final photo: I try and get pictures of mail boxes in different countries. There were two styles in the Netherlands and I seem to have just captured one. Pooh.

I take mailbox photos because they are something that exist everywhere, but each country has their own spin. I am sad to report that due to my clumsiness, my backup hard drive that stored my mailbox photos died :( So, I’m starting my collage / collection all over again.

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Peace Out

6 May

After blathering about it incessantly, Trena and I are finally leaving today for our bicycle trip to the Netherlands.  There isn’t internet on board the barge so I’m not bringing my netbook. So, no blogging while I’m gone. You’ll just have to suffer a barage of posts  of my nattering on about the daily minutiae of biking through the Netherlands when I get back.

I sold my pink and black Trek and bought this one last month

I’m packing two skirts, four tops and traveling in jeans. Between that, my rain gear, my beauty products and other technology — I’ve got a packed suitcase. In addition, there are some things I’ve ordered online that I’m picking up in the Netherlands. This does not compare favorably with my disciplined bestie. LOL. I’m hearing reports of beautiful weather and just three days of scattered showers.

I do plan to meet up with some Euroean bloggers and am plotting to clean out Kantje Boord while in Amsterdam. Oh, and track down some new-to-me notions recommended by Els.

Hopefully, my consumption of cheese and Belgian frites will be balanced by pedaling 30 miles a day.

See you when I get back!

Of *course* there’s room for one more

15 Apr

I say you can never have too many sewing machines.

*cough*

Meet my new Singer 301, the mocha colored big sister to my  black Featherweight.  I had already spied this 301 on Craigslist before getting down here. I emailed her before leaving and she still had it available. We picked it up on Wednesday morning. I’m in love. Hopefully I can show what I’ve been working on before leaving Florida on Sunday. For now I’m going to keep it at my parent’s place.

The case smelled like the Playboy club in the mid 60s. REEKED of smoke. It was so bad we drove it home with the windows open. It’s currently full of kitty litter and sitting outside full time.  After two days it smells much better! We’re now working on the mildew smell.

I bought this one while visiting my parents in Florida. The woman I purchased it from has well over a dozen machines of her own, mostly treadles. She tried to leave the case outside to air out and it didn’t help. Here she is at the County Fair giving a demonstration on one of her treadles.

This  Minnesota machine was made for the Sears Roebuck company. You can see the company’s name on the base. Beautiful.


I also got my first chance to try a hand crank machine. This is one I would definitely buy if I had the chance.

I’d like to tell you I’m all done buying sewing machines. But, I’m not. LOL. That, a grasshopper by Elna, a white Featherweight, Singer Genie and  a pink Necchi are all on my list to accquire some day.

Click to enlarge some photos of her other machines from the Fair:

So far, Florida has been great. My dad and I hit the County Fair and Youth Livestock Show.

I may have also sucked down a big plate of fried green tomatoes. I’ve tried to make them at home once. But, these were fantastic.

I’d go back to the fair for more if I didn’t have to pay parking and the admission fee. Oh, who am I kidding. I still may go back for more.

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(Fur) Collar and Earmuffs

24 Sep

When I was in Shanghai I stumbled across a fur vendor in the cloth market. A Ukrainian friend brought me a hat two years ago from silver fox. Last year she came back with a matching muff. The hat is a little impractical because it’s not quite cold enough here. And it got a little gross from my hair products. It cost more to clean it last winter than it did to make

In Shanghai, I purchased a fur collar ($15) to dress up my crappy coat.

The best detail is that there are little elastic button loops. So, it’s removable. I’ve already sewn little buttons on to my coat collar.

The earmuffs ($15) I will get a lot of wear from. I rarely need a hat. But, my ears are always cold.

I think the collar is a little poofier than I thought it would be. But, it’s totally inspired me to look for good coating. It’s time to definitely make a coat.

 

** I realize some people have an issue with fur. To each thier own. I personally don’t. Well, I do have an issue with floor length coats. A little too Superfly for me.

Magical Thinking and Big in China

16 Sep

Well. Not *really* big. There were plenty of women taller than me or the same height. But, buildwise? I am HUGE. I went from a medium here at home to an Extra Large in China.

As mentioned, I only took one pair of shoes with me to China. Good, comfortable walking shoes purchased days before I left.

They started coming apart at the Baltimore aiport. By Day Four, I was seriously worried about them lasting me until the end especially because we had a trip planned to the Great Wall (never made it). I managed to get a quick repair on the street for 8 RMB (a little over a $1 US). Please don’t think I found this guy on my own! I showed my shoes to the concierge and he walked me outside and up the street to this man.

He operated out of a cart and hand stitched the sole back to the upper leather shoe.

I loved his sewing machine complete with a stool for customers to sit on.

And, since I had a new traditional Chinese dress, I thought newer shoes were mandated. Especially because our college-age interpreters made a face when I told them I was going to wear my red shoes.

I bought these in a European size 40 (about an 8.5 to 9 in US sizes). I had to visit two stores before I found one that even carried my size! And even then, the sales clerk looked really doubtful. These shoes are beautiful. But, cotton. I’m almost afraid to wear them! They were $10 US on sale.

Elizabeth accidetnally left her suit behind in Shanghai and needed a new dress in Xiamen. They had her size. In an Extra Large. Some dresses we looked at and before we could ask for our size, the poor sales clerk would just shake her head ‘no’.

I also indulged after falling in love with this shift dress. Also, an Extra Large. An XL with unmatched plaid. I have got to pay more attention in the store.

Cute, no?

Part of our tour in Beijing included a stop at a traditional Chinese medicine doctor.

For 20 RMB (about $3 US) you can get a 10 minute massage.

This doctor’s specialty is reading pulses. They say they can diagnose anything through your pulse.

He felt my pulse and told me through the interpreter that I had bad circulation which was impacting my sleep and aggravating my tendinitis. I asked for a little something to help with weight loss. I mean, if we’re engaging in magical thinking, I’ll take a pill that helps me lose 10 pounds. He told me I didn’t need to lose any weight but I needed to take a two $90 a month supplements of 20 pills at each meal to help my blood circulate better.

$180 a month for some ground up roots and seeds. I passed.

Well, this post generally concludes my travel blogging for China. Overall, it was a pretty amazing trip. And, it truly came at the right time for me. I welcomed the distraction. I left home in the middle of summer and now it’s cooling off and feels like fall. Time to start thinking and blogging about sewing again, eh? Thanks for following along this series and all of your comments of support. I’m always a little conscious of blogging ‘off topic’ and I’m glad you let me turn this blog into my travel journal.

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Other Random China Bits

15 Sep

Helen and Queenie

** Unless I have some crazy revelations, this should be my next to last travel post about China. I tended to write outlines up each night while I was gone (have to do something with all the jetlag and no access to sewing blogs!) and revised and organized on my 14 hour flight back into the US. I probably should have strung my posts out through the week. But, I’m an instant bloggerfacation kind of girl.

One of my surprises about Xiamen is that they too have a fabric ‘mall’. Unfortunately, I know neither the name nor the address. When we got to Xiamen we were assigned interpreters from the local college. They were the cutest things. Sweet and helpful. My first day there I let them know I needed to have my qipao altered, Liz needed a dress made and I needed some garments copied for my boss. We found this mall on the second go round. They were shocked that I made my own clothes. Not that they had stuff made. They just shopped at the mall. Typical teenagers, right?

Again, similar set up as in Shanghai. But, the fabric choices were limited. More suitings and shirtings than fine silks and fun prints. There were also several dressmakers and tailors who operated seperately from thier fabric.

On the basement level I was in search of the quipa pattern book I spotted in one of the shops. Unfortunately I couldn’t find one.

But, I saw this woman making strings of beads and beading fabric in another room. Watching her made my eyes hurt.

This woman was sewing all of the little jewelry bags that we get pieces in.

I did find someone sewing uniforms and was puzzled. I kept thinking, ‘why don’t they just order uniforms?’ But, then I realized that this *i*s where our uniforms come from! It was eye opening.

But, I did stumble upon several supply stores and stocked up.

Zippers were half a yuan each (don’t hate me) about 8 cents each. Yes. 8 cents. I bought two dozen in black and took their assorted package. Oh. Definitely wishing I had bought more of the assorted zipper packs. These are all 22 inches long.

Buttons were also 10 cents each in Xiamen. I exercised great  control I think and bought these plus a gross of plain white shirt buttons. The gross was about $5 US.

And, the things I got which made my heart soar took true trans Pacific cooperation. While shopping in the supply store I saw they had industrial serger feet. Now, we all know that Gigi has been sewing it up in Florida binding any and everything. I  know I want to buy an industrial machine within the next year or two. So, I asked how much the feet were. $4 each. Say *what*?

Apparently, ‘Great Knives’ are made in Taiwan — visible from Xiamen’s shore.

I emailed Gigi that night (her morning) asking her what feet I would want to buy so I could stock up there. To the rescue, she sent me a list of feet to look for and for the binders, she even saved me the mental (well cell phone) calculations and listed the widths in metric! In *metric*

Since I bought so many feet, they sold the binders to me at $2 a each. $2. And the regular sewing feet for the industrial? 50 cents each.

I also bought sewing machine needles for $1.50 for a pack of 10. And, they say ‘Shanghai Shaggong Sewing Machine Company’. I would have bought them for that alone. Not pictured, two of the biggest rolls of elastic you’ve ever seen for little and nothing.

It was also on this trip that I experienced my first squat toilet. My mom warned me. Katharine in Brussels warned me (omg K. Thank you for telling me about the spitting before I got there). But, it’s something to behold the first time. If you think you won’t use one. Then, you just just don’t have to go badly enough. To be honest, in a skirt, it’s far more sanitary that a sit down toilet. But, I was not coordinated enough to work it out with pants.

BTW, it was hotter than hell in Xiamen

The only makeup I wore for ten days was Neutorgena sunblock. Which, sadly, dried white in my eyebrows and no one told me. I only realized it when I started uploading my photos, LOL.

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Stop Staring At Me

14 Sep

When I went to China, a Caucasian colleague who lived in Shanghai for several years warned me that I was going to be stared at. She went through it and I would go through it. What she didn’t tell me is that I would really be STARED at. I’ve been to New Zealand where I didn’t see another black person for a solid week. When my mom and I went, some kids looked at us. But, I always thought that had more to do with not being from some of the small towns we visited rather than being black. I’m used to being one of the few black people around. I’m totally not used to double takes.

More often than not I was just stared at. But, I had small children point at me and grab their friend / mother / grandmother. I had people taking cell phone camera pictures of me. At the Forbidden City in Beijing, I had people take pictures near me so they could get me in the background.

At the Bund in Shanghai

I watched my (incredibly sweet and delightful) college-age interpreter touching / rubbing the skin on my knee after I dozed off in the taxi. When she realized I was awake, she said ‘so different’. Totally innocent. But, still kind of annoying.

At Nanpatu Temple in Xiamen

But, mostly, I had people ask to take pictures with me. A lot. Like, at least twice a day but no more than five times a day every day for 10 days.

This woman brought her child up to me and kept rubbing her skin and touching her hair and pointing at me. That went on for a good five minutes before Elizabeth was like, ‘let’s go’.

In Xiamen

Some people were really sweet and would say, “So beautiful!” despite my being in a constant state of sweating for 10 days.  I started my trip with being amused by it and happily taking photos and waving back at people who were looking at me.  But, by day 10, it was just pretty freaking old. I was pointing and staring back. If they tried to take my photo without my permission I would turn my back or hide my face. And if they did the cell phone camera thing, I would take their picture right back or on my worst day give the finger.

Elizabeth is wearing my blouse. So freaking hot we were blowing through our own clothes at record pace.

Our interpreters told us that people were saying, ‘foreigners’ in Chinese as we walked by.  Which is an interesting concept to me. I say ‘tourists’ when I’m at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore or in DC. I think being a child of immigrants I’ve thought the word ‘foreigner’ as a mean comment. Elizabeth studied in France and we had a whole conversation about the translation and use of the word foreigner. My mom got mad at me when I referred to an occasional date a few years ago ah ‘the Italian’. Well, I really called him ‘the Anti-Semitic Italian’ but that’s another story.  Elizabeth also had people ask for her picture. But, we both felt I got the brunt of it. I started calling her ‘the one with Yellow Hair’ .

I understand that over 30,000 Africans were educated in China. With a population of a billion, that’s a drop in the bucket. I know it also speaks to where black people vacation (another cruise to the Caribbean?) but, by the end, I felt a lot like a sideshow. I know it’s not considered rude to stare in China. But, you can’t tell me it’s not considered rude to take someone’s photo without asking. Or pointing. Because every time a kid pointed, their friend / mother / grandmother admonished them.

It’s just a totally homogeneous society, I realize it didn’t come from a bad place but, I’m quite happy not to be stared at anymore.

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How Not to Look Like a Hummingbird

14 Sep


At first, while fabrc shopping, I thought I would get my own fabric and make a ‘qipao’. But, I realized I didn’t want to be decked out in all embroidery. I thought I would look like a hummingbird. But, Helen and I saw these two beautiful, simple, classic designs that I started thinking maybe I would get them made.

When I was told each dress would be about $45 I realized it could be years before I got around to making one (and really. was I seriously going to make a traditional Chinese dress??) and I might as well give it a go. When they told me it would be ready the NEXT day, I was sold.

They took just a few simple measurements and asked how tight I wanted it. I told them loose figuring it was better to have have it taken in later (which I did in Xiamen) rather than struggle with a dress that was too tight.

Helen and her husband picked my dress up for me and delivered to my hotel since I had meetings that day and they thought the 50 RMB delivery fee was too high. For this dress, I had them move the side slits to a CB slit.

One of the things I found frustrating about China is the bargaining and ripping off of foreigners. In Xiamen the first tailor (admittedly at the hotel) wanted 400 RMB to take in my two dresses. The dresses cost 650 RMB. The next tailor I found in the garment area? 40 RMB. About $5. Isn’t that some BS?

I’m currently not a fan of sheath dresses on me. I’m too bottom heavy for it. But, I couldn’t resist this simple design in black. The red insert is a phoenix which is the symbol of the empress. I was born in the year of the dragon and figured that design was what I wanted.
But was told by everyone that dragons are for men.

Did I mention I only took one pair of shoes with me to China? Try not to shake your head at me. I did buy better shoes for the the second time I wore this dress.

The second dress was actually the first one that caught my eye. All the topstitching in hand done.

The cap sleeves are a bit limiting, but I love, love the color combination and fit.

Elizabeth had her dress made in Xiamen for about $30 for dress and jacket (not including fabric). Hers took four days to make.

It took a great deal of self control and FABRIC choice overload to prevent me from having another two made while we were there.

Here it is at my BEST dinner in Shanghai at Lost Heaven with our friend Fred. Have I already mentioned how great it is to have friends all over the world? Shanghai couldn’t have been easier to navigate thanks to Fred and Helen / Hai.

I think, if I lived in China, I would sew far, far less. The finishing techniques used I aspire to. The speed of garment production and the cost would really make sewing my hobby versus my primary way of clothing myself. If you can ever have something custom made (and not by you!) I highly recommend it! I love, love, love my dresses.

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Shanghai by Bicycle

13 Sep

As in Montreal, I’m now totally into bicycle tours to see a city. First, it’s so fast for getting around. You see everything around you up close (including pink scooters). You’ll get off the main roads, travel the side alleys and still manage to work off all the extra calories you’ve taken in. And, with jut two full days in the city, and limited touring time, Elizabeth and I wanted to make the most of it.


Everyone bikes in Shanghai. It’s eyeopening.

I’ve never seen so many bicycles on the road nor amenities for cyclists. Real parking. Real biking lines. Roadside bicycle repairs. And no helmets to mess up your hair :)


Babies and children on the backs of bikes. Or, inbetween their parents legs on the scooter. People rode side saddle on the backs of bikes and scooters.

In Shanghai, we used China Cycle Tours for a 3:00 pm. to 10:00 pm night tour. This gave me enough time to go fabric shopping at the cloth market in the morning and let the humidity and heat cool off. Plus, Shanghai is beautiful at night.

We went through Wen Mia, the only Confucian temple in Shanghai; Xintandi which is a former Jewish settlement and now eight acre shopping center (think small streets of Prague); the Dong Tai Road antique market, and the Bund.

The Bund makes NYC’s skyline look like a nightlight.

It’s remarkable simply the way a city of 20 million moves people around the area. There are totally separate bike lines all over the city. There is bicycle parking everywhere. And, I mean everywhere you look. Scooters, cars, bikes and pedestrians truly share the road. Absolutely common form of transportation and moving cargo.

We wanted to do the same in Beijing, but our flight was delayed and the traffic was awful and through idiocy of mine, we were delivered to the wrong hotel. Well, not my total idiocy. We were  at Holiday Inn Express Temple of Heaven. But, I had the information for Holiday Inn Temple of Heaven. Apparently, two different places. So, no bike tour in Beijing.

The best part though? My new bicycle parka!

I became obsessed with getting one of these after seeing them in a photo there. It covers both you and the bike and has holes and cuffs to keep our hands dry over the handle bars. It has little clips to attach to the bike to prevent it from riding / blowing up in your face. I will obviously be making a pattern of this very very soon. I actually kind of want it to rain so I can wear it out :) .

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