Vaune’s November Newsletter

www.vaune.com [email protected] 805-529-5005

Where I’ll Be...... ovember is here, with December just around the Feb. 15-17, 2011 corner. It is hard to believe that 2010 is coming to a N Zia Sun Smockers close! I have already started to make my list and check it Albequerque, NM twice. I don’t usually like to be an early bird for Christ- mas, but we go to my in-laws every year for Thanksgiving March 3-6, 2011 and take our Christmas things along with, thus the lists! Sewing & Stitcher Expo I have already started my baking list also. I do a fair Puyallup, WA amount of baking (I shared my recipe last year for Mrs. Marshall’s Coffee Cake). My kitchen smells wonderful for June 24-26, 2011 weeks! ‘Berry Good Smockers it was lovely to see some of you at the ETACalifornia presents Gail Doane show! I was excited to see some of the clothes that were Santa Barbara, CA exhibited that incorporated different forms of smocking. A bit here and dash there can really add a bit of pizzazz to July 29-31, 2010 your garments! Long Beach Quilt Show I am working on my basic yoke that should Long Beach, CA be ready at the beginning of the year - besides the clas- sic yoke dress with a peter pan , it will also include October 11-16, 2011 a scalloped collar and a square collar. This is my favorite SAGA Convention style of smocked dress, so I am excited about this! A basic Anaheim, CA apron pattern and a few others will trickle out in 2011! Check inside for some new additions (black German Interfacing and Baby Dimity) as well as some favorites. It is also your chance to order the children’s dress manne- quin. I will do this every December. See inside for details. Happy Stitching, Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas,

Vaune Child’s Display Form

Size Bust Waist Cost 6 month 19” 18” $85 1T 20” 20” $90 2T 21” 21” $90 3-4T 22” 21” $95 These are NOT listed on my website. Please send me an email for the size(s) that you want.

Cotton...... crop failures in other parts of the world have caused cotton prices to be higher than they have been since the Civil War! While that may be wonderful for our cotton farmers, that translates to higher prices for goods made with cotton (and yes that includes fabric)! A recent article in the Los Angeles Times Business section said that so far, the price of cotton has increased +153%. manufacturers have al- ready planned increases of up to 20% on their cotton items. Keep that in mind as you are making your list of sewing projects for next year!

Special Sale! For those of you that have a Sit Upon Hoop (pictured at left), you know how wonderful it is to stitch ‘hands free’! The Sit Upon hoop consists of 2 parts: the base and a ‘Hoop on a Stick’. The Hoops on a Stick are interchangeable, so you do not have to buy a base anytime you want a different sized hoop. One of my distributors is discontinuing their 10 inch and 12 inch Hoops on a Stick, so I am passing this savings along to you. Remember, this does not include the base (base is available for $30 each) 10” Hoop on a Stick Reg $42 Sale $26 12” Hoop on a Stick Reg $48 Sale $28

( 6” HoaS, Reg $33,sale $30 7” HoaS, Reg $36,sale $33) The Library Shelf

Another wonderful issue of Inspirations, #68. Country Bumpkin has moved into a new location and is making some changes, but we still carry individual issues! Wonderful ideas and beautiful embroi- dery! $18 each

Precise and Professional by Lyn Weeks If you do not own a copy of this book, get yours now! Full of won- derful information on construction and heirloom sewing techniques, it will be a welcome addition to your library! $37.50

Fa La La La Felt A wonderful book for cute, quick crafts and perfect for new (think little) sewers. Has ador- able animal cookie ornaments (remember - frosted in pink or white with little sprinkles?) and cute little cupcake orna- ments. Reg. $15 Special $13.00

Give your self a Merry Christmas present - the complete set of the “All About” books! All About Cotton, All About and All About . Each book comes with fabric samples that you tape to the corresponding page that is fi lled with information about the fabric. Not only do the books give you information and history of the fabric, it also includes sewing information - what type of garments it is suited for, how it cuts and sews, how to care for it, etc. All About Cotton $60 Special - the complete set of all All About Wool $65 books, reg. $170 All About Silk $45 $145

Gift Certifi cates available! Perfect for you! Available in any amount! Fabrics, Etc. Black Bitty Blue Floral New!!! Baby Dim- German Interfacing Just in, perfect for darks! ity A delicate fabric that has tiny Now there are 3 colors! corded stripes that run down White - white fabrics the fabric. Has the feel of Winter white - pastels 100% cotton and 60” a Swiss voile. The stripes are Black - black /darks wide - a petite blue wonderful as a design ele- $15 / yard and green fl oral. Per- ment! You can stitch over fect for dresses, day- Special them as tiny pintucks or gowns and dolls! We embroider on the fabric be- any 3 yards will be using this in my tween them! Baby blue, light blog smock and con- pink or white. Reg $40/yd $$4040 struction. $16/yd Special $36 /yd

Dimity? What is dimity, you ask? I have often come across dimity when I am reading about the late 1800’s and early 1900’s but had not come across it in any fabric stores or at any shows until now. Usually 100% cotton, it is woven with stripes down the length of the fabric. According to the wonderful reference book “All About Cotton”, dimity is a sheer, lightweight cotton fabric with lengthwise cords made by weaving groups of warp threads together. If groups are made in both directions, a check is created. Now you know!

Dovo Scissors DOVO 3 piece Set This beautiful set includes Serrated 7 inch Shears a 6 inch shear, a 5 inch Here is a question for any of you who shear, and a 3.5 inch em- love your DOVO scissors!? I can not broidery scissor. Gold han- order just a few pair of the 7 inch Ser- dles and a scissor rated shears. If I get enough interest, I case makes this an exquisite will place an order. The regular shear set for your collection! Not is $69, so the serrated shears will be only is stunning, it is func- about $85. Please let me know if you tional as well, with the sharp are interested - If this happens, I would DOVO blades. Reg. $310 like to place the order before Jan1, Christmas Special to get 2010 pricing. Just send me an $285 email - [email protected]. Convention News! The 2011 SAGA convention is in my back yard (or my neighbor’s back yard) - Anaheim, CA, October 11- 16th. I do not know the whole list of teachers, but I do know that I will be teaching the following classes there: Block and Smock (Wednesday) Uptown in Pink and Brown (Thursday and Friday morning) Daintiest Day Dress w/ Organdy Insert and Lace Edging (Saturday) Know What You Sew (Sunday)

If you have not had the chance to attend a SAGA convention, I highly recommend it! The raffle baskets are incredible, the classes are wonderful, and market is amazing, but most of all, the enjoyment of spending several days stitching with women who all share your love of smocking/embroidery/ needlework/sewing. You may be tired at the end, but you are so full of ideas and enthusiasm - I wouldn’t miss it for the world! Start saving your pennies now! The convention brochure will be posted on the SAGA website (www.smocking.org) in March.

Stitching in Santa Barbara! ‘Berry Good Smockers (my local smocking guild) sponsors Stitching Serenity every June, in Santa Barbara, where we have a teacher come in and have a weekend class. We also try to meet up there once a year and have a stitching weekend - no teacher, just work on what- ever suits your fancy. We have a place to sleep, someone cooks all of our meals, and there is a really nice workroom that we can use. We are here this weekend and there is a little bit of everything going on!

From busy bees to food more food to a rainbow to end the weekend, this is stitching heaven! See more pictures on my blog, www.stitchwithvaune.blogspot.com

*****We just found out we will be hosting Lynn Weeks on March 11-13, 2011. I will let you know the location and the classes as soon as it is decided! Contest Name My Dress Form! Meet my size 3 dress form! I am working on a new pat- tern from Classic Couture for Children - Couture Classic Yoke (ready at the beginning of 2011). One of the things I worked on this weekend was making the samples to make sure the pattern pieces were correct. If you look close, you can see that this has 2 different style and 2 differ- ent collar designs. We decided she needs a name, so I am holding a contest! Go to my blog, www.stitchwithvaune. blogspot.com and post a comment with your name sug- gestion. I will write down each name on a slip of paper and draw the winning name on December 20th. The win- ner will get a bundle of 10 skeins of coton a broder #25! Blog News www stitchwithvaune.blogspot.com I am geting my blog started - I have posted a few things and am working on several more. Of course, you can enter the contest, but I want to do more than mean- der! I am going to start with a quick lesson in pleating!

After pleating, i am going to have a couple of lessons on smocking stitches (cable and baby wave). This will be the pre- lude to the project that starts in January!

Starting in January, I will be leading a step-by-step project, Smock and Construct a Basic Yoke Dress. My sample is a cute blue and green fl oral print (100% cotton, 60” wide) with the col- lar, the cuffs and the sash out of white pique’. I am making a size 3 and will be using my new Couture Classic Yoke pattern. If you want to stitch along with me and follow exactly, kits will be available ( more info as I get closer to Lesson 1). If you are a be- ginning smocker, a returning smocker, or just want to learn some new techniques, I hope you smock along! M.E.Feld an importer of fi ne French laces and Swiss embroideries

I vividly remember going to New York and meeting Mr. Russell. One trip we all walked over to meet Mr. Vogel of Spechler-Vogel, the fabric company. Sad- dly, M.E. Feld is no longer in business. I still have many of their trims, (French laces and Swiss embroideries) but do not want to list them on my website, as I can not get them anymore. I have scanned them all and have them on a fi le in the newsletter section. I have included a link to this right below the link you clicked on for the newsletter. I have not increased the prices to refl ect today’s market - they are the prices that were current at the time they were ordered. This is a fi rst come, fi rst served type of order. If you are interested in any of the laces, please email me ([email protected]) with Feld in the sub- ject line and with your contact information, the item number of the lace or embroidery, and the quantity. Please keep in mind that I can NOT get more of these if they are from Feld. If you have questions, just send me an email. If I have questions, I will contact you.

Tip Ironing cotton and requires high heat and steam. It works well f you steam the fabric fi rst and then iron. As you iron, the heat, combined with the steamed fabric that is now a bit damp, makes quick work of the wrinkles! Also make sure that if you are using interfacing that it will hold up to the steam and heat also. The last thing you want is for your garment to wrinkle if the inter- melts or shifts when it is ironed with high heat!

Fashion Word of the Day - Petticoat (from the Williamsburg tour) Originally a man’s coat or undershirt, usually worn under a doublet (early 15th century), by the late 16th century, it was a woman’s - either an underskirt or the outer skirt of a dress. On our tour of Willimasburg, all of the petticoats were visible in the front - the gown covered the sides and back, but the front of the petticoat was on display! (You learn something everyday!). By the late 19th century, it had become known as an underskirt which was worn for warmth or for volume. Thanks to the guides at Williamsburg and Fashion A-Z I need to get to my baking, so I am off - I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and get to spend time with the ones you love! Happy Stitching, Vaune