Hi Everyone,

I would like to invite you to my new website where a simple click of the button will take you through all of my pages including the blog or if you prefer go directly to my blog. A dear friend and fellow designer, Cherish Flieder, who happens to be an awesome web designer worked with me on the site. We went live officially on August 27th. If you too would like Cherish to work with you and your website, please mention my name when you contact her to set things up. Everything is now in one place which will make things just a touch easier for everyone at Lorine Mason Designs and It's Sew Lorine. Please stop by and leave a comment.

Sincerely,

Lorine Mason

Preparing for Class

Class Sample Step Outs

I must admit I was slightly nervous about the Boutique Slippers class I am teaching tomorrow at Berger's Sewing Center. I could not figure out why I was nervous but have come to the conclusion it is because even though I am branding It's Sew Lorine, I really do not teach sewing projects very often. If you look at the classes and/or presentations I have given over the past number of years they are based on either a product I am presenting or a craft based project with the exception of the Rockin Smockin pillow class at CHA this past July. It's funny how you don't really think about what you are doing so much as just doing it, until life makes you stop and really figure out what and or why you are feeling a certain way.

Anyway on to our subject matter. Preparing for class. For those of you who are perhaps unfamiliar with teaching, there is a lot of prep work if you want the class to run smoothly and participants to get there monies worth. I guess this is something our children's teachers have known all along and why they need those extra days off during the school year. Their jobs are not just 9 - 4 if they are a good teacher.

The photo above is a snap shot of the step outs I prepared for class. I like to work backwards, creating a sample of a slipper with only one step to the finish line and then the next sample two steps etc. Another thing I noticed is that if you do not pay attention while you are recreating your steps is that you will create a whole new way to construct something that is perhaps not what you wrote in the books instructions. Is this wrong, why did I do it that way in the first place are questions I asked myself after saying some not so lady like phrases. Luckily I discovered why I did and wrote it the way I did, but honestly it does not make it wrong. In life like in sewing there are many paths.

Wish me luck in class tomorrow, it is the first of many I will be teaching at my local sewing store. BTW: did you notice my good friend, Pat Sloan's fabric in my samples...... Love them Pat!

Boutique Slippers

Eat your Fruits and Veggies by Pat Sloan for Moda

‘Rockin Smockin’ Pillow Project

by Lorine Mason

Supplies:

2/3 yard 45” Fabric + Fabric scraps to cover buttons*

14” Square Pillow Form

Pattern*

Two 1-1/2” Covered Buttons – shank style

Washable fabric marker or pen – two colors

Heavyweight upholstery thread and needle

Coordinating sewing thread and needle

Straight pins

Westcott® titanium bonded precisions scissors & Westcott® scissor mouse

Instructions:

1.     Trim your pattern* using the Westcott® Scissor Mouse.

2.     Poke a small hole at each ● on the pattern.

3.     Place the fabric wrong side up onto a flat surface.

4.     Center the pattern on the fabric along left selvedge edge. Pin the pattern to the fabric, being sure not to pin through any of the ● markings on the pattern. Trim any excess fabric extending beyond the pattern at the opposite end using Westcott® titanium bonded precision cut scissors.

5.     Use the fabric marker/pen to mark the ● directly onto the back of the fabric.

6.        Remove the pattern and draw diagonal lines connecting the ● using the pattern as your guide. Alternate pen colors between rows. Note: marking the rows in different colors helps keep you on track when smocking. 

7.     Number the ● starting at 1 and ending at 56 along the first row, using the pattern as a guide. Optional: Continue numbering each of the four remaining rows, always starting with 1 and ending with 56.

8.     With right sides together, align the selvedge edges and stitch together using a ½” seam. Re-mark ● along seam line.

9.     Begin smocking, starting along the right side of the fabric with the wrong side up. Pinch together the fabric matching ● 1 and 2. Stitch through both ● three times.

10.      Moving diagonally across the fabric, repeat matching ● 3 and 4. DO NOT    cut the thread between stitches. Be sure to leave at least 1 1/2” of thread loose between stitches.

11.      Continue smocking the entire row ending at stitch 56.

12.      Move over one row and repeat until you have smocked a total of 5 rows. Note: taking the time to mark the rows in different colors assures you stay within a row when smocking. 

13.      Turn under app. 1/4” along one side of the pillow and sew through both layers of the fabric using a running stitch and long stitches. Start and end at the seam line.

14.      Pull the thread taught gathering the end of the pillow. Knot the thread securely by stitching into the fabric numerous times.

15.      Stuff the pillow form into the pillow, tucking in the corners of the form and gently stretching the smocking stitches.

16.      Repeat stitching and gathering the opposite end of the pillow; encasing the pillow form.

17.      Cover two buttons* following the manufacturer’s directions.

18.      Place buttons over the center gathers of the pillow; using a large needle and upholstery thread, sew buttons in place being sure to knot the threads securely.

*If covering buttons using the same fabric; purchase ¾ yard and trim 3” from one side of the fabric, set aside this strip to cover buttons. Alternate option; Use large decorative buttons or other items such as flowers, beaded jewelry etc. in place of covered buttons.

Directions and Diagrams provided for the’ Rockin Smockin’ pillow are the property of Lorine Mason and should not be copied without prior permission. www.lorinemasondesigns.com

*If you are interested in a copy of the pattern, leave a comment asking for one and I will send you a pdf .

Lorine

Crafting for School

Are you the crafty mom who likes to help out in your child's classroom? Here is a fun, creative project that just might interest not only the students but the teacher as well. Connect with the teacher and tie the project into the years curriculum and have the students start a bean plant or some great grass for hair. The fun will multiplied over and over as the children watch their plants grow. 

Here is what you need:

Plant Pots and Saucers ( any size you like)

Air Dry clay to form Ears and Noses

Acrylic paint

Accessories: Buttons, Lace,Trim

Glue

Paint Brushes 

Have fun and don't forget the wet wipes and newsprint to cover the desks while everyone is painting!

Rockin Smockin Pillow Class at CHA

 It was a Rockin Smockin good time with Westcott at CHA a week ago. We taught a great group of ladies how to smock a round pillow using a square pillow form. It might sound a little odd but it worked. I need to send out a big Thank you to Fairfield, Moda Fabrics and Prym Dritz as they donated the pillow forms, the wonderful Pat Sloan designed fabric, the needles, buttons and more.

Have you seen these gorgeous prints yet? Eat your Fruits and Veggies by Pat Sloan. The ladies in class had a difficult time choosing just one for their pillow design. Yummy!

Here is Patt Bell, a dear friend and fellow designer who helped during class. Yes, that was the pattern we used to transfer all of our smocking dots to the back of the fabric.

Did I mention that we used the World's Favorite Scissors during class? To add to the fun during class, Brenda from Westcott drew names for additional Westcott product giveaways.

   

Here's Brenda demonstrating the official Rockin Smockin technique to one of our participants. 

Yes, I was in class as well. The difference between Brenda's technique and mine is that apparently I like to stand to demonstrate. 

 All smocked and ready to go. 

 The finished pillow

I hope you enjoyed a peek into my latest class at CHA. I will be teaching locally at Berger's Sewing Center on August 17th. We will be creating slippers from my Boutique Slipper book, which is available at Bergers. Check it out at www.bergersewing.com

Boutique Slippers

Lorine

Crafty Couture

Urban Doodles by Lorine Mason

I am getting set to head out to Chicago first thing Saturday morning. I have decided that I will not, for the second time only in my career as a free-lance designer, to have a showcase of my work displayed at the trade show. I have decided instead to focus on my Crafty Couture entry. The Crafty Couture display will have a central location on the trade show floor at the convention center in Chicago and will contain 20 dress forms featuring the design work of CHA designer members. This is a wonderful opportunity to have your work in the middle of everything.
How did I decide where my focus would be directed?
I have been doodling forever but have refined my style over the past few years and this is a perfect example of what I can do with a black ink pen and some dye or paint. With my first love being all things fabric it made the decision of what to create so much easier. I chose a simple boat neck sleeveless dress design and an idea of what it might look like when I was finished. I am not one to sketch out designs, I tend to envision the possibilities and set to work. It always changes somewhat and that is what makes it fun.
I used a dye called S.E.I Tumble Dye™ and a series of paintbrushes to 'paint' my dress. I am thrilled and only one thing could make it better. I wish I could actually wear the dress but alas the dress form and I are not the same size. My model is a dear family friend and she stepped right up and I love her for that. Thank you Jana, you are the best!

Strip Tees - is the name too much?

Thinking of what to name a new product line can be fun and it can be a lot of work. I love the name Strip Tees as it perfectly describes what the product is; strips of T shirts that I use to create fun jewelry, hair accessories and home decor items. Stay tuned I might back down from the name and go simply with Tees, we'll see after the class I will be teaching with Ann Butler at CHA next week. I intend to ask the students their opinion, is it too much?

CHA Class Project by Lorine Mason

Here is the class project that I will be teaching at CHA. It will be fun to watch everyone create a version of my design. I hope to have lots of photos and will post some when I return. I will also be leading a MITI in the Westcott booth at the show. Lots of Strip Tees going on it seems. Now that I think of it, I smile each time I say the name - but am I smiling because I love it?