weekend sewing bliss
Jul 30, 2009 
So. As if my husband and I weren’t fortunate enough to finagle spending a month in Vermont, I capped it off by spending our last weekend at a Weekend Sewing Workshop with Heather Ross. She held the weekend due west over the Green Mountains from my sister, and I couldn’t stand to be so close without attending.
It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time. Heather set everything up in a weathered barn-cum-cross-country-ski-lodge on the beautiful property of the Blueberry Hill Inn. We cut, and pinned and sewed with birds and rain alternating as our soundtrack. All that, plus plenty of time for pondside cocktails, picnicking at a pristine swimming lake, and four course dinners made from local ingredients.
Heather and Liesl, pondsideBut back to the sewing. Liesl Gibson of Oliver + S joined Heather, and it was such a treat to witness their expertise. They snipped flattering necklines into our muslin dress mock-ups and talked about things like shifted bias and whether a French seam would act like boning on sheer fabric. The quintessential Vermont inn plus dressmaker’s pins flying everywhere gave the weekend an air of Newhart meets Project Runway, minus the Darryl brothers and drama.
Just before the weekend kicked off, my sister and I went on the prowl for fabric and found some beautiful, gauzy Italian cotton at Delectable Mountain Cloth in Brattleboro. It was a little treasure box of a fabric store, with yardage tucked into every corner and small glass dishes holding buttons so beautiful that they made our hearts break a little.
My fabric was a little challenging, so I didn’t come home with a totally finished project. But I am absolutely in love with how it’s shaping up. Of course, after all that sewing, all I want to do is set up my own personal sewing workshop in my dining room and finish the goods. But a month of working a lot less than I’m used to (and the corresponding paycheck) means I can only act on my fierce sewing urge in the evenings. So I periodically break from the computer, stroke my half-finished dress and think back to sewing in the barn, where there were pitchers of fresh mint-lavender lemonade and amazing chocolate chip cookies to fuel our late-night stitching.
For a full play-by-play of the weekend, read Heather’s post. And it turns out she’s doing the whole thing over again in August and still has a couple spots open. Act now!
heather ross, weekend sewing in gather, make
Reader Comments (10)
That would be my VERY FAVORITE VACATION EVER! Way more fun than a spa. I'm so happy you got to go. A few years ago I went to a week long camp with the husband and wife team behind Fun Quilts out of Chicago. My pal Kalynn and I laughed until we had nothing left. I've approached quilt design differently since that week. A transforming and rejuvenating creative experience. Sorry to be so long winded. Such good memories. Finish your frocks! best wishes from Texas.....
I can't imagine a setting more perfect for a sewing weekend. Sort of soothes the soul doesn't it? How wonderful for you.
Holy moly! How is it that I didn't put two and two together that this was you. I was reading this blog and thinking, "Oh, this sounds like Kelly @ the workshop - she vacationed with her sister in VT, too! I wonder if she and this blog writer were near each other." And lo and behold, today, you posted about the weekend. I love your blog! And your pics! And the dress you were working on! What a great weekend! It was so nice meeting you!
Diana, that is such a crack-up! I remember reading in the pin cushion ring comments that someone was going to be there too, but then I totally forgot before going to the weekend. What a funny, small world! I was super impressed by your shirt too, and the fact that you were sewing for someone else during the weekend...that's so much more generous than me!
Oh I forgot all about the ring post, too!
And the shirt is STILL not finished.
Welcome back! The whole experience looks lush! I'm sure this was a perfect end to summer~ Did you take your pincushion ring along?!
Susannah @ art nest
I am the very lucky mother of the author of this amazing blog. I don't sew. I don't cook. I wasn't born with an organized gene in my body. I don't grow vegetables. But I grow girls --- three of them, who turned out to be the most amazing young women one could ever meet. I want to be like them when I grow up.
Wow, I'm so jealous. What an amazing workshop to attend in such a beautiful setting. Maybe I'll be able to use that as an excuse to visit some family in Brattleboro... hummm... it could work. Looking forward to seeing your finished project.
Hi Kelly! Loved this post and I love your blog. And I think I love your mom, too. What a sweet comment!!!
So what's the pin cushion ring? (Hi Diana!) I'm curious now . . .
Karen (aka A Ric Rac Sister)
Hi Karen, I miss sewing in the barn with you guys! And yes, my mom is really amazing. But she's being modest here -- she is one of the most creative people you'll ever meet, despite not sewing or cooking!
This is the pin cushion ring we're talking about:
http://www.makegrowgather.com/posts/2009/5/15/willy-wonkas-pincushion.html
And Susannah, I managed to bring it all the way to Vermont and then leave it at my sister's for the actual sewing weekend. However, it has seen plenty of action, both sewing and non-sewing, when I just feel like wearing it to go get coffee!