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Monday, May 14, 2012

Singing The Fashion Mate!

From a 1935 Singer Ad.



I want to thank everyone for sharing their wonderful Fashion Mate stories. Love the comments and please keep them coming.

In my next post, I'm planning a, 'How to maintain and keep alive your Fashion Mate.' It will be lengthy so I'll divide it into parts!

Stay tune!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Lace 2 Ways

Project #3,
Orange Shawl


This is not the first time I've knitted this pattern...


I enjoy this pattern so much that I knitted two pieces that sold at the last Christmas Make It Show. Now, this is project 3 and 4.


As I rummaged through my yarn stash I found this rich orange fingering wool. Right away, I wanted to make this lace shawl. 


Shawl or scarf!



I was having so much fun, I knitted this shawl in no time. Call it warp speed. So, back to the yarn stash and I discovered a left-over of a yellow/gold mohair. Not quite enough to make anything, but it would work well together with another left-over yarn I had.

I'm very happy to see how the colors mixed and how the textures work well together. Finishing it with a few rolls of just mohair completes this beautiful ready to wear, luxurious scarf!

These two will be on sale at the next Make It Show in November!


Project #4,
Mohair mixed with a 
fingering yarn worn as scarf...



worn as shawl.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Kamut/Flax Bread for Roubaix Sunday.

My Kamut/Flax Bread, Yum!



Our friend, Duane, gave us a supply of organic kamut grain and I decided use it in my bread recipe.

Kamut is higher in potassium and protein over wheat flour and I added flax seeds to further fortify it. I made it so Richard and I can enjoy toast with plenty of coffee for Sunday's early wake up call (5 AM) for the Paris-Roubaix classic race!



The famous Arenberg Forest quietly waits!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Singer Fashion Mate 257 Free Manual

This is the fun cover to the Fashion Mate 257 cover.

When I first wrote this post on my Fashion Mate 257, I would never have guess how popular this post has become. I'm amazed that I'm still getting comments, since posting the article way back in 2009.

I know I had the manual during my Fashion College days, in my twenties. Somewhere between that time and over twenty-five moves that brought me across Canada, it was lost. 

You can find this manual online for a price, but, why would you do that? When you can download it for FREE!

Here, directly from the Singer webpage is the Fashion Mate 257 manual...




I want to thank everyone for their comments and stories (don't stop it's so enjoyable to read the comments) and I'm so excited that you all are enjoying the Fashion Mate as much as I do!

Happy sewing!



Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Back... with a Red Pom Pom

I've decided to return ...and keep the Galstudio blog going!

I did not feel comfortable to keep the cooking and knitting adventures on the Red Dots Cycling Blog.

I'm happy to say that Galstudio will be my own personal blog... all things I also love to do. Looking back, this blog is like a journal of all my beautiful knit stuff. Often, it's hard to remember everything that I've made.

So this is my latest creation...

Simple Scarf with Red Pom Pom.


I discovered, from my stash, this thick 100% wool. Usually I prefer fingering yarn. But I happen to have this fabulous two-tone wool, I had to use it.

I didn't follow a pattern, I ad lib and created this scarf from a simple k1 p1 and finished with a point. It needed a little accent to make it more fun...

OMG, I haven't made pom pom's since grade six!

Off I went to make Pom Pom's. You can find how to make them online. I was stumped as to what size to make them. My first attempt was way too large, then I made them too small.

Third try ... this time right, I made them the right size. 

I love this design, a scarf I would wear. It will be going into my sale stock at the next winter craft show.


I'm very happy to be back sharing all my creative endeavors. In fact, I already cast on for a pair of socks... Stay tune!


Pom pom size matters!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Adieu Galstudio!




Galstudio has come to an end!

I'm happy with  a tinge of sadness. It has been a great journey but the reality is, to go further you must let go, to climb higher.

I'd like to THANK all my followers for all their comments and support. And, I invite you to follow me, on the new blog I'm sharing with my partner, Richard. I've decided to focus my energy on our new business and I will keep writing on my knitting, cooking and sewing machine adventures on the new blog.

This new blog will allow me to consolidate the business aspect with the personal side. Because it will be a joint blog, it will allow both of us to frequently keep the blog updated. Follow Richard and I on our new twitter page: twitter/reddotscycling

I invite you all to visit and read my adventures and misadventures, climbing to newer heights!

Heartfelt Thanks!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

We're Moving Forwards!

It's a whirlwind of activity, here.

Hard to believe it's Christmas, the smell of roast turkey from my kitchen pleasantly reminds me of it. This year has passed by so fast that all I want to do is relax and sleep in and have a glass of wine or two.

Three years ago, I was between jobs, I stumbled onto Etsy. And, being a knitter, it made sense to sell my knit goods online. I had no idea what to call my new business. That's when Richard helped me with the name... Galstudio.


Remember our first logo design?


Gal is the first three letters of my last name, and it was my dream to have my own working studio. Selling my knit goods online was, as I discovered, not very successful. Definitely, not enough to make a living. My goal was to have my own home base business.

Richard had been looking for a well made cycling cap for some time. Like his old and used Campagnolo cap that he liked so much but wanted a classic cycling cap with a urban look. He asked me, "You know how to sew, why not make a cycling cap?" And, soon in March, 2009 I was selling my first handmade cycling cap on Etsy.



Richard wears the very first caps sold in March 2009...
The Paris-Roubaix (first version) & the ever so classic,
The Capello da Ciclismo Nero.


Quickly, Galstudio became a handmade cycling cap company. Soon afterwards, we worked with bike inner tubes creating different rubber accessories. That first year I must've modify the cycling cap pattern ten times to get it just perfect. It was a crazy year, I was working by myself and often asked Richard for help during the evenings. It just made sense when Richard came on board full-time. I suggested we re-brand the company to reflect more of the cycling cap/inner tube accessories.

We both utilize our talents: my sewing expertise/computer knowledge and Richard's cycling passion. It's a match made in cycling heaven.

After three years with the Galstudio name, we believe it is time to grow and move further. Importantly, to come up with a new name that better describes who and what we are. We came up with a few names but we haven't made the final choice ....yet! I'm already sketching  a few ideas for the new logo.

The new name will be launched in January 2012.

And looking at my remaining stock with the Galstudio labels I suggested to Richard that it would be impossible to remove the old labels and put on the new ones. So the simple solution is to have... a MEGA SALE!

This mega sale will start on December 26 and we expect to sell out quickly.

I guess I won't relax, but I'll be comforted to know that I'll be working in front of the computer through the holidays ...with a much needed glass of wine (or two)!


MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!


Cheers to all of our customers & friends...
past, present & future!