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Textile Jewelry

June 28, 2015, 9:38 am
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Several years ago I made and sold textile necklaces, collars really, to a sweet little shop in Carmel, California.  Findings was tucked back off the street so you had to know about it or wander back exploring to find it.

Nancy King sold fabrics, buttons, ribbons and other new and vintage findings that were perfectly chosen.  It was a beautifully curated shop.  But alas, it's no more.  Many of us still mourn it's passing.

She was kind enough to take my collars, she probably sold 20 or so.  You can see a couple of them on  the "Remade Stuff" page on this blog.  Those collars were very similar in shape to ones I learned how to make from Kay Khan a year and a half ago at a Design Outside The Lines retreat.  But the shape is where the similarity ends.

I was so taken with the technique she has developed I joined Peninsula Wearable Arts Guild just to take another class from her a few weeks ago.

Kay is a phenomenally talented artist.  And a very generous and fun teacher.  Most of her work is quite a bit larger...vases, urns, armatures, various sculpture.  But she does make beautiful, sculptural necklaces.

I'm a rank novice at this but it's just so much fun!  It's like painting or sculpting.  For me it's very freeform.  It's about color and shape.



The pieces begin with a layer of thick felt that is sewn on to a base fabric, front and back.  From there, you just take off adding pieces of fabric, cutting out, turning around, sewing back together, cutting, sewing, adding...on and on till it's "done".  



I love how you can use little scraps of fabric and I especially love that I can use pieces I've created that are painted, silk screened and stenciled.  I have many such small fragments that I can't bare to throw out.

And, I can use my grandmother's buttons!









This one is from the first class.  It was originally way too big (yes, I know, you think this is big, too!) so I worked with Kay to cut it down.


All of these are very comfortable to wear and will travel well.  I love wearing black but I need some color around my face these days.  

If you ever get the chance to study with Kay I highly recommend it.  Both of her classes were very fun.  The time just flew by, you get so absorbed in the work.

I don't know if I'll ever do more pieces but I hope to.  I'd like to do some that aren't quite so colorful-crazy.









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Bunkhouse Roundup

July 22, 2015, 9:49 am
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The Bunkhouse is what we call the little cottage next to our home.  I use it for my workspace and it also serves as our guest quarters.  It's a sweet little 500 Sq. Ft. beach cottage, single wall construction so in the summer it's baking in there. 
But I have managed to slide in a few sewing days so far this summer.  I end up taking off clothes to try on in-process garments and never putting my clothes on again...I alway pray nobody walks through that gate!


A few of my sewing pals and I went up to San Francisco a couple of weeks ago to catch High Style at The Legion of Honor.  The show has ended now, I hope you got a chance to see it.  Very instructive and interesting.  A curator's take on the history of certain designers, eras and fashions.

After seeing the show we gathered in the museum's restaurant and had a lovely lunch.  And then, of course, we went shopping for fabric.  Satin Moon was closed, darn it.  Such a jewel or a fabric shop owned by two very discerning sisters (who happened to know my husband in high school!).  So we moseyed on over to Fabrix on the same street.

I think all of us got something.  I was desperate, I wanted a lightweight shirting for another of Marcy Tilton's Vogue 9089 long shirt (out of print it seems, what a shame!)  The first one I made is wonderful but the fabric is very heavy, even though it's cotton.  Our California coastal weather is a bit warm this year and I needed something breezier.

So, I convinced myself this fabric was a madras....yeah, it was a stretch.  And I don't usually wear such bright plaids.  Plus I didn't really know how to match plaids. So my pal, Jenny, the uber sewing queen came over and gave me a lesson.  The front turned out pretty well but the back was more difficult with the offset bias.

I inserted another side pocket, this one is only one layer of fabric sewn onto the front panels.


As I mentioned, the back is just so-so, this pattern really shouldn't have been attempted with a plaid, I think....or we just couldn't figure out the best way to lay it out.  I can live with it.  And I love the shirt since it's perfect for our new and improved Capitola weather!



More kantha jewelry.  These are the styrofoam cubes I cut and cover with little pieces of kantha.  I strung them with elastic cord and inserted little lava beads.  I wore it yesterday and it feels good.


This kind of hand stitching is so fun.  I'm basically hand stitching OVER old hand stitching.



My jewelry making group that I attend about once a month is so much fun.  We sit around a table in a beautiful art studio, surrounded by beautiful works of art and the most amazing cache of tools you could ever ask for.

I love these times because it's a chance for me to let myself just play and make things randomly, exploring different mediums and ideas.  It may never go anywhere but that's not the point of the process.

Here you see another old bicycle inner tube made into a necklace.  I used the part where you blow it up plus several trinkets off of a pair of old earrings I don't wear anymore.



Here's the closure.  I need to take a class on findings, connections and closures for soft jewelry.  I'm working on that!


And here is a project I've been working on for a year and a half...and I'm not sure it's getting any better!  It's Lynn Mizono's classic tunic again.  I really love this pattern.  I used an old silk and linen pants/shell outfit I wasn't wearing anymore plus other random fabrics.  The buttons are vintage, carved and mismatched mother-of-pearl.

It was not quite right at first, it sat in my closet for a year.  I didn't like the pieces of fabric I'd sewn on the front so I took most of them off.   Then I decided to silk screen it with Marcy's silk screens.  I might just have gone overboard-ya think?  I'm trying to figure out what to do with it now.  Maybe overdue it with grey?


I love the drape.


I also used discharge in the circle silk screen on the back and it turned almost the same color as the front pieces...just lucky.


My wonderful friend, Annie, came over and I asked her how I could tone it down a bit.  She suggested free motion stitching on the aqua circles to mute them a bit.  I like it, not sure it helped but...

This stitching was done after the other photos so I'm sorry you can't see that change on the whole garment.  It helped some.


Any and all suggestions welcome.



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Long Time Coming

September 13, 2015, 9:20 am
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Well, I've been sewing, taking classes and creating lots of stuff but the photos I've been taking are...eh...not so great.

But this morning I decided to send them out anyway.  It's been so long since I last posted I was missing you!

So, here goes.  It's a hodgepodge for sure!



Several years ago a made a vest from a skirt panel I purchased from Marcy Tilton.  It's a very sheer cotton with a lovely burnout pattern.  I never liked the fit of that vest so I tore it apart and made ANOTHER vest!  Never say die!  I found the best little black buttons, so lightweight, the perfect size.  




Like I said, my photos suck...what can I say.  I need to work on that! This is a self drafted vest pattern that I use often.  I make lots of changes to each version so they don't look alike.   I may be taking it to steamy NYC on Tuesday to catch my husband Joe's musical, Escaping Queens, off-off Broadway!  Very exciting!



And here is my first go at Marcy's Cirque dress.  I made it from a funky, slinky, slightly stretchy woven that I got who-knows-where for pennies...I know it was pennies because I have about 20 yards of it!  I use it for checking the fit of a pattern the first time.
Jenny and I re-drafted the top to fit tighter because I anticipate using knits for this tunic from now on.


For me, it's too long.  I think I'm going to do what Domestic Deb did and shorten it by about 4 inches.  I love the knit fabric I used for the sleeves.  I had JUST enough.  I wish I could remember who gave me this remnant...I've had it for a few years.


 The neckband is a remnant, too.  A sheer stripe that I love for neckbands.  This was a fun pattern to make.  I can see it in black...of course.



I was lucky enough to catch the Alabama Chanin exhibit at Heath Ceramics in San Francisco last month.  It was memorable.  Heath used their exhibit space called The Boiler Room which has a beautiful high ceiling, industrial windows on one wall and two gorgeous old copper tanks on another wall.



There were several components to the show.  A table was set up so that visitors could sit down and add to a piece that was in progress.  I wish I could see it done.  There were old tattered quilts that had been over-dyed and then stitched into, clothes to try on and buy (didn't find anything, darn it!), and several of her swatch books that were available to wander through, touch, gasp and dream over.



There were two other Alabama artists showing at the same time.  Above you see one of Butch Anthony's paintings.  I was besotted.  Check out this artist's work, he's really something.  This piece, like several others, was a replica of a famous painting (Sargent's Madame X which I will visit while seeing the Sargent show at the Met in NYC!) done in China, shipped back to the US and embroidered, manipulated, whatever by Mr. Anthony.  Magical.




Here's a piece from my studio.  A work in progress or done--not sure...that I started in a class by an artist named Victoria May.  Loved the class, love her work, not sure what this will grow up to be.  It's champagne toppers, cashmere, silk organza and cashmere, stitched into with red Pearl Cotton.  One of my passions is crosses, X's, plus signs, whatever you want to call them.


And then finally, after a week in NYC with Joe I fly to Seattle, meet up with sewing pal Sharon to ferry over to Lopez Island for a class with India Flint.  I don't know how we got in, sheer luck.  But we are two very excited women!  Here's my stash for that class.  The class is called The Wayfarer's Wanderjacket.  We are bringing two or three old garments and several scrap pieces of cloth to construct a jacket with many pockets from the eco-dyed pieces we make.  Pant-pant-pant...can't wait!




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Dreaming of Lopez Island

October 3, 2015, 1:45 pm
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I got back from the India Flint class on Lopez Island late Wednesday but I don't think I'll ever quite get back from that experience.

Sharon and I kept pinching ourselves the whole time.  First, the organizer, Christi Carter of Sweet Pea Path blog, was such a lovely woman, so welcoming and helpful.  And Patsy, who let us use her beautiful studio, garden and house, was a delightful hostess.  We felt pampered and loved the whole three days.

And then there was India.  Original people are scarce.  She's one of them.  Totally herself and, boy, is herself swell.  She's witty, funny, a great storyteller, poem reader, soup maker and free-thinker, in the best sense of the word.  Being in her presence and learning from her was life changing for me.

I slowed down, or tried to...I think I finally achieved it a bit the last day!  Watching how she works, listening intently to how she phrases thoughts, getting used to the wonder of experimenting without attachment to outcome...all lessons this baby bear needs!

The perennial garden designed by Patsy, perfect in it's early fall outfit.

India reading us a poem every morning.  She picked some of my favorite poets, even one from a Santa Cruz poet, Ellen Bass.


The class was called The Wayfinder's Wanderjacket.  In addition to being the master of eco-dyeing India Flint is one heck of a designer.  In this case it was all re-design as we used old garments to create either a jacket or, in the photo above, a pinafore...we call it an apron, out of a man's shirt or jacket.  Above you can see a participant's pinafore under construction as India explains the little bits on her own garment.

She's a very generous and thoughtful teacher.  And sees shapes in an unexpected way.  I learned so much from watching her pin pieces of cloth together!


And then we walked up to the house each noon-time for a lunch prepared by our three hosts...Patsy, Christi and India.  Such good food, so beautifully prepared and displayed.

Breads from the island that were some of the best I've ever eaten, soup made by India each day, every one earthy and tasty.

Our first dye baths, excitement!

This bath had some metal bits in it I think.  Hence the darker color.

Here's what our bundles looked like while they cooled overnight in the dye bath.

I've always wondered why there are so many pictures of India's hands online.  Now I know.  Her hands are so expressive you just WANT to take pictures of them!  She is really a gorgeous woman in all ways but her arms and hands are mesmerizing and take you to other places!


She laid our cool bundles out on a dress she intended to dye later.  We had a jolly time opening them, one by one, to see how each of our's had turned out.


This is what's left after I opened my first bundle.  Rusted metal pieces, string and binding plus my little label so I could tell which was mine.

First day's pieces drying in the breeze.

I wish I knew who's cloth this was, I hope it's ok with her that I posted it.  I loved the green.  I think it's from apple leaves.


More bundles!

Excitement...it's like opening packages on Christmas though we all agreed these were all presents we WANTED!

Again, these are pieces that someone created in class, I know not who.  Just beautiful!

The path leading to the house...what a magical walk that is!


Patsy and Christi bringing our last day celebration, sad day for all of us to be leaving this dream.

But there was this chocolate cake made by Christi (and champagne) that eased the pain somewhat.


And every night when we came home to our rented house we could sit out on our patio with a  Negroni and watch THIS!

One of the best weeks of my life!

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Drawn to the Dyepot

November 1, 2015, 7:53 am
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When I signed up for an India Flint class on Lopez Island last September I thought I was taking it for the "experience".  I had no intention of plant dyeing fabrics and clothing in the future, I just wanted to experience a person I knew would be inspiring.  And, after all, the title of the class indicated it would focus on making a garment from previously worn clothing...one of my passions.

Oh, how naive could I have been?  So many have been seduced in the past, it was inevitable.  About the second day of class I began to think, "Hmmm, this could become addictive." Yeah, right...

I've been out in my garage over the dyepot ever since.  I liken this process to painting in the dark.  You know which colors you picked but until you see how they all come together on the page you don't know what you're going to get.

That's what I love about this process, it takes me away from the person residing in me that has to know everything!  So, it's not only doing something fun but good for me, right?

These photos are in no particular order.  The results are difficult to describe because I worked with various dye baths and materials at the same time.  I should probably have taken notes but that would be so contrary to what I wanted to achieve with this process.

I'm blessed to live on the Central Coast of California where we have variety of eucalyptus trees.  So first I worked with those.  Then I worked with copper, apple, maple and citrus, I have 5 citrus trees.  Then I asked the cooks in my rosticceria to save me all of the onions skins and worked with those.  

My dye bath varied from old chains with eucalyptus to copper with citrus leaves.


India also taught us a brilliant garment design where she sews two top garments together.  In these photos I used my abundant stash of old cashmere sweaters.
I love this design, it's simple but lends itself to lots of variation.  


This sweater is from onion skins, Bloodgood maple and some eucalyptus.



This was my first sweater, eucalyptus and Bloodgood maple.


This is the back of the same sweater.


This is my first attempt with copper, citrus leaves and apple leaves.


The back of the same sweater.



And here they are together so that you can see the variation a bit more.  It's subtle.  I'm still learning so much.  I'd like to get a bit brighter with future sweaters.

 My dye bath that awaits me in the garage this morning is a fresh batch of a type of eucalyptus leaf I've never used before and copper pipes.  I'm headed out there right now to see what that does!

Thank you, India.  You're one of the most brilliant, funny and endearing people I've ever met.  Plus you hooked me on my latest addiction!












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Blue Jean Lady~L.A . Baby, Seamstress For The Band~~Elton John

November 6, 2015, 9:04 am
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I'm not a blue jean lady, L.A. lady or a seamstress for a band (I kinda missed that window of opportunity!) but here I find myself with a new denim jacket.

My sewing pal, Janet, collected dozens of old jeans for a project she has now abandoned and is gifting her stash of cut-up, pre-washed and ironed pieces to lucky friends.  All of the hard work was done!

I've been "off" jeans for many years; one day they were just uncomfortable so I stopped wearing them.  And I don't think blue denim looks particularly good on me.  But when an opportunity presents itself it could be looked on as a challenge.



That was the case when I visited my friend Sharon in Seattle last month.  On my guest bed lay two huge bundles of denim, shipped by Janet who knew I'd be there.  She gave some to Sharon, too.  At first I groaned.  Oy, denim...
But then I lived with them for another week while on Lopez Island and they grew on me.  So I shipped them home to Capitola, knowing exactly what I would do with them.


Vogue 8709 is one of my favorite Marcy Tilton patterns. Sad to say it is out of print.  What a shame, it's so versatile!   I've used it for jackets, vests and shirts.  I've lengthened it permanently now because my favorite silhouette is longer.  I've also omitted a pleat in the lower center back.

I had fun piecing the scraps and had tons of help from a new pal, JM, who made the job so much easier.  We both worked on the layout and sewing the scraps, it would have taken me twice as long to finish that part without her!  JM, you are a true friend!  I love collaborating, it's one of my favorite things to do.

I decided I wanted to topstitch in heavy black thread.  I didn't have my new, trusty Bernina 560 with me when I started so most of the topstitching is done single thickness with a slightly heavy thread.  When I got home I did the hem and collar detail with the Bernina stitch that goes over each stitch twice making a more pronounced line of stitching.

It's all flat sewn so that the raw edges show on all of the interior pattern piecing, then sewn together with closed seams.  I purposely tried not to match anything.  I wanted this to seem more casual, less designer-ish.

I tried several closures, originally wanting black buttons which overtook the thing like a swarm of huge beetles.  Next I tried some toggle closures for purses, they were too heavy and weird to install.  I settled with these copper buttons, not sure I love them but I can always find something else if they start really bugging me.  I just had to git her done!

I made the sleeves using a very deep hem so that I can turn up them for warmer weather.

Overall, I'm really happy with this jacket.  Tonight is First Friday in Santa Cruz.  We'll be wandering around downtown looking at art in what has turned cold weather.  I think I might inaugurate this beast!
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Winter Dye Pot Tales

December 14, 2015, 8:15 am
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I haven't been getting much sewing done lately.  I've been holed up in my freezing garage, hunkered down over the dye pots (I now have three...) freezing my patootie off and getting addicted to eco-printing.


Fall is a wonderful time to be introduced to dyeing with plants because the colors are so wonderful and the windfall is plentiful.  I've been all over town collecting fallen nectarine leaves (thank you Lisa), decorative plum leaves (thank you Diane), eucalyptus of several varieties (thank you Joanie), persimmon (thank you Daniella), apple, locust, dodinea, maple, oak...you name it.

I have managed to get some sewing done.  I was left with dozens of small pieces of cashmere that I used to test the color of different plants so I made them into scarves.   
Above I used plum, eucalyptus and apple in an iron/eucalyptus bath.


A closer look at the same scarf.




The above scarf is made from a sweater that had quite a bit more pile so the images are softer.  I used apple, eucalyptus and orange onion skins.  Iron/eucalyptus bath.



This one I tried bougainvillea, not too strong a print, I'll have to work on that.  The lower edge is maple.  Scarves give a good opportunity for hand stitching because it will be seen up close.  You can really see the raw edges on this one.  They will felt and soften quite a bit after just a couple of wearings.



This one I think I used (oops, I learned later not to trust my memory and have been taking better notes!) things from the Pacific Northwest in the India Flint class.

I'm enjoying the idea of using the pieces from sweaters in their original shape instead of cutting them into perfect squares.  I got this idea from Gwen Spencer who is using this technique to spur her creative process.  At the bottom of this scarf you can see the armhole on the edge.

I have dozens of new samples and pieces, mostly in the lime green/yellows from nectarine leaves, fig leaves and apple leaves.  I'll show those after the holidays.  Stay warm and enjoy the season.

















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News from the Dye Pot

January 9, 2016, 10:51 am
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For those of you who are not interested in eco-printing you might want to forward on to the next blog you follow and catch me in a few days when I post a new polka dot tunic!

If you are still tuned in this post is a recap of most everything I printed over the beautiful fall months here on California's central coast...Monterey Bay to be exact.

All of the pieces are recycled cashmere sweaters; some in pieces and some the whole sweater.  You will see, in some cases, where I printed more than one piece with the exact same materials, in the same dye bath to get enough fabric to make something.  The smaller pieces were testers but I think put together they will make a very wonderful shawl or huge scarf.

 I'll try to list all of the plants I used.  I came to find that fall is a plentiful time to gather leaves.  Most of the colors I got were in the green and yellow/gold range, which is lucky for me since I love those colors and can wear them.


This and the following 5 pics are all late autumn green, yellow and orange nectarine leaves from our tree.  Sometimes they fall when they are still green but mostly yellow and orange.








This was printed on a very light weight cashmere and silk blend.  I'm looking for more of this type fabric, it prints so beautifully.  I believe it is similar to a fabric India Flint loves to use that uses merino wool.  I'm on the lookout!




 This is from Dodonaea.  It's a landscape plant that's pretty common here.  It prints both green and purple...love it!  It looks like a landscape itself.


More nectarine.




These two I printed in India Flint's class.  I'm sure it has apple leaves, onion skins and dark spots from the iron in the dye bath.




Boy, I know this one has decorative plum leaves which dye an amazing dark teal green.  And a wee bit of loquat that prints the most amazing apricot/melon color...but what else I do not remember.  Bad on me. I vow, once again, to keep better records in 2016.


This is apple leaves and onion skins with some dark spots due to the eucalyptus/iron dye bath.


More decorative plum and loquat.


More onion and mystery stuff!


This is fallen yellow persimmon!


Yet more nectarine, my tree and that of some generous unknowing donor in Santa Cruz who had gorgeous fallen orange leaves by the bucket.  Thank you, Lisa, for introducing me to this find.   I only pick up leaves where I think I am doing the owners a service by cleaning up their yard!





These three are eucalyptus but exactly which one I cannot say.  My friend Joan brought them to me from her garden.  I will be finding out which on because the pumpkin color they produced is exhilarating!
There were some maple leaves thrown in, too.  But again, my friend Lisa gave them to me already dried so I cannot name them.






More decorative plum leaves and one big loquat.  It's from the same dye bath as the other one above. I'm in the process of making a vest from these combined with the two pieces dyed with the Dodonaea.  Yes, I'll post...you can't stop me.

  That's all for now, as if it wasn't too much!
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Coat Dress vs. Tunic

January 16, 2016, 10:05 am
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I've made this self drafted pattern three times now.  It's somewhere between a coat dress and a tunic.  I love it because it's so versatile.  

I can wear it over pants or leggings.  I wear it either with a top underneath or a Sleevey Wonder turned backwards.  What, you've never heard of a Sleevey Wonder?  It's the best thing that's happened to outfits since the dickey!  What, you've never heard of a dickey?  Throw back to the 60's.  I never liked them.  But on the other hand, Sleevey Wonders are the best!  Check 'em out!




This one is a grey and black ponte with buttons that look metallic but are lightweight plastic.


I love the drape.


And I love the way it curves in at the waistline to give me some shape.

This is the definition of a wardrobe basic.

More soon, I'm in the bunkhouse working away in winter mode!

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Winter Sewing

January 25, 2016, 11:42 am
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It's been gloriously rainy here on the Central Coast of California for about a week now.  And I took advantage of it to stay in the bunkhouse and sew, sew, sew!

First, I finished a coat I started last winter.  It's Marcy Tilton's coat pattern V9070 which I think may be out of print.



I got this fabric several years ago from Marcy and have been trying to figure out what to make with it ever since.  It's a reddish brown raincoat type fabric with copper threads running through it so it keeps it's shape, whatever shape you put it in!  

I love it but not sure how often I will wear it.  It's really dramatic so I can see wearing it out at night.  I'm not sure how rain resistant it is but will give it a try soon.  




I had a devil of a time with the button holes.  I think this is the most test buttonholes I've ever done, by far.  I had to do them manually since the buttons were too big to use the automatic buttonhole attachment on my Bernina 560.  Finally got 'em!


This tunic is another Marcy pattern that I loved making and really think is flattering.  I did take it in a bit in the back since my back measurements are so much smaller than my, eh-hum, front.

The fabric is a very lightweight knit from Marcy.


I'll make it again, next time in a fabric that shows the beautiful lines a bit more.




One of the most fun sewing projects in a long time is this Katherine Tilton top.  I thought it might not be flattering on me but was I wrong.  Although it's gathered it really doesn't have a lot of bulk.  I made it out of fleece so it's my new sweatshirt. I have an orange Italian fleece that's next up.


I thought about leaving off the hood but I'm glad I didn't.  I think it really brings a lot to the design.



AND, it goes with my new tunic!  Yep, they're both winners!

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Butterick 6138- Katherine Tilton Vest

February 4, 2016, 7:36 am
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I seem to be on the Katherine Tilton train lately. Her patterns are so well thought out and have great lines.  Something I'm looking for in my patterns now since I'm trying to stick to solids, stripes and dots.

I had so much fun making this vest/dress for the second time.  The first time I made it was to test the pattern with a "muslin".  But it was red upholstery fabric which was far too heavy.  It was a wadder, literally.  I took the buttons off of it and threw it in the garbage!  Enough of that!

This time it worked.  I got the fabric at Hart's in Santa Cruz a year ago.  Yes, it's a coat weight and would have been easier to make in a lighter weight fabric but I'm happy with the results.  



I think the structure shows a lot in this type of fabric.  But it would also be good in a dupioni silk or maybe even denim?  Or how about a black organza for evening??


I tried to use a zipper instead of buttons but it just didn't look as good as I'd hoped.  When I make this again I'll redraft the upper/center chest area at the collar.  It was a bit too large and I had to move the top button over to make it work.  So, I used a loop closure which seemed to make more sense.  Next time, when it fits better, a zipper will work and look great.

This is a fun pattern, keep it in mind.  I'm off to Design Outside The Lines (DOL) in Santa Barbara with Diane Ericson and her guest teacher, Jilli Blackwood.  Excited!  Love this sewing design retreat every year.

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Making Cloth-Part One

March 30, 2016, 9:02 am
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It seems like everything I've been doing lately, in regards to sewing and design, has to do with using  small pieces of fabric that I've saved.

As you probably know, if you've seen any of my posts, I'm fond of black, grey and white.  So, most of my stash goes together!  That's the good news.  The bad news is that as much as I use these remnants, they just keep growing, it seems!  I feel like it's Linus' blanket, I keep using smaller and smaller pieces!

Not to digress but my sister used to sit outside under the clothes line on the day her blanket was washed.  She would drag her little chair out there and wait for it to dry.  The "it" got to be about 5" square before my mother "lost" it.  Sibling similarity...I just can't give up on my scraps.

So, at this year's DOL in Santa Barbara I wanted to drape a dress using my TNT pattern for a knit top with various stretch woven fabrics and other knits draped on the bottom to make a dress.  I brought my traveling dress form....she's quite a bit smaller than I but serves as a fluffed-out hanger of sorts.

I cut the top out of a stable black knit and worked down from there.  I regret not having taken any photos at the time so all I have is the finished piece.  I had a lot of help from Diane Ericson, who dropped by every now and then, plus I pulled her in whenever she passed by.  And plenty of help from Jenny Freedman, the class angel who worked with me really closely, invaluable!

And here's what I came up with.  I wore it to bookclub last night and I think most of them got it but you never know...


It feels really comfortable on and so I think I'll wear it a lot.  I wore it with grey capri legging because it's high (above my knees) on one side.



As you can see, there's a large dot fabric with huge pockets in the front and back.  I used an already made top that I don't wear anymore because my sewing pal, Janet, told me not to.  I did not argue.  It went into the fabric pile. 

I cut the top in two pieces and the sleeves became the pockets.  I'm lucky, I have skinny hips so I can bulk up in that area..I won't mention what I'm NOT lucky with...so the pockets help my profile...at least in my fantasy world.

Here's the top I cut to make the pockets.







I added three dots at the top of the dress to tie in the prints on the bottom, plus, there was just a bit of stretchy ugliness right there so...

The neckband and the sleeve bands came together really fast.   I wanted a little heft since the rest of the garment is pretty weighty.  I cut a 3" band of lightweight knit, doubled it, sewed it to the right side of the neckline with 1/2" seam allowance and then turned it to the inside encasing the seam allowance. Then sewed it down, stitch in the ditch style.   Sometimes you just get lucky.




I wore it with the Cutting Line Designs vest pattern I'd made a few months ago.  It looked better on my body than it does on the dress form tho.  There was a bit of the black bodice peaking out at the bottom of the vest.  I love this pattern, super easy, quick and adapts to so many fabrics.  I've just finished it in a http://marcytilton.comMarcy Tilton crazy laser cut neoprene.  As soon as I've figured out what to wear it with I'll show you.

I've just finished a wonderful class with Gwen Spencer, who works with Marcy Tilton on bringing her designs to life for Vogue Patterns.  She's a genius when it comes to "making fabric".  Her approach is subtle but so dynamic and balanced.  I'm still working on the top I made in the class.  More on that in Making Cloth-Part Two.

In the meantime, enjoy wisteria season!
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Muslins & Mixed Nuts

April 12, 2016, 9:09 am
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I've been doing a lot of sewing in the past couple of months but it's mostly been making muslins to try out new patterns.  Everything seems to be a good start and maybe not quite done.  I'll show you.



While at the Puyallup Sewing Expo last month we stopped by a booth with several Japanese cottons.  We all bought one or two pieces.  I wish I remembered the name of the company and the gal who was the owner because she was so nice to us.  She was wearing a tunic made from one of the cottons that I fell in love with.  I bought the cotton and she graciously offered to let me copy the pattern.  It is a Japanese pattern, I have no idea where you would get it.

I ran over to another booth, bought a roll of pattern paper and my pals helped me find a secluded table to lay it out and trace it.  That might be a first!

Here you see my muslin with some fabric I had on hand.  The front is a Japanese cotton.  I had 1 yard of this (intended to make Diane Ericson's Faultline Vest....I never did but still intend to make it!)  The back is a stretch woven that I appliqued a few of the front fabric motifs onto.

One of the things I like about this, which you can't really see in this fabric, is that the back wraps around to the front at the hems.  When I make it in the Japanese cotton I got you'll see what I mean.

This doesn't look great on the dress form but I think it's more flattering on.  And, it makes up in about 2 hours.



I like this pattern and with our weather changing to warmer summers I think I'll be wearing it a lot.




Here's another pattern I got in Puyallup.  This one is The Sewing Workshop's Fillmore Duster.  They were so kind to let us try on their samples.  Such a gracious thing to do.  I made my muslin from scraps.  It went together easily and was fun to make.  When I make it again I'll either change the collar or make sure it's made with a stiffer fabric.  The collar just sort of lays there with this lightweight knit.  Could-Woulda-Shoulda interfaced it!


I think I'm going to silk screen a little black onto the light grey stripe and carry it up to the left top a bit.  Seems like too much blank space.


Here's another muslin.  This is a vest pattern that I've coveted for several years.  Marcy Tilton wore it to a DOL back in 2010!  I fell in love with it.  For years I've been hoping that Vogue would let her make a pattern....but no...

I think poor Marcy finally got tired of me asking and had it made into a pattern and....she sent me one!!!  The joy that it gave me is probably not understandable to everyone but there you are, I was over the moon.  And SO grateful.

I headed into the bunkhouse right away and started thinking about what to use for the muslin.  Unbelievably, I didn't really have enough of anything I was willing to toss if the first go 'round didn't work so off I went to Beverly's Fabrics.  I found this quilt cotton on sale for 5 bucks.  It's kinda cute, not sure it's me but it was easy to work with.

The pattern came together easily.  The first one was a bit tricky since there weren't any instructions. However, I was lucky enough to own a vest made by the same company that had the same details  joining the top to the bottom.



So when I was finished with this I went on to make it with a pretty difficult fabric.


This is a techno type fabric with little bitty wires running through it.  I had to flat fell all of the seams to encase the wire so it doesn't poke me.  Since it has wire the fabric bends and turns and stays in that shape so it's pretty crinkly...not sure I'm going to like this but I'll wear it today and find out!  It might turn out to be muslin #2.

I like the collar, it reminds me a lot of the collar from one of my all time favorite Marcy patterns.  Sadly out of print.



I'll be making this again soon, I really love the pattern.  Marcy, I can't thank you enough!
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Trying To Get Some Color In My Life....Not!

May 17, 2016, 2:43 pm
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Although I've purchases several lengths of fabric that have a lot of color I don't seem to be using them. I think I've developed a fear of color in clothing.  I'm working on that.  In the meantime the best I can do is a bit of white...


Yes, it's another of Marcy Tilton's V8709 now sadly out of print.  I make this all the time, it's so versatile and really works for me.  This is made from a lightweight stretch cotton from Marcy's collection.  It's 3/4 length so can be worn with skinny pants or leggings, or a long skirt.


Here's a fun tunic/dress from a top pattern that I lengthened.  Fabric from Marcy again.  One side is straight and the other has an angular whoop-di-do.  It hangs closer to the body on me but does have some pouf to it.  I'll wear it with black or white leggings.  


I added this little pocket that is easy for my hands to slip into.  Much easier than an inseam side pocket.  Does anyone know the name of this type of pocket?  Shams, I'm talkin' to you, girl...your the pro at knowing the answer to most sewing questions!


I've been trying my hand at making cross body purses that I use while traveling.  This one is made entirely of scraps and stuff I had.  I didn't use a pattern.  I think there's more stitching that needs to go on the large grey shape to the lower left, I'm thinking in black, maybe a couple of concentric circles.  

The straps are bicycle inner tubes sewn to a laser cut vegan leather I got a couple of years ago.  I haven't been able to figure out how to use it up until now and realize it needs to be used homeopathically.


Here is the back of the same bag, using more of the laser cut vegan leather.  The tassle is made from the bicycle inner tube.  The jury is out on this bag.  I'll wear it a couple of times to see if it likes me.


And here is the bag I just finished.  It's from an Etsy pattern from the shop called SaGranny but I don't think she is carrying it anymore.  The designer is Ginnie Kelly and the bag is called A Cute Bag.  I saw it on Pinterest and tracked it down.  The pattern is challenging but fun and went together pretty well except I must have read the instructions wrong because the outer zippered compartments open onto the lining!  Oops, I'll have to figure that out next time.

Made this one of grey denim, should have used a thinner lining, too much bulk.  But it's going with me to Oregon, Washington and Vancouver in a couple of days to be road tested.

Bon Voyage for now. 

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Variations on Vogue 9193 and Travels

June 4, 2016, 8:17 am
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I took a class with Gwen Spencer in March that was focused on creating fabric from scraps.  It was such a terrific class for so many reasons.  Gwen is an inspiring sewist...well, she might call herself a seamstress, not sure.  You can see her in Marcy's blogs sometimes and even does a video or two in Marcy's studio.  She's so talented and a great teacher.  She used Marcy Tilton's V9193 pattern so that we would all have the same structure to work with.  

Most of the fabrics I used were stretch woven.  It made it a bit trickier because of the stretch but it worked out.  I made the sleeveless version which falls slightly over the shoulder.  I fell in love with the pattern.  First, it's really simple to construct.  Second, it's so versatile.  I really like the pocket detail and the fact that it dips just slightly at the hem on the pocket side.  I enjoyed making it so much I made two more!




I did quite a bit of hand stitching with Pearl Cotton to give it more definition.  I also machine stitched some vertical lines to give the pocket area a bit more body.

It's all about raw edges which I love.

The back is a bit less stitched.  The long black strip is cotton jersey that I stamped.

Details of the stitching

More stitching details.  I did some with regular sewing thread but stitched by hand.  I'm getting very fond of that look.

The next one I made is from a fabric I got at  Fabrix in San Francisco.  That place is a gold mine.  But you take your chances; sometimes I go out of there with armloads, other times with nothing.  The owner buys designer fabrics that are from past seasons.  There are some real finds.
This cotton digital print...I think it's digital, I'd seen on Gwen's tunic and my friend Mary Boalt made a very cool jacket from it.  It's really fun to lay out and try to figure where all the jean jacket pieces should go.
On this version I added the dolman sleeve, I like it because it's not too bulky, something I've always steered clear of in most dolman sleeves.  The bottom third of the sleeve was a bit narrow for me so on the following version I added 1/2" on all sides to give it more room.

I decided on the next one I would make it slightly longer and put another pocket in it.



So here is the last version in another Fabrix buy.  It's a slightly see-through black and grey with cut out pieces of fabric sewn on.  It looks so Japanese although I don't know where it came from.

I lengthened the top by 1" and the bottom by 2".  I also added pocket on the other side.  My right hand felt left out!
I'll make this again, probably several times.  I can see it in jersey, stretch woven, corduroy, organza, stretch velveteen, velour, fleece... anything.

I'm extremely glad that Gwen used this tunic for the class project.  I'm thinking about taking this and one more on our upcoming trip to Amsterdam and the Baltic Countries.  I'm gonna need a bunch of clothes on this trip because the weather will be very changeable.

I just started sewing for the trip.  Why do we like to have new clothes for travel?  It's not like anybody's looking!...

And I'm going to take jewelry this time and WEAR IT a la Margy from Fool 4 Fabric.  I love her travel wardrobes.  She doesn't hold back.  She wears hats, jewelry and looks terrific.

You might give this pattern a try.  Don't be dissuaded by how it looks on the pattern cover.  I don't think it did the design any favors.


I just got home from a 10 day textile junket.  It began in Tumalo, Oregon where I am invited each year to a Quilt Away.  A group of talented, extremenly fun women get together each year, most of whom are quilters.  No quilts for me but I did manage to get two project done in the three days.  One was the black and grey top above and the other was a very cool little carry case.  I'll show you picks of that soon.

Then I took a little road trip up to Seattle to join my friend Sharon on another leg of the journey to Vancouver, BC, for a MAIWA class on eco-dyeing, contact printing and indigo dyeing.  


The first day we were asked to go out and forage for dye materials.  These are the little piles of found vegetation.  We were not allowed to pick anything, of course...good conservationists!

This moody photo was a bit of the huge selection the teacher brought.


Here's Sharon getting excited about the first "reveal".  Eco printing necessitates leaving your "bundles" to steep overnight for best results.  Hard to do but so worth it.


Our fabulous teacher, Natalie Grambow.  A super good teacher who knows how to impart her extensive knowledge in natural dyeing in all it's many applications.  I'd take another class from her in a minute.  The only thing I would say about the class is that it had a few too many people in it for the space allowed and the type of class.  Poor Natalie kept up but she must have been pooped at the end of each day.

Merino wool jersey sample ready for the dye bath.

Some of my samples.  The green one in the middle is the result of the previous photo.

The purple is from logwood.  We did some shibori, too.

We dyed beautiful watercolor paper, too.  


Then...
Sharon and I came back to Seattle for a relaxing day before she headed back to work and I flew home.  High on our list was a visit to the Seattle Asian Art Museum for their Mood Indigo exhibit.  It's small but worth seeing.

Sharon is inside an indigo installation by Rowland Ricketts that was accompanied by sound artist, Norbert Herber recordings.  We got lost in this little room for a long time.  The combination of being surrounded by a "drum" of hand woven cloth that was dyed indigo while listening to the sounds of the process was haunting.  The music ebbed and flowed with our movements.

There were many quotes in the show but I loved this one; from one of my all time favorite books.

A piece from the show, delicately stitched, I couldn't quite figure out how they did it...flat fell, I guessed but then it didn't really look like that close up.

This design could work today.  Love the buttons with the red loops.

Here's a little rabbit that was on a kimono.  He was accompanied by several other rabbits doing various things, all of which had meaning.  Here is a description I found on the interwebs about the meaning of rabbits in Japanese Culture.

 In Japanese tradition, rabbits live on the Moon where they make Mochi - a popular sticky snack.
The rabbit in the moon is lifted out of Japanese myth. Representing the female principal, which meant divine inspiration in spiritual or creative matters, but folly, mania, or death in everyday affairs.
Tsukino Usagi means "Rabbit of the Moon."
The Moon rabbit, also called the Jade Rabbit, is a rabbit that lives on the moon in East Asian folklore. The legends about the moon rabbit are based on the traditional pareidolia that identifies the markings of the moon as a rabbit pounding in a mortar. In Chinese folklore, it is often portrayed as a companion of the moon goddess Chang'e, constantly pounding the elixir of life for her; but in Japanese and Korean versions it is just pounding mochi.
The earliest records suggesting that there is a rabbit on the moon appears in the Warring States period in ancient China. The Chu Ci, a Western Han anthology of Chinese poems from the Warring States period, notes that along with a toad, there is a rabbit on the moon who constantly pounds herbs for the immortals. 


I liked the stitching on this one.

And this one for the printing pattern.

That's all for now. 






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This week's wrap up

June 12, 2016, 9:11 am
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I've been making some pretty simple tshirts for an upcoming trip and decided to try something a bit more challenging.  I'd seen Nancy Murakami wearing Vogue 9174 in Marcy Tilton's Puyallup booth this last March. Hers was a crisp white version. You can see it and another gal's version in this blog post by Marcy Tilton.  
I had a great time making this.  The instructions are very good and it went together easily.  It takes a bit of time to cut out and make since most of the pattern pieces are cut single layer but I think it's worth it.  I made the shorter version because I didn't have enough fabric to make the longer version.  I didn't add the second, standup collar for the same reason.  I goofed on reading the pattern pieces and made the fronts and back different lengths.  BUT, it worked and I like the irregular lengths.



The fabric is an Indian cotton (I believe) that I got in Marcy's booth.


I love the angled buttonholes.  I've been wanting to use this design detail for a long time.  I first saw it  on a shirt made by Katharine Tilton.  The buttons were purchased at DressSew, a wonderful fabric and craft store in Vancouver, BC.  It's a wild place but the prices are incredible.  These buttons were 2 for 25 cents Canadian, which is 25% less in US dollars!

I also did some red stitching at the hem and sleeves.  


I'd like to make a white one for the trip but I'm running out of time!



Here's a fun little bag.  I found the pattern at Hart's Fabrics in Santa Cruz.  I ran into a friend, Leslie, who used to work there, and she told me how fun it was to make so I grabbed it.  Turns out it was the perfect thing to bring to a Quilt Away I attended in Oregon last month.


I used several pieces of vintage kimono silk that I purchased in Tokyo a few years back.  They were my favorite pieces (and I got a lot of pieces!) so wanted to use them for something special.


This was like a big rubik's cube to make but as Lesley told me, "Just follow the directions one step at a time and don't think too much!" It worked.


Here's the front of the pattern.



And here's where you can buy it online.  Or, Hart's will sell it to you online,  I'm pretty sure.



And finally, I thought you might like to see these adorable dog cookies my head baker, Teal, made for yesterday's opening of Capitola's new dog park .  Aren't they adorable?  Teal is amazing!

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New Summer Jacket

July 24, 2016, 10:29 am
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This jacket has a slightly Asian lines...that is if you can see past the wild colors!  This cotton/linen blend fabric is Japanese Echino by Etsuko Furuya but it somehow does not lend an Asian accent to the jacket.  In fact, I've been saying to my sewing pals I might have to join the circus when I wear this!

But they assure me that if I wear it over black (yeah, that works for me!) and wear a cute shoe with it I'll be fine.

I'm going to listen to them and wearing it to a one man show about Peggy Guggenheim next weekend.




This is a self drafted pattern from a RTW garment that my friend owns.  I love the collar.  And the pocket detail is not only comfortable but really adds to the unique lines of the garment.  I hope you can see them because, by complete accident, I matched the pattern pretty well.  I wasn't really trying very hard because I thought it would work no matter how the print fell.  I didn't have a lot of choices in laying out the pattern because I only had three yards and this pattern should have taken about 3 1/4 yards...but I squeezed it out.  I had about 5 square inches of fabric left!

If you look closely you can see a little dash of lilac on the upper right shoulder, that's the selvage, I had to use a little.  I like it.  I wanted to use more of it on the inside front facing but couldn't get it to work.




My husband asked, "How many fabrics did you use in this one?".  Ha!  That's the beauty of Echino, it gives you so many layout choices.




Anything with a bird on it is ok with me, despite what Portlandia did for (or to) this image!




The back neck detail is really nice, too.  One side overlaps the other.

One thing I need to get better at is topstitching.  I think I need to futz with the presser foot tension to get a more even stitch...and take slightly larger stitches.  And I'm going to use topstitching thread next time.  This jacket didn't call for it because of the craziness of the fabric.

My friend made it in denim with red topstitching which looks sharp.

I follow a lot of blogs, they really inspire me.  One that I follow is Wendy Franzen's blog, West Zen Studio and was gobsmacked by her latest post.  You have to see this jacket she designed and made, it's just so gorgeous!  Congratulations, Wendy, what a feat!

I'm headed out to the garage to paint canvas for a new purse...stay tuned.









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Japanese Boro Class

August 2, 2016, 8:50 am
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I took a Japanese Boro class last weekend from Jody Alexander, a local book, textile and installation artist.  I've been an admirer of her work for many years and have recently begun taking classes with her.

Jody is an excellent teacher.  I like her classes because she is thorough, brings tons of books and materials to share and paces her classes so that you don't feel rushed.

Just so I don't get it wrong, here is the Wikipedia definition of Boro.  There has been a lot of discussion lately about whether someone can make new Boro since the very nature of it is something that is old and had to be made that way because of a lack fabric available to make whole cloth garments. I don't think Jody or anyone in the class was trying to say they are making true Boro;  just honoring the tradition by creating new pieces that are in the spirit of Boro.

I won't go into a long description of Boro here, it is a very complicated subject and one I am not qualified to describe accurately.  If your interest is piqued here you will find lots of information about it on the internet.  You might start with a site I found here.

And, if your interest is piqued, Jody is giving the same class in September (which I am taking!) Here's the info on it.  Cabrillo College Extension Fall Textile Classes.  You won't be sorry you took it.  And act fast, there aren't very many places left.

This blog post is photo laden because it's hard to describe what we saw and made without showing you examples.


Here is a beautiful example of original Boro that either Jody or another student, Tracy, brought in for us to study.  These old pieces are in various states of perfection...and by that I mean that the older, more worn pieces seem to be more perfect to me!

Another beautiful old piece.

These are old Zokin which means dust cloth.

On the left is a dress Jody purchased on her trip to Japan two years ago.  It is newly constructed of old Boro pieces and fabrics.  Jody was granted a Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship and chose to use her funds to study Japanese textiles in Japan.  Her fellowship show Keep Modern Library was mesmerizing and so complete in it's interpretation of Boro.
On the right is a dress she created and wore to the opening. The colorful pieces are from old book covers.

Detail of the Japanese dress.

Here's Jody instructing about one of the several bags she taught.  The class was full of really interesting and talented people.

The first day of class we studied how to make the various components of Boro by making pages that were sewn into a fabric book.  These are books that Jody has made over the last few years.

An example of the (pardon my using a culinary term here) groaning table that Jody provides as a visual prompt for the class.  She is so generous with sharing materials.  New and old, they are so inspiring!

Another example...and I can't tell you if it's new or old.  I think it's new.  There was just so much to take in I'm glad I'm going to the class again!

The second day we made a bag using the techniques we learned the first day.  This is mine.  I used a pair of thrift store white levi's and bits of other fabrics I had on hand.  The round/square stamps are ones I just carved last week.  Carving stamps is a new one for me and I loved it.

I'm sorry this piece is so dark.  It is the start of a vest.  More on this in another post as I progress.  I have promised myself I will take photos along the way.

Here's the cover of my little book.

And one of the inside pages.

A sewing pal, Lynn, came down from Oakland to take the class and stayed with us.  Here is her bag. She chose to make it oversized and it's just gorgeous.   It's made from a beautiful hemp canvas she got at Stone Mountain and Daughter in Berkeley.

I regret that I don't have the name of the person who was making this bag.  I got around to see everyone's work and check in with them during the workshop but names always escape me.

This is going to be a stunner, wish I could see it finished!  Look at this collection of fabrics!

Another beautiful piece.  I love this fabric and detail.

One of my classmates, Tracy, had some gorgeous old Japanese fabrics.  And the handle is an old dog collar!

More of Tracy's work.

Again, I'm sorry I can't tell you the creator's name.

Now this one I know because it's my pal, Lisa, who made this from textiles she discharged, eco-dyed and stitched.

Another friend, Marilou made a bag using her eco-dyed fabrics, really great.

My table mate, Pam, had some great ideas.

Another of Pam's ideas.

So, you can see we all got a lot out of this class.  Can't wait for September!






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Canvas and Confessions

August 6, 2016, 11:14 am
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Confessions first.

I've been blogging for about, I don't know, three years now, give or take.  I had a gal configure my blog with features I thought would be good to have.

Over the years I've been receiving emails when I get a response and I ALWAYS responded to those emails.  But, come to find out, I'm pretty sure the person wasn't getting my emails.  They were going to Blogger!  Oy.  I am SO sorry if you responded to one of my posts and never heard back from me, that's not like me at all.

So, from now on, I will go to my blog and respond from there when I get one of your emails.  And, if you are Gail from Sydney who responded to my Japanese jacket post asking about fabrics please go back to that post, I have added my comments and recommendations for you.  I originally sent you a big email but it never got to you!

Huge thanks to Shams, AKA Sharon Zakhour of Communing With Fabric, for helping me get this all sorted out.  OK, confession over, now on to the subject of this blog.

For several years I've been making painted canvas purses.  I've made 5 so far.  They are the only purses I wear unless I'm going out in the evening.  I love them because they're easy to see into, they have pockets that I place in strategic spots so I know where stuff is and they're fun to look at.

Here is the canvas I used for the lining.  I painted half the canvas in black with white accents and the other white with black and grey accents.  I used the lighter one for the inside and the darker one on the outside of the purse.  I like to be able to SEE into a purse...why do purse makers make the inside black?  Probably so it doesn't show the dirt.  But stuff gets lost in there!

I use heavy canvas, I don't wash it before painting because I want it to be stiff so it holds up to future wear and tear.  I use Jacquard fabric paint or just plain craft acrylic.  I apply it with paint brushes of various sizes and foam brushes.  The images are painted freeform, stamped, screen printed, stenciled or I write with Sharpies. 

I layer the paint.  I start with large forms, let them dry and apply smaller images on top.  Usually it's a 3-4 step process.  I don't use an primer or overcoat.

Here is the outside of the purse before I sewed in the lining.  The purse starts out pretty stiff but after a month of wearing it becomes softer and a bit slouchy, which I like.

 One side of the finished purse.  This time I decided to follow the original pattern of the Mackerilla Maxine Bag by putting the long pockets on the bottom of the outside.  I'll see if they work for me.  Usually I just sew in the ones on the ends.

I like to bind the top with fabric I have on hand.  This time I used several fabrics I'd sewn together for another project.  I've used cashmere and raw silk in the past.  I get the handles on Etsy.

The side pocket is lined with a poly techno type of fabric that is smooth and helps protect glasses from getting scratched.

 I carved three stamps for this purse.  The largest one is shown above.  It's the two squarish white shapes.  I've never been very good at carving stamps but I had so much fun this time I think I'm going to carve my own shapes from now on.  

Have a great weekend, I'm headed over to the bunkhouse to start a new, yet-to-be-determined project.



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August 21, 2016, 11:14 am
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Hold onto your divine blush, your innate rosy magic, or end up brown.  Once you're brown, you'll find out you're blue.  As blue as indigo.  And you know what that means.  
Indigo, indigoing, indigone.

Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume, 1984
One of my favorite books.

I've had indigo on my mind the last few months.  I took one class here in Santa Cruz last spring and saw a wonderful exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum called Mood Indigo.  The vest above is from this show.  It's well worth a trip and is showing until early October.  I also took an eco-dyeing class at MAIWA in the spring that had an indigo bath.

I'll be taking an eco-printing class in a few weeks that will have an indigo component that I didn't know about.  I'm happy about that.  I have some previously eco-printed cashmeres that can use a little brightening and indigo might just do the trick.  More on that class later in September.

So I've been getting the indigo bug slowly and without really going after it...it's coming after me I think!


 I purchases 3 yards of this gorgeous fabric from Marcia Derse at the Puyallup Expo last year.  I'm continuing to incorporate color into my wardrobe...one piece at a time.

Marcia was in her booth and what a lovely, fun and talented artist.  We had so much fun in her booth. We were there twice and spent a LONG time with her.  She designs all of her own fabrics and has them printed.  I couldn't decide which one I wanted, I wanted them ALL!  And the cotton is such a fine quality.  I didn't realize how lovely till I started sewing with it, and then wore it.  I want more!

This pattern is from the Bookends line and is called Cat's Cradle in "fig".  I wore it yesterday and everyone said, "Gayle, you have to wear this color more often."...ok.

This is a Vogue Lynn Mizono pattern that, thankfully, is still in print.  I've made it twice before and have just re-ordered it to cut a bit larger.  I love this pattern.  

The print worked out well for this pattern.  I think I've finally drilled into my brain the benefits of getting enough fabric so that I don't have to sweat whether I'll have enough or not.

I've been making these collars for several years now.  I used to sell them at a wonderful little shop in Carmel, Findings.  Do any of you remember it?  I mourn it's passing.

I make these by starting with a double thickness raw silk background. Then I drape fabrics around the base and stitch them on.   I have so many vintage scarves and bits of fabric I used in the re-made cashmeres I used to sell.  Now that I don't do those anymore I'm fishing around for ways to use these beautiful textiles, I'm not ready to give them up.

The little "puffs" are pieces of fabric, kimono fabric, cashmere, anything that works.  I stuffed them and then used Pearl cotton for the wraps.  

The little pinwheels are Dorset buttons made from curtain rings and various yarns.  I've given my pattern at the bottom of this post.  I taught it to my knitting guild many years ago.  I'm sorry I wasn't able to get my photo to copy here but if you look up Dorset buttons you will see many.  I didn't want to copy someone else's photo without their permission.

I was happy to finally finish the piece.  It's been in my UFO pile for about two years.

I'll wear this one, I think.  They are really comfortable.

The closure is offset, or I can wear it so that the button is center back and the front is offset.

Here's the pattern for the buttons, try them, they are so fun and easy to make.


                                               DORSET CROSSWHEEL BUTTON

These buttons are fun and easy to make. They are particularly cute for children’s
garments. They can be made any size depending on the size ring used. 
   

Materials needed:
Plastic or brass curtain rings to fit buttonhole
Darning needle
Strands of yarn in 3 colors (A, B and C)

Instructions

1)    Tie a strand of A on the ring.  Thread the needle with the strand.
2)    With the yarn positioned away from you on the ring, bring the needle up through the hole and then down and away from you between the loop of yarn on the outside of the ring.  Pull tight to form a buttonhole stitch.
3)    Continue around the ring, pushing the stitches tightly together as you go.  When all the way around the ring secure the first and last stitch. If this is the color of the body of the sweater, leave the tail long to sew button on.
4)    Push the stitches to the inside of the ring
5)    Join a strand of yarn B to the ring and make 8 spokes that have a front and back, evenly around ring, interlocking each spoke in the center.
6)    Make cross stitches in the center of the button that holds all the stitches together and makes a nice center.  Weave in loose ends.
7)    Join a strand of C at the back center and bring it through to the front.  Backstitch in a clockwise fashion, back over one spoke, then pass the needle under the next spoke, backstitch over that and so on to produce a spider’s web pattern.  Repeat as many times as necessary to produce a full center of the button. Weave in loose ends but leave a shank to attach the button to your garment or project.


And finally, a couple of photos from a fun visit I made with my pal, Julie, to the Gilroy Gardens to see their Illuminations show that is there till November, I think.




Enjoy the end of summer!

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