waxy pin

at work

I just wanted to give a big shout out and thank you to Nancy over at Owen's Olivia for featuring my navy Paisley Waves #4 border print!

If you haven't been over to Owen's Olivia, then scoot over there and check out Nancy's fabulous tutorials below.

Olivia's Felt Acorns

{Painted} Faux Ombre Chevron Curtains

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 A little news from here:

While neglecting my blog and the internet in general, I have been hard at work on small things which will be appearing here and in my shop shortly, I hope.

A big hello to everyone and to all of the Veterans and military who serve this country.  Thank you.

Deep Sea Diver Cat

William Beebe on an expedition to Guiana in 1917. Source: Descent: The Heroic Discovery of the Abyss by Brad Matsen Author:  New York Zoological Society (now known as the Wildlife Conservation Society) you can find the original Wikipedia entry containing this image here

I got hooked on reading about Dr. William Beebe last spring.  Dr. William Beebe was a well known naturalist and adventurer who wrote very engaging and entertaining accounts of animals and his adventures trying to get to see them in the wild.  Deep Sea Diver Cat is based on William Beebe (he even looks a little bit like him) during the time that Dr. B was walking around the ocean floor in a Divinhood.  (If you scroll down on the Divinhood link you will find a picture of William Beebe wearing the Divinhood).  I did not make his diving helmet look exactly like the real Divinhood he actually wore, because Deep Sea Diver Cat is actually a prototype for a sewing pattern.  I wanted to use techniques and materials that are readily available to the home sewer, so I had to eliminate many details that would have made it difficult to turn into an easy to use pattern.

I spent a fair amount of time digging through the online blog of the History of Diving Museum, it is such an amazing place that we are definitely going to visit next time we are in Florida.  Many thanks to the folks at the museum for writing and creating such a thorough and educational site!

 

His boots have straps and working buckles.  I wanted them to look as much as possible like the real thing.

 Yes, all these years later Dr. Beebe led an intrepid hermit pattern maker around the internet, the back rooms of a library and a popular Coney Island destination on some thrilling adventures in historical digging.  More on that later.

 

Coburg Quilt Show

Tying the banner in the wrong place.

I have been away from my blog home for some time now, because I was working very hard to get ready to have a booth at this wonderful gem of a quilt show. 

My very low-tech banner.  I ran out of time and ended up printing all of the banner letters out onto cardstock and fastening them with a piece of burlap behind to the string.  The banner also turned out to be a little too wide, so the next one is definitely going to have the letters closer together. 

Big virtual hugs go out to all of the organizers and volunteers who put this year's fabulous Coburg Quilt Show on!  Thank you ladies!

Here I am looking a little frazzled as I have just managed to get everything in order a few minutes before the show started.  Big hugs go to Alan for helping with everything (schlepping, food, packing, unpacking, all of the pictures and manning the booth so I could sneak away to chat with the fiber arts ladies and see the quilts)!

It has been Christmas in July around here as everything needed to be packed up and labeled.  My Christmas prints have been in the works for two years now, so I am super excited that they are finally ready to show up here and in my tiny shop on Etsy .

I am also super excited about my needle books, border prints, linen embroidery panels, and quilt blocks soon to posted here and at my store.   

My newest fabric prints have multiple uses, so several tutorials are in the works for crafty projects which will be posted here in the next few weeks.

I met lots of great sewing ladies, who gave me wonderful encouragement.  Thank you ladies!

And thank you Sally and Mary for stopping by, it meant a lot to me!

The Paris Apron Attitude

Amy Karol is hosting another fabulous apron event over at her blog Tie One On.  You definitely need to click over there and check it out for armloads of inspiration.  This round's theme is Paris.

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The aprons are up, you can find the Tie One On post here or go directly to the Flickr gallery.  Much excitement here, as my apron is featured at the Flickr gallery, many thanks Amy!

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To carry off this Paris Apron, safety pin a detachable fur collar around your head and bobby pin your hair out of the way if you can.  Apply a thick layer of foundation, powder, eyeliner and lipstick.  Draw on your eyebrows.  Strike languid poses, make some snooty faces and convert all photo's to b/w.

The Paris theme was a very exciting one.  I started looking at historical photographs right away, mostly through Flickr and google.  A lot of time was spent looking at pictures of half nude dancing ladies in outrageous costumes from the 1900's through late 1920's.  That was when the fixation on using pearls started, though they turned out to be very hard to work with.

I also spent a lot of time looking at Balenciaga's dresses and gowns and the very beautiful fashion photographs taken of his fantastic creations.

Balenciaga was at the height of his career in Paris in the 1950's.  Most of the glamourous photographs you will find of his work will be from this era.  Balenciaga's work is a feat of shape and form, he revolutionized the way fashion approached the female figure.  He is one of the fashion people I like to think about.

Here's one of those snooty looks.  

The pearls form the halter for the apron, but they are permanently sewn shut at the waist, with a knot to disguise the connection.  The apron itself is made from peach toned polyester organza folded in half along the lengthwise grain (this fold becomes the waist) and closes at the center back with velcro.

The pearl neckpiece was measured, cut and secured at the centerfront waist (I used spools of pearl trim from Wrights and Darice packages of large pearls).  The larger pearls were strung onto button/carpet thread.

To give the waist some shape, the folded edge was folded and fused in place with stitchwitch twice to form the angled folds you see here.

The pockets were formed by pulling the top layer of organza at the center front hem up to the waist, and securing it underneath the pearls.  Then all of the raw edges were hemmed with a 1" hem folded over twice.  Press each fold shut with stitchwitch.

Click here and here to see two more aprons heavily influenced by costumes.

The Creative Conference & Seattle - part Two

Hi there!

  As promised in this post, here they are!

A big shout out and congratulations to Kirstyn & Krusty on the opening of their online stores!

Pop by for a look at their work and say hello for me.

 

(Ladies - if there are any misspellings or inaccurate information please write to me pronto and I will make corrections asap!)

 

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Fun and joyful, Kirstyn's designs for charming d.i.y. stuffies, crewel embroidery wall art kits, and crewel embroidery pillow making kits, will make you smile.  I love Kirstyn's Guinea Pig Tooth Fairy stuffies.

Kirstyn:

http://skipstonecreative.com

 

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Krusty is busy crocheting and screen printing up a storm of cool, rad and funny stuff.  From Farrah Fawcett to Harvey Pekar screenprints, and killer crocheted hats, Krusty's stuff will have you giggling.  My personal favorites are Krusty's Big Balls snow sports hats. 

 

Krusty:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/KRUSTYstuff

 

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The Conference & Seattle

Hi there!

Here they are!

Many of the lovely ladies of craft who I met at the Creative Conference of Entrepreneurs in Seattle this summer.

Pop by for a look at their work and say hello for me.

Later in the winter I will be posting the second part of this post.  Kirstyn, Krusty and Denise are busy working behind the scenes getting their businesses and crafty work onto the web - so you will get to see what they are up to then.  

(Ladies - if there are any misspellings or inaccurate information please write to me pronto and I will make corrections asap!)

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 Lyndsay makes beautiful handmade silver jewelry with a spooky twist.  My favorite pieces are Lyndsay's owl rings and vintage glass button earrings.

Lyndsay B.

www.idlehandsdesigns.etsy.com

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Susan cooks up incredible mouth watering lollies in intriguing flavors.  The flavors I would most like to try are: teaberry, nutmeg-creme, and salted caramel.

Susan D.:

http://ThisCharmingCandy.etsy.com 

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Donna's bags are a revelation in waterproof style.  Bright, beautiful fabric combinations, innovative linings and impeccable workmanship make her totes very special.

Donna D.:

www.toteitaround.com

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Erika sews up baby bibs, diaper clutches and dog collars in beautiful modern prints.  Combining ingenious details with contemporary style, Erika's products will win you over.

Erika:

http://www.birdestudios.bigcartel.com/

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Carolyn's got her mind on blending the architecture of quilting with modern fabrics in surprising and insightful ways.  Carolyn's busy making lovely quilts, shams, placemats and now great yoga mat bags (and she takes custom orders!)  I love Carolyn's quilted runners.

Carolyn F.:

www.bipedalhumm.etsy.com

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Emma is busy baking absolutely delicious custom cakes, which will make you sneak back for another slice (I did - Emma brought samples to the Conference, since her bakery is located in Seattle).  Emma's decorations range from the whimsical to the elegant.  I loved the delicacy of her Italian Meringue frosting and white chocolate cake.

Emma H.:

http://emmasdelights.com/default.htm

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Kristen offers child/parent clay classes at her studio in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.  Kristen's classes are all about sharing family creativity, and hey, you will walk away with a prized clay item to use everyday in your home!

Kristen H.S.:

www.khspottery.etsy.com

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Fun and joyful, Naomi's designs for children's clothing, bags, and small pouches will make you smile.  I love Naomi's bicycle onesies.

Naomi:

www.naomijoydesigns.etsy.com

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Val is busy designing and printing delicate and charming card designs for all occasions on lovely linen paper.  I love Val's designs for Valentines Day, which you can never plan too far in advance for.

Valerie L.:

http://designsbyval.com/

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I attended Marlo's class on small object photography at the Conference and I loved it.  Marlo was funny, insightful and encouraging and had all of us fired up to go out and get our camera's and photo's into shape. I can only imagine what miracles Marlo could do for your crafty business. 

Marlo M.

http://CreativeArtsConsulting.com

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Maude is a very busy graphic artist, living and working in Seattle.  Maude has very lovely and impressive work in her portfolio. I love her logo design for Postmark Gelato. 

Maude M.:

http://maudemay.com/ & http://www.mystudioview.com/

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Tamila is stirring up soaps, scrubs, and bath salts all by hand using all natural ingredients.  Tamila's body products look amazing and her buttery bath soap bars, especially the spicy orange and lemon oat, sound heavenly.

Tamila M.

www.UrbanFarmNaturals.com

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Kelly makes huggable monstah creatures, fleece pillows and soft, squashy items of interest.  I love her beautifully made monstahs, they are gently fun and fierce at the same time. 

Kelly P.

http://kapowie.etsy.com

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Dana's cooking school in Redmond, Washington, offers classes to get your little ones experimenting and learning in the kitchen while cooking up healthy dishes.  Picky eaters can suddenly blossom into daring gourmands after a class at Dana's school. 

 

 Dana S.

www.homegrowncookingschool.com

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Anh knits clever checkerboard bags of just the right size.  She is always listening closely to what people on the street are saying about what they want in a bag, and incorporates their suggestions into her designs.  I love the urban spirit in Anh's work.

Anh T.:

http://www.facebook.com/trizanh

http://trizanh.blogspot.com/

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Creative cross-stitch patterns, lovely E-reader sleeves and adorable Ninja babies are just a few of the things Glenda has been cooking up at her store.  I love her cross-stitched birdcage pincushion pillows.

 

Glenda W.

www.stitchduchess.etsy.com

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Jennifer's photographs are painterly and lends themselves well to the charming domino pendants she is busy making.  I love Jennifer's flower prints. 

Jennifer W.G.:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/amicuscuriaecrafts

http://www.amicuscuriaecrafts.com/

Cat Week

I have been reading, giggling and just really enjoying Anja's Cat Week going on over here.

My cat boat.

 

Apparently gardening brings on napping.

  

My friend Linda's cat, Rummy, way back in the 90's.

This is Bowie, Linda's other adorable feline friend.  It is easy to guess how he got his name.

The poster paint cat I was yakking on about in this post.  He was a cat I had when I was small who came to a tragic end.

Another poster paint painting of cats - later I made a duplicate of this painting for Ari's kindergarten teacher and she asked me to paint a series of letter cats (A,B,C) which still brings back fond memories of painting at the easel in the kindergarten room.  The warm friendliness of the little tables and chairs.  The projects fastened all around the room, some still in process, which were incredibly interesting to study.  And I love those easel's, so sturdy, the paint is always standing there ready to go, and the paper is gigantic.

 

Little Bunny Sock Puppets

Ironing board with paper fastened to a very active gluey spot which I can't seem to get rid of.  Note the various glue marks elsewhere.  The olefin brand mark turned out to be really easy to remove.

 

 

To see Barbara's lovely blog post about Cristina's drive to collect sock puppets for a local children's cancer hospital click here.

If you haven't been over to Barbara's blog Miss Pelicano then you need to get over there and check it out.  Barbara lives in Sweden, where she is very busy studying, sewing, gardening and raising her family.  I love Barbara's post about ascots and neckties which includes a fascinating old school manual on how to tie your necktie, you should take a look here.

The pink little bunny sock puppets are going to the Portuguese Cancer League. 

The blue little bunny sock puppets are being given to two brothers as a gift.

Edges of the fabric were embroidery straight stitched with the sewing machine, fused with Pellon Wonder-Under , and ironed onto the socks so that the applique stayed in one place while they were machine stitched on with a regular straight stitch.

 

Okay, so these socks have an acronym on them that is being covered up with fabric.  The socks are very simple, cute and both have pretty, soft colored yarns knitted into them, making them very versatile for puppet making.

Here they are with their ear and face appliques sewn on.

 

 

The socks are turned inside-out and the ears are sewn shut on the sewing machine.

The eyes are hand embroidered, and the pom pom noses and tails are sewn on.

The two pink ones are being sent to Portugal today! Thank you Barbara for posting about the sock puppet drive, I had a great time making these two! 

The Circus Apron

Making the Circus Apron for Amy Karol's apron event - Tie One On - Circus Theme.  If you haven't been over there - you need to click over and check it out.

All of the apron entries are up - you can find them here.

Painting the muslin with True Value paint - colors:  Sandy Brown (this ends up looking like a dirty buff pink), New Orleans (pale chartreuse green), and Country Blue.

I am feeling super tired right now - so you will have to excuse the lack of writing and explaining the silly seamstress struggles I underwent while ignoring the stern clucking and tutting of the invisible seamstress teacher in the room.  Ha - I will too make the yoke collar this way and spend hours trying to correct the wonky turn in it!  I will demand that this cummerbund belongs here even though I can't get it to fit properly and the design doesn't even need it!

 Yoke collar and star pocket are made from rayon velvet backed with felt.

Back of apron skirt unbuttoned.  The apron is a cross between a pull-over smock and a pinafore.

Bound buttonhole - quick down and dirty method.

     One quarter circle added on either side of center back to make the faux train flounce.

The circus theme was really exciting, so much inspiration in those circuses! 

I based the apron on the costumes the lady horseback riders and tight rope walkers wore between 1890-1910.  Costumes made for circus performers are really interesting - so many really fun details and surprising visual twists, especially the costumes made between 1880-1950.  To look at period circus costumes you can click over to a previous post with several research links.

I am really excited to have my third blog called House Work started - you can check it out here (or you can click on the button in the sidebar).  

And I took a new picture of my feet the other day - that one over there in the sidebar - ha they look like sausages wedged into those trouser socks.

I hope you are having a good holiday weekend!

To see previous Tie One On apron entries go here, here and here.

 And for an amazing film about a traveling strong man named Zampano and his hired assistant Gelsomina, so beautiful and heartbreaking, click here. (Zampano bought Gelsomina from her mother).

For more about La Strada go here.

At the Fair

Yes - I did manage to visit a certain Fair, the one with the 

Renegade reputation, while in the city of the Golden Gate.

 
 After spotting this shirt while across the aisle from Recession Clothing, I knew it was a good one.  The organic cotton knit is buttery soft and the print has a beautiful fade.  This shirt is now a new favorite, since it looks as good with cutoffs as it does under a dress.  It was so nice to meet Leah Stovel too.  I loved how Leah had her booth set up - all of the display units were understated, elegant and showcased her clothing beautifully. 

  

 I love his jaunty personality and how delicately he has been painted.  

  I have wanted an Onion Man painting for some time now.  So it was with great excitement that I spied him in Emily's booth.  Debilitating shyness struck when approaching Emily and I completely failed to introduce myself.  It was a treat to see The Black Apple booth in real life - the pretty printed oilcloth, the displays with the little chalkboards and little trunks were eye-catching and worked well to display the wares to best advantage. 

Since our return from this second trip down the coast, I have been very busy making a messenger bag, small card wallet, and papers folder.  Some comedy here and there, like fusing paper and fabric to the ironing board cover (I always seem to do this to myself) and pressing olefin with a red hot steaming iron so that I now have brand marks on my pressing cloth and ironing board.  All this so I could be here this week.  I am very excited to meet the people whose words I have been reading or listening to for some years now - and I will work hard to conquer any stray fits of shyness.