Fabrics From China

 I’m not a big fan of commissioned work, but when you share a kindred vision with someone, they have beautiful fabrics for you to work with and they trust your artistic eye, it’s well worth the effort.

I recently spent 14 plus hours working on an indigo fabric kimono – starting from copying the pattern from a purchased garment, piecing together 5 incredible fabrics and then putting it all together.  At the end I got to embellish it with buttons from the client’s incredible collection of vintage, carved mother -of-pearl buttons – what fun!

The client wanted to feature one of the firmer printed fabrics with a dark blue section of printed Chinese characters  in white, so I used it for a set of matching patch pockets on the front.  The firmer fabrics were used in places where they could help structure the garment (i.e., front band, sleeve bands).  I used a double layer of the thiner shibori fabric on the back, utilizing a diagonal printed motif on the shoulder.  This gave weight to uphold the structure of the garment and also provided a design feature which was highlighted with stacked mother-of-pearl buttons.

I made a closure consisting of 2 buttons and a loop which can be used to keep the garment together at the top or works just as well as a decorative element.

She LOVED the garment – enough said!

Happy Holidays!

Need a BIG tote to carry your stuff around this winter?  Check out the polar bear tote - cute from the front and the back!

My new favorite notion - flower head pins

These flower head pins are fantastic!   I use alot of pins in my work, and these pins are great - 2" long so you can pin through layers of  bulky fabrics.  You can also iron over them as they will not melt and won't get in your way since the heads are flat.  Can't get enough of these!



Getting ready for the Winter Art Festival next month at Monona Terrace.  Zipper is the word of the day - but I must confess that today I committed the cardinal sin in zipper insertion, I didn't open the zipper up before sewing the bag shut.  Believe me, there is no way, no tool that will open that zipper from the backside.  Get out the trusty seam ripper!!



Gallery Night, Friday May 6, 2011

Fashions and accessories from the Fashionable East Side of Madison.  Join us UPSTAIRS in the Gayfeather Fabrics classroom and sewing studio at 1521 Williamson Street, this Friday from
5-9 pm.  Find that special something to bright up your spring wardrobe. 

Pin Stoppers

                                                                 

Ever lose your pins?  I never trust the pinbacks completely to stay latched and recently found a wonderful trick to see that your pin won't fall off.  I sent one of my pins to be repaired by Valerie Hector, talented bead artist, and she returned it to me with a plastic stopper and the following instructions:

1.  Stick the pin through the fabric like normal.
2.  Slide on one stopper (those plastic earring backs that often come with fish hook earrings) and push it
     halfway down the pinstem.  The stopper sits on the back of the fabric, not the front.

3.  Stick the pin back through the fabric and secure the clasp.

4.  If the clasp should come undone, the stopper will keep it attached to the fabric.

 

Meet the Paterson Street Bag

Newest in the series of chopstick bags.....large front flap, back pocket and 2 inside pockets.  Shown with removable chopsticks and also a button version.  Come and check out the latest East Side bag at the 2010 Winter Art Festival at Monona Terrace on November 13th & 14th.