Last March, while taking a mini class with Diane Ericson in her wonderful Ashland studio, we were lucky enough to meet her son, Miles Frode. He's a multi-talented man. He paints, writes poetry, performs his poetry (check him out on UTube) and is a fantastic teacher.
He gave us little lesson on his method of painting canvas for garments. And, he brought in several canvases for us to look over and purchase. I swooped down on three large ones and held on tight until I figured out what they wanted to be.
Katherine Tilton's B5891 won. I made the jacket without sleeves because I love this shape so much. This is my third time making it, first time in a vest though. I would have made a jacket but I didn't have enough fabric.
I'm so in love with this painting, er, vest! It's true wearable art and what a beautiful canvas it will be when I wear it. Just about any color will pair nicely with this. His colors are bold but earthy, saturated and complex. I'm thrilled.
I auditioned several buttons at my local fabric store, Hart's Fabrics. I wanted something that would stand up to the art but not compete with it. These buttons are about 2" square and come in all kinds of great colors. These are a dark taupe.
I didn't want to mar the canvas by making gigantic buttonholes so I made loops from old silk cording in a dusty smudgy pink. Both of these colors; the buttons and the cording have their own integrity and richness without standing out.
I faced the collar with a cotton net that I got from Marcy Tilton at a DOL a long time ago. I wonder if she still has some? I've used it so much I'm out and would love to re-stash. It feels and looks like it's vintage. Very low-key and textural. I felt I had to face the canvas on the back of the collar and this was the least obtrusive fabric I could find. I'm hell-bent to use what I have these days!
The pattern calls for inseam pockets but I thought they would be too bulky so I made ones that are sewn on, single layer. The facing is the same fabric I used to face the collar.
I left most of the edges raw and used a cover stitch at the edge to finish it a bit.
The back had a place where the painting was a bit sparse so I used another piece of the canvas and patched it on the hem.
I'm particularly fond of this side. Wish I could see it more when I'm wearing it.
A little close up.
And another close up.
Thank you, Miles! I'm going to wear this to the fashionART Santa Cruz fashion show on Sept. 20th here in Santa Cruz.
