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!
