Category Archives: General

Fabric- free!

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linen

I have put some scans of fabric onto Flickr. The pictures on Flickr are better then this one. I am clearing out lots of stuff from my Mom and am drowning in sewing stuff. There are at least several yards of all of these fabrics- some have lots of yards! If you want any, email me… There is more, but I’ll see if I get any takers this way. If not, I am donating them to the local school for Fashion Design. I also have a stack of fashion magazines and coverless Vogue pattern magazines from the earlier part of the 70’s that will be yard saled unless someone wants some.

11/22/05- Please note- all of this fabric is long gone. I am not sending out any more fabric. Thanks.

furry stuff- boots and vest

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shoe making- I’m loving my new little alligator clip clamps.

shoes1

Here they are, all done. The red leather is from an old glove- very thin leather, so nice to work with.

shoes2

vest- mink trim- the mink was a gift from Lois- Thanks!

vest

Here she is in her finery.

dollb

I have to sew closures on the tunic, pants and vest. The wig needs work- either remaking it from scratch or redyeing the one I’ve made or something.

I will be away for the rest of the week- too bad, since I feel like I’m on a roll.

mushrooms

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mushrooms

Yummy mushrooms! These oyster mushrooms grew in a pile of leaves in the yard. I took our mushroom kit out of the plastic bag, where it had been stewing all winter- sitting on the back porch. I broke the straw into chunks and stuck them in the half- rotted leaves. A few weeks later, this is what I found!

frustration

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I am working on 2 dolls right now and I am getting very frustrated with both of them. This is S. The idea with her is an over-abundance of lacey-ness. I’ve made her a slip and am now working on her dress, but they are not working together the way I want them to…

slip-

slip

bodice-

bodice

the dress is reworked from a vintage baby dress. I thought I had it all figured out, but after sewing the sleeves on, I discovered that the neckline of the bodice is higher then I planned- totally hiding the lace of the slip. And there is a lump where the lace is under the bodice. Something is going to have to be redone.

This is B. I want to make a vest, but the design is not gelling in my brain…

b

more on the chair

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Ione and her chair came home from the photographer yesterday. I’ve had some questions about the chair so now I’ve put up more pictures and some close-ups.

chair1

I used iron wire. I can buy some types at my local hardware store. Other sizes I have to get at a company specializing in wire. I used 14 gauge for the main structure of the chair. 16 gauge for the filling in wire work.

cahair2

I used 20 gauge wire for the edge wrapping and also for some of the structural wrapping attachments… does this make sense- I can’t quite figure out how to explain it!

chair3

Lastly is this wire “thread”. It is 24 gauge, I think. Or maybe 26 gauge- it wouldn’t matter which I used anyway. It is used to sort of sew or lace everything together.

chair4

After I finished the chair, I sprayed it with a clear finish. Otherwise it would rust and I didn’t want to risk ruining Ione clothing.

Wire (Everyday Things) is an excellent picture reference, although it doesn’t have any actual instructions- it’s all visual inspiration.

project next

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I’ve started in on 2 dolls-

doll b (my working name) has pants and shirt started-

doll b

doll s is still in the fabric sorting stage-

doll s

Starting in on a new doll means making lots of piles of fabric and trims, lots of boxes and drawers sorted through. The piles on my desk are getting high. I also pull out fabrics for other dolls as I go through all the bins. Those fabrics sit on top of the doll that they will eventually (maybe) go with.

piles

This is my desk right now… well actually it’s worse since I took the photo.

doll stand

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I dropped off Ione with the photographer today- she gets her official portrait (slides). That meant I had to make a stand/seat for her.

Ione chair

This is the chair in progress. It is made of iron wire- I love working with wire; it’s like 3D line drawing. I’ll post a finished picture when she gets home again.

incoming…

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here is the car before I started unpacking- home from Connecticut-

car

I now have piles and piles of stuff to read-

magazines

yes, that seems to be Brooke Sheilds selling toothpaste…
and to top it off, my order from AmazonJapan arrived! Goodies!

amazon

Also, Hanna suggested in the comments that I might use some of my magazines for collage- I couldn’t find her email to respond- so I’m responding to anyone- anybody want some 70’s fashion clippings and/or magazines? If you are interested, email me or leave a comment and I’ll stuff some envelopes.

70’s emersion

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I was down in Connecticut again yesterday- doing some more clean up at my parents house. I came home with a car full of 1970’s! I think my mom stopped throwing anything away in 1975. I am reliving my youth, looking through all the old magazines. I found most of a year of Ms. Magazine 1975- 76. Also some copies of Better Home and Gardens, Family Circle, Woman’s Day, and Glamour. There are French and English Fashion magazines and Vogue sewing books- those magazines that have all the patterns in them. I also brought home about 50 more Vogue designer patterns, probably 70’s and 80’s vintage- I can’t really tell. I am putting those up on ebay. I’m not sure what to do with the magazines after I look at them. Eleanor wants to have a yard sale to make money for traveling, so that might be where they go.

I also found some really good resource books on fashion history- one that I had been trying to find a used copy of! and buttons, fabrics, trims, family photos, and more. I always come home with some real treasures.