what’s happening around here

Posted on by

I made something for the Summer Stitch Fest. I had big plans, cut out 2 shirts, but then didn’t even get the one finished. I finished it on Monday though and got to wear it out for my birthday dinner last night.

8-3-today - 1

The fabric is double gauze which I’ve never sewed with before. It was definitely not as easy to sew with as regular woven cotton. It was wiggly and stretchy and very difficult to unpick when things didn’t go right which unfortunately was pretty often. But, it is light and airy and very nice for a summer shirt and now it is finished.

Things have suddenly picked up around here. I am really excited to tell you that I will be going to Nashville in September for the Tennessee Craft Fair, Sept. 23, 24, and 25. So, what should I know about or definitely not miss while I’m in Nashville? I’m excited to go since the last time I was there was maybe 1981? I suspect things have changed quite a bit.

Also, I will be doing CraftBoston Holiday Show in December but I will post more about that when it gets closer. Both of these shows have just been confirmed so suddenly I am feeling like I need to get more things made. The last 3 days have been spent cutting out pieces of/for tattooed men. The studio is getting that crazy mess look.

8-3-today - 1 (2)

8-3-today - 1 (1)

Next, I have to cut out some ladies. Then, I am going to pull out the dye pots. That is the next step in the process but I will want to wait for a cool-ish day. So many steps!

last man for now

Posted on by

This is the last man for now but I love this toile so much that I just couldn’t leave him lingering in the in-progress bin any longer.

7-29-tattooman - 1

The plan is to cut out a whole new batch and start the process over- cutting, dyeing, marking, stitching, stuffing, embroidering, embellishing… SO many steps. That’ll start next week I hope.

7-29-tattooman - 1 (1)

7-29-tattooman - 1 (2)

7-29-tattooman - 1 (3)

7-29-tattooman - 1 (4)

dark tattooed man

Posted on by

7-28-tattooman - 1

I haven’t made very many dark skin tone tattooed people because I have not had much success dyeing the fabric to colors that I like and I think are even remotely realistic. So, this is one of a very few. He’s been waiting a long time to get finished up.

7-28-tattooman - 1 (1)

7-28-tattooman - 1 (2)

He has a lady on the front of his arm and George Washington on the back of that same arm.

7-28-tattooman - 1 (3)

7-28-tattooman - 1 (4)

Handmade Wardrobe weekend

Posted on by

Have you heard about Sonya Philip‘s project, Summer Stitch Fest? It is all about making a handmade wardrobe. She is hoping to get people sewing, knitting, whatever, next weekend, July 29, 30, and 31, then posting online with the hashtag #summerstitchfest16. I am planning on participating and to warm up, I pulled out everything I’ve made so far this year and photographed it to show you. I tend to make a bunch of stuff when I am going to travel or have an event and then nothing for a long while. All the pics are things I made right before I went to LA in April.

The simplest first- a linen scarf. I actually made 2 but I couldn’t find the other one today! These are super easy to make. The one I couldn’t find is made of a drape-y shot cotton. I bought 2 yards, cut it down the middle the long way, zig-zagged the edge with a variegated thread and done! This one is seamed in the middle because I only had one yard but I wanted this color.

7-26-clothes - 1 (2)

Next is my favorite skirt pattern, Oliver & S Everyday skirt. This is the 4th one I’ve made. Easy, comfortable, pockets. I love it.

7-26-clothes - 1 (1)

Next, a linen shirt. I bought this linen at IKEA, a while back. I think it was meant for curtains but it makes an excellent shirt! This shirt has a pocket because I want pockets in everything. This is the second shirt I’ve made of this pattern. This and the next things are all made from patterns that I drafted from favorite clothing that wore out a long time ago.

7-26-clothes - 1 (4)

And 2 smocks/dresses. I wear this style most of the time, with long and short sleeve shirts, over jeans or skirts. They both have 2 side in-seam pockets.

I think this one looks a little like a Brownie uniform!

7-26-clothes - 1

7-26-clothes - 1 (3)

I could only find one photo of me wearing any of these things. Here I am in LA last April.

7-26-clothes - 1 (5)

Hope to see you posting your handmade wardrobe next weekend!

Another kilted man

Posted on by

7-22-kiltman2 - 1

This fine fellow started out as a composition in browns- his toile tattoos, his eyes and hair, his boots, shorts, embroidery details… but when I got to choosing a kilt color and I’d pulled out more browns, well, it just wasn’t working for me. So, Red!

You can see his brown striped shorts and his knees-

7-22-kiltman2 - 1 (3)

7-22-kiltman2 - 1 (1)

And under his hat-

7-22-kiltman2 - 1 (2)

7-22-kiltman2 - 1 (4)

7-22-kiltman2 - 1 (5)

sailor man

Posted on by

7-19-sailor - 1

Such an awesome toile and perfect for a sailor’s tattooed chest. I love this fabric. I got it off of Ebay- it was a 70’s linen curtain panel, never used, with it’s labels still on. Of course it wasn’t peachy colored; I over-dye to get the skin tones.

7-19-sailor - 1 (1)

7-19-sailor - 1 (2)

Here he is without his hat-

7-19-sailor - 1 (3)

7-19-sailor - 1 (4)

7-19-sailor - 1 (5)

Other Sailor men I’ve made- here, here, and here.

dark tattooed man

Posted on by

Working on these fellows is definitely more fun than the fiddly work of the pattern making so more men ahead!

7-14-tattooman2 - 1

His trousers have tiny stars on them. Love that fabric. His hair is dark brown and is over-dyed grid pattern but so dark that it doesn’t show up in the photos.

7-14-tattooman2 - 1 (1)

7-14-tattooman2 - 1 (2)

7-14-tattooman2 - 1 (3)

7-14-tattooman2 - 1 (4)

summer Santa

Posted on by

I have been working on some ornament designs but it goes slowly and gets frustrating and I just want to finish something! But, I have bins with sewn up but not finished inventory so this fellow got finished with a satisfied sigh from me.

7-11-summersanta - 1

7-11-summersanta - 1 (1)

7-11-summersanta - 1 (2)

Here is a detail where you can see his belt. I embroidered on top of the rick rack and added an embroidered white dot on the belt tape.

7-11-summersanta - 1 (3)

7-11-summersanta - 1 (4)

a newsy post to start July

Posted on by

7-1-news - 1

I am working on more ornament designs (although I hate calling them ornaments since they are just little felt figures and could be lots of things- such as tiny toys, a baby mobile, a decorative bunting… ) and as you can see, this tray of first-try prototypes are fairy tale girls. I’ve got a lot of drawing and I’m going to work on 3-d-ing a bunch of them and we’ll see what makes it to the pattern stage. These little projects mean that my sewing machine is getting a break-

7-1-news - 1 (1)

and so has immediately gotten covered with supplies. And my work table- looks like it has exploded with thread, felt, and paper!

7-1-news - 1 (2)

Speaking of patterns, I have printed up paper copies of my non-ornament patterns and am now selling them in bulk, wholesale on Etsy. This is so shops, and doll or quilting clubs can buy them. The listing is for the Tiny World pattern, my most popular, but I am happy to do bulk orders for the fish, owl, kitty, or swaddled baby, if that’s what you’d be interested in. Send me an etsy convo or email (mimik@pobox.com) if you have any questions.

And here is a funny story. My daughter was out for a walk in Chicago where she lives. As she was walking by a playground, she saw this so she snapped a photo and texted it to me-

7-1-news - 1 (3)

Now I know that most of my tattooed person art get hung up on the wall, but this lady is out and about, seeing the world- I LOVE it! Art in the wild= the best!

If you live in the US, have a wonderful long weekend! I need to get down to my library today to pick up a museum pass for the ICA in Boston. Hopefully I will get some art viewing on my long weekend.