2 more-
Here they are, waiting patiently to get their photos taken. Owls in a basket!
some light brown owls
In my Mom’s later sewing years, the 1980’s and 90’s, she used a lot of beige and brown. When I make the brown owls, many of the fabrics are from her scraps and/or stash. I love thinking about the beautiful clothes she’d made from them.
Pretty much everything on this one is directly from Mom’s attic.
This one is a mix of newer and older- wovens from Mom, knit (wings and cap) is a reclaimed sweater.
owl 3-dark brown
Hoot! It is so much fun to pull out the bins and pick through all the colors and textures and put them all together to make something with a unique personality.
2 grey/black owls
It is owl time around here. I’m making a variety, a group, a parliament, of owls!
helper wanted
I am looking for a very part-time helper- one day a week, 6 hours or so. I live in Arlington, a suburb of Boston. I need someone to help me do the things I do which would mostly be the machine sewing part of the making but also various random things like getting ready for shows, cutting fabric, tracing patterns, and on and on. If you are interested in hearing more, email me at mimik@pobox.com.
The photo is the 50 fish bodies I cut out this week- I love all the colors! Yes, I’d love some help sewing them up!
what’s happening around here
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
dark tattooed man
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.
He has a lady on the front of his arm and George Washington on the back of that same arm.
Handmade Wardrobe weekend
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.
Next is my favorite skirt pattern, Oliver & S Everyday skirt. This is the 4th one I’ve made. Easy, comfortable, pockets. I love it.
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.
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!
I could only find one photo of me wearing any of these things. Here I am in LA last April.
Hope to see you posting your handmade wardrobe next weekend!
Another kilted man
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-
And under his hat-
