Juju Loves Polka Dots

An update...

A unicorn and a Cyclops.That's an accident waiting to happen.
Rohan Agalawatta

I have been so busy making wedding dresses that I haven't had time to post. Two of my close friends are getting married this Spring. One after 24 years and 4 children with her partner and the other 18 years and three children later.

I envy them for being able to have their children at their weddings. My friend Andrea had her eldest daughter and son witness their marriage. It was very moving! And her dress was beautiful. I don't have any pictures because I didn't want to carry my camera while acting as bridesmaid (or should that be matron?). But I'll show post some when we get the prints. She looked so beautiful. Her dress was silver and black... you'll see.

I'm working on the next dress now and having a great time. More about that later...

Yesterday I had a surprise encounter. After viewing some fancy dresses in an upmarket shop in London, I went to do some quick drawings in a local cafe. (Have you seen the clothing of FutureClassics? Beautiful, wearable cuts!)

Anyway I noticed the long braid of felter Jorie Johnson (see my last post for an enthusiastic review of her books)  at the next table so I went up and introduced myself. She invited me to join her and we sat chatting for 2 hours. How fortuitous is that? She has just come from the International Feltmakers Association AGM in Holland and is passing through Britain on her way to the States. I had really wanted to nip over to do a workshop with her in Holland but couldn't afford it at the moment.

When I came back from my day out yesterday I felt so charged up with inspiration!

Much to do!

Today's inspiration: Laura Walker's buttons. I can't get enough of these. If you want some, buy from her Etsy sight now, before I get them all!

Likes: One of my favourite painters, Tom Wood has a blog and a website. The last time I did a web search on him I didn't find these. He just let me know so now my sidebar is up to date.

Sewing Update

I hate my supervisor. Behind her desk it says, "You don't have to be mad to work here, but it helps." Mind you, she's written it in her own shit. Alan Carr

I had a question about how the Diane Ericson, Fault lines pattern turned out, when I sewed it.

I tried it out in a cheap shirting fabric with a fleece vest to see how it fitted. I needed to alter it quite a bit to get over the 36F's or it would have fastened right at a nipple. Here's the shirt (jacket) on my skinny dummy:

Here it is with the red fleece vest. Again I was trying it out so I didn't want to use expensive fabrics.

I don't think either of the fabrics did it any favors. I'm not sure whether I'll make it again.

I found wonderful Middle Aged Teacher through Wardrobe Remix on Flickr, which is run by the funky dresser Tricia Royal. Love this look:

Great Shoes!

I wish they had more big girls on Wardrobe Remix. But, that is up to big girls like me to submit themselves, I guess.

A last pic of one of my felt pictures. This is the first one I've shown anyone.

I think you need to see a detail photo along with it. I'll work on that.

Today's Inspiration: Annette Totzauer's felt jewelery (look under Filz>picture of the beads).

Likes: I'd like a pair of felt boots next winter.

Felt day

I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.
Jack Handey

I'm very excited by felting since Lizzie Houghton's new book has come out.

This is the most delicious looking book on felting ever! I found it very straight forward in its explanations too.

I have long wanted to have a go at making nuno felt by trapping a gauzy layer of fabric between layers of felted wool. This book inspired me to have a go.

The resulting fabric is light, warm and drapes beautifully. I allow the base fabric to show through in some places and even cut holes in the fabric. The edges are worked to form natural shapes.These pieces have seen been turned in to a vest.

This next piece of felt is trapping a synthetic organdy with sequin appliqué on it.

It forms the front panels of this shirt pattern from Diane Ericson.

I left the edges raw and just sewed them on top of the original panel. That way they are lined with cotton and comfortable. This looks great under another layer. Like an amazing scarf peaking through.

It's not perfect but I love it and will wear it a lot. I'm keen to make more felt like this now.

Today's Inspiration: Lagenlook (go to Ebay, Europe to see examples.) I didn't know there was a particular name for this style of dressing, but in Europe they call the layering look Lagenlook (German). It is very popular with larger ladies but the best examples look very interesting.

Likes: A great example of lagenlook is German label Privatsachen.

More about clothes

Husband to wife: "Put your coat on, I'm going to the pub."
Wife: "Oh, that's nice, are you taking me for a drink?"
Husband: "No, I'm turning the heating off."

More clothes!
A month ago I went to the knitting and stitching show at Alexander Palace and had a wonderful day. I loved being with hundreds of over-enthusiastic crafts women for the day. If I'd had more time,  I'd have happily spent another day there.
I came home with bags of fabric and a bill for an overlock machine. One of the fabrics was this wonderful Italian wool scribble coating, which I'm told was made for Missoni.

I loved it and bought enough for the Sewing Workshop's Soho coat.

Well it's all made up and lined now, and I love it!

I'm even pleased that the weather has turned colder.

I've been busy making felt too.

This piece has been felted into a hairy, sparkly net material. It is now an amazing vest. I'll show more pictures next time.

I've got a new blog project in mind that I'm working on getting ready for the new year. But I'll be posting here until then.

Angel

Did you hear about the little baby mouse who left his mousy hole for the first time? He saw a bat flying around in the big, wide world. He raced home, shouting, "Mummy, mummy, I've just seen an angel!"

It all depends on your point of view I guess.

I disappeared again, didn't I? Well, there's a good reason this time - I've had a terrible stomach flu. So bad, in fact, that I had to cancel my earring workshop at the Make Lounge last week. Big apologies to all of my students and I promise to make it up to you at the rescheduled class.

Because the class has been rescheduled, there are some places left. It will now run on the 29th of November, 6:30-9:30, so please come along if you're in town!

When I haven't been sick, I've been sewing. Rather a lot actually. I found a great trouser pattern that I love the look and feel of and now I have trousers for the first time in years.

And shirts!

I don't have to live in t-shirts anymore. I discovered that if you are larger than a D-cup you're better off using a smaller size shirt pattern and making a bust dart. This is a revelation! Shirts that fit! and I love playing with different materials in collars and sleeves.

Above is a shirt made out of two different African indigo Shibori fabrics from the African Fabric shop. I've used a Japanese bunny print in the collar. I love this shirt because I can wear it over t-shirts or on its own. I've cut the sleeves 3" shorter than the pattern to fit my surprisingly short limbs (??) and so finally I have a shirt that isn't getting in the way of my hands all the time. I'm going to make all my shirts 3/4 or bracelet length. I hate pushing up the sleeves all the time!

Here's the shirt again in a Paul Smith shirting fabric and a Japanese print for the collar. There is a great fabric shop in South London that sells mill ends of Paul Smith fabrics for just £3 a metre! I may well have purchased a few more of these amazing fabrics, but I'm not telling!

I'm particularly pleased with this shirt because it matched some Leo Stein vintage plastic buttons my daughter gave me for Christmas a few years ago.

The perfect opportunity to use them!

The pattern is the Now shirt from Sewing Workshop. I have also made the Zen shirt from the same pattern.

This was made from one of the old kimonos. Notice the "hidden" collar detail.

This is a little dressy and I haven't found the perfect opportunity to wear it yet. We'll see.

More sewing and beading next time!

Today's Inspiration: The new Fault Lines pattern by Diane Ericson. I'm waiting by the door for my copy to arrive!

Likes: Washed silk

 

European Fabrics

What's red and white? Pink.

I love Oilily clothes! I know I'm not alone here. After many years of desire I have finally located some amazing Oilily and the like fabrics.

Look at this Kenzo velvet!

And this Oilily velvet.

They are mine, all mine!

I have been playing with different ideas about what to make with them. Perhaps the 8th Avenue skirt from the last post with some red trim?

Or this long trouser skirt (skort?).

Or this version with red peak-a-boo pleats?

Want to know where to get fabric like this? Try this German site or Dots n' stripes here in the UK. In the States try, The Fabric Fairy, Bunte fabrics or Sew Euro.

I'm ever so busy with the sewing. I'll take some good pictures this week to show and tell.

Today's Inspiration: Kayla Kennington's website. It's not quite finished yet but check out this page for an example of the way she reworks one pattern in many different fabrics. I love her simple shapes.

Likes: Cotton flannel. I saw so many beautiful plaids in the fabric shops in Canada but didn't buy. Now I crave its coziness and can't get me none.

Duct tape reveals all

Why is duct tape like "The Force"? It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

I got back from Canada and hit the ground running. I've been very busy getting organized for the year ahead. (For me the year still runs from September to August, I think it always will.) I have lots of things to post about over the next few weeks.

My current obsession has been getting my wardrobe to work for me. I felt really shlumpy last year. I put weight back on and was less fit. My clothes didn't fit or co-ordinate in anyway. I was constantly enjoined in choruses of friends complaining that they have lots of clothes to wear but none of them fit. I'm know I'm not alone here.

I really enjoyed it back in May when Melody was rethinking her wardrobe (and here) on her blog. I don't know if she ever got round to making up the clothes though. We know where good intentions go.

I've been having a love affair with the kimono flea market I mentioned in my last post. Particularly the Haori pages. Haori are lightweight (usually silk) coats to be worn over kimonos. They aren't meant to close in the front.

The silk is woven in panels of about 36 cm (14 inches) but there are about 10 metres length in a Haori because the silk always folds back on itself to provide a lining. There is also a contrasting silk lining that runs across the back (see below for an example).

One Haori provides more than enough fabric for a skirt, dress, jacket or blouse. The fabrics are beautiful and in excellent condition. So I've been unpicking the Haori's and cleaning the fabric and then re-cutting and sewing them into garments. Here is a dress I made from a silk chirimen (a kind of crepe) to wear over an underskirt.

This mannequin is thinner than me and she doesn't fill out the bust as nicely.

Anyway I've got lots more to tell you but that's enough to reintroduce my existence after my long break.

Today's inspiration: The Sewing Workshop patterns.

Likes: I'm looking forward to making this "8th Avenue skirt".

Bullish Colonial has-beens

What Americans think of the British, from book by Paul Davis.

Two weeks ago I went off to Whitstable to do a workshop with Janet Bolton. I'd done a workshop with Janet before but find it really relaxing and enjoyable to have a whole weekend just to sew pictures. Also, Janet is a great presence. My favourite bit about her workshops is how she weaves her personal history together with the way she works. She is a very entertaining but humble speaker.

As usual, I enjoyed myself. I made this picture of my dream rooster rabbit, which looks a little like my dad.

I don't feel particularly proud of it but I enjoyed the experience. The applique will go away in my drawer of finished works. It may come out at a future date. But don't worry about it. It has lots of company in there.

Today's inspiration: Joseph Raffael video of "painting spirit"

Likes: puddles of watercolour paint

Plant pots in spring

I knew I was going bald when it was taking longer and longer to wash my face.
Harry Hill

I've got such a back log of work to do I can only manage a quick post today but I wanted to show you what I made for my sister for her birthday.

We all tease her for her habit of wrapping tin foil around potted plants to hide the plastic pot. She lives in a flat with not much storage space so she can't store a huge of array of pots to hide plastic pots. So I made her this.

It's a fabric pot that she can fold away when she's not using it. And I printed the flower fabric myself on my Epson printer. It was an old page from a flower catalog. I'm surprised how well it came out. The cotton is soft and supple, not like other transfer prints I've done. Cool! I used this Photofabric.

Today's Inspiration: Emma Turpin paintings.

Likes: Cherry trees in blossom!

Dislikes: Dropping a gas canister on my finger and having my nail turn black. Ouch!

Bummer

The garage told me they couldn't repair my brakes, so they just made my horn louder.

Actually that's not true; my garage wouldn't do that for me so I'm now carless. We are joining a car club. All very good environmentally but I do feel a little like I'm leaving adulthood behind and going back to a time and place where you have to borrow your parents car.

I haven't disappeared, I've just been very busy. That's the problem with freelance work; all the little loose ends can get in a tangle. Sometimes you just have to get your head down and get to work. Bummer, eh?

(Gettit? Bummer.)

This is the original bag pattern from the Onishi Junko book from which I've been adapting my designs from.

The cover has this bag on it

And the ISBN is 4-529-04173-5 (you can see more of it on the Buzzville site I linked to).

I'm still working on a bag pattern and tutorial for you all. Expect something in time for March break crafting. And I'll do a little photoshop song and dance too.

Today's inspiration: I'm going nuts over Nina's beautiful black and white photography. It's tempting me to give up a little of my colour.

Likes: Crochet. Watch Woolly Bullies on Youtube if you are a secret crochet lover. I'm working on some crochet at the moment and it's fun wielding just the one needle for a change.

Dislikes: Nothing in my wardrobe fits. Either I have to lose weight or buy new clothes. I don't see either happening.