making, learning & sharing a crafty life
April 21, 2010 of 365 : laser cut triangles of muslin for my skateboard design
The Disposable Artshow is quickly approaching. I’m furiously hand sewing hundreds of fabric triangles together for my skateboard design. The auction will be taking place on Saturday May 8!
April 20, 2010 of 365 : wooden cross stitch pendant with variegated thread
I haven’t made any of these cross stitch pendants for a while, but I wore one the other day at the Spring Trunk Show. It reminded me of how cute they are. I love that they are like little blank canvases with endless possibilities. My simple zig zag design was made much cuter by the Valdani variegated pearl cotton thread I used. The pretty scallop of the pendant was designed by Andrew. It looks like a cookie and is by far the most popular design.
There have been much more clever designs made on them by Claire, Anabela, Emily, Katherine, Michelle and perhaps more that I don’t know about. Do you have one? I’d love to see it.
I’ve been thinking about laser cutting some more of these pendants, with a few new designs.
To christen the new camera, I had to make a camera strap for it. Or rather, recover the Nikon strap that came with it. I really loved my old camera strap in Zain Liberty of London. Rather than remake that one (which I considered), I thought it best to have a fresh start with a fresh new fabric. I knew the fabric needed to be rather dark, as it would probably get a bit dirty. The reproduction fabric I chose from the Regency Collection was the perfect fit. The print is so unusual and I love the mix of black with bits of odd pink, green and blue.
I had to refer to my original blog post about making my first camera strap to refresh my memory on just how to do it. This project is so easy and the results are totally satisfying. I love the final step of sewing through the strap around and around in concentric rectangles. I just used the edge of my presser foot as a guide for the spacing, which is why my sewing looks so straight.
I am now quite bonded with my new Nikon D90. It’s a heck of a lot of camera, so I have a lot to learn still. My latest discovery was learning to customize the picture controls. I keep the manual beside my bed, so I can dip into it before I fall asleep.
April 16, 2010 of 365 : my new kitty made by stitch face
I had been planning for weeks to buy myself a new bunny from Stitch Face at the Spring Trunk Show. Somehow this little cute kitty stuck out in the crowd and ended up coming home with me. I just couldn’t resist the grey plaid and crochet scarf. Her name is ‘Bunny’, so it actually works out!
April 16, 2010 of 365 : my finished buzz saw quilt top.
I love how this quilt top turned out. I was worried that my all green colour palette might be a bit boring, but I think it’s going to look great on our couch. Actually, all the quilt tops from the Buzz Saw class are pretty awesome. I have already basted all the layers together and have even started machine quilting!
April 15, 2010 of 365 : rosalyn wearing stylish dress book ‘s’
This was the very first photo I took with my new camera! Rosalyn took the Japanese Dress Book class and this is one of the cute dresses she has made.
I worried all week that the weather would be terrible on Sunday for the Spring Trunk Show, but it turned out to be a lovely, sunny day! It was a really fun show with handful of great new vendors – Stitch Face, Beside Herself, Deadweight, Argyle Acorn, and Repeat Studio.
Over the last month, I’ve been laser cutting with Chris, so I was excited to see his finished birdhouses and letterbox. They turned out so beautifully.
I always go home with a few treats for myself. Melinda sweetly gave me a copy of her new print. She designed it especially for the trunk show and is perfect for anyone who loves sewing. It will be framed and hung up somewhere special in the shop. Melinda also made homemade marshmallows and oreo cookies that were so delicious.
It was great to see everyone out on the weekend. Yay Spring!
Back to dressmaking! My latest and current favourite dress is this adorable bib front dress made with Japanese cotton/linen gingham. I made this dress for our trip to New York.
I used Amy Butler’s Liverpool Shirt Dress as the starting point, but you’ll see that I made so many customizations that it’s really a completely new dress. Having done the Pattern Drafting class last summer, I felt pretty confident to play with drafting in my ideas for the perfect dress. I love dresses and tunics with yoke or bib fronts, so that was my first change. I cut the bib on the bias so that I could play with the gingham pattern. Then, I added in a little bit of gathering underneath the bib front. I also wanted to have sleeves that would roll up with a button tab, so I omitted the cuffs and made the sleeve straight. I already has those sweet little buttons in my collection, I’m pretty sure I got them at M&J Trimming in New York years ago. Now that I’ve started adding pockets, I’m completely hooked. It’s so fabulous (& easy) to have pockets, so I added pockets into the side seams. For the pockets, I used a french text print.
I didn’t want a collar, so I just kept the collar stand. I really wasn’t too sure how it would turn out, but all my drafting went just as planned. The one thing I forgot to think about was how I was going to get into the dress. Halfway through making it, I realized that I had removed the button front of this pattern and if it was tight fitting, it might not slip over my head. In the end, it did slip over my head, but that was a good lesson about thinking things all the way through when you’re redrafting something.
With the leftover fabric, I made a scarf for Andrew. I simply cut a piece that was 11″ x 60″. I sewed around the perimeter about 1/2″ in and then removed the loose threads along the edge to create a little bit of a fringe.
There will definitely be another version (or two) of this dress. It’s so comfortable and easy to wear. I must say that I’m pretty proud of my skills on this one.
p.s. That’s me with my D40 is those photos. We had some fun times together. You’ll be seeing photos from my D40 for a while still. That’s how much I use my camera. (and how slow I am to post)
April 5, 2010 of 365 : night time at the workroom
When the lights go out just before I go home at night, this is what the workroom looks like. I love the blue glow off the little neon sign and the street car zooming by.
I’m catching up with posting my 365 photos from April. This month has thrown me for a loop! Rather than continue to post every single photo here, I’m going to start posting just my favourites to the blog. You’ll still be able to follow all the photos on flickr. I want to get back to posting more crafty stuff.
I really want to thank you for comments on my last post about my stolen camera. You made me feel so much better with all your cheer, support and suggestions. You are the best pep squad a girl could ask for!
I went out yesterday and bought a new camera, a Nikon D90. I NEED to have a camera. Here’s my rationale for making myself feel better. I had my D40, plus lens for over a year and a half. If I break it down, I paid $2 per day for that camera. What a deal!! All that happiness and preserved memories for less than a cup of hot chocolate. Rather than stay with the same level of camera, I felt I should upgrade now and really continue to push myself to become better with my photography. Screw you, camera thief!
These are some of the first photos taken with my new camera. First impression – LOVE IT.
We received a large shipment of the latest issue of Uppercase Magazine. I was absolutely honoured that Janine asked me to participate in this issue by writing an article on textile design. I interviewed three incredible ladies who have inspired me with their pattern design and successful careers. Denyse Schmidt, Lara Cameron and Michelle Engel Bencsko were kind enough to tell me all about their working process. Their answers were totally fascinating. I hope you enjoy reading it. The entire issue is jam packed with wonderful features, including cover art by Matte Stephens. Uppercase just gets better with each issue. You’ll also notice the workroom’s first print ad (whoo!) at the back of the magazine, designed by Andrew.
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