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Archive for the 'textiles' Category

HAND PIECED SAWTOOTH BLOCK

Published

Karyn

on January 12, 2010

in patchwork, stitchery, textiles and the workroom

. 12 Comments

More and more I love doing hand work. There is something so peaceful and thoughtful about it. The first Intro to Hand Work class started on Saturday. I was eager to finish my homework, so I completed my sawtooth block by Sunday night. Since I didn’t need my machine, I did most of the work sitting in bed watching tv online and listening to podcasts. It feels so luxurious to sew this way!

Over time, I’m sure my stitching may become more even, perhaps more tiny but I think I’m doing okay to start.

I decided to feature the pink vintage feedsack fabric that I bought at Quilt Market in October. The dark grey contrasting fabric is a Japanese import that we just received. I’m hoping to throw in some aqua Tula Pink hexagons, but I don’t feel ready to commit to my border fabrics just yet.

I bought a small vintage tin on ebay today to hold my hand quilting ‘kit’. I want everything to be kept together and portable, so I can work ‘on-the-go’. Our teacher, Carolanne, has two tins that sit one in the other on her lap while she rides the streetcar and does her hand piecing.

BTW. My favourite pins right now are these slim white glass head pins. (last photo) They are nice to handle and easily slide through all fabrics, especially finer ones like Liberty Tana Lawns.

SHERIDAN TEXTILE STUDIO SALE

Published

Karyn

on November 17, 2009

in local, stitchery, textiles and the workroom

. 8 Comments

Sheridan Textile Studio Sale
Friday November 20, 2009
5-9pm
at the workroom

the workroom has a certain fondness for the Sheridan Textile Studio program. Students in this program spend three years exploring printing, dyeing, felt making, surface embellishment, mixed media and digital design. So much fun! Both Debbie and Rosalyn are enrolled in this fantastic program, so I’ve seen first hand all the incredible work that goes on there.

Every year the students have a fundraising sale to make money for the graduating class’ final exhibition. I’m delighted to be able to host this year’s winter sale at the workroom. I hope you’ll drop by after work on Friday to browse the lovely wares and support Sheridan’s third year Textile Studio class. I got a sneak peek at a sampling of the goodies for sale and they include hand-printed pincushions, lavender sachets and aprons. I can’t wait to see what else they’ve made and to pick up some early holiday gifts.

STYLISH DRESS BOOK 2 : DRESS “B”

Published

Karyn

on November 8, 2009

in stitchery and textiles

. 11 Comments

I’m so glad you like the new section on the blog! I’m excited to fill it up with lots of Japanese dress books and creations.

I’ve been holding on to this metallic linen for ages. It’s from our trip to New York last year. Sometimes I tend to spend a lot of time waiting for things to be absolutely perfect before making a decision. That sure makes for some slow crafting.

This special fabric needed a super simple pattern that would allow it to shine. It finally dawned on me that Dress “B’ was just that. It was one of the patterns in the book that I’ve overlooked a hundred times because it was so plain.

This t-shirt style tunic called for a bit of trim, which I picked out at Mokuba. The wide linen-coloured eyelet trim has a nice soft contrast to the shiny blue. I chose to simply trim the sleeves and hem, but not the neck. I really love the neckline on this dress, it is so wide and open.

The dress was very easy to sew. You’ll notice that my version is much shorter than the book’s and I did not make the slip that they show with it. As is usually the case, there is no zipper or closure of any kind. The neckline does have a facing, which I understitched to give it a clean finish. I also trimmed a bit off the sides to give it a slimmer silhouette.

I like this dress a lot. I made it for my birthday this year, nothing like a little sparkly linen to celebrate a special occasion. I would definitely like to make this pattern again in another variation, perhaps a nice wool for winter?

QUILT MARKET : PART TWO

Published

Karyn

on October 23, 2009

in patchwork, stitchery, textiles, the workroom and traveling

. 11 Comments

Okay, so the majority of my trip to Quilt Market was actually spent wandering around in a bit of a daze surrounded by ridiculous amounts of fabric and more quilts that you can ever imagine. Whoa. For someone who loves textiles, it’s definitely sensory overload.

Let me start by explaining exactly what Quilt Market is. It’s a huge trade show for the quilting industry that happens twice a year. The fall show is in Houston Texas, while the spring show moves around from city to city. The spring 2010 show will be in Minneapolis. The first part of quilt market is to the ‘trade only’ and all the fabric manufacturers, designers and distributers have booths where they show off all their new collections. The booths are usually filled with quilts, accessories and clothing made up from the fabrics and you can sit down and look through all the collections and place orders for your shop. Sewing machines, notions, quilt patterns, books and magazines are also represented. You would not believe all the sewing gadgets, accessories, and even lotions and potions that are represented. I was surprised to see several vintage dealers who sold fabrics, quilts and even buttons and jewellry. I treated myself to a sweet pink vintage feedsack and a few yards of an old orange floral fabric.

There is also a Quilt Festival that happens right after Quilt Market and this is open to the public. There is a huge exhibit of vintage quilts, along with quilts that have been entered into competition. The lighting was pretty awful in the convention centre and especially in the exhibit, but I tried to get photos of my favourites. It’s fascinating to see all the different types of techniques that are used in these modern quilts, including all kinds of hand painting, beading and photo transfers.

Since I was hanging out with the Soak gals, I got to tag along to their meetings with some of the designers. I got to meet (and secretly gawk at) Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, Heather Bailey, Joanne Figuerora, and Sandi Henderson. Each of these talented ladies were so incredibly sweet and I was just blown away with the new amazing collections and patterns they have come up with. You can be sure to find lots of their new stuff coming to the workroom a.s.a.p. I was especially charmed by Anna Maria Horner’s new line of flannels for kids – FINALLY, flannel prints that are modern and not too cutesy. Heather Bailey won for best booth design at the show and it was well deserved. I loved her wallpaper, clothes line and she even had real sod laid out. Check out her cute new patterns – Henrietta turtle and Claira & Clancy pig dolls. I can’t wait to get them in the shop.

There were so many independent quilt pattern designers at the show, but the one that stood out for me was Carolina Patchworks. In particular her Another Brick in the Wall and Golden Waves seemed like super fun quilts to make. I picked up four of her patterns for the shop and can’t wait to try them out.

I told you before I left that I had two missions – Japanese fabric and felt. Sadly I didn’t discover a good source for felt, but I hit many home runs on Japanese fabrics! I made great new contacts and ordered some unbelievably awesome Japanese prints. I was so excited about them that I completely forgot to take photographs of them, but this way you’ll be surprised and delighted when they arrive.

I do have a sneak peak for you of my favourite find – Puti de Pome. I ordered quite a few of these prints including this sweet map fabric, these cars and this border print. Of course, I also ordered some of the new echino line. I tried not to go overboard, but it was really hard.

To sum up all that – great food (not counting the convention centre food), quilt mania, inspiring designers and new fabrics and lots of J-A-P-A-N-E-S-E cuteness on the way!!

Check out part two of my slide show…

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

STYLISH DRESS BOOK : DRESS ‘J’

Published

Karyn

on September 30, 2009

in stitchery, textiles and the workroom

. 45 Comments

I don’t think I’ve ever studied a book as much as I’ve studied the Stylish Dress Book. Every week or so, I pull it off the shelf and carefully flip though it, examining the photos and the technical drawings looking for my next project. The crazy thing is that I always find something that seems ‘new’ to me.

A couple months ago, I had tucked away a couple metres of the nani IRO fuwari fuwari double gauze cotton in purple when it had arrived. The entire bolt got snapped up within 24 hours. Within a few days both Ayalah and Melinda had whipped up cute frocks from the Stylish Dress Book, but I just couldn’t decide what to make.

The incredible thing about this particular nani IRO print is that it changes as it moves across the width of the bolt. This plays out in interesting ways depending on how you choose to lay your pattern out.

With the colder weather approaching, I’m switching to making shirts and tunics that I can wear with jeans (my cold weather uniform). I decided to change Dress ‘J’, into a shirt that could also double as a cute cardigan.

One of my favourite details in sewing in using variegated thread. I get so much pleasure from seeing the thread colour change along my stitching line. Seriously, it makes me so happy. I used it to sew my buttonholes on this shirt and I just love how they turned out. Little coloured rainbow buttonholes! This particular spool is called ‘Water Lilies’ (clearly a reference to Monet) and it changes from purple to pink to blue to green.

I’m going to Houston, Texas next Friday with Jacqueline for Quilt Market! Does anyone know anything about Houston? Is there anything I should see? I’m pretty excited to go check out all the new fabrics and maybe meet some of the designers. My two missions are ‘Japanese imports’ and ‘felt’.

WARDROBE REFRESH #4

Published

Karyn

on September 27, 2009

in natural dyeing, textiles and the workroom

. 9 Comments

Last night I dreamt about natural dyeing. Stirring big black pots of coloured liquid with fabric swirling all around. To be fair, before I fell asleep I was looking up information on logwood. Logwood is my favourite natural dye, it gives you shades of black, grey, purple and everything in between. Right now, I am in love with all of those colours. I can’t get enough.

I don’t have a “before” photo, but this button-down shirt used to be white. It’s just a simple fitted cotton shirt from Abercrombie. The problem was that it got some mysterious yellow stains after a washing that made it unwearable. Rather than toss it, I kept it hoping that someday I might be able to revive it back to life.

The second run of our Natural Dyeing class just finished and we had a logwood dyebath just hanging out at the workroom. After mordanting the shirt, I dropped it into the pot for a half hour. The resulting colour is a subtle greyish lavender and now the shirt is back in my closet.

I’ve been thinking about doing a quilt from natural dyed fabrics. There is something so incredible and rich about fabrics that are natural dyed. Even the slight unevenness of the colour adds to the charm.

I’d love to do a quilt with all different shades of logwood and a bit of pink cochineal thrown in. I’ve started a list of future quilt projects I hope to tackle. I have a feeling this list is going to grow quickly. You’ll find it at the bottom of My Crafty List of Things to Do.

STYLISH DRESS BOOK 2 : DRESS ‘S’, AGAIN

Published

Karyn

on September 7, 2009

in stitchery, textiles and the workroom

. 18 Comments

Liberty of London Summer Challenge : Project 6
Stylish Dress Book : Dress “S” in Zain Liberty of London Tana Lawn

If you have a sharp eye, you’ll catch that I’ve done this dress before. It’s not often that I repeat a pattern, but I have fallen in love with this style. My “Little Stars” version has become one of my easy favourites. It is perfect for dressy nights out and comfortable to wear every day.

Your sharp eye might also catch that I’ve used the Zain Liberty fabric already, for my camera strap. I thought it would be great to make a ‘black-ish’ dress to transition to fall that I could wear with tights when the weather got colder. I love how some of these Liberty of London prints seem so wild and crazy up close, but from far away read as quite sophisticated.

The dress exactly is pretty much exactly the same as the other one. I didn’t end up taking the sides in at all, so the skirt is slightly more full. I like this. I also repeated my modification of adding several lines of shirring just above the waistline. It’s like wearing an invisible belt. I feel shapely without feeling restricted.

Keep your eye out for at least one more version of this pattern, I’ve decided it will make a great top with some minor modifications.

INTRODUCING : BESPOKE UPRISING

Published

Karyn

on August 14, 2009

in introducing, local, textiles and the workroom

. 4 Comments

I’m a new fan of Bespoke Uprising. I only discovered Roisin Fagan’s work at our last trunk show and I promptly treated myself to a pair of her paper airplane screen-printed tea towels. (They hang pretty in the workroom’s blue bathroom) Roisin’s subject matter are beautiful, everyday things like mason jars, ferns, power lines, and nasturtium. For me, her prints alone would be enough but Roisin then turns her printed fabrics into wallets, buttons, pillows, reversible dresses and more. Be sure to browse her lovely goods in person at the Kids Trunk Show on August 23rd.

Roisin also has a new venture with Arounna of Bookhou called, “repeat“. They’ve only just set up shop, but I already want everything. I’m especially excited that repeat will be selling fat quarters of their printed fabrics.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Roisin : When I was very small, I wanted to be a unicorn. I used the watch the movie, ‘The Last Unicorn‘, over and over. Then I wanted to be a teacher, and finally i settled on an ambition to be a scientist. I think I’ve fulfilled the scientist in my small self, as I use plenty of chemistry in dyeing and screenprinting.

Who is inspiring your work these days?

Roisin : Anni Albers has been an inspiration since high school. Her sense of colour and pattern are wonderful. The printed textiles from the Arts & Crafts movement are also a favorite. I had a very enthusiastic Craft history prof at NSCAD that really piqued my interest in William Morris’s textiles, Liberty textiles, and the tilework of William de Morgan. Currently, I’m loving the work of Julia Rothman – her patterns often have a strong narrative content, like mine.

What is your favourite product that you’ve designed and why?

Roisin : My favorite things to make are my reversible garments. They involve a lot of problem solving, which, while often frustrating, is so satisfying to work out in the end. The ruffle dresses are the most elaborate thing that I make and took me so long to figure out! I also love the new caps that I’ve done. I have started using an organic linen in my work and these were the first thing that I made with it.

What is the most challenging thing about having your own business?

Roisin : The most challenging this is definitely the paperwork! I like to do everything myself, including my taxes, and it takes up a lot of my time.

What is your earliest crafting memory from childhood?

Roisin : I was always crafting as a child, my mom and dad were very big on encouraging creativity with my brother and I. One of my earliest memories is making a card with my best friend Sarah – I think we were about five. I had asked to sleep over at her house, and my mom said no [must have been a schoolnight]. We spent the afternoon in my room, writing things like ‘pretty pretty please with a cherry on top’ in Elmer’s glue on construction paper, and then pouring on sprinkles to make big, sparkly words.

Bespoke Uprising : website / blog / etsy

STYLISH DRESS BOOK : DRESS “M” VARIATION

Published

Karyn

on August 13, 2009

in stitchery, textiles and the workroom

. 19 Comments

Liberty of London Summer Challenge : Project 5
Stylish Dress Book : Dress “M” in Wiltshire Liberty of London Tana Lawn

We went to a wedding in Montreal a couple weekends ago. It was a lovely affair out in the country on the grounds of an old mill. It was the perfect occasion to sew up another dress using my stash of Liberty of London fabrics. I chose to use the deep plummy ‘Wiltshire” print.

I agonized quite a bit over what pattern to use. I went through my vintage sewing patterns, scoured my collection of Anthropologie catalogs and revisited my inspiration folder on my computer. In the end I decided to make a version of Dress “M ” from Stylish Dress Book. The Japanese dress books always come to the rescue in the end.

To make the pattern a bit more dressy, I made the back neckline a ‘v’ shape and made a facing for the bodice to clean finish the neckline and armholes. To create more gathering in the skirt, I added a few extra inches to the width. This was really not necessary, but just a result of me being over zealous about gathering.

Of course, I was working on the dress just a couple days before leaving for Montreal. When I did my first fitting I found that I had cut the dress too short. Oh dear. I wasn’t sure what to do. I thought about just adding more fabric to the end, but when I talked to Kristiann (teacher of our Knock it off, Underwear and Pattern Drafting classes) about it, she had the perfect suggestion. Kris’ idea was to randomly create miniature pleats along the bottom to create a slight bubble. To add some length to the hem, Kris recommended sewing a folded piece of fabric to the bottom edge and then ironing it down so that the final hem was self-finished. I really love this idea and to create a very slight contrast I used the ‘wrong’ side of the Liberty fabric for the hem trim. The printing on these Liberty of London Tana Lawns is so well done, on many of them it’s hard to figure out which is the ‘wrong’ side of the fabric.

My finishing touch was a sash, that I wore tied in the front.

After a bit of nail biting and obsessing, it really turned out just right. The perfect ’summer chic’ dress for a wedding in the country.

STYLISH DRESS BOOK 2 : DRESS “S”

Published

Karyn

on July 20, 2009

in stitchery and textiles

. 29 Comments

Liberty of London Summer Challenge : Project 4
Stylish Dress Book 2 : Dress “S” in ‘My Little Star’ Tana Lawn Cotton

After warming up with a few smaller projects, I finally bit the bullet and REALLY cut into some Liberty of London fabric to make a piece of clothing.

When I chose the ‘My Little Star’ print, I thought it was really bold and a bit crazy. In reality, it’s a totally soft and muted yet still slightly rock and roll.

I had picked out Dress “S” when I first got Stylish Dress Book 2. The square gathered neckline and wide gathered sleeves had me at first glance. The pattern calls for a contrasting fabric in jersey for the sleeves and another fabric for the neckline. I decided the star print would shine better on its own.

The dress came together pretty quickly once I got going. When it was done, it was a bit too loose for my liking. One of the characteristics of these smock dresses is that they are rather loose fitting. On one hand this usually means the patterns are more forgiving with fit and very comfortable to wear. On the other hand, sometimes they are too unshapely. I thought perhaps just taking in the side seams a bit might make the fit more flattering. It wasn’t enough.

This is where magical shirring comes to the rescue once again. I can not sing the praises of shirring enough. It is such a simple technique that gives maximum result every time. I had not yet tried shirring around a waistline, but had seen it many times.

I decided to space my shirring lines a 1/2″ apart and wound up doing four lines of shirring. It turned out perfectly. The shirring around the waist seems to echo the wide gathered elastic sleeves and neckline. It has totally transformed the dress and I think for me, it is much improved.

I can’t say enough about how much I’m enjoying working with the Liberty prints. They are lovely to handle and sew with. Plus, wearing them is dreamy! The tana lawn cotton has a super high thread count that makes the fabric very durable, smooth and almost silky. I’ve also never seen such amazing detailed printing on fabric.

We’re going to a wedding in a couple weeks, so I’m trying to design a dress using this print. I’ve already been warned that I’m not to be trying to sew up the dress as we’re driving to the wedding, so I need to get cracking. At least we all know that I’ve got several dresses in my closet to fall back on if I can’t get it together in time.