We had a pretty quiet summer here in Michigan. We did some kayaking on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
Vintage Skirt from a Vintage pattern and Thrifted Fabric
Miss P has been sewing up a storm this summer. Her most recent finish is this paneled skirt.
She’s been researching vintage patterns and wanted to look through my pattern collection. After digging through the closet and getting them all out we decided we should make a Pinterest board of the patterns we have. Some of them were patterns I made for myself back in the 1970s and 80s. Some belonged to my mother-in-law and many of them were thrifted years ago when you could find old patterns for 10 cents a piece. Those were the days!
She used to turn up her nose at some of my 70s patterns but this time around she recognized one after watching some YouTube videos by Rachel Maksy, who often uses this pattern to make swooshy skirts.
We’ve been trying to use fabric that I already have in the house so she chose this stripe from the stash. It still had this “Wrinkl-shed” tag pinned to it. If it was advertised in LIFE magazine it must be good, right?
We just finished binge watching all of the seasons of the Great British Sewing Bee so she had pattern matching on the brain.
She is quite pleased that she got the stripes to match at ALL of the seams.
The original pattern is made from 12 panels that create a full circle skirt, but she did not have enough fabric to cut 12 panels. She made a “muslin” mini skirt out of an old sheet and found that ten panels fit her perfectly. She cut her own waistband and added a zip to finish the skirt.
She is very excited about this new super-swooshy addition to her wardrobe!
Goldwork Embroidery
In addition to the Crewel Embroidery class, I took a Goldwork class through the Royal School of Needlework.
The first step was to make a goldwork foundation.
Next, the gold threads were added.
Crewel Embroidery
I made this little scene in a crewel embroidery class with the Royal School of Needlework. I learned some new stitches. Look at that floofy monkey!
I could use a bit more practice on the shading technique used for the elephant.
I like the way all the flowers turned out.
Mute Monday - the EF1010 Project edition
EF1010 Art Update
Engineering Fundamentals 1010 - a new art project
I recently reread Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Big Magic. I was fascinated by her idea that we are visited by creative ideas. She indicates that we are most often too busy or have our attention focused elsewhere to notice them, that we say no to them without even thinking about it. This idea has resonated with me and I have been trying to have a more open mind and pay attention when these ideas surface.
Almost forty years ago, I took my first college engineering course, EF1010 Intro to Engineering. It was the class where we learned about each of the branches of engineering. This was the era when the engineering school had the requirement that freshmen "dress" for class. That meant no casual clothes. It was easy to spot me, the only female in the class, the only person wearing a skirt to class. It was an especially memorable day when the professor pointedly told me, in front of the entire class class, which branch of engineering was best suited for females.
I did go on to get an engineering degree in the major that the prof said would be best for a female but I think that was, in part, because it was where the females felt the most ‘safe’ and respected, not that it was the thing we wanted most to do. I never ended up working as an engineer. I did not like the person I would have had to become to “make it” in that environment.
In a recent closet clean out, I found my drafting textbook from that Intro Engineering class. Every time this book has surfaced in the last forty years, I have contemplated tossing it but have not been able to bring myself to do it. I took drafting in high school and LOVED it. I went to college with my dad's old drafting tools and a brand new Hello Kitty mechanical pencil. I wanted to like that intro class but it was filled with bad experiences. For some reason I have hung on to the book. This time, when I saw the book, it was like Elizabeth Gilbert described, an idea came to me and I was open to it. I will be creating some art with its pages. I am excited about the project and am finally getting joy from this old drafting book. Maybe I can exorcise some demons at the same time.
Nude is Not a Color
The Henry Ford museum has the newly acquired Nude is Not a Color quilt on display until mid April, and Phoebe and I went yesterday to meet Hillary Goodwin (@entropyalwayswins) and see it.
It is beautifully displayed just inside the entrance to the museum. The case is out from the wall so that you can see the front and back of the quilt. The signage with photos and stories from some of the contributors really bring people over to look more closely and read the background information.
Here is my story that is included in the display material:
“My daughter, Phoebe, who was 10 at the time, often spent time in my sewing room with me and loved to help choose fabrics for my projects. I had Phoebe help choose a fabric that matched my skin tone. She noticed that HER skin matched a different color and wanted to contribute a block too. I loved that teachable moment we had in the sewing room. I think that my family looks very similar but even my daughter and I have different color skin. This moment contributed to her journey of looking at how people are the same, how people are different, representation, and fighting for social justice as she is now doing in her teens.”
The blocks we contributed are shown below. I found it interesting to choose fabrics that best matched our skin. The fabrics that matched have much more color to them than I would have guessed. Both of the blocks we contributed can be found in the photo above.
I am honored to be a contributor to this quilt and have it displayed at it’s new home, The Henry Ford museum.
Please read more about the quilt here.
Licorice Allsorts in Black and White
I’ve been making black and white versions of the blocks I am teaching in my Licorice Allsorts class. They are all variations on a theme. I’m having a great time trying out different layout options. This piece has a completely different feel to it than the colorful first version I made.
If you are interested in learning how to make these blocks, there are still some spots in my class next week.
Old School Sewing Studio Time
This is what sewing at the studio in town looks like these days.
After taking the photo I noticed that the “Old School Sewing” sign on my window made the SEW shadow on the red chair. Serendipity.
