I finished up the panel I was working on yesterday and completed a second today. I’ve got a better handle on how to make the outline flower stand out by how I position the underlying circles and setting the leaves so they appear to be under the flower petals. I also downsized the signature a bit so it’s less prominent. I think this idea is now working.
I only need six more!
Remember my 6×6 wall art pieces? Brandt Eisner was in touch again a couple of months ago with an invitation to join his summer “Squared Away” Pop-up show mid-July. Again, “the only requirement is the work should be 6″x6″ in total and be hangable on the wall”.
So, OK. I need to come up with another idea. I’m still stuck on floral interpretations.
Ignore the black framing. My idea was to create a machine embroidery in the shape of a free-motion flower outline, which I stitched over an offset fabric circle fused to a raw silk background fabric. I liked the overall placement of the embroidery but the flower centre wasn’t strong enough, and I wanted some leaves, so I free-stitched some then coloured them in with water soluble Inktense coloured pencils. The leaf colour isn’t strong enough, I need to come up with a way of adding appliqué leaves. Also the blue thread on the blue fabric is very dull. I need stronger colour to create a better contrast.
Definitely more colourful, but the floral print overwhelms the flower outline! Here I tried two overlapping circles, with some leaves I cut from scraps in a box where I store leftovers, but neither are effective. I tried calming the detail in the print fabrics with the Inktense coloured pencils which helped obscure the detail of the fabric but then the flower outline disappears! And I don’t like the leaves.
This version is closer to what I see in my minds-eye. The silk background fabric gives an overall subtle texture to the piece. The dark, small patterned fabric sets up a background, the flower outline is a good contrast and stands out. I used a small fabric circle as background for the embroidered flower centre (using the precise positioning capabilities of my embroidery machine to position the embroidery). I overstitched the flower centre elements to emphasize them. I added some leaf shapes cut from fabric scraps backed with fusible web (glue) although I haven’t yet stitched them, I will do that tomorrow. I also tried out the position of the signature which is a bit too large. I have to scale that back a bit.
I’m getting closer to knowing what I’m doing.
Brandt asked for up to eight pieces of art. I will create eight pieces for the show. I have a month to make them; I expect I’ll have them done in a couple of weeks. Then I can move on to the next project!
Here’s the finished denim “lace” jacket. Turned out rather well. It will be a useful garment to have in my wardrobe this summer.
I bought the fabric from Marcie Tilton at least three years ago ( I didn’t keep the receipt – I just remember the fabric was expensive but it had my name on it – BTW I just checked, there is none on the website now, not a surprise). In the photo below you can see the lace backing to stabilize the cutwork in the denim.
I started by backing the fabric with a fusible lightweight polyester interfacing because I wasn’t planning on lining the finished garment and I thought it would be easier to work with. That went more easily than backing the eight metres of silk dupioni when Marni and I were making her wedding dress!
Once the fabric was backed, I cut out the garment. I used a navy silk dupioni (which I had in my stash) for the facings, sleeve plackets, and the inner yoke. The silk gives a stability to the shoulder area that the denim lace didn’t have.
Sewing the shirt together was not simple! The denim lace was made by stamping out a floral pattern from a lightweight cotton denim, then backing it with a polyester lacy fabric to fill in the “holes” and hold the denim in shape. However, when you go to sew the seams the lace backing was stretchy so I had to be very careful not to pull on the edges while stitching. The collar, collar stand, and cuffs were particularly difficult to work with because of the different weights of parts of the denim lace. I did a lot of careful, slow seam ripping as I was sewing the cuffs in order to get the edges to fit precisely.
Assembling the shirt took quite a bit longer than I expected it to, but I’m happy with how it turned out in the end.
Nobody would have guessed Goldie would be the last one standing, but she is.
Goldie, one of my mother’s younger sisters, turned 100 this past February, having outlived her eight siblings. She’s my last surviving aunt or uncle in both my mother’s and father’s families.
She’s aware of what’s going on around her, not quite so mobile anymore, but definitely still going strong; Goldie’s planning on reaching 108 (the age of the oldest resident in her retirement building). Who knows, she might get there. After all, with much determination and effort, she managed to regain her speech following a stroke two years ago. She has pushed herself to walk again after a fall that broke her hip a year ago. Yes, she uses a walker, but she gets around the building under her own steam.
I was in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, visiting family. I try to make at least one trip a year to show my face so the grandnephews have a person to associate with my name. I always make a point of visiting Aunt Goldie. After all, there may not be a next visit.
This time my sister and I arranged to visit just after Goldie’s lunchtime. We had a lovely time catching up—what was going on in my life, what was happening in hers, her children’s, grandchildren’s, and great-grandchildren’s.
Goldie has lived in this community for at least a decade. She made the decision to move from independent living in her condo to assisted living when her son-in-law retired, and he and her daughter were now planning to spend their winters in the warmth of California. With Goldie nearing 90, they were worried about not being around to support her. Goldie made the generous decision to move to assisted living so they could enjoy their retirement freedom without being anxious about her.
The community she moved into is pleasant, with attentive staff and many residents who are still active and social. Goldie decided to make the most of the situation and reached out to other residents. Her strategy paid off. People accepted her company and conversation. Staff pop into her room to check on how she’s doing, ask if can they do anything for her, and chitchat about their families and ask about hers. Over time, Goldie has built a community for herself.
One of the other residents who had a room next to Goldie was actually a neighbour who had lived across the street from her in Halifax. Marie had moved to Toronto, as had Goldie, to be near children and grandchildren. They spent time together, enjoying one another’s company. A couple of months ago, Marie died. Goldie missed her but stoically moved on. Shorty after Marie died, another former neighbour from Halifax arrived in the community. Emma (around 95) is not adjusting well to the transition from independent to supported living; she is cranky, miserable, in tears a good deal of the time.
Goldie has visited Emma often but told us she is running out of patience with her.
“In fact, yesterday I told her to grow up! Life changes! You have to be flexible. Move on. If you give this place a chance, you can make a life for yourself here. Just grow up!”
And with that, Goldie walked out of Emma’s room. The image of Goldie at 100 telling Emma at 95 to “grow up!” was just too funny; we burst out laughing.
At 81, I think about the wisdom of Goldie’s approach to living. If you’re cheerful and friendly with people, they’re happy spending time with you, sharing what’s going on in their lives, interested in yours. If you’re miserable, wishing you were elsewhere, closed off, people stay away. It’s a choice we all have to make, not just when we’re old, but throughout our lives.
In our older years, choosing to be open to new people becomes more important, if difficult. As people in our circle of friends move away or die, we need to actively seek out new people (both young and old) with whom to spend time. Critical to making new friends is being open, cheerful, and interested.
No point in trying to hold on to the past, we all have to constantly “just grow up!”
A couple of weeks ago I went to put on this pair of grey socks only to discover a hole in the toe of one. No big deal, I thought, I’ll just darn it. I didn’t like how the darning turned out (I used Swiss darning) so I cut off the toe. Then I decided to check the heels – they were pretty weakened as well. I cut off the foot.
The thing about salvaging legs is that at least half the job is done – it’s just a matter of knitting new heels, foot and toe. I picked up the stitches at the open end of the leg and got to work. I was about half way through reknitting the foot of the second sock when I realized I probably would have ended up with a more interesting sock had I done the foot in navy blue to pick up the accent colour in the leg – but grey socks these are.
Finished last night and back in the drawer.
It’s rare for my socks to end up with holes because I have so many pair and each gets worn just a few times a year. Obviously this grey pair was worn more than the others.
Just finished!
I started this garment last weekend. I worked on it during the week; today I added the sleeves (I’d already put the sleeve plackets in using Pam Erny’s 2-piece placket), serged the seams, top stitched them, sewed the sleeve/side seams, serged those seams, serged the bottom edge and stitched up the hem; made buttonholes, and machine sewed the buttons!
Check out the buttons – all different (if small). Just to highlight the many colours in the fabric. The fabric – a raime – has been in my stash for a number of years – I don’t remember when I bought it from Marcy Tilton (lovely fabrics, but expensive).
I lined the yoke, collar, collar stand and cuffs with a teal silk dupioni. It offers a hidden bit of contrast that nobody but a person who sews garments will notice, but I know it’s there.
I always intended making the raime into some kind of shirt. The question was how to position the pattern pieces on the fabric to get the most out of the print. After playing with pattern placement, I decided to cut the shirt using the width as the grainline (the crossgrain). This meant the garment could be symmetrical, more or less. I broke up the symmetry with the pockets and cuffs – largely because I didn’t have another repeat which would let me mirror the print I used for the front. I also positioned the back so the bold elements near the bottom would centre on the back – didn’t look right when off centre.
I still have another Marcy Tilton fabric in the stash – a “denim lace” which just had my name on it. I’ll cut that out soon to make another shirt/jacket. It’ll look very dressy but I intend wearing it with jeans!
I set up the iPhone tripod so I could take some photos of the shirt. A bit on the big side – more jacket than shirt, but it’ll be fine with a pair of white pants and a t-shirt on a sunny summer day!
We’ve had lovey weather this past week – warmish, sunny, mild breeze.
The gardens are changing daily. Flowers are showing up everywhere. Clumps of Forget-me-nots and Wild Strawberry in the lawn of Basira’s apartment building caught my eye when I arrived on Monday. Marlene’s garden was in full first bloom – Tulips, anemone, Lungwort were peeking out from beneath the Day Lily which won’t show for another month.
Sunny or not, there’s something new to see every day. Right now, each new plant/flower warrants a pause – it’s been drab for so long. Another couple of weeks we’ll hardly notice the new blooms that appear; they’ll be taken for granted. Too bad.
It’s Mother’s Day. This piece of writing was in my inbox this morning – it’s written by my youngest sister. I thought I’d share it with you.
https://judithnewman.substack.com/cp/144554500
I’m conducting a workshop on Saturday with a group of women interested in learning how to do heirloom sewing. In preparation for the day I made a new panel myself (in part because I need a couple of new nightgowns to replace two that are just about to rip apart from long wear).
I started the panel with a lace insert, added pintucks to each side, followed by a row of decorative stitching, then tucks, some hemstitching, more decorative stitching, finishing with a final row of hemstitching. I added an entredeux to the bottom where the skirt of the nightgown will be attached.
This panel is ready to be made into a nightgown.
A couple of weeks ago, in preparation for a workshop on constructing a small bag with lots of zippers, I made this embroidered iPhone Case. I used a scrap of linen I had on hand, did a cross stitch embroidery in a contrasting thread, then made the bag. I chose zipper tape that blended with the fabric colour, but added contrasting zipper pulls. Because I have made so many, I can whip up a zippered bag in under a half hour!
Also, I always have a pair of socks on the go. This pair took at least a week longer than usual because other things kept getting in the way of my knitting time. They are now done.
And last, I had two pair of socks with holes in the toes – first time in 25 years – since I started knitting socks!
It takes me an evening to knit a new toe. These socks are repaired – like new – and back in my sock drawer. I’m working on the second pair – they needed more radical attention – both toes and heels were seriously weakened – I decided to salvage the legs and knit new feet. The first of that pair is getting close to finished.
So Saturday I will be helping the gals with their heirloom sewing. On Sunday I hope to cut out a tailored shirt from a very wild linen print I’ve had in the stash – my intention is to wear it as a light summer jacket.
I’m keeping myself in “create” mode.
I’ve been remiss about keeping up with what I’ve been working on; I’ve been busy, nevertheless.
A younger friend is getting married on June 8. She needed a wedding gown. She tried shopping for one but wasn’t enthusiastic about what was available. I suggested she make one.
I sent her a photo of the wedding gown worn by Meghan Markle – stunning in its simplicity. Completely plain, a silk organza over a woven silk, princess fitted dress with sleeves and a clean neckline; no lace.
I sent Marni a photo of the Cashmerette “Upton” Dress”
Same thing – clean lines, nice neckline, sleeves, and pleated skirt (which falls gracefully like a princess cut). Then I went to an online fabric store in India specializing in silk – FabricsandTrims. I’ve bought fabric from them before so I knew what we would be getting. I was suggesting an off white silk dupioni which would have a bit of sheen but also some texture and would drape nicely.
To stabilize it, I thought we should back the silk with a very light-weight fusible woven interfacing. (I ordered this from Blackbird Fabrics in BC.)
Marni a quilter; hasn’t done much garment making, but if I would help her, she was willing to take the risk. So she bought the pattern, we ordered the silk and the interfacing. She picked up thread, and an invisible zipper. We were set to go.
We traced the pattern, made a few small adjustments. Then we worked on a wearable muslin – potentially a light-weight summer dress. As we worked our way through the muslin, which went quickly with each of us sewing different parts of the garment, I made adjustments to the dress which I transferred to the traced pattern. It took us as I recall three sewing sessions to make the muslin which is definitely wearable!
Now for the silk. We’d already applied the interfacing to five of the eight metres of silk so that was ready to be cut. Our challenge was this – the skirt at the bottom was 51″ wide, our fabric was 42″! So I had to make both the front and back skirt in sections. I chose to embed the seam I created on the inside of the side pleat so it would be more or less hidden. We made a mock-up of the skirt using black quilting cotton to check the position of the seam – it was fine. Finally we cut out the dress (which took just 4 1/2m of fabric – better to have too much than not enough!).
Trusting that the adjustments I’d made to the pattern were accurate, and with both of us sewing, we began constructing the dress. First the bodice, next the bodice lining. Marni serged all the remaining edge seams on the sleeves and skirt to keep them from fraying. We added the band to the front and back of the bodice (and bodice lining), and sewed the neckline seam. Next we attached the sleeves. Now we assembled and added the front and back skirt panels. Here’s when the invisible zipper was installed and the back seam finished. Last we stitched the underarm and side seams. In two sewing sessions we had a completed dress.
Today we did the finishing – hemmed the bottom on the machine using a blind hem foot; hand stitched the hem on the sleeves, and finished with a hook and a loop to close the top above the zipper.
Done.
There’s one last decision to make – Marni wanted some kind of embroidered embellishment on the band joining bodice and skirt. I made some flowers using two layers of silk organza with a tear-away stabilizer.
Whether to add the flowers or not is her last decision. I prefer the dress unadorned. However, I sent the appliqués home with her – she can decide what she prefers.
A happy bride-to-be. I even wrote Cashmerette letting them know how pleased I was with how well the pattern worked out for us.
We began the project on April 4. It took us 11 sewing sessions to make two dresses.
jmn 
