two kitties

Ghana: African Gold Shoes and Crown

As you know, I've been looking closely at carving as I experiment with figurative work in the painting studio. I recently visited Houston and saw an exhibit from the Glassell Collection, "African Gold." 

I fell a little bit in love with these wooden shoes from Ghana, carved and finished with gold leaf. 

The sandals and this crown were both made in the part of the early 20th century. You can imagine how the lines of each figure in this crown could translate to a painting. Truly beautiful work.

Now popularized, Kente cloth was originally the fabric of Ghanian kings, woven by the Akan people on a treadle loom. The type of loom is significant. Most West African weavers were using the stripweave method.

Legend has it that two men stumbled upon a spider weaving a web in the forest, and came back with the technique that led to the kente cloth. The colors used in the weave are significant. You can read about them in this wikipedia article.

Yes, the security guards did ask me not to take photos. My immediate thought was, YOU DON'T OWN AFRICA.

I can understand the need to protect the intellectual property of a living artist (sort of), but in the age of museum 2.0, the no-photo policy seems slightly out of whack. Particularly in a gallery of ceremonial objects, produced by an unknown, unacknowledged artist, displayed a million miles from home.

Nina Simon wrote a good blog post about photo policies in museums in the digital age. What is your opinion? Should visitors be allowed to take photos of the objects on display, if conservation is not an issue?

 

Debbie Bliss Knit Pig and Sheep

More stuff that my sister made!

Felted Sweater Wiener Dog Dachshund Soft Toy Stuffie

This weekend, I completed a custom order via my etsy shop, Wienermania. My customer sent me a beautiful blue handknit sweater in a luxury yarn that was accidentally washed - a genuine knitting "Waterloo." I have cut many cashmere sweaters in my time, but I hated to cut this one! All the same, it made a lovely set of dachshunds - a mum and a pup - and gave the dogs a very nice weight. 

To give the stuffies a little color, I made each dog a removeable turtleneck sweater. This is very easy to do and would even work for a REAL, LIVE, small dog if you have one. Just take the sleeve of a felted sweater, cut leg holes, and adjust the length accordingly.

The felted sweater doxies I made earlier this year are now completely sold out! I so enjoyed making the bigger one that, if it continues to snow, I may make a few more for the holidays.

Debbie Bliss Knit Pig

My sister made it. I made my sister make it. And I'm waiting on his big brother. I paid for the yarn. That's why I get to post it here. Find him in this super cute book of toy knit patterns by Debbie Bliss.

Felt Sandwich.

The weather turns my thoughts toward the needle. Isn't this the most beautiful f***ing thing you've ever seen?!

A piece of wool felt lettuce. One layer within Myrtle & Eunice's felt sandwich. You can see the sandwich, and learn how to make your own, via the "Let's Do Lunch" tutorial.

The Last Supper Embroidered Pillow.

I found this embroidered "Last Supper" wall hanging at a thrift store awhile back. Whenever I see needlework in a thrift store, I almost always buy it. It's difficult not to appreciate how much time and effort went into recreating Da Vinci's famous painting.

I bought it for $2.50, cleaned it up, and turned it into a kitschy bed pillow. My plan was to sell it in my etsy store, but I dunno. We kind of like it.

Ninepipes Museum: Charlo, Montana

Yesterday, M. and I visited the Ninepipes Museum in Charlo, Montana.  I'd read an article earlier this year about financial difficulties at Ninepipes Museum so made a special effort to visit on our way home from Missoula. I'm embarrassed to tell you how many times we've driven by without stopping, even though I'm an arts consultant and even though small, rural museums are my absolute favorite.

I love small museums for lots of different reasons. One is that [often] they show everything they have. They don't have the same hang ups that big city curators do - and that makes the display all that much more interesting -- and appropriate. The Flathead Indian reservation is actually an amalgamation of several different tribes that were relocated to this area - the Salish, the Kootenai, and the Pend d'Oreilles.

So, instead of rows and rows of carefully catalogued embroidery from the same area, you get a wall of cradle boards from a diverse group of tribes. I loved that I could compare the embroidery styles and materials side by side.

I apologize for the poor quality of the photos - I only had my cell phone camera with me.

Here is a collection of rawhide saddles. The one in the center had a breast plate made of aquamarine sequins that looked a lot like the sequins made of gelatin in the 1930's. But I couldn't be sure. Definitely not a practical saddle in that case (gelatin sequins can't get wet).

The Ninepipes Museum had a very informative display about trade beads. You can see some of the trade beads used on the Flathead Indian reservation on the museum website. This basket is made of deer hide and decorated with hooves and trade beads.

And, unlike a big museum, much of the collection has been donated by locals, many of whom have saved these items as family heirlooms or personal collections. Many of the tags listed names from the valley that were familiar to me.

The clothing was amazing. This is a pair of trousers, sewn from a red wool Pendleton blanket and and embellished at the cuff with bead embroidery. The embroidered shirt has ermine skins on each sleeve. I think this was made in the 1930's, but I'm not 100 percent.

There is a much better photo of the ermine sleeve garment on the Ninepipes website. 

I also appreciated seeing this dress. Cut from a wool blanket and embellished with elk ivories. Elk have just two ivory teeth and are very difficult to get. By wearing this garment, a woman would have been showing her skill as a hunter (or that of her husband or other family member.)

The Jesuit mission is an important part of the history of the Flathead Indian Reservation and it remains predominantly Roman Catholic. 

Here, Chief Charlo is talking with Fr. Taelman, who first came to the the area in 1890. Salish Chief Paul Charlo was bitterly opposed to the land allotment policies the U. S. Government assigned to Indians. I learned that he made many trips to Washington, DC to speak with representatives.

Fr. Taelman was fluent in Salish and translated the Latin Mass each day. He spent most of his life working on this reservation. He died in 1962 and his last rites were said at St. Ignatius Mission. Several items from the early Jesuit years were on display at Ninepipes Museum.

The embroidery on these vestments was pretty amazing. Next visit, I bring the good camera. 

Finally, let me share a beautiful parfleche, or carry bag, made of rawhide. A parfleche was most often used to carry food.

I really enjoyed my visit. And I appreciated seeing all the hand made items in the gift shop. I regret not purchasing a pocket-sized parfleche. I may go back for it.

Today's challenge: Identify a museum or community space that you have passed by many times without visiting.  Stop in - even if it is only for twenty minutes - and report in.

 

Embroidered Felt Baby Booties; Deep Thoughts.

I realized the other day that one of the reasons I never go work in my art studio is because it feels like a gallery of unfinished projects. Like this one. A pair of embroidered felt baby booties that I completed - with the exception of the ties - one weekend back in February.

Officially, this was what I call a "felt warm-up project" - something simple and satisfying that I use to get my MAKE juices flowing. I knew early on that I would never crochet the ties per the directions but, somehow, buying a yard of velvet ribbon seemed to be the beta blocker to completion.

So here they are. Complete. And so is my old friend's baby girl, Iris Irene - born last month and totally beautiful, as seen on Facebook. I like the fact that the last time I remember hanging out with her Mom, we were 19, likely drunk, and rocking out to Crosstown Traffic on her Jimi Hendrix cassette tape.

Now, we've both got careers and husbands, accomplishments and deep thoughts to discuss [electronically], and that amazes me and makes me thankful - so few high school relationships ever get past high school in the mind. I still really like her and everything she does impresses me so I'm going to send her baby these freakin' booties.

Back when I started this blog, I was making things all the time. Just having the blog motivated me to get things done so I could share it with the universe - didn't matter what it was. I had all of these thoughts that had no place to land, and no one ever read them. I was lucky to see fourteen hits a day - most of them from my own computer, checking to see if anyone had read my blog yet. I was never going to be one of those bloggers who eventually posts a goodbye/thanks for everything/I won't be posting anymore type of post.

And I'm still not. But I'm aware of how much has changed in my mind over the last few years of writing. All this is? An anthropology of the way my own mind works, the things that inspire, take hold, take over my day. I used to crave connection with the world outside of my every day life. Now I find myself craving a little more anonymity so I can write about the things that are on my mind without offending the people I love and those that love me. I probably do that anyway, but even so, I'm still holding back.

I'd love to go all Brooklyn on your a**, and use words like motherfucker, kind of like Fashionably Late to the Party who gave me the word in the first place but really more like Jive "Eating prunes at my desk, who wants to do me?" Turkey but with a cherry orchard slant. 

If I had that veil over my identity, I'd tell you the truth about myself - the unattractive parts; the sins, the memories of *not* being around a campfire with my parents, the long list of hurts I have intentionally dealt to others, mostly out of fear that I was un-loveable. But you're not supposed to do that. I do some of that on this blog anyway, but you do learn the hard way not to be honest with coworkers, neighbors and even some friends.

Sometime, substitute "Tell the truth" for "I love you" and see what happens. 

Eating 300-500 calorie breakfasts and protein at lunch will prevent chocolate binges later in the day. 

Iron your thread before you hand sew or embroider - it makes everything go more smoothly, motherfuckah! 

Put a lemon down your garbage disposal and your drain will freshen right up.

Aboubakar Fofana: Indigo Textiles from Mali

Aboubakar Fofana creates home textiles from hand-spun, hand-woven silk and cotton in his studio in Bamako, Mali. Each piece uses the traditional indigo dye process. Watch this short video of a young apprentice at work. 

Recycled Felted Sweater Dogs for Sale!

I updated my shop, Wiener Mania, if you are interested in purchasing a felted sweater wiener dog for that special someone...

Giorgia Fonyodi: Fabric Manipulation

Hungarian designer and textile artist Giorgia Fonyodi changes your understanding of pockets by manipulating the very fabric of the skirt. 

Photo credit: Sarolta Ember

Model: Hanna Ongjerth

Felted Sweater Wiener Dogs!

 

These felted sweater stuffies are $23 for Cashmere or wool. Dogs may be purchased through my shop.

Fused Plastic Bag Reusable Lunch Tote

Using this fused plastic bag tutorial and this super simple reusable lunch bag pattern, I fashioned a little something for my commuter sister. 

Patchwork is Personal: History and Quilts.

Photos: Library of Congress

The thing about old time patchwork is that its personal. By the time a quilt's binding is complete, every little piece of that old time fabric has been worn by a loved one, then washed, pressed, cut, arranged, and stitched, sandwiched, quilted and tied by someone's hands.

I have two quilts made by my great-grandmother that have been part of my life longer than any other thing I own. I remember taking naps underneath the blue one during preschool and holding it up to the sun so I could see the light coming through all of the different fabric "envelopes." Much later in life, I learned that it was a variation on the "Flying Geese" pattern. My mother says that the patches were cut from dresses she remembers her grandmother wearing.

In her retirement, my grandmother volunteered with "Helping Hands"; a group that stitched lap and bed quilts for people in nursing homes. She brought my sister and I to one of her old lady quilting bees, down in the church basement in Indianola, Iowa. I was about 10 years old and I remember a bunch of women working together around a big frame. The quilt was yarn tied, and my grandma had us help tie the yarns in knots because we had small, nimble fingers.

There might have been lunch, but there was definitely church basement coffee.

Fabric of Survival: Needle Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz

Holocaust survivor Esther Nisenthal Krinitz stitched her stories of the war into a series of embroidered panels. I first saw these on exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore and, like the AIDS quilt, is a work of needle/art that has moved me to tears. 

The story starts with Esther's girlhood years in Annapol, Poland. She remembers the happy times when she was at home, surrounded by family, climbing cherry trees, and exploring the family farm. The Nazis arrive when Esther was still a young girl, separating the family and leaving Esther and her sister to fend for themselves.

You can see the embroidered panels and hear recordings about them on the Art & Remembrance website, founded by Esther's daughters.

I love Max the most. For everything Esther does share, she doesn't say much about her husband. But here, he is remembered in a panel made of scraps from his suits and ties.

I love that.

NAMES Project: The AIDS Memorial Quilt.

The NAMES Project: The AIDS Memorial Quilt is one of the rare pieces of needle/art that has 1) changed my understanding of the makers' life experience and 2) moved me to tears. 

I saw it, unfolded in its entirety, on the Mall in Washington, DC in 1992. I was 21, and the AIDS crisis was something I saw not just in my ballet classes but in my very conservative workplace. I remember sitting next to my colleague at a party just trying to think of something to say that might convey heartfelt compassion as he faced the unknown in what would be the last days of his life. Alone.

That feeling - the presence of this great, big, sad thing - is what the NAMES Project has been able to translate into art. Each panel of the AIDS Memorial Quilt is handmade by a loved one. They measure about six foot by three foot - almost like a bed, or even a coffin - and to really see them, you must stand inside the piece, knowing that the posture of needlework is that of a prayer.

Viewers walk along canvas strips laid down to protect the panels and it is absolutely a walking meditation, with a chant being read naming the victims one-by-one. 

And it went on forever. How wise to make the number take physical form. Today, the number of panels included in the quilt total 44,000. When I saw it, eighteen years ago, that number was closer to 5,000.

But it wasn't just that the NAMES project was big. Each quilt panel is unique. I saw amazing needlework that day, and I saw honest, devoted attempts to create something to memorialize a loved one with anything but a needle. These were often the most touching. 

You can view the NAMES Project: AIDS Memorial Quilt online. The website also provides information about how you can sew and submit a panel for a loved one.

Embroidered Caswell Carpet: 19th Century American Folk Art Rug

Caswell Carpet c. 1835,  Castleton, Vermont by Zeruah Higley Guernsey (later Caswell), worked in chain stitch in colored wools on dyed homespun. 12 feet x 12 feet 6 inches.

The "Caswell carpet" is an outstanding example of American folk art of the 19th century. The project took Zeruah Higley Guernsey Caswell the better part of five years to embroider.

Caswell was an accomplished needle worker. She sheared, carded, and spun the wools from her own sheep, dyed them, and wove the coarse "homespun" fabric that was used as the foundation for the embroidery. Her father was a known manufacturer of spinning wheels and related tools and so it is said that Caswell used a wooden needle to do this work.

The embroidery was done on a tambour frame; each of the sixty-six motifs was worked separately and sewn together later. Two of the squares carry the initials of two Indians of the Potawatami tribe who were studying at the medical college in Castleton, Vermont. Each of the townspeople took turns boarding the students and it was likely during their stay at the Guernsey (Caswell) house that the two panels were made.

Point yourselves to the Met's textile database on the museum website so that you can zoom in on the panels!

Pattern Corrections: Slouchy Cardigan Knit Cafe Book

Several people have asked for the pattern corrections for Knit Cafe's "Slouchy Cardigan." Here they are (changes in bold):

RIGHT FRONT:

(RS) Decrease 1 st at beginning of this row, then every other row 23 times, EVERY 4 ROWS 9 TIMES, every 6 rows 6 (8) times--34 (36) stitches remain. AND AT THE SAME TIME WHEN piece measures 16 1/2" from beginning end with a RS row AND SHAPE ARMHOLE (WS) at armhole edge BO 5 STS TWICE 4(6) STS ONCE then decrease 1 st every row 3 times -24(26) sts remain.

SHAPE SHOULDER: (WS) BO 5 STS TWICE.....

SHAPE SLEEVE: (RS) DECREASE ROW: [K7,K2tog] twice, k13(16),[k2tog,K7 twice - 57 (60) sts remain.

*All that being said, the second one I made was still wonky as hell. But knitting isn't my gift.

Wiener Dog Races

Random, I know, but I signed up for a booth at my local Wiener Dog Races 2010. I'm going to sell Wiener Dog themed crafts. This will be my first craft show. Any advice for me? The organizers told me about 200 people attended last year, but they expect even more this year, since "a guy will be bringing about 40 wiener dog owners from [Southwest Montana]." How much should I make/bring?

Sewing Machine Maintenance: Ruffler Foot Accessory

This is not a can opener. It is a special attachment for sewing machines that can make pleats and ruffles on fabric. The foot works much faster than making ruffles by hand and it can stitch a ruffle down to a second layer of fabric at the same time.

Yes. It is a great idea. But it isn't new-fangled or anything. The ruffle foot was patented in the late 1800's! You can buy one for your machine for about $20. I bought mine at Sears.

Check your machine's manual for sources or have a look at Charlene Phillip's book, The Sewing Machine Attachment Handbook. This is a helpful guide to keep on your shelves - there is stuff out there you've never even heard of. Charlene knows her stuff and will walk you through setting up the right attachments for your machine. 

Be sure to check your needle position! The ruffle foot may require the needle to move to the left or right. If you make a mistake, your needle will hit the metal and break.

The ruffle foot works by scooping up the fabric with a little fork and forcing the pleat under the needle for a stitch. Watch this super-short Pfaff ruffler foot demo video to see how it works. You can adjust the distance between gathers. Here, my pleats are about one inch apart.

On this strip of red ribbon, I've made teeny-tiny ruffles. Helpful, if you're into the Elizabethan thing, I guess.

 

Now if I could just find ruffle projects that don't look cheesy! A ruffled pillow might be good. Like this pillow, made from an old bridesmaid's dress. Or this pillow, made from strips of t-shirt. Any project ideas you can think of for ruffles?

Enhabiten Dry Goods.

I'd love to hang out with this lady for a few hours.I can relate to what she says about vintage fabrics - how much it means to feel the hand of someone else in your work.

How to Block Print.

Block printing is something I've always wanted to learn. A few years ago, I tried some wood and linocut and basically found out that it is *not* an activity for people who drink a lot of coffee. Watching this video, I realize that my cheap tools look totally different than what is being used here. Perhaps I'll buy the stuff and try again.

Stuffed Animals Inspired by Kids' Drawings.

Super-simple instructions here at  MarthaStewart.com  I've got to dig up my early work!

New Pig

 

When I'm stressed, I sew stuffed animals. I don't have any kids, I don't have a sales outlet, I don't come from a family of people who sew. I don't understand it. It just is.

Sewing Machine Maintenance: Change Your Needle!

When was the last time you changed the needle on your sewing machine? I'm guessing that mostly people only change the needle if it breaks. I'm guessing that my sister, who uses my Mom's 1960's nightmare Singer, has *never* changed the needle. I'm guessing that my Mom never changed the needle either.

If you have a newer machine, chances are they provided a small envelope of needles, each with a different color tip. Some brands might use a letter, like Q for Quilting, and some might have a number. Find your machine's manual and look up what it has to say about needles - your machine's needle system will never change, so get to know what makes your machine happy! (If you can't find your manual, this chart may be helpful for you to look at.)*

And you will be much happier with your machine and your sewing if you choose the right needle for the task. Use the wrong one and you could wind up pretty frustrated with your project. For general sewing, the best place to start is, again, your machine's manual. It will tell you which needle works best for the weight of the fabric you are working with.

I made this little needle keeper out of a fabric scrap and some quilt batting and I keep it close to my machine. Once you've changed the needle a few times, it's really not a big deal - so long as you can find your needles close by!

Even if you stick to sewing fabrics of similar weight, it's important to change the needle from time-to-time to keep it straight and sharp. I like to think of the needle as the "underwear of the sewing machine." You really want to put a fresh one on about every eight hours of sewing. 

* I have two machines, and their parts are not simpatico. I learned this the hard way, and had to make an expensive repair.

Vintage Ferragamo Pumps or, How to Find Bargains at Thrift Stores.

I just bought a perfect, never-been-worn pair of vintage Ferragamo pumps at my local Goodwill for $12.  At a department store, these shoes would retail for $350 or more.

I hesitated - vintage Ferragamo is for old ladies - but when I tried them on? They actually looked pretty cute.  I'm not going to get all emotional and age-crazy on you, right now, going on and on about how I'm now old enough to wear old lady shoes. There are plenty of other posts on that theme in the "What's On My Mind" section, if you're in the mood.

Instead, I want to share some of my thrift store wisdom with you. Because I'm so good, that people follow me at Douglas Gardens to see what I'm putting in my cart. You think I'm joking, but I'm not.

Now, the first thing I want you to do is to put two fingers up and make the "peace" sign. Now turn those fingers and point them straight at your eyeballs. That's the way I want you to approach thrifting. Like a hawk, circling in on a kill.

Next. Start in your favorite section. For me? It's shoes. I love shoes. I scan the terrain like a hawk, to see what I can see. I look at every pair, in every size. Why?

Because people don't take things to thrift stores one item at a time. They take them in boxes and bags. . So my theory is, if you find one precious jewel, chances are that there are other items in the store that day that are worth searching for. When that happens, it's like a thrift detector antenna automatically extends itself from the top of my head, boop boop boop-ing until I lock and load on my treasure. 

Por ejemplo, the day I found a pair of perfect, vintage 1950's pumps, I also found four perfect, vintage 1950's cashmere swing coats from glamour Chicago department store I. Magnin. Some woman dies, and her best clothing falls into the hands of someone who doesn't see its value. The things she loved, saved, and protected all of her years wound up in a thrift store in rural Montana. But it all works out o.k., because it was obviously God's plan that I give all these vintage coats a home. I think I have about 30 vintage coats in my collection. 

Shop at regular department stores and know your brands. Today I saw worn t-shirts from Old Navy selling for $5. Why would I pay $5 for a used Old Navy T-shirt when I can get a brand new one for $5? A pair of wool Nanette Lepore trousers in perfect condition? Worth $6.  A blue silk blouse by Worthington? Nope. Worthington is JC Penney. Not worth $9 to me.

Know your fabrics. I can identify cashmere just by looking at it, can you?

Don't be afraid to buy something for "re-purpose" purposes. A friend bought a great suit jacket just for it's vintage bakelite buttons. Today I found a gorgeous men's Scottish cashmere sweater with a tiny hole in it. I don't care about the hole because I'm going to use the cashmere. I plan to make myself a gorgeous "Origami" wrap from this free pattern that I saw on Creative Kismet.

Before you check out, go through your cart and sort it again. Is it rare? Do you have a place in your house or an immediate purpose for the item? If you leave it here, and it's gone tomorrow, will you regret not buying it? If it's clothing, does it fit you? Will you wear it? If you won't wear it, is it worth keeping as a 'museum' piece? If not? Put it back.

What's your best thrift score of all time?

Sewing Machine Maintenance: Clean Your Bobbin Case.

I'm convinced that you can get as much out of a relatively inexpensive home sewing machine as a costly, professional model. The trick is to understand your machine and take good care of it.

Like any piece of equipment, your sewing machine needs a little TLC from time-to-time to prevent damage to its delicate parts. Taking good care of your machine will help you, the sewist, to better understand your machine and, if you can keep things running smoothly, preventing many of the frustrations that pop up during projects.

Before you do anything, track down the manual for your sewing machine and READ it. Technology has moved on in a big way since your 8th grade Home Ec class, and your manual will show you how to clean the bobbin case on *your* machine.

Let's take a look at my bobbin case and see what's happening in there. Even the finest fabrics and threads have slubs that leave fuzz inside your machine. Too much fuzz can upset throw off the tiny parts and keep the needle and bobbin from doing their thing.

My sewing machine came with a tiny brush. I got a little bit of fuzz, but since I have cleaned my machine in awhile I decided to remove the plate, just to be sure.

Ya.

Seriously.

Gross. Those little "worms" to the right of the bobbin are fuzz that was packed inside the grooves between the feed dogs. Take five minutes and clean your bobbin case before you use your machine. Get in the habit of checking the bobbin case regularly, especially if you sew fuzzy stuff, like felted sweaters.

Hooded Towel - Last Minute Sewing Pattern.

St. Francis models this fetching hooded towel - whipped up last night from a pattern in Last Minute Fabric Gifts.

 

Start to finish, I think it took me three hours. It would have gone much faster if I could have located one of my three rotary cutters.   I used a cotton chenille remnant and a vintage bedsheet from my stash. I love working with vintage sheets - after so many launderings, the fabric is wonderfully soft. I would absolutely make this again.

 

I know the littlest one will feel cozy and warm after his swims in the pool or baths before bed. I wish I had time to take a better photo, but I'm already well past the birthday deadline!

Tooth Bear by Cynthia Treen

I love working with wool felt - it's just so easy and fun! I found the pattern for this wool felt tooth bear, along with a stash of other ideas, at Martha Stewart online. By coincidence, it was a craft created for Martha by Cindy Treen, CPF and visitor here at Paradise Ranch.

I made this bear in a couple of hours over the weekend. The pocket is big enough to hold a baby tooth for the tooth fairy, as well as the quarter she might leave behind. I started off thinking I'd make three, one for each little kid, but didn't have enough wool felt in gender-neutral colors. In the end, I decided they could probably share one bear, but it's time to place an order for a new pack of felt. 

In the past, I've purchased wool felt at Magic Cabin, but I've also been looking at the beautiful colors sold at Purl Soho. Felt-o-rama has felt made from recycled plastic bottles and bamboo fiber, and offers to send three swatches of these new blends for $1.99 so that you can test the products in your studio.

T-shirt Necklace Tutorial.

T-shirt necklaces have been our list for some time. 

This is a five-minute craft. All you have to do is grab some old t-shirts, a rotary cutter, and a cutting mat. According to fabric whiz Cynthia Treen, if you want the fabric to roll, you'll want to use a single-knit t-shirt rather than double-knit.

I can't tell you the difference between single and double-knit until she texts me back. I just know, for now, that most, but not all t-shirts will work. Start by slicing the shirts (across) in one inch strips.

Make a bunch. Stretch the loops and they will curl up into 1/4" strips.

Loop them, braid them, add charms, knots, whatever you like. It's incredibly flexible and always looks amazing.

 

They even have man potential. Just be sure you call it a "scarf" not a necklace.

Thanks to T. and T. for the idea.

Knitting Slouchy Cardigan from Greetings from Knit Cafe.

I started another "slouchy cardigan" from Suzan Mischer's book, Greetings from Knit Cafe. When I say I started, I mean I started it back in March of 2008.

I'm making a deal with myself - no new projects until I complete some of the stuff on my table. All I have to do to finish this pup is knit the front, left panel. Probably two hours worth of work that I've let sit for...oh...I couldn't even guess.

In the meantime, Knit Cafe has closed and even the website, with the pattern corrections, has been taken down. I guess I'm not exactly on fire about this project.

By the way, are you on ravelry.com? The site for knitters? If you are a member, friend me - "twokittiesblog" .  I'd love to see what you're working on!

Felt Fortune Cookie Bill Holder

Last night, I whipped up these little fortune cookies out of wool felt using a pattern from Martha.  On Christmas, the girls will find a fortune and a little bit of gelt inside each cookie.

All you need to make them is a little bit of felt, some wire, and some glue (I recommend SOBO.) I completed them in about ten minutes, not counting the drying time for the glue. I love them! I'll never give money in a plain, old envelope ever again. Never. Ever. Ever.

Moncler Gamme Rouge Puffy Coat How-To

Remember this coat? I happened to stumble upon a "how-to" for this Moncler Gamme Rouge masterpiece over at Weekend Designer. If you want to make it for me (hint, hint), my height, divided by 8, is:   8.125

Recycled, Upcycled, Felted Sweater Baby Booties

Two Kitties reader Debra sent in a photo of these booties, handmade from a recycled sweater.

Beautiful!

Lace in Translation: Lace in Modern Art.

I love the work that is coming out of Lace in Translation at The Design Center (TDC) at Philadelphia University. Curator Hilary Jay asked three artists to re-interpret lace in modern form, offering them inspiration from the traditional patterns of the Quaker Lace Company collection housed at TDC.  My favorite piece has to be Burnt Lawn by Cal Lane.

Lace in Translation from The Design Center on Vimeo.

Combat Paper: Drew Matott and Drew Cameron

Combat Paper is a collaborative project between artists and soldiers returning from the war in Iraq. Uniforms worn in combat are shredded and beaten to create pulp for handmade paper used for prints and artist books.

The overarching goal of the project is to help veterans reconcile their experiences in the war zone and alter traditional narratives of military service, culture and the re-construction of individual identity on returning home. 

The images you see above are broadside prints from a portfolio created in the Combat Paper studios. Initiated by the artists Drew Matott and Drew Cameron, the Combat Paper project is based out of Green Door Studios in Burlington, Vermont.

Project Facade is another project that explores the tensions war introduces to individual identity. Check out this post from the blog's archives to learn more about Project Facade.

Cynthia Treen Pin Cushions

Cindy taught us how to make these beautiful pin cushions. A photo will never convey what it is like to hold one in your hand. The cushion fits right in the palm of your hand. The silk velvet and the weight of the Turkish emery inside makes the cushion feel interestingly alive.

Here are mine. The finished cushion is one that Cindy made for me. The other is my work-in-progress.

Cindy wrote about Turkish emery and these pin cushions over on her blog.

How to Needle Felt Animals

During our studio week, Cindy Treen taught us to needle felt small animals. In this photo, she is wrapping yarn around her fingers to make the core of the body. You can see the rabbit she made earlier on the table just in front.

Wool roving is then punched into the yarn body using a set of felt needles and a brush mat. Cindy brought these needle felting pens made by Clover. I decided to make a miniature "White Kitty", and you can see his yarn body below.

He turned out nicely!

Debra made a set of bunnies. The bigger bunny is a kind of family icon, often featured in the cartoon notes her husband draws in love notes. This rabbit was a gift for him. He has a cream colored underbody with a mustard overcoat punched in.

This is a very satisfying process and it really is amazing how the wool can be shaped into almost anything with a couple of needles and a brush or foam mat. I can imagine it being somewhat therapeutic after a stressful day of work. I bought my sister all of the tools, wool roving, and a "how to" needle felt book for her birthday. I thought of her every moment I was working on my kitty - I could totally imagine her just punching away. 

By the end of day two, yellow bunny had a baby. Here are the three of them together. 

Encaustic Fabric Collage

I've been doing some encaustic work the last few years. I learned from an artist based in New Orleans named Miranda Lake.  Recently, I've been printing my digital photos on fabric or adding bits of vintage embroidery to my wax collages, and this is what I plan to do with the gravestone rubbings we did last week.

For my "demo", I did a quick and dirty "Intro to Encaustics" session for Cynthia Treen and Debra Tomson Williams. First, though, I had to tidy up a little bit. By mid-week, the studio had been completely annihilated - a sign of creative work in progress.

Cynthia did an absolutely lovely encaustic piece. Of course, I do not have a photo of the final product. But you can trust me on that one. In this photo, she is fusing the beeswax to the board with a heat gun.

We had some time to relax, too. We did a little knitting and crochet by the fire. Here's Cindy on Mike's beloved "baked potato" couch.

Debra cooked some fresh, healthy meals.

We went down to the beach on a beautiful sunny afternoon and sat by the shore sorting rocks.

It was hard to ignore the giant piles of bear scat along the way...it's just that time of year. Over the years, I've become more comfortable sharing space with bears. They leave us alone, and right before hibernation-time when they are devouring the fruit that is left in our orchard, we're just extra careful. But nothing could reassure Debra. I may as well have slathered her in honey and locked her outside at night. 

And I took the ladies into town to visit the yarn store. We saw this piece of art when we stopped for coffee. I'm sure they won't find anything like this in Providence or Pittsburgh. 

To be continued....

Debra Tomson Williams' Tutorial: Fused Plastic Bag Totes

Each of us approaches art and craft from a different direction, so during studio week we all brought a favorite technique or project to demonstrate for one another. Here, Debra Tomson Williams is showing Cynthia Treen and me how to fuse plastic bags together to make "fabric."

This is the ultimate reuse project. Two or more plastic grocery bags are fused together under parchment paper using a warm iron. They can be cut and manipulated like fabric - the possibilities are endless.

Debra recommends choosing bags of similar weight - she looks at the recycling symbol printed on the bottom and matches the numbers. We collected plastic bags from the grocery store - looking for interesting graphics or bright colors, and we raided Mike's garage for some "CAUTION" tape.

 

You should proceed with caution - you don't want the iron to get too hot and you definitely want to keep the iron moving. Do this project outside or in a place where air circulates freely. I rate it a 3 out of 10 on the smelly scale, but my studio door and windows were wide open.

Once again, I was too busy making things last week to take many photos, but luckily there are photos of Debra's bags from a post I wrote last year. 

You can see photos of Debra's finished bag here and, if you want to try this yourself, you'll find a helpful tutorial from Craftzine.com

Crayon Rubbings on Fabric Cemetery Headstones

Last year, I became obsessed with some of the fabric manipulation techniques I read about in The Uncommon Quilter. Crayon rubbings on fabric was something that I really wanted to try while Debra Tomson Williams and Cynthia Treen were visiting. We found some really interesting old Montana headstones, and set to work. 

It's really very simple - crayola crayons and the fabric (or paper) of your choice. We found it helpful to bring some low-tack tape to keep the fabric in position and some rags and a brush to clear the stones of dirt and dust. When you're back at home, press the crayon into the fabric using a warm iron and a sheet of paper towelling over the image or text.

The sharpest rubbings came from fabrics that had a stabilizer - I used some inkjet cotton that has a peel- off backing, because I plan to print on top of it. Cynthia brought some beautiful silk used for painting in China that has a light stabilizer on the back. Both worked well. I also brought a selection of papers and had great luck with them.

I was particularly fond of the text, and would take rubbings of certain words - "We'll be together in the clouds..." which I thought would fit well with some of my bird encaustic pieces. 

Unfortunately, I haven't (yet) taken a single photo of the finished products, that's how busy we kept ourselves last week! But I promise you they are stunning and I will share them soon. Today, I'm actually going to hit some of the cemeteries in Butte and Anaconda, Montana - home of the copper mine kings - and I think I'll find some pretty amazing carvings there.

It's always interesting to see what people choose for their stones. Even more interesting that these two people aren't even dead yet.

Studio Day Two with Debra Tomson Williams: The Spool Bird Pattern.

Debra arrived a day earlier than Cynthia. We woke up to cold, blustery weather - good for sewing.

The first project we decided try was a pattern for a small bird published on the Spool blog last year. These tiny birds look amazing when grouped together on Spool's Flickr site. We thought the birds might be beautiful art installations - either in the orchard or placed in public spaces for people to find and take home.

Debra decided to sew her birds with money. It was sinful to watch dollar bills being cut into pieces. Is it illegal? We're not sure.

I loved the money birds.

But Debra wasn't happy. She decided to sew a bird out of white muslin and stuff him with [now heavily fermented] cherry pits from our orchard. A gorgeous color, but he had a smell to him and refused to dry out. At the end of the week, he wound up in the branch of a tree along the creek. NOT sent home to Pittsburgh.

I made approximately half a dozen little birds (and counting), but I didn't take photos of them - that's how busy we were last week! I'll upload photos when they are finished.

My week with Cynthia Treen and Debra Tomson Williams

So many exciting things happened in the studio last week, it's difficult to know where to begin. Perhaps at the very beginning. The trip down the stairs to the coffee pot.

Even the smallest details of my life are creatively charged when artists are in the house.

Amy Karol: The Angry Chicken's Gift Label Set.

I like to make things and give them as gifts. But people don't always want something handmade as a gift. Some folks want something store-bought. Or maybe even just a wad of cash in an envelope. But why get into all that, when I wrote about it last year, anyway? Short summary: these labels were tailormade for the people that love those people.

"I made this, just so you know. So don't say anything mean about it" is perfect for me. By Amy Karol of Angry Chicken blog fame. You can buy these labels over on Amazon.

Nick Cave: Sound Suits video

I love to love the work of Nick Cave. I am endlessly fascinated by his "sound suits", which cross over from fiber art into costume for performance. I love the story he tells in this video from USA Artists. Watch and learn about how he discovered what would make him famous.

How to Make Fabric Flowers

I envision a garland of old t-shirts.

Gwen Stefani's Wedding Dress

Gwen Stefani's wedding dress was designed by John Galliano in 2002. I count this dress as one of my all time favorites - simply for the pink ombre blush that creeps up the hem. Love it.

Minature Knits: Althea Merback for Coraline Movie

Fiber artist Althea Merback knit all of the hats, gloves, and sweaters for Coraline in her recent movie.

I learned about her work from a show called Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting at MAD in New York City. This show is now touring the country and is also the subject of a new book by the same name.

Enjoy this short video introduction to Merback's miniature knits. My favorite part? The runway shows.

Simple Contemporary Quilt

Tessa leaves for college just about a month from now! I think all of us have a mix of emotions - we're incredibly proud of her and excited for all the opportunities she will have; but we'll miss her like crazy when she goes.

Today she finished the art quilt we've been working on for her dorm room. It is a modification of one of the patterns in Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader's book, Simple Contemporary Quilts.

Tessa chose all the fabrics, cut the pieces, made the sandwich, and did the quilting. My contribution was to inspire confidence, fix the sewing machine, and reassure her that if Laura Ingalls Wilder was making her first quilt, she'd go ahead and guess at it just like we were doing. She loves it and I'm way impressed with her skills.  

Alexander McQueen: Spring 2009

It used to be that when we talked about haute couture we were talking about one-of-a-kind pieces, hand tailored under the personal supervision of a designer. If you've seen the film, Valentino: The Last Emperor, you know what I'm talking about. Five seamstresses all crowded around one mannequin, hand sewing sequins for eight hours a day, complaining about the "poor" quality work of the expert seamstress standing right next them.

Not anymore. Designers like Alexander McQueen are using innovative technologies to enhance their collections. McQueen'sSpring 2009 spine suit, pictured below, is a favorite of mine.I like the way the structure of the suit brings out the dimension of the spine print.

 

This wood grain jacket is another good example of how McQueen is using digital prints on fabric.

McQueen has also been experimenting with digital laser cutting machines to create a series of elaborate leather pieces like this bustier.

 

Couture Carrie has assembled an excellent portfolio of laser-cut lattice wear from other designers.