Sewing – Page 2

Hi Everybody! It’s so good to be back! As we approach the end of the year, it’s probably inevitable that I review what we have done here at Featherstitch Avenue, and figure out where we want to go in the future. When I started the blog, I wanted to give myself deadlines and a framework for my creative life. It’s too easy to ignore my artistic side with all the pressures and responsibities of family life. Looking back over the year, I am somewhat amazed at our productivity! I don’t fully understand how that happened but most of the credit goes to the blog. Now it’s time to make the blog work for me again. I’m ready to really challenge myself and break through some creative blocks that are in my way. The projects I’m going to take on require skills that I’m still learning and I will need A LOT more time to complete them. It’s going to mean some changes in the way we present things, so expect to see a few tweaks here and there. My productivity will be down in quantity, but hopefully way up on quality! And of course, Santiago will be there to photograph it every step of the way.

First up! A car wash skirt! Call me crazy, but I love this skirt. It’s all about taking something very lady-like and zapping it with a rock-n-roll edge. Now that’s a trend I can totally get behind! With this project, I get to apply the education that I’ve gotten from Julien Cristofoli in draping and Susan Khalje in couture sewing. Using Christian Dior’s version as inspiration, I’ve sketched out what I’d like to try. (To see more inspiration, go to my Pinterest page here.)

Here’s the fabric that I’ll be using. I’ve had this in my stash for years. And while I really love it, I haven’t been able to get my head around using it because it felt a little too girly for me. But taking this fabric and essentially shredding it is going to give it enough of a punk feel that I think is going to make it feel more like me.

Photography by Santiago Vanegas

Next week, I’m going to introduce you to my dress form and we’re going to do some draping!!

One more thing before I go. As many of you know, I was in Paris at the beginning of the month. I have been sitting here at my computer typing and deleting, and typing and deleting, trying to process the horrible events that occurred. The truth is, I don’t know what to say. The only thing I know for sure is that I am heartbroken for the people of Paris and everyone affected by the attack. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

I needed to change things up a bit. Do something different. I’ve played around with fabric dyeing in the past and figured it was time to give it another try. I pulled out my copy of Mandy Southan’s book, Shibori Designs and Techniques and zeroed in on the spiderweb binding.

Using almost a whole spool of Button Craft thread, I bound 4 yards of slightly damp cotton batiste. I kept a squirt bottle nearby to keep the fabric damp as I worked. It took me a good long while to do the whole piece of fabric!

But as you can see, I had good company as I worked. This is Ringo. Helper #1.

Here’s helper #2. She did a great job of mixing the indigo without splashing it everywhere! She was prepared, with her swimsuit and apron on.

While the fabric is in the dye bath, it turns this sickly green color. This is always the point that I start to get nervous. After spending hours binding the fabric, I say a little prayer that I haven’t just ruined it in the dye.

As the fabric oxidizes, it begins to turn from green to blue. It takes about 20 minutes to complete the process.

Okay, so I’m less worried now, because at least it’s a pretty blue color. But now I get to sweat out whether or not I bound the fabric well enough to get the glorious spiderweb motifs.

Success!! It took almost as long to cut out the binding as it did to put it in, but it’s so much fun to see the big reveal.

And here you go, the final product. I cannot wait to make something out of it. I have a good idea about what I’m going to do, and hopefully I can whip it up sooner rather than later.

I didn’t want to leave you without showing you a finished garment, so I pulled out some old pictures of the first time I tried indigo dyeing. The technique I used is also explained in my Shibori book. It’s a simpler binding technique that uses garbanzo beans and rubber bands. Although I have to say that I prefer the spiderweb binding technique. Using thread is much easier on your fingers than twisting up about a million rubber bands.

I also did some accordion folding on smaller pieces.

Here it is, after I cut out the rubber bands and gave it a good rinse.

And the finished pencil skirt!! I made this in the summer of 2012 during a class that I took at SCAD. We had to make a standard size, so sadly it doesn’t fit me. A picture on the dress form is the best I can do.

And since I had some fabric left over, I used it to jazz up a blazer that I made for the same class. The blazer doesn’t fit me either. 🙁

(The photography for this post was done by me, unless I’m in the picture. In that case, the image was probably taken by my daughter.)

That’s it for now. Hope everyone is having a great summer.

Working at the Car Wash

Summertime Blues