What I am making now

Whoa. June is almost gone and just what have I been making?!? I've been traveling quite a lot and have only bits and pieces to share.

I was so excited to visit the lowlands in Scotland, building the trip around an opportunity to spend one night on the very special island of Iona. I do hope to return.

While on that side of the lowlands, we stayed 3 nights in the port city of Oban where I happened on a sweet little fabric and textile crafts store. The main attraction for me was all the Harris Tweed. I guess I could've gone home then, from a sewing perspective. But not really - the rest of the trip was focused on family and fun, all good.

After Scotland, we met up with family at Lake Garda in northere Italy. No sewing related items to share, except that I did not include clothing appropriate to such high heat and humidity there. I thought I had covered that, but not really. I should've brought something in lighter colors. All my layering pieces in dark colors failed me.

me and my BSF!

After a few days at home, I was off to one of my Very Happy Places - Shakerag Workshops in Sewanee TN. This year, I took "Imagined Landscapes" with Arounna Khounnoraj, of Bookhou. She is a lovely person and an enthusiastic teacher. She also is open to learning from her students and sharing knowledge. Luckily for her and her family, she appears to be a good marketer too!

Left is a piece from the free table, Right is after a marigold dip!

We played with natural dyes - indigo, madder, marigold, onion skins, avocado, as well as an iron pot that I avoided. We also painted with thickened soy milk, as well as fabric screen printing ink. 

Each of us worked on one central piece around the title - imagined landscapes. It was fascinating to see all the different takes on the theme. For mine, I used pieces of indigo dyed and madder dyed cotton. I also had a piece of dark blue batiste with me that I incorporated into my piece, using free-form applique and reverse applique.

I came home with lots of yellow from the marigold. I'm not big on yellows but I'll use those pieces somewhere. I used an old table cloth I picked up at a thrift store. Those old textiles really love the dyes!

an early sketch

This was an early, warm-up piece for me, using a piece that was first painted with the black screen printing ink. Then I added some thickened soy milk paint, before dipping it all in the marigold. Super interesting results but it will probably just go into my *parts department*, as Diane Ericson calls it.

the brownish parts are from painting with thickened soy milk

Toward the end of the week, Arounna walked us through the construction of a triangular pouch. This is also a free tutorial on her youtube channel. I have not finished mine yet, partially because I like it in this state. It reminds me of a tiny soft shoe.

I'm so excited about attending Shakerag next year when I hope to attend a class with Merill Comeau. I've longed to take a class with her. Fingers crossed it all works hope.

When I returned from Shakerag, where it was also a bit hot, I took to modifying some dresses. I wore each of these at Shakerag and realized I wanted to change the necklines. For the Tessuti dress, the Eva in silk noil (thank you, BSF!) I simply added some embroidery. It was too plain.

For the Sewing Workshop dress, the Memphis, I lowered the neckline and added a striped binding, instead of the previous mustard binding. Now I may go and add a side seam pocket. It really needs a pocket. Sandra Betzina's description of adding such pockets in her Power Sewing is easy-peasy.

I'm also working to finish the hand-stitching on my Imagined Landscape. And I've started a new-to-me pattern from Diane Ericson, the River Tunic, which is designed to be one size fits all and nearly zero waste. Already scratching my head but lots of play left.

Fabric Shopping in France

I am back! I am happy/sad to be home. I loved my week with my girls!

I'm wearing another swing tee dress (2nd from the left, of course)

While in Paris, we of course visited Sacre Coeur and the surrounding park and shops. This area is also home to a number of wonderful fabric shops! So fun. But I had to be careful with my time, as my traveling companions are not into fabric at all.

We visited Sacre Couer and even climbed to the top for fantastic views of Paris below. We also briefly visited the church nave, but a service was underway so we were quiet and quick.

Then my sweet companions visited the souvenir shops while I power shopped for fabric.

Luckily I had already decided on one shopping goal - to buy some Liberty of London cotton lawn. One particular shop in this Montmartre area (Coupon) carries a huge variety of these cottons, more than I've ever seen anywhere in the states. And the price was not quite as high as I had anticipated - 26 Euro per meter.

I purchased a Liberty of London piece a zillion years ago at a gorgeous fabric shop in Asheville NC - Waechter's. I am pretty sure it cost $39 per yard! The shop has since closed, sadly. The piece was lovely to sew and I enjoy the blouse quite a lot.

In Paris I purchased two Liberty pieces, each of the same print but different colors - one red and white, one navy and white. I had a difficult time deciding but I think I made the right choice for my palette and taste. Some of the prints are too fussy for me. I also purchased a wonderful soft piece of gray linen for 10 Euro per meter.

The week in Paris was followed by a week with husband, son and family in Chamonix, part of the French Alps. I had no expectations of fabric shopping. The last day we were there, we visited Annecy which is a beautiful old city that sits on a large mountain lake, Annecy Lak. The city is quite large, but has a distinctive old town full of canals and restaurants and parks and tourists.

As we were wandering the old town, I happened to glance up at a building and see a sign: Tissus Couture. I said to DH, I'll be right back, (yea, right) and speed-walked to the spot.

It was a smallish store after the shops in Paris, but it had some lovely fabric. Again, I had to work fast. I found a pre-cut 1.5 meter of viscose jersey that I just love.

After a day on Annecy Lak, I was a bit worn looking but happy here!

I have just finished making a summer dress with it. This is, once again, TSW's swing tee revised into a dress. I drafted short cap sleeves and had enough fabric to add one (!) inseam pocket.

In order to hem without making it too short, I used a 2" bias strip of light weight cotton shirting as a hem facing. I like the effect. The dress feels light and yet has some hem weight.

My only regret is that I had too little fabric to place the darker portions more strategically. It was the last they had of this. And I just had to have it. It makes me smile. So light, so cheerful, so French.

It seems to be hot everywhere I go this summer, even in the Alps, so I'm still into summer sewing in a big way. And I am having a big time.

I hope your summer (or winter) includes some satisfying makes.

The back looks just like the front!

One More Before I Go

That's what happens every time I plan a trip and the accompanying wardrobe. I keep sewing and sewing, thinking I'll finally make the perfect wardrobe. And then, like Dorothy, I end up right where I started with all the clothes I will ever need, and more.

H and I made her one top for her Paris wardrobe.

This trip has been many years in planning - Paris with the grandgirls. I told them that I'd take them to Paris when the youngest was 10. And that is now. I terribly excited to show them Paris and watch them take it in. They are 15, 13, and 10. The 15-year-old has been to London with her parents, but the younger ones have never left the country. Their mothers and aunt were invited too, so there are 8 of us. High adventure for us all!

The 13-year-old is ready for Bonjour in her hand-crafted top!

My last minute finishes are a tee shirt and pants. But I've decided to leave the pants behind due to packing limitations.

Vogue 9063 with West End pants 

I do love the tee shirt. I used an old Vogue pattern I've used twice before with woven fabrics. It's a bit of a sleeper pattern, I think. A pull-on boat-neck style with a lower front band that can be a separate pattern piece or not.

I omitted the neck facings, opting for a bias binding instead. I should have made the sleeves 3/4 length but I'll roll them. The lower front panel is intended to be a separate piece with a matched facing. I overlapped the front and the front band to cut as one. Then I created a band facing on the bias and flipped it the the front.

For next time, I should remember that knits are really good for travel. I forget about them because I don't like sewing them - they wiggle all around and never look as neat as a cotton or linen woven fabric. And they are not as cool as woven cotton tops. As long as it's not hot like Atlanta, they are golden for packing and travel wear though.

This black and white rayon (I think) knit came from Louise Cutting's booth at Expo, as rare as hen's teeth in her booth. I do love a black and white stripe. To me, it says Bonjour!

The pants are black linen-rayon with lovely drape. I used the Picasso pants from the Sewing Workshop. It came down to choosing between these and my West End culottes. The culottes won.

Vogue 9063 with the left-behind Picasso pants. now I'm having second thoughts!

I may be able to close my suitcase without sitting on it. Just barely.

So jusqu'à demain et bon couture! I hope you're having a loving July wherever you are.

Re-entry

The past 3 weeks have been a blur to me as I attended a workshop at Shakerag, followed by a brief week at home, and then a week+ in Colorado with family. I'm home for a while now and I cannot wait to start a sewing project!

While in Colorado, mostly Breckenridge, I've been hiking, biking, and painting. I had the opportunity to shop at Fancy Tiger Crafts in Denver. What a sweet and inspiring store.

In fact DH and I went to their shop soon after landing before the huge family reunion began. You can see I'm a bit rumpled  from cross-country travel in my Sewing Workshop MixIt top and Hudson pants.

I stumbled across Fancy Tiger Crafts on Instagram initially where I admired the sewing and knitting projects. I am not much of a knitter but I loved their fabric and pattern selection. Their pattern selection was the most fun for me because it included brands I typically would need to order online.

I bought three patterns and one cut of fabric that I believe is cotton but may have some linen in it. It is a cross dye in black and white producing a textured look I love.

They had an interesting selection of fabrics too, including these Pendleton wools. If I lived in Denver, I would have been tempted by those.

The remainder of last week was spent primarily enjoying family activities. Breckenridge and the surrounding Rocky Mountains are wonderful for outdoor activities like biking and hiking. Also there was much inspiration for painting.

One of my favorite events was painting and drawing with my grandgirls.

The week prior to leaving for Colorado I scrambled to complete two pair pants from TNT patterns - cropped Helix pants in navy ponte and the Hudson pants in a textured rayon, all from the Sewing Workshop. The Helix and Hudson pants are real favorites of mine from the Sewing Workshop.

Helix pants require stretch fabric and have a smooth waistline.

Hudson pants require fabric with drape. I took mine in about an inch at the ankle for a bit more shapping.

The week before I was in Sewanee TN for a Shakerag workshop with Christine Mauersberg. We spent the week in meditative hand-stitching. It was delightful. I've learned that I may or may not make something I love in these inspiring workshops, but I always carry something useful into future sewing (or sketching) projects.

As it happened, Linda Lee from the Sewing Workshop was teaching right down the hall from our hand-sewing classroom. I made a few trips down to her classroom for further inspiration, as well as to visit with Linda and her fabulous students. I left with the fabric for my Helix and Hudson pants above.

So I'm back now, doing laundry, and dreaming of what I will make next.

Shrine Ridge Trail near Vail CO

I hope you are making something right now!

Street art on July 4th in Breckenridge CO