Design Outside the Lines 2024

I'm feeling grateful and creative, satiated with ideas to try in my sewing room. Yes, I just returned from Diane Ericson's Design Outside the Lines retreat in Taos, New Mexico. This year she invited Paula Kavorik, another stellar and generous textile art teacher. And, did we ever have fun!?!

First, there is Taos, a small town that seems to remain a small town decade after decade. My earliest memories of Taos are skiing with my husband and young children and having breakfast at Michael's. But I am fairly certain my family of origin camped there back in the 50s or 60s. Michael's is still there but I did not have an opportunity to eat there because I was staying at the magical Mabel Dodge Luhan retreat center where breakfast takes center stage.

Mabel Dodge Luhan was a colorful person and a great supporter of the arts. The property continues to this day to have that vibe. It invites creatives and travelers from near and far. This year, in addition to the dozen or so of us with Diane, a group of yogis were passing through following their own retreat. They sang to us each morning before breakfast, not because they are good at singing, but because singing makes them feel good. I am quoting their leader. Truthfully, their voices were lovely. And I definitely felt better for having heard them. 

While we were with them, Hurricane Helene ripped through their home in Ashville NC so their singing was mixed with fear, tears, and still hope. We sent them home with traveling mercies and prayers for their loved ones.

While in the workshop, I focused on Diane's River Tunic pattern. I had made one in a light weight denim, which I like, but I wanted to make another one while there and ask Diane to guide me in new directions with it. She sees it as a blank canvas. After nips, tucks, and finishing, I am pleased with the result and ready to try something more myself.

I made her signature overlap at the neckline, in both the front and the back. It adds interest, brings in the neckline, and produces an interesting pleat.

By folding up the hem in the front, a sweet little pocket was formed. We folded up the back hem to balance the overall silhouette.

A few more tucks were added to the back to add a little shaping, and now, I like it quite a lot.

The fabric came from a unique shop in Taos named Common Thread. They carry household linens, some yardage from India and other places, some cool but plain linen garments, and a plethora of gorgeous scarves. I have a weakness for buying scarves when I travel. Somehow I resisted that.

The household linens are great for garments. Diane always brings some that she has made with their household linens - always artful and inspiring.

I bought the green fabric last year at Common Threads and cut out a basic River Tunic right before coming to DOL this year. It was ideal for this project with Diane because the two sides are identical. 

This year I bought another fabulous piece at Common Thread that will become something and show up in this blog sooner or later. 

Fun fact - my iPhone camera labels this *artwork.*

Paula Kavorik brought something new and wonderful to this year's DOL! She is an artist who draws with her sewing machine. She is also imaginative and a truly gifted, seasoned teacher. If you ever have a chance to study with her, do not miss that opportunity! In the meantime, follow her on IG as yellowbrickroad.

Sometimes I get have to make *something.*

I am sort of addicted to Paula's process right now. I have little control but I am intrigued by what can happen if I just relax and gently move the fabric forward and backward, as well as to the left and to the right. Paula's mantra is "maintain the horizon." It is tempting to move turn the fabric around and around, but I'm gradually seeing the benefit of maintaining the horizon.

Paula encourages the development of this skill with drawing exercises. I do love those and play around with that every evening while watching the news. So satisfying. My eye-hand control with the sewing machine is still a far cry from my eye-hand control with a pen and paper, but practice makes progress. And that is good enough.

Drawing:

Now I am feelling the call of my sewing room.

Now and Zen Blend

The Now and Zen shirt pattern from the Sewing Workshop is definitely a TnT, or tried and true, pattern. There is almost no fit to it in either view. The Now is shorter and has a *rolled* collar that encloses the raw edges. The Zen is longer, has a center back pleat, as well as a double collar.

While I've made both the Now and the Zen exactly as provided in the pattern, I have more often incorporated aspects of each into a top. 

In this latest make, I used larger of the two collars for the Zen, as well as the center back pleat. But I made it shorter, as I find that is easier to use in layering. I also narrowed the sleeves a bit, and finished them with a bias binding.

The fabric is silk noil, some that I dyed (and overdyed) as part of my wonderful class with Jane Dunnewold, Dye Mastery: From White to Wow. I dyed several lengths of the silk noil, using basically the same approach with each. 

I have learned that dyeing more than a yard is really challenging with this low-water immersion approach to dyeing. In this case, I had a yard, a half yard, and a quarter yard. I only needed the first two pieces, but I kind-of wish I had somehow incorporated the quarter yard. 

The pieces I used tend too much toward yellow, not my best color, especially this warmer yellow. For my next project, I think I'll decide in advance what to make and then rough-cut each piece before dyeing. It will be easier to handle but it does mean the results will have some variety. I think that's OK.

I enjoyed sewing this piece. It is easy to handle in all aspects of sewing. I especially enjoyed the hand-sewing part. I used the running stitch to finish the sleeve hems, the front and back hems, as well as the button bands, and the collar.

Definitely a zen project. And it wears beautifully - very cozy - even if it does make me look a little jaundiced.

Stitching as Drawing with Susan Brandeis

Although it has been a couple of weeks now, I'm still coming down from the high of my time attending Susan Brandeis' class at Shakerag in Suwanee TN. In fact, I'm not sure where to begin this post.

my dorm - Watts - small, basic, just right

The material included in this class tapped into two creative paths - hand sewing, for sure, but also I was pulled back into drawing, sketching, painting. I work on the latter in fits and starts, whereas, stitching is something I do almost every day. Stitching is my daily practice. The days I miss out on sewing are often in danger of going sideways. I really really try to fit it in.

Some people run. Some people play a musical instrument. I sew. Or sketch.

Susan Brandeis is a seasoned and enthusiastic instructor. Her materials are meticulously organized. Her pacing is considered and measured. And her work, whether it's personal or commissioned, is deeply inspiring.

Susan with one of her pieces in the Shakerag gallery

I was wait-listed for this course and had just about given up. I purchased her wonderful book, The Intentional Thread, and told myself I'd just work through her carefully laid-out exercises on my own. Then I got a call from Claire, the Shakerag director. Halleluiah! 

Susan prefers teaching this class over two weeks. Though we had only one, I think it was just right for me. We did not follow the book strictly speaking, but I understand how the book works now. I feel like I can pick and choose some of the book's exercises more effectively now.

I left with just the right amount of information- and inspiration-overload. And, as she pointed out in correspondence with me, I'm realizing that my dual creative paths are more closely integrated than I had thought. That is, as I stitch, I can now see the sketching influence. Likewise, when I sketch, I see the stitching influence.

I don't want to say this class changed my life, but it was certainly life affirming in the creative sense. In some classes, I feel drawn to do exactly what the teacher does. Not so, in this class. Somehow, magically, Susan communicates techniques and creative process in a way that starts with where each student needs to start. She effectively presents material to the class as a whole and then individualizes it as we work.

For now, I continue my stitching practice, bringing my sketching bent into consciousness. And I have some very specific sketching *skills* I'm developing. This more technical direction stems directly from the individualized instruction I received from Susan.

detail of Whispered Words, by Susan Brandeis

What a gift it is to have a creative life. I feel so very lucky. Dear reader, if you ever have an opportunity to work under Susan's direction, do it! 

And a shout-out to the folks who work so hard to make the Shakerag workshops happen for 3 weeks each summer. For example, the food was fabulous. I had to have a little talk with myself mid-week: no, I do not NEED to have dessert at every meal. 

The gorgeous weather allowed for outdoor eating under the grand old trees. And what a great time that was, visiting with students from other classes. The students in my class were also delightful and interesting. 

And the nightly lectures by faculty were icing on an already rich cake of art. The Wednesday night *Open Mic* was impressively entertaining, including Marc Brandeis's piano performance as well as Sheryl St. Germain's reading of "Things My Mother Always Told Me" from her book, Let It Be a Dark Roux. The spontaneous dance performed by Claire and James was fun too!

I skipped swimming in the lake - the fish are attracted to my white-bread parts and bite me. I wish I had gone on the hike and done the yoga. But that's OK - I'm hoping for a next time. 

Now it's time to stitch and draw.

A Return to the School of Making

This past week I once again entered the nirvana of hand-sewing goodness, attending a workshop at Alabama Chanin. I attended my first workshop last year and was absolutely delighted to be able to attend again. I still learned a good deal this year, but was less worried about where I was going. I think I enjoyed it more this year. 

The facility is very low key in a warehouse district of Florence AL. You would not even see it if you weren't looking for it. The front half of the facility is a store with mostly garments for sale ($$$$$), as well as beautiful Heath pottery. 

To one side, they have positioned items for the School of Making - patterns, trims, thread, bundles, and racks of samples in various sizes for participants to try. All is displayed in a functional but curated Alabama Chanin style. 

The first morning goes fast with introductions and an explanation of the kit each participants selects as part of the price of admission. We have until about noon (!) to make our decisions. This year I chose the Fractal dress. I was surprised by how much I liked the sample, as I was expecting to go with the Factory dress, one I had tried on last year.

Everyone fell in love with this stencil design and color combination on a Peacoat.  I think many went home with exactly that kit - the Peacoat in two layers of Earth cotton knit, gray stencil paint, and Abbie's Flower stencil. Here is a shot of the work on the store sample:

I chose the Peacoat pattern for my kit last year.  I made it in Peacock-colored knit for both layers, black stencil paint, and the New Leaves stencil. It was fun to sew, though parts were a little challenging. This year, because so many people chose the Peacoat, they offered a tutorial on some of the unusual aspects of its construction.

I always feel good when I wear it. Their organic cotton feels very cozy, but not sloppy. I so like the way the two layers of knit meld to one another, as you embroider each section.

Since a 20% discount is offered on all purchases made while attending a workshop, I of course purchased a second kit last year. I chose the Alabama sweater pattern modified to bring the neckline up a bit. The outer layer is gray (Dove) and the under layer is red (Carmine). The stencil is called something like Text. I did not see it in the offerings this year and I understand why. It does not provide much space for cutting away the top layer to reveal the bottom layer, a typical technique used in AC garments. 

My selection this year is the Fractal dress with two layers of brown (Earth) knit, Abbie's Flower stencil, and the blue-gray stencil paint. 

I'm using a light gray floss for the embroidery part. Brown is just about my favorite color and I love wearing silver jewelry. I think this combination has a kind of southwestern feel to it, a good combo for this Texas girl.

First piece embroidered at home

My beautiful kit was delivered the second morning. They work hard over a short period of time to deliver kits to us all. The kit contains each of the pieces of knit cut out and stenciled, ready to start layering and stitching. It also contains tons of embroidery floss and button craft thread for the seams. Instructions are photocopied from the pattern and included. It is packaged in an organic cotton case and tied like a gift. A double layered sample is included so you can try out the techniques before started the kit. Here is mine completed during the drive home. 

As I did last year, I chose not to actually start my kit during the workshop. Throughout the rest of the our time, the excellent teacher provides short tutorials on each of the AC techniques for applique, embroidery, and construction. A lovely lady came out and demonstrated her beautifully crocheted snap covers. I gave that a brief try and decided to simply admire hers!

There are 5" square samples available, some with stencil designs, some plain, so that we can try out all of the techniques and see what we like in terms of technique and color. That is what I spent most of my time exploring. 

And did I mention that they feed us and dote on us for the three days? The ladies running the workshop are deeply southern in the most positive sense of that word, always cheerful, encouraging and responsive. Natalie Chanin stopped by briefly the last afternoon after many of the participants had left but it is really the young employees' show. It's like a spa for sewists.

I am now back home enjoying the first hand work on my new Alabama Chanin kit, getting a feel for how much I will cut away and what I will retain of the stencil. I will savor the process and look forward to the finished piece. 

And, yes, I did select a second kit. After all, there was a discount so I had to, right? It arrived today: 

I may need to start it now and not next...