Stitch Rabbit

Oh Brilliant Nature.

 

I've finished the top to my first completely plant-dyed cotton quilt project. I've been foraging, saving, cooking and dyeing with plants over the last few months, and the outcomes are a perfect example of the brilliance of nature, the surprising discovery of color, and the satisfying ability to make it yourself in a sustainable way.

 

 

Using walnut husks, ivy, pomegranate, cutch, avocado skins and onion skins I dyed unbleached cotton about a half metre at a time. I used alum and iron as mordants.

The fabric came out beautifully, and I think all the inconsistencies and surprises in the dye give it a really nice texture and depth. I am so amazed by the colors you can pull from a few leaves and skins. All the exhausted plant materials went straight into the compost. Nothing was wasted.

 

 

 

 

 

The Process.

I was talking with a friend over a beer about the importance of documenting your process. Not only for personal reference, but as part of your public outreach in whatever platform you choose. Whether you blog or instagram or tumblr or facebook your personal hobbies, art and business, I think it's just as important to present your process, your tools, your systems, your space as it is to present your finished work.

 

For me, if I didn't document my process, you wouldn't see very much.

That is because the finished product doesn't come as often as the times you are in your studio or in your shop. The hours that go on behind your own works of art are such a beautiful part of the story. I find it so interesting getting a chance to peek at how other people are spending their precious "work time", when it's something that they do for love.

 

 

Many of my photos are of my materials in use because I find them beautiful on their own. A skein of yarn or a pair of shears, a length of fabric that has been dyed and waiting for possibility.

 

 

It's within that process that you will find people being exactly who they are. I am happy to finally be in the stages of styling a finished product to shoot a photo, but it is actually here, peeking in my studio, in my garden, in my baskets upon baskets of projects, that you will find me, exactly the way I want to be. Never finished, always wanting more.

 

 

Busy Hands.

 

 

Using plant dyes from the garden and the grocery store, with some help with a few mordants, both alum and iron, I've been playing alchemist this week to a variety of cottons and linens, as well as wool. Using a wonderful book called "Eco Color" by India Flint as a guide, as well as key tips and pointers from experienced friends, I've come up with some awesome shades that I'm very pleased with. I started cutting for a quilt this morning.

 

Sewing For Spring: Pretty Little Camisole

I love this new shirt of hers. Super light and soft, with a very fine line detail in the fabric. To give it a little bit more I took a vintage piece of hand-crocheted lace and used it as the trim for her neckline. I used the camisole pattern from a Japanese pattern book I use a lot called "Carefree Clothes For Little Girls". It has been a little girl pattern staple since she was two. I highly recommend if you are sewing for young girls!!

 

Sewing For Spring: A Great Apron

I've made a lot of these. They're easy, they layer well and are great for playing in. Frankie loves the big pocket in the front. I usually use an unbleached cotton or linen for the main body, but this time I chose a green linen and a vintage sheet material for lining.

The pocket is made with the much-adored Heather Ross Far, Far Away III. Clothes on a line, doesn't get nicer than that. Now let's go play Little House On The Prairie.

Sewing For Spring: Fancy Pocket Skirt

 

She's such a good girl to help me shoot photos of her clothes, hey?

I made this skirt out of a quick 1/2 metre cut of this really nice linen from Spool Of Thread. I did a flat front with elastic in the back and sewed a big front pocket with some oxford. The detailing is simply a vintage doily sewn to the pocket. Instant fancy for the fancy lady.

That's some serious posing.

Sewing For Spring: A New Dress

Spring is pushing through the ground, and it's almost time to trade the heaviest sweaters and the warmest boots for lighter jackets and skirts and dresses. I had a flurry of activity in my studio last week and this is one of the pieces that came out.

Using a simple light blue oxford, I borrowed the bodice pattern from a great old dress book I love and filled in the gaps with a nice full skirt and big pockets trimmed with lace, perfect for filling with rocks and buttercups. With a long-sleeve underneath she can wear it now and then throughout the summer on it's own.

 

Breaking Through The Creative Wall (once again)

I haven't been in the studio for awhile. It took me about a half an hour of fingering material and flipping through books before I finally flipped the switch and turned on my sewing machines. I don't know what my problem has been lately, but the lack of inspiration in the sewing room has left me gritting my teeth and pacing floors.

Finally a break through.

When I'm not being particularly creative I feel like I'm not doing enough. I've been really busy with the knitting these days, lots of orders from the shop, lots of requests for mittens and hats for this family of mine. But I was missing the scissors, the measuring. Crisp fabric and pins and lights. It's nice to get back in here. And all it took was one day to get my mind cranking out ideas for new projects.

I didn't get too complicated with what I was doing, just made a few things that were on my list...a few Christmas gifts I can't let out of the bag, and a travel cosmetic bag using the very last of my Ruby Star Rising "Vintage Ladies" fabric.

An afternoon alone to cut and sew makes for one happy mama.

 

Coming Back To It.

What I love the most in life, is to make. I miss it terribly. My hands miss it. My heart misses it. I don't feel whole and that is the truth. I have found thought, meditation and prayer with scissors and cloth and thread.

The cut of the rotary blade, the steam from the iron, the delicate touch of pattern and quick snips to hanging threads. There haven't been enough hours in the day for me to do much more than wander into the room that holds everything I love, pick up half-finished pieces and wait for the days I can work on them again. Wait for the nights I can get lost in thought and music and scraps of fabric.

In my dreams and in my workbook I have sketches and plans, but nothing is happening now. The summer sun has kept me away, and September is keeping me still at a distance. I am waiting in quiet anticipation to reunite with the work that I want to do. One more week as a pseudo-working-woman, and then I will be home again. I will have nap times to sneak in and work in a delicious quietness. I will have the energy and the brain capacity to turn on the lamps and work late into the night. I will be home and happy. Amongst the stacks of fabric and the freedom to do what I love.

 

 

Can't Thrift It? Make It!

I can never find king size pillow cases when I'm thrifting. Good king size sheets are a hard find too. I was in the mood for some light, springtime bedding to give the bedroom a lighter feeling after a winter of woolen blankets piled five high on the bed, so I whipped these up using the fabric from a super soft double duvet cover, some white cotton and a bit of mustard colored ribbon.

I didn't use a tutorial, but if you would like to make some of your own pillowcases, here are a few great tutorials from around the crafty web:

Pretty Quick Pillowcases by Film in The Fridge

Pillowcase How-To By Dana at MADE

ZigZag Pillowcases by Stitched in Color

 

Needle Holding Birthday Gift

It's my Mom's birthday and I knew she had admired the first knitting needle holder I made, so I decided to make one just for her. It's such a fast and easy project and uses elements of bag making so it's fun to construct. Maybe I should make a tutorial?

 

I have to say though, the entire time I was working on this one all I could hear in my head was  "Put.A.Bird.On It!"  If you don't know what I'm talking about watch this:

 

This clip from the new comedy show Portlandia had me howling - as I'm sure the rest of the craft/design community! Have a great weekend - see you on Monday!

 

 

Stash-Tastic.

I got my stash cupboards cleaned out and reorganized. Like I've said before, when my cupboards get messy so do I. I become a much more careless (carefree??) sewer when everything is in disarray...and I don't do well in carefree. Not when I'm supposed to be quilting....

I'm only showing you one cupboard, I'm feeling a little embarrassed to bare it all to you.... my mother reads my blog and she will forever hold it against me - she is fiercely made fun of for the size of her yarn and fabric stash - by our entire family.

 

I also cleaned house a little - not a lot, but enough to make a dent in that basket of scraps-turned-strips for that rag rug I've been talking about for the last five years..

 

I also finished my quilt top!! For the new quilt, not the old quilt. The old quilt has taken a back seat again. Again, I have to reinstate - it's not that I love any quilt more, it just happened this way. The old quilt is still a lovely, lovely quilt, it's just more time-consuming and it's just going to take me, well, more time.

I dropped by Spool of Thread last night before their evening Beginners Sewing Class (the cuties were making pillow cases!) to pick up the backing for the (new) quilt. FYI: Spool of Thread has EVERY SINGLE Kona solid now. I saw it with my own two eyes, some still wrapped in plastic. Also have a lot more fabric in, though I didn't dare look cause Gabriel was with me and I've been to the fabric stores twice this week. I'll have to go "grocery shopping" later this week.

Came home ready to make me a mean quilt sandwich and realized the batting I had planned for this quilt had a large, ironing board shaped cutout in it....oh yeah, right. I forgot about that.

So, (sigh) the quilty sandwich of love is going to have to wait till tonight...

 

 

 

What Things Are Waiting For Me

I have finally - FINALLY made myself a new ironing board cover. I just spent the last month and a half ironing on a towel - it doesn't work at all, and isn't nearly as pretty as this Free Spirit fabric...

(and to those of you that don't SEW - I do NOT iron already made clothes. Not at all, not ever. I use my ironing board for SEWING purposes, which somehow makes me less domestic, more artistic. Right?)

What is waiting for me is the piecing of the old quilt, the finishing of the new quilt and the beginning of the thirty other projects that I have waiting in the wings. That towel was holding me back, I swear.

 

I picked up some (non) floral fabric at the shop the other day and a few Kona solids. I actually muttered to myself while gazing fondly at this beautiful fabric "No Floral" and this woman next to me laughed. Glad to know I'm not the only one. I am trying to even out my stash so it's not so much the big and tiny flowers, more stripes and solids so my patchwork doesn't end up looking like a garden. Though I love me some floral...Aims will vouch for that.

What is waiting for me is my stash cupboard to be cleaned and organized. It is looking nothing like this, this or this right now. But I want it too...soooo much.

 

I went on a mama trip last week - a whirl wind one day on ferries and everything with no kids - no kids!! It was fast and hilarious and we brought knitting and I loved every second. I love being with my friends, my mamas.

What is waiting for me is the start up of a stitch and bitch, or a witch and stitch, or a drink and stitch...whatever you wanna call it I wanna start it up. Cause we all deserve a little drink with the witches and the sticks.

 

I got the very awesome privilage of watching my beautiful daughter skate with her Papa at my childhood ice rink last week as well. I can tell you that I couldn't really hide the big, wimpy, nostalgic tears that were coming down my face watching them both have So. Much. Fun.

What is waiting for me is Tuesdasy Toonie skate with my daughter, so we can make some of our own nostalgic memories.

 

I hope you all have things that are waiting for you this week...I'll let you know how the list goes.

 

 

 

A Quick Thrift in Mennonite Land

My parents live in Mennonite country. This means a few things. Great produce, great dairy, and incredible thrifting for the crafty. I rarely take a trip out this way without slipping away for a few hours to do the thrifty rounds. Lots of great dishes, lots of vintage sheets and aprons, and LOTS of fabric. For stinking cheap. Here's a peek at a few things I picked up today. Can't wait to get home to the work my husband has been up to at home. ( not telling you yet - you'll have to wait!)

A Guilty Conscience Grows A Good Quilt

 My guilty conscience has gotten to me.

During all that adoring over the new quilting fabric I had picked up at the store the other day and all during the quick execution of the blocks for it, I couldn't help but keep looking up at that suitcase on the top of my fabric armoire. I would stare at it from my sewing table, sighing heavily, thinking of the quilt inside that I had so carelessly tossed aside in favour of this new fabric. It wasn't that I loved the new fabric more - or the old quilt project less...it just happened. My attention had shifted, my enthusiasm departed for something else for the moment. A thin layer of dust blanked the top of the suitcase and the handle, the luggage tag swaying ever so gently when the heat came on...it's words haunting me in the night..."Quilt Projects"...unfinished...still..

So I've brought it back out and am bringing it home. In all it's glory. I forgot how much I love making this quilt. It's a great quilt.

 

And the blocks I just finished for that new quilt? They're at the back of the line, rightfully so.