memory pillow project

A dear friend asked me to help her out with some pillows she wanted to make for her nephews for Christmas. Their grandfather had passed away and she wanted to use some of his old clothes to make mementos for them. She and I went to RISD together, so we are on the same wave-length aesthetically. She said she wanted pillows pieced in the"Gee's Bend" style.

"Blocks and Strips" by Mary Lee Bendolph (photo Tinwood Media)

If you're not familiar with Gee's Bend, the name refers to the rural town in Alabama, a mostly black community with a history of economic struggles, but a strong sense of community. The tradition of quilting carried on there through the civil war, various economic upheavals including the Great Depression, floods of the Alabama River, and on to the present day.

"Housetop" by Lillie Mae Pettway (photo by Tinwood Media)

The quilts were made with available scraps of worn-out clothes with the freedom and innocence of "outsider art" although they were created for strictly practical purposes much like Amish quilts were. A collector discovered them in the late '90's, bought up hundreds of them and began exhibiting them. When viewed out of context in museums like the Whitney, they are bold, striking modern art. The book about them is wonderful. Auburn University has a wealth of information on them as well as a nice catalog.

The pile of items my friend sent looked random at first glance, but that's what you want if you're emulating the Gee's Bend style.

Many of the Gee's Bend Quilts are variations on the "Log Cabin" quilt pattern. I find this pattern lends itself to creating a spontaneous effect, as long as you don't measure anything, that is. Starting with a squarish shape, strips can be added on the outside edges, working in succession around it until you have the size you're after. True things as you go, or not. It's better if there is some unevenness to it.

I decided to keep the shirt pockets intact, because I think boys find them fun and it is more of a reminder that this was Grandpa's shirt. I also added a few of my own scraps of chambray to help make everything hang together more. But what you definitely don't want is to get matchy-matchy with it.

I also keep the button plackets intact for the backs for the perfect way to get the insert in & out for washing.

I tried not to be as anal as I usually am and just go with it. It actually goes very quickly when you're not trying to be precise. At the end, I trued it all up to the dimension of the pillow.

I hope they like them!

how to make padded hangers

Ah, January. That time of year when all you want to do is restore order.

Pottery Barn Kids

This is when I fantasize about having organized, coordinated closets that are so beautiful you can keep the doors open. My closets don't look this nice, but the one thing I've managed to do is get matching hangers.

It was in this spirit that I decided to road test Martha Stewart's tutorial for making padded hangers. I often access her archive of instructions and wish they had more pictures, so I've documented the process step-by-step here.

I agree with her supply list, but the awl is definitely overkill and 3/8" ribbon works just as well as the recommended 5/8". Unable to find wooden kid-size hangers locally, I resorted to ordering some online from Only Hangers.

The batting will be layered and wrapped in one piece around the hanger. To get the length of your strips measure the hanger as shown above. Martha recommends 4 layers of batting in 3 1/2" widths. I only needed 3 layers that were 2 1/2" wide. Since battings vary, you may have to experiment.

Stack the batting layers, find the center and cut a slit through all the layers. This is where the hanger hook will poke through. Scissors work fine- you don't need an awl!

Wrap around like so, and staple gun at the bottom just where the pieces meet.

With a needle & thread, tuck batting edges over each other and baste shut with large stitches. It doesn't have to be pretty. Now measure the circumference without squeezing.

And measure the length from hook to edge.

Your cover will be made up of 4 pieces for which a pattern needs to be made. To get the length of the pattern piece, take the length you just measured and add 1" for seam allowances (I've never liked 5/8" allowances). For the width, take half of the circumference measurement and add 1" for allowances. Take the corners off with a nice curve. Cut 4 pieces out of your preferred fabric. The fabric usage is quite small, so this could be a way to use up precious scraps. I'm starting to envision my tablecloth scraps or thrifted men's shirts cut up...

Sew the pieces to each other leaving the straight end open. Notch out the ends to alleviate bunching once turned inside out. Martha says to use pinking sheers to trim the seam allowances to reduce the bulk which helps too.

Turn inside out and slide covers onto each end. Pin tightly closed and hand stitch shut.

The best part- now you get to add the ribbon. Finally, a use for some of that fancy ribbon I got on one of my trips to the NYC garment district! I cut my 3/8" ribbon to 28" and wrapped the hanger exactly as Martha instructs: "Place a length of 5/8-inch ribbon around the hook to the front of the hanger, slightly overlapping, as if you were dressing it with a scarf. Pull both ends of the ribbon under the hanger, and back over the front on either side of the hook, and tie into a bow in front of hook." I find it easier to get a good bow if I face the hanger away from me like I'm tying a belt on myself. Ta da!

Now I have to make enough to fill my daughter's whole closet. Just kidding! I'm thinking it would be cool to make for one or two special dresses that could hang on a pretty hook on the outside of the closet door. Maybe I'll search out a vintage hook, or just pick one up at Anthropologie.

making frame purses

I'm pretty excited to say I can make frame purses now! This will be a great way to upcycle the precious scraps from my vintage tablecloths and feedsacks. On my last trip to the NYC garment district, I picked up some purse frames to play around with. Then I read up up about how make purses here. Lisa Lam's directions for making your own patterns and assembling the bags worked great. She's not kidding, don't drink wine and then try to glue your purse into the frame. The gluing part is a little touch-and-go, but overall, it's very satisfying to make a frame purse.

Oh, and a word about glue. You can't just use any glue. The first glue I tried was Goop and I don't recommend it. It worked OK for gluing fabric to metal, but it didn't have the fine nozzle you need to get the glue neatly into the frame and it stank to high heaven. The first little purse I made still reeks over a month later. A little research revealed that all the pursemakers use Guterman HD2 which is not available in the US. You can order it from Lisa's company, U-Handbag and several suppliers on Etsy. It stinks at first, but dissipates relatively quickly.

Once you know the basics, it's not hard to customize patterns for different frames and bag shapes. I decided to try a rounded gathered shape. To get the gathering, I did the "slash 'n' spread" patternmaking technique we learned in 1st year apparel design class. I kept the lining flat and only gathered the shell.

Interfacing is important in bag construction. Lisa's example bag has a flat bottom and is meant to stand up on its own , so she recommends very stiff, heavy interfacing. For the gathered bag, I didn't want to lose the drape, so I went with  tricot interfacing- Stacy Easy Knit by Pellon- on the wrong side of the shell. It's the same silky, soft fusible I use as a backing on my appliquéd onesies.

Then I made some appliquéd coin purses. For these I used a lightweight interfacing - Pellon Feather/Midweight- to stabilize the shell for appliquéing, then applied Pellon Fusible Fleece. The fusible fleece is a thin batting that gives the purses just the right structure.

I've been making these initial purses for birthday gifts and they've gone over well, so I decided to add them to the shop. My little models loved playing with them at the photo shoot. And they're not just for kids if my sister-in-law's squeals are any indication!

brandywine festival of the arts 2010

It was threatening rain all day today, but luckily the new Brandywine Festival of the Arts wasn't rained out. After all the controversy last year over its sudden cancellation, I was eager to get over there and see the new and hopefully improved fair which is now under new management.

Wooly Baby

Yay! Evidence of the indie craft movement infiltrating the fair was found! Delaware has been largely out of the loop of the modern craft being embraced in other cities of the Northeast, but I think we are ready for it now.  Josie Marsh's Wooly Baby booties and slippers, upcycled from leather jackets and wool sweaters, were drawing a crowd. Josie will also be exhibiting at Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair, the ultimate indie craft show, in Washington, DC on October 2.

Felt It

Next door at Felt It, business was brisk as well.

Felt It

Anne Messley uses Eco-Felt made from recycled water bottles and hand appliqués her whimsical designs onto onesies, tees, tooth fairy pillows, and wall hangings (the cool kind- stretched on embroidery hoops).

Jaime Zollars

Jaime Zollars brought her fanciful screen printed illustrations up from übercrafty Baltimore for the weekend.

Jaime Zollars

Her quirky images of vintage circuses and dark fairy tales are available as archival prints, postcards, t-shirts, and buttons. Jaime will be showing at the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair as well.

Yummy & Company

Jennifer Wilfong of Yummy & Company, also from Baltimore, displayed a mix of recycled copper and hand formed low-fire clay jewelry.

Yummy & Company

The intricate patterns are achieved by etching through one layer to another. The effect is graphic, yet delicate at the same time.

Delanco Hats

Haberdashery is back for men of all ages. Jon Compton of Delanco Hats displayed his hats, upcycled from men's suitings, with vintage flair.

Delanco Hats

 Actually, no reason a woman couldn't wear one of these, especially the "newsie" style

Chris Murray

I just recently started bringing my kids with me on my craft show expeditions, and they really seem to get into it. My daughter marches right up to the artisans and asks them questions about how their pieces are made. We spent some time talking to Chris Murray about his carved wood bird sculptures and the many hours that go into some of the bigger pieces. These feather pins look like real feathers at a glance, but are actually expertly carved and painted wood.

My boy of course loved the blacksmith demo and was content to stay there indefinitely. From there, he was whisked off to the zoo, which was free to all today.

Although overcast, it was a pleasant day under the familiar canopy of trees in Brandywine Park.

manayunk arts festival 2010

I deviated a bit from my indie craft show habit to attend the Manayunk Arts Festival in Philadelphia today with my mother-in-law and her pal. I don't consider it a true "indie" craft show since it's in its 21st year and is heavy on the fine art & photography, but times have changed since I was last there 8 years ago. I thought I'd go see what's new. Sure enough, I did find some modern crafters mixed in with traditional folk which suited the all-ages crowd. I was particularly impressed with all the upcycling going on.

Vintage tins are upcycled into pretty belt buckles by Constance Scott of Studio C.

More vintage tins, antique doll parts, and salvaged metal are recycled into decorative doll sculptures by Primitive Twig.

Vintage post office boxed converted to banks by Lone Wolf Woodworks. Too cool!

Brian Marshall combines found objects into funny robot-like creatures that exude personality. I love the name of his shop: adopt-a-bot.

My, my, my, look what can be done with discarded glass bottles! Kathleen Plate of Smart Glass takes bottle recycling to a new level. Her gorgeous chandelier-like hangings really capture the light...

as do her interesting loopy necklaces. The glass colors are the original colors of the bottles they came from.

Shena Curreli of Resinate With Nature  had the most appealing earthy-modern resin jewelry displays. This wood bowl with rice perfectly complements the rings made of tiny seeds, leaves, and other natural bits encased in resin that it contains.

Rustic frames fashioned from reclaimed wood salvaged from old homes and barns by Margaret Taylor of Dancing Dryads.

I recognized Dave Conroy's distinctive jewelry made of stainless steel nuts and nails from the Crafty Bastards show last fall. Alitas Jewelry will be making the rounds all summer. Coming up soon... the Artscape show in Baltimore on the weekend of July 16.

I couldn't walk away a second time without buying a piece from Dave. This cuff bracelet is made of tiny nuts fused together in a Moorish pattern and hammered. It looks like a delicate filigree tattoo on the wrist.

I'm considering coming back the weekend of September 25 to check out the new Manayunk Eco Arts Festival. So many shows, so little time!

dresses out of vintage tablecloths

I found another gem in the box of vintage stuff from Anne's mom's house- I'm going to start calling them "Anne-me-downs"- a home made dress from the 1940's worn by an aunt long ago.

I'm sure it's made out of a tablecloth. The tablecloth selvedge is intact along the hem. And of course there is the border design and the nubby, tableclothy texture. I just love the 1940's for it's clever upcycling. I've blogged about it here before. I can only hope to channel that cleverness.

I've been gathering more than a few vintage tablecloths and have added some more to my growing stash.

Yellow cosmos- so delicate.

 

Oh so very 1950's roses.

Another one in cobalt blue and avocado.

More 1950's roses.

I don't think think this one is quite vintage. I bought it at an estate sale for the pretty appliqué. It looks like the kind of appliqué made for export from the Philippines. It's the girliest, pasteliest one I have. A sweet little girl and her mom came to the studio for a custom dress. The forthright little miss went straight for this one which was stacked on the shelf, only visible from the side.

Okey dokey, then. I usually use manila hard patterns, but I like to use tissue when cutting out the tablecloth dresses. Makes it easier to engineer the placement.

Voilà!

 

I also made this one a while back and have it listed in the chirp & bloom shop. More to come...