There’s been a lot going on here in my studio these last few months. I’ve been sewing like a mad woman. A happy mad woman.

I snapped a few pictures before I start to pack. In just a day I’ll be on my way across the country to the American Craft Council’s show coming up this next weekend in Baltimore.

You saw this pieced trench coat before it had been sewn together. Now, it’s finished and ready to for its debut.

Most of my fabrics are rescued from vintage Japanese kimonos. You can definitely see it in this one, cranes, pine trees and ocean waves.

From a sparkly kimono silk, the night sky and mountains in the distance. I added beads to bump up the glitter factor.

A full skirt and matching jacket, the skirt pieced from two kimono silks. For an extra bit of zip, I appliquéd little squares across the jacket and onto the skirt.

You must know by now, I love piecing my little remainders, leftover silks too beautiful to throw out. I pieced them together for this jacket. Because of the bright colors I’m calling it ‘Carnival’.

Into my suitcase with all of these and all my others and then everything and me off to Baltimore for one of the best craft shows in the country.

See you there!

The receipt was folded in with the fabric, 7/11/15, from my favorite Portland fabric store, Josephine’s. I had bought a few yards of a fabric that was labeled, ‘Italian Novelty, unknown content.’

It was so cool and odd and beautiful, I bought a few yards. It sat out for a month or two, waiting to let me know what it was going to become.

Beads! It said. Sparkling beads and appliquéd strips all along the bottom edge.

Because I knew beaded pieces can take a while and because I knew that it’s not unusual for me to come back to finish a project and wonder, ‘What in the heck was my plan for this???’ I made a sketch and a few notes.

I began to hand stitch the beads and strips in place. When other projects interrupted, I’d set it aside, then when free, pick it back up again. I’d sew a little, add more, pause and resume.

More beads. And more. I had scattered them around and they were not showing up on the speckled texture of the fabric. So I’d add more. And more. And more.

Later that year a big commission interrupted all else. I knew it would be many months before I could get back to this one so I put it aside with a new note tucked in with the others, ‘Beading completed on front and sides, putting aside to work on custom jacket, 4/18/16.’

And there it sat, on my shelf, patiently waiting. And waiting.

Which finally happened, a few months ago. I pulled it out and began again. I sewed on more and then more beads. I had been wrong about the front being finished, it definitely needed more beads. More and more and more.

Until, finally, ‘All right already. Enough! You’re done.’

Below, all beads on, pinned onto my ironing board to be steamed flat.

Finished! Hooray! And ready for the ACC Baltimore show coming up in just a few weeks, February 21-23.

This jacket and all my others will be there, booth #104.

See you there!

I’m still at it, working on new pieces for the American Craft Council’s annual show in Baltimore.

That pieced “trench coat” from my last post? It was just a pile of fabric scraps then, but is now a recognizable shape.

Many, many little pieces of fabric went into this one.

More for the back and sleeves and it will be ready the show, February 21- 23.

I cannot resist these classic Japanese kimonos. This one was covered with good luck symbols, cranes and pine trees over ocean waves. What could be more Japanese than that?

It’s so satisfying to resurrect these old unwearable kimonos and rearrange the fabrics into a new shape. This one will be a trench coat.

Another new jacket. Can you see it? I’ve finished step one, piecing the blocks. Next I’ll lay them out, piece them together and,

Voila! A jacket!