Scarves

Craft Council’s On-line Atlanta/SE Show

September 18, 2021 2 Comments

Starting Monday, September 20th, the Craft Council’s on-line Atlanta/SE show will be live and open for members. If you’re not a member, please consider becoming one. It’s a great way to help support American craft.

On the next day, Tuesday, September 21, the show will open to all.

My new work will be there, new coats, jackets and scarves. All online. Shop in your jammies! The link to my shop here.

Below, my newest pieced coat on a beautiful model. I’ve paired it with my meisen striped skirt. The coat, called ‘All the Irregulars,’ [because, the irregular navy and white pieces of silk] will in the show. The skirt is now up in my web-shop.

A cape with appliqués will also be in the show. Worn loose and soft or pulled tight over and around your shoulders. Capes are the best! Perfect for all!

A brand new ‘Hitoe’ in an amazing black and white shibori. Each one of those little dots are tie-dyed.

Really!

Paired with a fabric with abstracted leaves for the collar and black sleeves with a woven tree design.

I’ve been busy piecing new scarves too. Like this one with cranes in beautiful forest-y greens.

The great thing about scarves, one size really and truly does fit all.

A bold red and black with oh so cool traditional Japanese designs.

The silks I use in my scarves are either from old kimonos that don’t have enough usable fabric for a whole jacket, but have spectacular bits that I can use in my scarves or they are leftover scraps from other projects. ‘Mottainai,’ waste nothing. And with these gorgeous fabrics, I absolutely will not.

We’re limited to 15 pieces, so as things sell I’ll add in new. Be sure and come back to see what’s new.

A link to my shop here. Open this Monday, September 20 through Sunday the 26th.

Real People

June 27, 2021 2 Comments

I love to see photos of my pieces out in the real world and especially, on real people.

Below, handsome Dennis, wearing a pieced scarf sewn from [what else???] beautiful kimono silk. Dennis has a business making and selling fantastic sweaters. Check out his website here.

Another fellow textile artist, Jane, wearing one of my scarves. Can you see? She’s standing in front of one of her quilts. I love the Japanese designs in the fabric she used. A kindred spirit.

Back just before covid, when we could gather and listen to music together and not worry about a world wide pandemic, I snapped this picture of Linda. She was hosting an event and looking smashing in a bold black and white Shawl Collar coat. For a little bit of zing, I used a bright red for the under collar. When she moves or walks around, you see a flash of color. There is a little bit visible at the hem.

Beautiful Nina, layering a coat over a jacket over a blouse. Fantastic!

Then inside, with the coat off, showing the jacket and blouse. A lavender jacket and blouse with her red hair. Perfect.

And how about the perfect colors and patterns behind her? A happy accident that everything in this photo works together so well? Or carefully planned. Whichever way, I love it!

Thank you to Dennis, Jane, Linda and Nina for these fantastic photos.

New Scarves

December 6, 2020 5 Comments

All of you who sew know that scraps tend to pile up. For years I tried different ideas with what to do with them. A friend suggested scarves. It’s obvious, isn’t it? But it took me a while to figure out exactly how to make them. After many attempts, I came up with a design that I was pleased with. [a good sign!] My customers at the craft shows agreed.

In the beginning, most of my time was spent sewing jackets, coats, tops and skirts. I needed help with the scarves. At first, amazing Angie helped to sew them, then Beate and now wonderful Kimberly and my long time friend, Becky.

But covid! And no craft shows! So we slowed everything down and Kimberly and Becky went on temporary hiatus.

With no in person craft shows, I shifted my focus to my online shop.

Then, when the American Craft magazine offered ad space, I thought, why not? I put one together about scarves.

Scarves are perfect for our new online reality. Each is a one of a kind piece of art-to-wear. Plus, one size fits all. A scarf adds a bit of color and pizazz, something we’re all looking for these days. A bit of pizazz.

It worked! Between the ad and the Smithsonian virtual show my scarves were finding homes. I needed more. Which is why one of things things I’ve been doing lately is sewing scarves.

It is so much fun! And relaxing and meditative. And compared to the coats and jackets I’ve been working on, quick. No beads or hand appliqué or complicated clothing construction.