shows

New Projects, and, Spring!

May 7, 2023 6 Comments

The closest I’ll ever come to having rose petals tossed at my feet, will be the springtime cherry blossoms that Mother Nature drops onto the sidewalks in my neighborhood.

I walk through as though I am a princess.

Gorgeous!

Meanwhile, in my studio, it’s all about beads. I’m in the middle of two projects. It’s always slow going with beads, but the final result is so rewarding. One in black and gold and the other in blue shibori.

Also on the table, several jackets and a coat. Can you tell? It’s those pile of fabrics in the back. One in reds, one in greens and one in blues.

Stay tuned.

And just in time for the American Craft Council’s on-line PopUp Marketplace, I’ve been working on a few more scarves to add to my store.

Two below, in process.

Maybe you remember my 30 second video of me making a scarf? Check it out here.

Below, one of the scarves finished. This one and others, along with jackets and tops, will be in my store at the marketplace.

The on-line marketplace will be open for ACC members on Monday, May 8th and open for all May 7th – 21st. The shopping pages will be up and viewable when the shown is live. You’ll be able to get there with this link. Click on ‘Online Marketplaces.’

There will be lots of gorgeous work by craftspeople from all over the country. Check it out!

One more thing.

My tree peonies are in full bloom. Last year it snowed when they were just getting going [… I know, snowed… in April. In Portland. Where we hardly ever get snow… ] and some of the big branches broke off. Sigh.

But they are back! Hooray!!! Gorgeous.

Thank you Mother Nature, for the cherry blossoms falling at my feet and for the rebirth of my beautiful peonies!

One last look

March 26, 2023 6 Comments

Before I refocus towards new work, how about one last look at some of the pieces that were sold at the Baltimore show?

A tomato red coat with appliqués in a slightly different red. I posted a story about this one in October when I started it. Check it out here.

I did finish it, just in time for the show.

A jacket, sewn from the remainder pieces of coat I made a number of years ago.

All those little bits and pieces, left over from various projects, that I store away. Eventually, sometimes years later, I use them for a new project.

Waste nothing! A skirt pieced from various leftover scraps of kimono silks, all woven with sparkling metallic threads.

Topped with a black hitoe that was sewn from an amazing ‘rinzo’ kimono silk, a kind of a damask.

A detail shot.

Formal wedding kimonos are fantastic to work with, not only are they amazingly gorgeous, but they also have extra long sleeves, also covered with designs. Those long sleeves mean all the more beautiful fabric to work with. Like this oversized jacket, loose and full.

And enough fabric left over to make a second jacket.

And a red and gold jacket sewn from the remainders of another oversized jacket.

Below, that oversized jacket, the one that I had first sewn from the red and gold kimono silk. I brought it back with me and listed it on my web-shop. You can check it out here.

This is how it goes, I start with a beautiful kimono silk and see where it leads me. I sew up new work and send those jackets, coats, skirts on their way. Then, maybe the best part, I get to start all over again.

Every time it’s different, sometimes a challenge, but in the end, always fun, always rewarding.

Baltimore 2023!

March 12, 2023 1 Comment

It was most definitely back! Baltimore has been the ACC’s number 1 craft show for years. Even though covid knocked out two years and forced a rescheduled event in 2022, we all returned as though no time at all had passed.

Although this years show happened on the first weekend in March instead of the last in February, everything else felt pretty much the same as before. 350 exhibitors came to show visitors and friends their new work.

We arrived at the convention center, set up and waited for the doors to open.

At 10am on Friday, March 3rd we were back at it.

Below, my booth all set up, new work hanging and ready for viewing.

I love setting up, hanging and arranging! Doing my best to highlight each piece as best as I can.

Whew! Such a good show! So many friends I’ve made in the years I’ve been coming. It’s definitely old home weekend. Seeing my old customers and meeting new, some who buy my work, others who stop by to say hi and see what’s new. It’s a three day party.

Then, it’s Sunday night, we pack up and get ready to head home.

On Monday, before the plane leaves, there’s usually a few hours for a walk. And what a beautiful day for it.

Past the Bromo-Seltzer Clock tower,

And trees showing the very beginnings of Spring,

We went down to the water front to enjoy the beautiful day.

Then off to the airport, a flight across the country and back home to Portland.

Below, a last look at my booth.

I’ll admit, shows are exhausting! But despite the intense work to get ready and the stress of travel and worries that come with it, the shows are so worth it. It’s the fun, thrill and joy that keeps me coming back.

Thank you American Craft Council for continuing to put on this fantastic show!

Out on Their Own

June 18, 2022 Leave a Comment

A last look at a few of the pieces I brought to the Smithsonian and the American Craft Made shows.

Like this jacket, a shorter version of the coat we used for the ‘Pink’ video. This fabric came from a very long sleeved, formal kimono. Those traditional kimonos are like western ball gowns. They’re perfect for a special occasion, but maybe not so good for daily life. Fantastic when you want to wear a dramatic and beautiful piece of clothing.

My good fortune, when it’s time to retire it as a wearable kimono, the long sleeves make for a lot more fabric. Plenty for a long coat and a jacket.

The front.

The back.

Enough for a coat, a jacket and some leftover scraps for a few scarves. ‘Mottainai,’ waste nothing!

Can you see, in the picture below, the pieces of the same fabric? The grey leaf like shapes? And part of a green flower towards the center top. At the bottom, a sliver of dark mahogany petals.

The last bits of this gorgeous fabric, this scarf, ‘Blush Ume,’ is still available, check it out here.

A shawl collar coat, this one called ‘Streams.’ Sewn from two gorgeous kimono silks, two different versions of a flowing water design.

Appliquéd small squares, laid out as though they were tumbling through the water.

The squares were cut from the same kimono silk I used for the facing and the under the collar. A gorgeous deep, deep teal/green silk scattered with little odd shapes and dots.

Lastly, a beaded, so very cool, woven scribble design in a pretty pale pink color.

I used black beads to toughen it up and give it a bit of attitude.

jacket, beaded with woven scribble design in pale pink

Onward! I’ll finish up some special orders, then start the process all over again.

This is what I do; make stuff, show it, send it off. It’s a pretty good life!

Baltimore 2022!

June 5, 2022 7 Comments

What a thing to be back in Baltimore! Just like old times. Well, except it was May. And instead of the possibility of snow, the days were hot, 90 degrees! Instead of people bundled in warm coats and boots, they were wearing wore shorts and sandals.

Except for the weather, it all felt the same. There we were in the good old Baltimore Convention center, as though hardly any time at all had passed. It was so good to be back!

The floor plan had shifted a bit and I was in a slightly different spot. I was pretty happy about my new place. Not bad at all!

We set everything up, adjusting, rearranging and tweaking, until it was ready.

Then, on day one, the doors were open and in came the people. So many of my old friends, it was great to see them again! And plenty of new faces too.

At the very same time, there was an on-line component for the show. I had to pay attention so if a piece sold in one place, I had to remove to from the other. It was a bit of a mind stretch.

In the end, between the in-person and the online shows, coats, jackets, scarves and skirts found their way to new homes.

After the show we packed and were ready to head back home. Our plane didn’t leave until Monday afternoon so there was time to wander through Federal Hill, check out a few of the little shops and have some lunch.

Built in the 1880’s, it’s a charming part of Baltimore. Rows of small, brick townhouses.