POP, POP, OOPS!!

It was inevitable......

....... Heavy books

 .....VERY heavy clothing

 .....and other assorted items stored on wire shelving.....yup.....snap, crackle, & pop......the hanging devices broke and the ONLY thing saving the entire thing from totally collapsing onto the floor were the file cabinets that stopped the descent!

 This is another area in the closet, an example of how such a failure was bound to happen ....I do think of it as a shelving failure....not that I overloaded the shelf!  So far this side is still attached to the wall.

For years I offered wearable workshops and fashion shows.  The majority of these garments have been featured in my earlier books and many, many magazine articles.  Generally, the topics focused on my embellishing techniques.

 I simply have not been ready to find new homes or other uses for the garments.  For instance, I can see the top of this jumper....cut apart and incorporated into a wall quilt.....or for that matter worn by someone.  Size 10-12.....quite loose and roomy.

 Here's another jumper (front view) that has tons of work into it.  Perhaps the applique sections could be recycled.....or the jumper worn, or displayed on a mannequin in your sewing room for inspiration!   Size 10-12.....quite loose and roomy.

 Back view

Detail

So......'the husband' has spoken....the shelf will not be repaired unless I agree to say goodbye to these old friends.  This is JUST a sampling of the pieces I need to relocate.

Like many of you.....redoing a piece I personally created is not so appealing....so I'm hoping someone finds this idea intriguing. If ANYONE, anyone at all.....is interested....please email me using the link on the right side bar.  I'm all for saying goodbye.......for a super, super, super low price (meaning cost of shipping) and possibly a trade for supplies but that's not mandatory.

If this turns out to be of interest....there will be many more offerings as I truly can't continue to store them and the option of Goodwill where the work will surely not be appreciated makes me sad.

CASUAL JACKET

A few days ago I posted two piles of materials.......one was bringing me back full circle....making wearable art.  Here's the progress report......

 

This grouping is some commericial silk noil and some that I marbled.  It seems every project I've tackled lately has not gotten up and running smoothly....but I rarely give up.  However, this one is now on hold, waiting to find a more appropriate garment pattern to better highlight the hand dyed fabrics.

Instead, I've turned to a hunk of grey and black woven cotton.  I have no memory where it came from and unfortunately there are some fade lines that I'll have to work around.  It will be paired with a black silk noil....sure to create a more interesting jacket BUT....also because I don't have enough of the print!

 This is the result....an unlined casual jacket.  Generally, a more tailored clothing style fits me better...these 'easy' casual patterns have so little shape I look like I'm wearing a sack.  My biggest complaint is the enormous underarm areas...way toooo much fabric and bulk for my body, so I won't be making this pattern again.

After the last picture was taken and I was reviewing it.....I decided to add another button....and silly as it sounds, I like it so much better.

So...back to beading, plus the next stack of materials I have laid out for a brand new project...something I've never done before......stay tuned.

READY, SET, GO

Several project ideas have been going through my head....but first I had to clear my plate of ho-hum household tasks and lots and lots of paperwork.  My expectations were to get started on one of these two piles yesterday but that didn't happen.  Perhaps today....

 Some of the marbled fabrics made during the Fiber Junkies July gathering have been calling me.  I'm thinking of combining them into a simple, unlined jacket made using silk noil.  I don't have much of the silk noil marbled fabric so it will be reserved for details on the jacket.

Another FJ dyeing day yielded many smaller, heavily felted pieces which might be nice backdrops for some concentrated beading......and that's exactly what's needed to keep my hands busy in the evening.

Because....I've been revisiting the past via DVD and loving every minute. So much so, my eyes never left the TV screen, but I'm sure shortly, I'll be looking for handwork again.

I was a huge a Dallas and Falcon Crest (which ran from Dec. 1981 - May 1990) fan. I got hooked on these back-to-back CBS shows while I was going through a series of back operations....with annoyingly long recoveries.  We were living in a suburb of Chicago at the time, and we'd travel to our weekend home in Wisconsin every Friday night.  The goal was to arrive before 8:00 PM so I didn't miss a minute of these two shows (yes, my life was not very exciting during that time period). Our cabin was heated with wood so in the winter, I'd sit there freezing in my coat, glued to TV while 'the husband' & son would get the place up and running.  How funny to think of those days without a DVR or even the ability to tape shows!  I just started rewatching Falcon Crest from the very first episode and intend to watch every silly minute to its conclusion.  

FYI - the show Dallas is now back with some of the original characters, critics have panned it but I'm hooked.

I know...this is surely more than you wanted to know about my life!!