A couple of weeks ago I took a Shibori dyeing workshop at one of my local sewing studios, The Make Den. Three hours of folding, wrapping, twisting and dunking into this mess… …turned into this: yards of cool fabric plus a couple of scarves and tea towels. Here are the scarves, made from white cotton gauze. The diamond pattern on the left was my favourite … Continue reading Happy as a Clam in a Vat of Indigo
I bought a ton of fabric when I took a trip to Berlin a couple of months ago. I purposely only packed my suitcase about half full *just in case* I *might* buy some fabric. Hahahahaha. I visited Stoff & Stil where I purchased that Squamingo fabric I turned into a too-small tee, as well as the awesome tiger jacquard pictured below that I hope … Continue reading Berlin Fabric Haul = Wanted Tee and Blackwood Cardigan (and some Squamingos), so far
Help! What do I do with this flamingo fabric? I’m in love with it but I’m afraid I’m going to sew something that will make me look seven years old. It’s one meter of mid-weight cotton jersey. I’ve photographed it with some leftover modal jersey I used for my Plantain Tee that seems to be a good match…because maybe all-over flamingo would be too much? Maybe … Continue reading Help Me Get Flamingos Into My Life
Hi friends! Just a quick note to let you know that episode 3 of the Clothes Making Mavens podcast is now available for your listening pleasure! Helena and I are also happy to let you know that you can know subscribe to the podcast on all your favourite podcatching platforms, including iTunes. See clothesmakingmavens.com for more info. I’ll be back soon with my contribution to … Continue reading Check out Episode 3 of the Clothes Making Mavens podcast
I’ve been taking a leather sandal making class at The Make Den here in Toronto for the past few weeks. Every once in a while, as I was concentrating on cutting or bevelling or skiving or some other task that was causing major repetitive strain (my right middle finger has been numb for two days), I’d suddenly think: I’m making SHOES. I’m MAKING shoes! I’M making … Continue reading Shoe Making at the Make Den
While I was on vacation in Italy last month I got a little obsessed about finding fabric stores wherever I went. Yelp was being cheeky and sending me to anything from card & gift shops to a grungy little hole-in-the-wall where a couple who should’ve long since been retired were presiding over some dusty old packages of sheet sets and were NOT happy when I … Continue reading Fabric Porn: Fabric Shopping in Rome (with some Shoes, Cats, Ancient Ruins, and Cheesecake thrown in for good measure)
This is McCalls’ 6752, a super-baggy top with a cowl neckline and gathered waist with zipper. I made it with “Patriot Blue Ikat Cotton-Viscose Jersey” I ordered from Mood. I thought I was getting 2 yards but I got 2 ‘panels’, which meant two separate, small pieces of fabric that barely made this top. I have a love/hate relationship with Mood. Love the fabrics. Hate … Continue reading McCall’s 6752: Oversized top with cowl neck
I picked up a few new fabrics! Let me take you on a tour and maybe you can help me decide what to make. I found them all at Designer Fabrics on Queen Street West here in Toronto while on a BLIND FABRIC DATE with someone from Vancouver! I’ll keep you in suspense about that until the end of the post. 😛 Also, hello and … Continue reading A Tour of my New Fabric Stash, in Which There Are No Fewer than Two References to Farts
Notice anything unusual about this fabric? Look carefully. Or maybe not even that carefully. Yeah, that. I think it’s supposed to look like a knot in the wood grain. Alas, it calls to mind something else entirely. I didn’t notice this when I bought the fabric…I was just excited about the ombré effect and the wood grain pattern. It wasn’t until I got it home … Continue reading Excuse me ma’am, there’s a little sumthn sumthn on your shirt
Is it weird to create a fabric in honour of a friend who passed away? Fuck it, I’m doing it. Jen was a friend of mine at university — many years ago — who died when she was only about 22 years old. She was a poet who wrote a compendium of poetry called Circles, Stars, Bombs, and Flowers. I think that’s such a lyrical … Continue reading Circles, Stars, Bombs and Flowers – for Jen
Frivolous At Last 