decking the halls

I'm excited to be sewing full time again after a four year break.  In addition to providing custom garments, I also am planning an ongoing series of studio sessions which will present a variety of projects for everyone from novice sewists to advanced.

It being the holiday season, the first session will feature projects designed to be holiday presents.  While the majority of my work is garments, I also love to make non-wearable things for the home.  This workshop is a perfect chance for me to branch out and just have fun with textiles.

My first step was to visit The Stash, which is always full of bits and baubles that just want to be made into something new and unique.  On review of the materials at hand, I decided on the projects to demonstrate: ornaments, an apron, a potholder, and a hat and scarf set.

Making felt ornaments by hand is a very nostalgic thing for me.  This was a project each year in my home when I was young, and it was always a large yet fun undertaking.  I grew up in a home where funds were few but sisters were many, so craft projects were ever-present during the holiday season.  

We often made ornaments, since it is one of those projects that can be either simple or complex depending on the experience and ambition of the sewist.  I remember tracing cookie cutters for patterns onto brightly colored felt and rummaging through sequins, beads, and buttons in search of just the thing that would make a perfect gift for Christmas.  

I felt a bit like a kid again as I pulled out my tins of buttons and beads.  I sorted out the ones that were few enough that they would not ever quite make it onto a garment, or ones that seemed perfect for a holiday tree. I quick trip to the fabric store garnered a stack of brightly colored felt and beading needles.  A relaxing day in the studio later, I had six sample ornaments and a sense of renewed holiday spirit.

In addition to traditional ornaments - some still traced from cookie cutters - I decided to bring in some fandom ornaments as well. While they may not be typical holiday decorations, the sense of whimsy appeals to the child in me.  For your enjoyment, here are the ornaments I now have for my tree:

in the studio

my studio has become my inner sanctum.  here, I can glance up from my work and see ticket stubs to places I have been in my travels, both alone and with loved ones.  photos from those travels hang on the walls as well, reminding me of laughter and exploration.

I am an avid traveler, and enjoy journeying to not only new places but also new times. on my shelves, walls, and windowsills are bits and pieces from many decades:

corsets from 1810, 1860, and 1910
evening gloves in satin, cotton, and kid leather
masks from formal balls
a mason jar of feathers for hatmaking and tucking in a swept up coiffure
beaded handbags found in vintage shops
bedecked hats and bonnets
fashion plates and sketches from past and future projects

all of these things remind me of why I am sitting in that chair each day: I love history, I love fashion, I love textiles, I love buttons, and I love bringing together all of these things to create a unique experience for each client.

why should fashion be constrained to what is on the runway today? why limit yourself to things found in retail shops? why not have that coat you saw in a vintage magazine?

I would love to help you bring history into you every day wardrobe.  let me know your vision and we can work together to make it happen.