ARTFUL OR AWFUL COUTURE...

Is it ever OK to wear your Pottery Barn curtain, your great aunt's handmade table cloth, and a high thread count Egyptian cotton pillow case as an outfit...in public I mean?  I am wondering would that be considered artful or awful couture?

It all started with a simple question from Handy Hubby,  "What kind of clothes do you wear with the kind of jewelry you are making?  Maybe you need to show your work off with something different or unique."  The hamster wheel in my head started turning and I thought he is right, I should make some artful clothing to use as props for photos. I ambled off to the studio to see what I could come up with.  I had a simple basic shirt pattern on hand that I thought I could alter a bit to get the look I wanted by tracing the main pattern front and back onto a roll of craft paper and then sketching the alterations to that to make a new pattern.

Since this was only going to be a prop for photos I dug through my fabric stash to see what I could come up with.  I found a fab Pottery Barn curtain that I had picked up at a tag sale, the linen was high quality and I knew it would be great for crafting with, after washing and drying it crinkled into the most fabulous texture, this would make the front and back of the shirt.  

For the sleeves I chose a handmade damaged crochet table cloth that my great aunt made.  My mother had given it to me years ago thinking I could craft with the good parts, one end had a great gaping hole torn in the stitching but otherwise was in great shape.

Next I needed something to use for the facing pieces (yes I was making it like a real live shirt even though it was going to be a prop) and I found an Egyptian cotton pillowcase, soft as butter, in my stash, another tag sale find, that was the right weight and color.  Lastly I wanted an accent color and snagged a piece of muslin I had hand dyed to a lovely robins egg blue.

After patterning, pinning, snipping, sewing, clipping, and ironing I had a piece of artful couture as a photo prop!  I put it on my display form and hung it in the studio.  As I was cleaning up my sewing shambles I kept sneaking peeks at the garment.  I thought to myself, "I would wear that."  Followed by, "You can't wear that, its a Pottery Barn curtain for heavens sake!"  "Wait a minute, I am a resourceful southern gal just like Scarlett O'Hara and we both had the same idea..."

"But what if I look like this...

Instead of this...

While clad in my curtain garment?"

Batting the thought back and forth in my brain another Scarlett-isum came to mind, "Well fiddle-dee-dee, see if I care!"  So, did I wear it out in public?  The proof is in the picture...

So, what do you think artful or awful couture?

Blessings,

Sandy

SEW FAR...

May your bobbin always be full!

-Author Unknown-

Since my last post I have finally been able to alight on something...sewing.  Settling myself in to the sewing center of my studio I wiled away the hours popping out pillows...

 First I made a set for my daughter to match her new sofa.  I forgot to take pics before I delivered them to her, sorry.  Then I began the sewing for the farmhouse living room starting with the sofa pillows.  Sew far this is where I have gotten to...

 I am still stuffing these three and need to button tuft the six paneled one.  I love the Dupioni silk backing on these...

 After looking at them I am not sure how they are going to blend with the airy other fabrics, these might get to live here at the Quill.  I will have to wait and see how they all look together.  Today I am moving on to the lighter brighter shades and hopefully to prep the ottoman for upholstering.  Sew far so sew good!

I came across a cute find a few weeks ago and had no idea what I would do with it, a little crackled cupboard with wire insert doors...

 I also came across a couple of those old metal receipt holders and they were interesting enough to bring home to even though I did not know what I would do with them.  I stuck them inside the cupboard to carry them home and there they sat.

While I was sitting and mindlessly stuffing pillows I was looking at the thread spools on my candle holders and that gave me an idea for my bobbins...

 I abandoned my stuffing rummaging around a bit I found a couple of extra thimbles and a couple of corks.  I stuffed the corks into the thimbles cutting off the excess, layered my wound bobbins onto the receipt holders and topped them off with the new thimble topper...

 The rest of the bobbins I placed in the little drawer on the front of the cupboard...

 Now not only are some of my thread spools handy but so are my bobbins!  

Now you see why I am fluttering!  I start one task and another idea bumps right into it.  I am off to discipline myself into cutting strips of fabric to make some welting, yuck, but I can't find ready-made in the colors I need, oh well.  

I hope you all have a beauty filled day and find deep satisfaction in whatever ever it is that you set your hands to. 

Many Blessings,

Sandy