Cluck! Cluck!

I don’t know why it is, but I always want to call chickens Henrietta.  Maybe reading too many Henny Penny stories as a child?  Henrietta seems a tad formal for this gal.  She’s ready to strut!

After beading up quite a number of sedate, corporate appropriate brooches, it was time for Something Completely Different, as Monty Python was wont to say.  Something colorful.  This pin is made with neon seed beads in pink and orange, with some absolutely day-glow orange triangles thrown in.

The yellow drops around the edge are not stitched tightly; they wiggle and jiggle around a bit.  This was on purpose.  They remind me of feathers, ruffling.  All the better to do the barnyard boogie.

Studio Tour Starts Tomorrow

I am once again participating in the Johnson Lane Artists Studio Tour.  This starts tomorrow, Saturday, May 18 and runs through Sunday, May 19.  Both days are from 9am-4pm.  Maps can be found here.

I participated last year, though at that time, I could not say I was a formal resident.  This time I can!  Heck, directions to our house even include a jaunt on Johnson Lane.

My studio will not be open to the public, as we’re still a bit off the beaten path.  I’ll be sharing space with Jan of Gallery Gourds and Louise who does silk painting.  Many of the pieces I’ve showcased here will be available – to view, fondle or purchase.  You can even touch an Artist if you’re so inclined.  It’s sure to be a lot of fun.

So, if you happen to live in northwest Nevada, or around Sacremento CA (and feel like a weekend drive) please do come to visit.  We look forward to seeing you!

Still Popular

Since one top wasn’t enough,  a second was also forthcoming at Sewing Camp.  Another rendition of “By Popular Demand“.

I must be under the Spell of Spring, using so many bright colors in my sewing.  The fabric was from a local shop, Going Batty, which specializes in colorful, lively prints.  Yes, it’s another quilting cotton.  Bright green snaps.  Label placement where it shouldn’t scratch.  What’s not to like?

We’re supposed to be warming up over the weekend (80 on Sunday) so perhaps I’ll get a chance to wear it soon!

Tab-Tastic

They’re Done!

And I am ever so relieved.  And slightly surprised.  Compared to the bedroom drapes, these went together in a snap!  Could it be that the former honed my drapery sewing skills, for use by the latter?

Nah!  I don’t think so!

I think I decided not to strive for perfection with these, which allowed me to stitch up something pretty darn close!  In the early morning sunshine, these curtains let the light in, but not so much as to blind the sleeper.  The guest bedroom is still not a place to sleep late (those yellow walls, you know) but at least one isn’t bludgeoned awake at sunrise.

The final decision on the tabs was to go with all green.  Yellow buttons.  Peach thread.

Up and Coming

You’re looking at this weekend’s project.  I have finally decided to tackle the curtains for the guest bedroom.  Company is expected over Memorial weekend, and well, I somehow doubt they would appreciate being stared at by the neighbors.  The neighbors probably woudn’t appreciate a bedroom peep show either.

So, the yellow fabric is the face of the curtains.  That bright purple is a flannel lining.  Once again the lining is made from a set of deconstructed sheets from the discount store.  Turns out it’s cheaper than yardage, believe it or not!

Rather than do all the careful measuring and planning to use grommets (much as I could use the release of whacking about with some big iron) these will have tab tops.  The next decision is: what color should the tabs be?  Right now, I am leaning towards the green and peach.

The ocher/yellow color just fades when put against the curtain body.  Fine, if invisible tabs are what is called for.   Not so in this case.  The guest bedroom is bright.  Lively.  Not conducive to sleeping in.

Comfy

Now that the tradesmen are through with the interior of the house (for the most part), it’s my turn to get to work.  There’s nothing like bright sunlight and Spring Fever to get one in the mood to update things.  Having corners with cat-shredded edges doesn’t hurt either.

This is the guest chair in my office.  It was sadly the worse for wear after many years of use.  Use by me for sitting, use by the cats in sleeping and sharpening of claws.  My aging posterior also let me know that the foam was starting to degrade, providing less and less padding.

So, time to re-upholster!  New foam and fabric was acquired.  Four screws hold the pad to the frame, and those were easily removed.  After that, it was just fiddling with the fabric until I had the star bursts placed where I wanted them.

Flip everything over and have at it with a stapler.  Granted a heavy duty stapler.  Not even any sewing.  No muss.  No fuss.  The biggest issue was getting the new foam to hold still while I stretched the edges of the fabric.  The foam kept wanting to creep around the corners and leave lumpy bumpies.  I don’t like lumpy bumpies!  In the end, the cushioning was coerced into it’s proper place.

More Popular

It’s getting warm enough to actually wear this top.  Yippee!  This is one of the garments I completed at Sewing Camp, back in April.  Why does that seem so long ago?

The pattern is one from Louise Cutting’s line, Cutting Line Designs, called “By Popular Demand”.  I’ve made the top several times before, and the jacket once too.  I really like the lines of the top.  It has what are called saddle sleeves, which is basically a raglan sleeve with a curved seam at the top.  This allows the sleeves to sit nicely over the shoulder.

A lot of the patterns in CLD lend themselves to quilting cottons, which is a nice feature if you happen to live in a garment-fabric starved part of the country.  Or, if you’re like me, you succumb to the colorful nature of the local quilting cottons.  This print just called my name.

In keeping with the baseball-ish nature of the top, I used snaps instead of buttons.  Those with a discerning eye can  make out french darts in body.  This helps tame some of the fullness, so there’s a hint of waist.  A couple years back I took a class from Louise, and asked her about these darts.  Her response: “Good Idea!”  I have kept them ever since.