Funny and a lot of fun

This chicken makes you laugh just to look at it. A group of women from American Sewing Guild decided to make this chicken. I was not sure what I was going to do with it, but I think it will be a great conversation piece.

Another Men's Shirt

I like the way this one turned out. The poke a dot silk that I had added to the shirt. You would never know it used to be a man's shirt. Another thrift store one.

A Man's Shirt.....

It was before I started. I got this silk shirt from the thrift store for $3.99. After cutting it apart, it made it easy to reuse the buttonhole and button edge. I used some crepe silk in brick red for the collar and sleeve edges. I used Connie Crawford's Butterick pattern.

I used the extra buttons on the sleeves and the tag on the neck for detail on the sleeves. The silk is so light weight, that it will be nice and cool for this summer.

A vest of sorts

I attended a lecture and workshop of Linda Lee's last weekend up in San Jose at the wearable art group PenWag. I bought this pattern. It is very interesting as it is actually made from a square.

I had a piece of old silk I had gotten at a estate sale. It was discolored and had some spots and some holes in it. I soaked it three times and got it to come back into a beautiful light peach, but there was still one spot that would not come out. So I dyed it with colorhue dye. I tried to cut around the holes. There was one I couldn't avoid. I also made the mistake of laying the fabric next to where I was mixing the dye and it splashed onto the fabric. So that is where the little roses I made of the same fabric to use for a cover. It is interesting how mistakes and holes force one to be creative and add a new dimension.

This one was done with 14" wide kimonos silk pieces sewn together. Added beads at the points to hang down.

Another Shirt

I am enjoying making this shirt in several different ways. This one is in a sheer rayon fabric and has covered buttons. I think I have one more version of this pattern in mind I want to make up. Then perhaps I will have this one out of my system.

New Shirt

Really been enjoying this pattern of a big shirt. This is a kimono that I bought at a sale for three dollars It was cream with orange flowers and green leaves. I over dyed with red wine. Then I ripped it a part and pieced it back together for the blouse. I used black thread for hand stitching and black sequins, beads and covered buttons.

Awhile

I know that it has been awhile since i posted, but I have been busy working on this. A friend of mine gave me a beautiful old kimono. It had several spots and holes. I took it on as a challenge to see if I could make a shirt with the good parts. I had to piece the pocket with three pieces to get a pocket. The left front I had to use another kimono in black. There just wasn't enough. The design and colors in this fabric was just so beautiful. The feel of the silk was wonderful.

It was a long kimono and was lined with another beautiful print fabric. So now I am working on making a shirt from this lining. I can't wait to see how it comes out.