Category: Art

I'm slow in blogging this week, but finally have pictures from DJ Pettit's fabric book class.

The book is three signatures, sewn into a cover made from an acrylic painting that is, itself, sewn into a fabric cover.  DJ taught us a delightfullly quick binding method, and I used a series of mismatched vintage buttons to hold my signatures in place.

I worked in reverse order, completing the last two signatures in class and working on the first one this week before sewing it in place.  I conceptualized them as chapters.  Each signature is thematically distinct but all are unified by the use of vintage fabrics and text as wraps around the blank pages in each signature that I can use for journaling.

The first signature was created around some text from a Dick and Jane book.  It starts off with these sweet little buttons.

The next page is some of my hand-dyed fabric, with a strip cut off from the bottom of the cover painting (it has a wonderful, leathery textured, created by using matte gel medium over a canvas/muslin base).

When you turn the page, you find the first line of text from the book, which appropriately reads…

The next page uses some vintage patchwork. 

This page is inserted inside of the others, in the middle of this signature.

And then the final bit of text from Dick and Jane.

The beginning of the second signature is a collage, using a soft piece of hand-dyed silk satin as a tie for the signature.

The nested eggs are part of an assemblage I created, then photographed and printed out as a cotton fabric.  The pages open into successive layers behind the nest.

The final signature is a collage around a little soldered charm that I made when I was first learning to solder.  I love the charm, but the soldering is, at best, pathetic, making it horrible jewelry but perfect for a book.

This is the flip side of the charm.

DJ is a wonderful teacher, but still, even knowing that in advance, I was amazed to take away not only new techniques, but a really wonderful book, from the class.  I still have lots of embellishing and finishing to do before it's ready to use as a journal.    Hermione is ready to start journaling in it right now, though.

Today we set aside wire and beads to work on fabric books. I’ve spent my morning working on the cover, which is loosely based on a photo of Ellie.

In progress……

This is my finished painting from day one. Tomorrow, we move on to embellishing with wrapped wire ornamentation.

Here’s my progress so far–some gesso, some paint–I can see the beginnings of a face!

DJ’s finished piece shows where this is headed.

Today is the first day of four days of art classes I’m doing with DJ Pettit and Deryn Mentock (sorry-no links since I’m blogging from my iPhone but it’s well worth googling their work!)

This is a stretch for me since I don’t draw or paint, but so far, it’s been fun. I’ll try to add some pictures of our progress later on.

In case you couldn't tell from the two mid-class blogs, I really enjoyed my day with Alabama Chanin.

First off, you really need to check out the site.  An amazing amount of eye candy and green living thoughts/advice.

Although I don't really sew, at least not in the typical clothing sense, I enjoyed the whole hand-sewing concept and was pretty amazed by how tough and practical this beautiful clothing is.  Natalie says she puts hers through the washer and dryer.

So, on to the pretties.  I took lots of pictures for you.

This is Kitty.  She was sitting next to me (wearing the tee her husband picked out for her at a trunk show) and working on a beautiful wrap top.

Here it is closer up.

All tee-shirt jersey fabric, which is hard to believe when you are looking at the pictures.

Jennifer was working on a shawl.

The concept is simple — two layers of jersey, the top layer has a design stenciled on in fabric paint, and you can applique or reverse applique.  From there, you can become more involved, embellishing with beadwork or with embroidery stitching.  Once finished, pieces are sewn together to create a finished garment.

We had a room full of sample pieces around us for inspiration.

I fell particularly in love with the pieces that had journaling on them, like this one.

My little book cover seemed very minimal in comparison, but I was able to get it about half way finished in the middle of the fun of being with such a fascinating group of women.  It's such a portable project that I'm sure I'll finish it up during the week.  My plan is to move on to a beaded skirt kit — something that I can work on all summer and wear this fall.

I'll leave you with a picture of some beautiful quilts, with fascinating stenciling/embroidery treatment.  I think I came away from this day with enough inspiration to keep me happy for a long time!