rostitchery

you made a what out of fabric?

tamar mogendorff makes dolls and other objects from found and vintage fabrics.  i love the things that i think are avocados taking root in a glass, and the pinecone stopped me in my tracks.

fabric postcards that you can actually mail at art2mail, with new postcards in the gallery all the time.   (my own christmas postcards from 2004 are here.)

fujitsu has developed a fully functional fabric laptop computer.  they say it is soft, pliable, and can comfortably be carried like a portfolio of paper.

researchers at georgia tech say they have developed fabrics that can generate electricity.

and last, but hardly least, researchers at MIT have published a paper describing some of the techniques used to build computer circuitry from commercially available fabrics, yarns, fasteners, and components.

wow.  when i went on a search for something interesting to post about fabric, i had no idea i'd find this kind of stuff.  it makes me realize i need to get out more.

no fabric, no peace--know fabric, know peace

sorry, that was kind of silly.

random things you might or might not have wanted to know about fabric:

269 names of kinds of fabric and cloth, from the phrontistery.  i have no idea what or who or where a phrontistery might be, but isn't it a cool word?

fabric definitions and pronunciations, from fabrics.net.  find out if you have been saying the word "challis" correctly.

fiber identification burn test, also from fabrics.net.  for the pyro in you.

fiber identification burn test, in chart format, from ditzy prints.  for those who prefer a visual.

fabric care symbols, from the soap and detergent association.  yeah, i know, i didn't know they had an association either.

oh, i checked the dictionary:

phrontistery:  noun.  an establishment for study and learning (sometimes including modern universities)

dang.  i should have known that.

 

10 questions, but far more answers

1:  what are your three favorite fabrics?

• 100% cotton.  it is cheap, easy to come by, and is very cooperative.  it is easy to care for--takes color readily--comes from a renewable resource.  you can find it in all kinds of designs, weights, and weaves, something to suit just about any project.
• 100% wool.  it is a fabric that likes to be made into things.  and contrary to popular belief, most people are not allergic to it--it is usually something else, like the lanolin in the wool, that causes the reaction.  you can get wool in everything from thick felt suitable for a winter coat, all the way down to tropical weight wool gauze that is light as a feather.  and just like cotton, it is not very demanding.
• found fabrics.  this would be anything that is not sold on a bolt specifically for sewing.  things like old bed linens found at thrift stores and yard sales--dish towels and vinyl table cloths from the dollar tree--tyvek envelopes that swap partners occasionally use to mail things to me. 

2:  what are your three least favorite fabrics?

• liquid sequins.  that stuff is hateful.  it actually resists being sewn.  (i cannot find a link for this fabric--that's how obstinate it is).
• most synthetics (by which i mean true synthetics, not artificial fibers).  they don't ease, they don't breathe (although the newer ones are better), they can't be dyed, and they feel icky on my skin.  YMMV.  :)
• lame'.  it doesn't want to be fabric, it wants to be shreds of fibers laying in a pile on your sewing table.

3:  what is the most unusual fabric you've ever sewn?

• sparkly automotive vinyl.

yes.  naugahyde.  when i worked in the costume shop at the tennessee repertory theatre, the designer had us quilt about a dozen yards of the stuff, from which we made doublets and codpieces for "macbeth".  it really wasn't that hard to work with, but pressing it was a PITA.

4:  what is the most unusual thing you've made out of regular fabric?

it's a tie:

• a corset made out of polyester chiffon, for the same designer, for the same show.
• shoes for ella that i made by cutting up several leather handbags that i bought at a thrift store.

5:  if you could sew with just one fabric for the rest of your life, what would it be?

• probably raw silk.  it behaves as well as cotton or wool, takes dye as well, is a natural fiber so it feels good against the skin, but it doesn't require as much ironing as cotton and it is easier to care for than wool. 

6:  what is the most special piece of fabric you've ever bought and used?

• two yards of silk chiffon that i bought in 1981, which i used to make my own costume for "spring waters".  i remember exactly how much it cost:  $8.00 a yard.  i dyed it myself to just the right shade of "spring water" blue.  i was so afraid of ruining that fabric with my then-amateur sewing skills that i sewed the entire thing by hand.  i used every inch of that two yards, i made the costume using rectangles and triangles, and it wore like iron.  i danced that piece for almost 5 years, wearing the same costume, traveling all over western europe, scandanavia, and the soviet union, and it was the only costume at the end that was still in as good a condition as when i made it.

7:  where do you get most of your fabrics?

• here in nashville we have limited sources:  joanns, wal-mart, and one locally-owned upscale fabric shop that is always out of my budget.  for my own things (as opposed to stuff i need for the costume shop) i rarely order fabric online, simply because i can almost always make something nice with what i can find here.   the most notable exception was when i needed PUL for making diapers, i always bought that thru an online fabric co-op.

8:  what are the last three fabrics you used?

• "quilting" cotton--several aprons
• "quilting" cotton--a set of family clothes (matching hawaiian shirt for rudi/skirt for me/dress for ella)
• "quilting" cotton--a tote bag for my sister.

i love the stuff.  it is my favorite to wear, fabric for crafts, and i sometimes even use it to makes quilts.  but i DETEST the term "quilting" cotton.  it is just cotton--if you use it to make a quilt it is "quilting" cotton but if you use it to make a dress, it is "dressing" cotton.  :)

9:  if you could buy any fabric you wish, what would you buy and what would you do with it?

• i would buy some flat silk with this stripe design and make an exact duplicate of this dress for myself:

10:  what advice do you have for seamstresses about buying fabric?

• go to the best fabric stores you can and touch all the fabric.  read the end labels on the bolts to learn what it is, how to care for it, and the price range it comes in.  get swatches if you can, and put them in a binder with notes about each one.  then when you shop for you own projects, you will have some real hands-on knowledge that helps you decide if the fabric is a good choice for what you're making and is within a reasonable price range.

did i forget anything?  oh yes--don't buy any fabric you don't really like.  not even if it is cheap.  not even if they have only one yard left and there will never be anymore of it.   not even if whatever.  it is not worth the emotional investment of trying to make yourself use a fabric that you just don't like.

if you'd like to answer these questions yourself, leave a comment with the link to your blog post so we can all visit!

my "stash"

about twice a month i'm asked about my personal fabric stash, and since this is fabric week i figured now would be as good a time as any to show it to you but i'm afraid it will be something of a disappointment. 

yes, that's it.  one shelf.  plus a basket above to hold some cutting scraps.

there was a time when i had much more--way too much in fact--but eventually i came to a point where having all that fabric seemed like such a waste.

not of money.  a waste of opportunity.

i don't buy into the motto, "she who dies with the most fabric, wins."  quite the opposite--i believe she who has fabric at the end didn't get to enjoy it.

some people don't use their fabric because they are afraid of "ruining" it.  well, that is what making muslins is for--you get to try out your pattern on fabric that is not so precious, make sure you get things right, then when you use the good stuff you don't have to worry about whether or not the thing will fit, or whether you know how to make the fancy hand-rolled hem.

other people are afraid to use the fabric they have, just in case they need it in some unknown future.  but the truth is that there will always be more fabric--they are making more of it at this very minute--much of it is beautiful and you will love it just as much as the stuff you have right now.

however, my fear is that i will have a piece of pretty fabric that i never get to wear, or that my child or husband or other loved one won't get to enjoy.  to me, that would be the ultimate loss.

so now i use up my fabric as soon as i can.  i cut it with (almost) wild abandon, and if whatever i'm making doesn't turn out "right", i know there is someone in the world who will like it, who it will fit, and who would be grateful to have something so well made (ok, so i flatter myself).

so this week, along with my intention to try using both sides of the fabric, i'm going to also try to make that piece of fabric something that i've been holding onto--something that i have been "saving".   but i'll save a small scrap of it too--just in case.  ;)

the right side

(oops!  i didn't get anything posted for you yesterday so i owe you two today.)

have you ever wondered, "which side of this fabric is the right side?" 

my rule is that whichever side i like best is the right side. 

but what if you like both sides?

then use both of them.  :D

this is not my idea--it is actually an idea that is used all over the world, wherever there are seamstresses with not much fabric but a lot of inspiration.  like the women documented by ann at she wears shwe shwe.  ann lives in "joburg" (johannesburg?) south africa and documents the women she meets wearing clothing  made out of traditional shwe shwe fabrics.

these fabrics are pretty but what interests me the most is that the women treat each face of the fabric as usable yardage.  they use the "right" side for the main fabric in a piece, and then use the reverse side as contrast--brilliant--it will automatically coordinate and most contrast pieces can be cut from the scraps.

this is yet another example of how the rest of the world is able to "have" more than we do, while having so much less--if both sides of the fabric are "right", then every yard of fabric offers two yards of options!  double your stash without having to hide twice as much from the people who think you are too involved with your fabric.

at she wears shwe shwe ann is careful to make sure the women know that she is respectful of them and their traditions, and not just some tourist gawking at their clothing.  she gets permission from each woman before photographing her--takes the time to get to know each her, to find out more about what she is wearing (who made it?  what design decisions were involved?  what would you like us to know about you or your clothing?), she even makes sure to get contact information from them so she can send them copies of her pictures.

this is lizzie, and she had her dress made "in town".  while the style of dress might not be popular here in the states, it shows several examples of how the reverse side could be used to good effect, and even how the facings themselves can be turned to the outside and made into design details.

i'm going to challenge myself to use this idea this week--to make one small thing using both sides of the same fabric.  i can't seem to locate any authentic shwe shwe fabric here in nashville  :)  so i guess i'll just have to make do with some authentic joanns fabric instead.  who's in?  leave me a comment and a link and let's see what we can insprie each other to do.

global mamas

when i started looking at the entrepreneurs at KIVA, the ones who caught my eye, naturally, were the ones who were in the broad category "clothing".   that is how i found Zulhumor, who is a fabric seller.  what makes her special to me is that she sells the kind of fabrics used to make the national dresses of her country, tajikistan.  here in america, we don't even have a national dress, much less specific fabrics for them.

it made me wonder about other places, other customs, other costumes--and it brought to mind a group that my dear friend brenda told me about:  global mamas.  this is an organization whose mission is to assist women of africa in attaining economic independence.  sales of global mamas’ products provide dignity to african women who are now able to earn an honest living through the production of handmade batik products.

the fabrics are gorgeous, and they even generously share their expertise on their website, giving detailed instructions (including videos!) on how to make your own batiks and tie dyes.

but for me the best part is that each item of clothing has a link that takes you to a page about the fabric artist(s) and the seamstress who made that particular garment.  for example, the fabric for this sweet little romper was batiked by best friends elizabeth ampah and emma myers--if you visit their page you can see a slide show of them at work.

and then you can meet alice korsah, the talented seamstress who sews these cute rompers.  while you're at her page, please consider sending her an encouraging message (there's a link right there, to make it easy)--after all, what seamstress doesn't like to get an admiring email from time to time?

if nothing else, please take a moment to watch the videos (admittedly low-quality) of some of these women talking about their work and their lives.  hearing their actual voices, seeing their faces, made their work mean so much more to me than just fabric--it turned them into works of art, labors of love, and hopes for a better future.  the world needs a lot more of those things right now.

WE DID IT!!!

as of this morning, through our efforts together, Zulhumor has been FULLY FUNDED!!! 

i am so happy i am crying!!! 

and we did it in just 35 HOURS!

i don't even know how to say thank you for such heroic effort. 

in Zulhumor's honor, for the next seven days i will post something "fabric"--goodness knows, it's a subject i'm familiar with.

may you all be blessed with the good karma you so richly deserve!!!

content that makes a difference

a few weeks ago, ella had a little friend over for the afternoon (i'll call this little friend "M.").  the girls were playing so well together for about two hours, then i heard a blood-curdling scream followed by the kind of crying that let's you KNOW somebody is really hurt, so of course i went running and ella's hand was fire red and M. was hiding in the bathroom. M. had slapped ella to keep her from getting something.

so i explained to M. that in this house we don't hit anybody, and that i would not let her hurt anybody, and that if she gets mad or frustrated she needs to come to me and tell me with words what is wrong, and i will help her.

so the girls made up and went back to playing, and about an hour later, i heard another scream and cry and this time it was M., she had slapped a cat and the cat scratched her on the hand. so i got out the ointment and band-aids, and as i'm patching her up, ella comes over to see M.'s "boom-boom", and then without a trace of irony,  ella says, "see, M., this is what we call 'karma'."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

when i started this blog almost 4 years ago, one of my main "missions" was to help others.  and i believe that i have--by offering my knowledge, my experience, and yes sometimes my example, although that last one is not to be relied upon.  :)  besides, i owe a karmic debt to all those people who have helped me throughout my life--in fact i believe my actions--OUR actions--create a karmic ripple that can touch more than just those we meet in daily life.

here in america, we are experiencing a very uncertain economic future, in which we all worry about the cost of gasoline, the cost of food, the cost of all the things that we depend on for our daily lives.  the loss of our peceived control over our financial security is causing many of us to consider simplifying our lives--lives in which we have so much that we complain of being overweight, of having too much clutter, of being presented with so many opportunities for career and entertainment that our lives are too busy and chaotic....

....while much of the world would gladly suffer our inconveniences for just a little of our comfort.

so today i'm asking you to join me in a little karma co-op. 

i recently learned about an organization called KIVA, an online microlending group that connects people just like you and me with people in the developing world who just want a little help from us.  KIVA works by getting lots of people to loan just a little, to real people just like you and me--people who make things, who dream of beauty and who exercise their creativity in the hopes of bettering life for themselves and their families.

you can read all about KIVA at their website but my purpose tonight is to HELP someone.  while browsing the KIVA listings of entrepreneurs i found Zulhumor Otaboboeva, a 39-year-old woman in tajikistan who sells the beautiful fabrics used to make their national clothing.  according to the description at her KIVA page, Zulhumor's fabric is in high demand.  her income is crucial in supporting her family, and she hopes to secure a stable future for her children.

i see a lot of myself in Zulhumor--i bet many of you do too--i see someone who loves fabric, who is proud of her national heritage, and who just wants to provide for the people she loves. and i know that if i were in her place, i know i would hope that someone like me--like US--would help.

so let's see how far we can go--i made my first KIVA loan today, to Zulhumor, and i'm asking you to help her too.  the cool thing is, this one single loan will help not only Zulhumor, but when she pays you back--and i BELIEVE that she will--you can loan that exact same money to help someone else.  what a ripple we can make!  and that, my friends, is what we call good karma.