PANTS FOR SUMMER

Grainy photo of the finished pants. I'm into these - so lightweight it feels like your not really wearing anything at all down there. I'm in the midst of a major studio move/cleanup situation but I'll post more stuff as soon as I start making it again.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

My mom taught me to sew when I was little. She's an accomplished seamstress, as was my grandmother and my great-grandmother before that. I remember one of my first sewing projects when I was about 8? A pajama set of flannel shorts and a shirt. I was so angry at it - it just wasn't working out or much fun to sew. I finished it but wasn't very proud of the end result. Even with the disappointment of some of those early projects, something about sewing inspired me and pushed me to keep at it. I liked the idea of making something useful, and seeing just a piece of fabric evolve into a wearable garment by the work of my own hands. Even now, that's what motivates me to design and sew. I've always been an arty, creative type but never got total satisfaction out of drawing, painting, or making other stuff that just sits around and collects dust. I wanted more - I want to make things I can use over and over, like a jacket to keep me warm or a bag to hold my belongings. I admire carpenters, welders, cooks, and gardeners - people who use their skills to make useful things that reflect their creativity. I never remember a point where I decided I wanted to be a designer or seamstress, it just sort of picked me.
        Sewing is challenging and can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you're largely self taught. I've been to some design school, from which I've learned a lot, but making mistakes and studying other garments had taught me more. As with most skilled crafts, there is always room for improvement. I still get discouraged and have much to learn, but looking back over my years of sewing, I realize I've come a long way from those flannel pajamas.
        Below are some things pulled from the depths of my closet that I made somewhere between 2002-2004 (because sometimes it's fun to look back and see then & now).

?!?!

No comment.

NEOPRENE

Neoprene things by Alexandra Cassaniti are pretty cool. I like the bra in blue best. I never really surfed much, even though I am partial to getting around on boards and I lived on the beachfront in Santa Cruz for years. Maybe if I get one of these neoprene sets, I'll have no choice but to take up surfing.

PRINTED STUDS

Alex Wang, taking studs to the next level...printed. I was looking at Jayne's blog and saw these images which, of course, I think are great. Studs are on everything right now - so how to make them different? This is a thoughtful fabrication, I quite like it.

SHIRT PRINT SHIRT

This is one of my favorite shirts. It's a tank top with a print of tank tops on it (obviously). Margiela is so witty. Did I already post this?

CIRCLE TIE DYE SHIRT

I'm going to do a whole tie-dye post soon, but until then, here's a new style shirt I'm working on. This is a wonderfully soft cotton with black tie-dye. This pattern looks really cool on, so I'll be making variations of this shirt coming up...
Also, THANKS SO MUCH to people that bought bags already. I guess everyone is really into leather right now! I'll DEFINITELY be making more leather bags to put up soon, so keep checking back.
Off to the The Rose Bowl flea market in LA this weekend, hopefully I'll have some good stories and finds when I'm back on Monday...

BEST DRESS EVER - WANG

Wow. I know everyone in bloggerland is obsessed with Alexander Wang - and he's cool and all, but THIS thing...RULES. This has DIY written all over it for me. I can think of 5 variations right off the bat that I want to make along the same lines. Where will I even start?! I'm already on it.
Wait...I just remembered, it reminds me of this crazy jacket I made forever ago. Not really similar, but slightly reminiscent of.Okay, it's actually totally different, but here's some really thrashed photos of it anyways.AND, I have an old clutch I made that reminds me of it to...I'll put that photo up soon. I like the center column with straps or gathers coming away from it - it reminds me of a skeletal ribcage.

SINGLE PIECE SHIRT

Made this shirt today. It's cut from a single piece of fabric, having only side seams. Nice and easy. There is no front or back - you can wear it either way.
You can also wear it inside out, which I quite like - that way you only see a little pattern at the edges.This is a really lightweight cotton gauze. I've mostly been painting on canvas and heavy materials, so this was my experiment as to how the paints will do on lighter weight fabrics. Held up pretty damn well, so more of these to come!

KNOCK YOUR PANTS OFF

Found this amazing print by James at Die Neue Modern:It made me think of one of my favorite shirts (MM6) - a wife beater with a print of wife beaters on it. Kind of genius, right? Margiela also has jeans with a jeans print.
How crazy would it be to make jeans with the neon jeans print? WOW! What do you say, James...collaboration?

MORE CURTAIN SHIRTS

Found some more shirts I made a while back out of curtain sheers. ALIZARIN was my old project, abandoned around 2005. I made so many clothes back then. Seems like a long time ago.
And since everything is black and white today, I love these photos of Louise Brooks because she's such a fox, even when she's pissed...I totally want a black tutu.

ZIPPER-ACTION LEATHER JACKET

I forget who makes this first jacket with the zipper but it's BADASS. Top of my list of things to make soon : NEW LEATHER JACKET. The black one I made a few years ago is hanging on for dear life. Gotta mix up the rotation. Love the red leather. Why not?These are cool too...by Jenni Kayne. She makes awesome leather stuff.

CURTAIN SHIRT

Remember how rad Fraulein Maria was in The Sound of Music when she made everyone outfits out of the drapes?

My version, from a $2 smoke stained, smelly old curtain found at an Oakland yard sale.

LEATHER JACKET, 2006

Made from a thrifted leather trench coat - machine washed leather and re-cut all pattern pieces.

GALLIANO COAT

amazing.