wayward threads for Portland

I have been working on reconstructing jackets I've bought at flea markets, yard sales, or eBay, adding dyed fabrics, doilies, and crocheted laces for my "wayward threads" line of clothing and accessories. It's been slow for me since I was having a lot of back pain I didn't know how to deal with or why I was having such severe problems. I finally had some xrays taken and discovered I have a compression fracture of my vertebrae. So know I am working on some solutions and also making an appointment to have another bone density to check for osteoporosis even though my last one was fine. Can't I have my twenty year old body back?

Back to my wares: I don't have as much inventory as I would like to take to Art & Soul and I have very few shibori dyed pieces, or ribbon packets but I couldn't deal with that and my back. I will have what I have this time and have to accept that and be satisfied. (I'm having an advil moment as I type.) Here are some pics of the jackets I have recently completed. Unfortunately these do not show well on the skinny mannequin stand as well as they hang on a real person who is the proper size to fit the jacket. But I'm really happy with these, they're fun, they're funky, and they're wayward!

Susan Wooldridge ~ poemcrazy!

I am hosting a poetry workshop at my house with Susan Wooldridge. I took one of her classes at ArtFest this past April and it was unbelievable! Everyone was so stunned that each of us could be so inspired to write!

Susan invites us into a realm where poetry is accessible, where poems are moments of discovery that often arrive unexpectedly. Susan has found that in a safe, free setting, surrounded with words, we can each write poems that express our soul and spirit—a playful, often profound and healing experience.

Together we bring forth a word pool. Next, we create images, practice close observation, begin to develop metaphor and gradually move into “dreamsense” where we explore who we are, where we come from and where we’re going.

Depending on the size, make-up and location of the workshop, we may walk silently in nature and gather objects, describe them metaphorically and learn what they have to tell us. We may create collages with found objects, words and photos and write a poem of gathering. We may write invocations, asking objects to bring us qualities we need. We may use guided imagery to take us to our childhood home, become an object in the center of the house and write from that perspective. We may meet with our shadow and write our shadow’s poem, which can be a moving and transformational experience.

Susan Wooldridge, 1991 Wild Oak Lane, Chico, Ca. 530-893-8808
poemcrzy@shocking.com

When: Saturday, October 10, 2009

Time: 10:00 – 4:00 with a lunch break

Where: Lorri Scott’s ~ Loma Prieta, Santa Cruz Mountains off Highway 17 between Los Gatos and Santa Cruz

Cost: $50.00

Comments on poemcrazy workshops include:

Exhilarating, playful and profound. Opens a tremendous creative frontier for people. --Kathlyn Hendrix, author of Conscious Loving and The Conscious Heart.

I didn’t want to say goodbye to that day. --William, SED 5th grader, Chico.

I was amazed at how you were able to address each one's poetry with such grace, drawing us all out in our unique directions. Tonia Triebwasser, writer

Sitting and writing poems with Susan is like taking a lid off a jar. --Laura. Chico.

What she drew out of us in a brief period was astounding. Patrick Gleason, Ca. Reading and Lit Project Workshop.

If you are interested in attending please email me and I will send further info. lasfibers@yahoo.com

another wayward threads garment

I have been gathering crochet lace trims and doilies. I showed you previously the scarves I have been making. Now I am onto jackets. This pieces was a rayon tunic I dyed along with all the lace and doiley pieces you see attached to it. I cut the tunic up the front center and started sewing on the embellishments. I used a silk noil gauze to create the ruffle on the back. I plan to add some ties to the front but I like this piece so much I just had to snap some photos and put it up here for you to see. I will be working on more of this type jacket to sell on vendor night at Art & Soul. If you're attending be sure to stop by and see me!

more pics of doiley scarves

I have finished a few more doiley scarves to take to Art & Soul.

Crochet Lace Doiley Scarves

I'm frantically working in my studio to build up my inventory to take first to Art & Soul in Portland on Oct. 3rd and then I'll be selling at the Weavers' Guild of St. Louis annual show Nov. 5-7. A few weeks after I get home from that I'll be in some Christmas shows so I'm really under the gun to produce! These are some new designed scarves I'm working on. The pale blue/gray one pictured on the mannequin is completed. One is in the process of being layed out to sew and the other picture shows dyed pieces in various colors. Of course these are "wayward threads" using vintage crocheted doilies, curtain panels, and laces. I'm backing them with dyed gauze and may throw in some silk ribbons.

Sandy's Work!

Sandy was a student in the hat making workshop at AU. She recently sent me pictures of her finished work, some of which she created after the class. She is so enthusiastic and has more ideas to make flower pins running through her head. I love this creativity and just had to post her photos.




I worked on a "wayward threads" wedding stole the last couple of days and completed it.






I have so much to do and seems like such a little time to get it all accomplished.

Outsider Hats to Dye for Class

If a woman rebels against high heeled shoes, she should take care to do it in a very smart hat. (George Bernard Shaw)

So many hats and only one head!

Beautify America. Wear a hat!


The hat class at Art Unraveled was a huge success. The first segment of the class students dyed silk fabrics and ribbons to make flower pins and create hat bands with. Jennifer Whitmer created the flower pin design which the students hand sewed and the third segment she led class in forming a hat out of a parasisal straw hat body called a hood. Here are pictures of students work from the dyed fabrics, to the flower pins, to the hats and then showing them fully embellished. You can see by the smiles on all the faces how pleased we were. What a fun group. We even had a woman who had never sewn before, Sandy, and look how marvelous her work turned out! It really is easy to make these hats and flowers if you have the desire!

These are some pictures of the dyed fabrics ready to begin creating hat embellishments.






Look at all the beautiful blooms that were created!






I don't know why I didn't get a picture of Kitty with her finished hat but here is her beautifully crafted flower pin!







The finished hats being proudly displayed.








Here is Sandy beaming in her new hat. I'm sorry I cut her flower pin off, can you still see it? I don't claim to be the best photographer and sometimes when teaching and getting caught up in it all I forget to take pics or I get partials like this one. At least I caught her wonderful smile (she's the one who had never sewn before so she had a lot to be smiling about!!).



(And for those who were in the class remember mums the word on the saran wrap episode!)