tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22832042300143697822024-03-12T22:55:41.909-07:00Bella Industries, Inc.Sewing, Knitting, Textiles: Oh My!No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-81758117700905073102014-11-04T05:26:00.000-08:002014-11-04T05:26:00.413-08:00Modern Kimono at the Met & さよならIf you'll be anywhere near the Metropolitan Museum any time soon, I can heartily recommend 2 exhibits. First, Grand Design: Pieter Coecke van Aelst and Renaissance Tapestry, huge tapestries, all from the 16th century, with amazing colors & details still gorgeous after all these years. It runs thru 11 January 2015. But I couldn't take photos.
However, we also No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-63776011265895254562014-10-28T05:31:00.000-07:002014-10-28T05:31:00.457-07:00A few notes about fabric shopping in NYC and Yinka Shonibare
Last Friday I went along on a fun field trip with other students & teachers from Bits of Threads, to the NYC Garment District. Hard to believe how much is jam-packed into this 1/3 square mile. Besides Elliot Berman & Mood, the notions shops are irresistible. (I took one regular-sized backpack: when it was full, I stopped shopping & headed to the MoMA to see the No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-27087625600609740132014-09-30T16:30:00.000-07:002014-09-30T16:32:13.641-07:00When the Roommate Gets Mad...
For some reason, I have a lot of sunglasses. Actually, I know quite well why: I'm a fair-haired, blue-eyed human who's lived most of her life at high altitudes or in very sunny places, or both. Skin & eye cancer are both worries, so I always wear sunglasses. However, I never pay more than $8-10/pair (honest, guv!), and sometimes even less (i.e., free Bike To Work Day specs!No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-29588631420281348522014-09-23T11:34:00.002-07:002014-09-23T11:34:44.665-07:00Meanwhile...back in DC
Apologies for not having anything to show in the way of sewing; I'm hoping to do some finishing this weekend.
In the meantime, I wanted to let you know about ScrapDC's Rebel Craft Rumble, which is this Saturday evening, 9/27/14, in DC's hoppin' Columbia Heights! If you've ever wondered what Project Runway would look like when crossed with Iron Chef, here's your chance to No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-69271695258808380782014-08-26T05:41:00.000-07:002014-08-26T05:41:00.205-07:00What I'm Working on (More on Vintage Pledge 4) #vintagepledgeBrief update on my Vintage Pledge 4, McCall's 5297. (See last week's post for my rant on fitting.) You can see the gorgeous batik I'm using for the jacket (on sale at Hancock), and the blue is some silk I've dyed to match for the lining. And speaking of linings, there's Connie Long's masterpiece, Easy Guide to Sewing Linings.
About that silk (which I also used on this Vintage No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-89347048525131188102014-08-19T05:23:00.000-07:002014-08-19T05:23:00.078-07:00Vintage Make Four Progress Report: McCall's 5297 from 1976!
Sometimes I'm not sure why I sew. It makes me pay a lot more attention to my body much more than I like to and I usually end up feeling like I'm a freak because NO pattern ever fits right out of the envelope! And then I decide, "Well, I can modify this so it will fit really well." Even though previous fitting experiences have been quite frustrating, with no clear lessons No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-25882380698727200242014-08-12T06:15:00.000-07:002014-08-12T06:15:00.697-07:00A Few Small Items FinishedI really need to get cracking on See & Sew B5699, the jacket anyway, so I've got something new to wear this winter. However, I got some free fabric a few weeks ago and decided to use some to make a new nightgown, and to finish up a smocked pillow that has been laying around for months. So here are those 2 items, which have cleaned off my sewing table, giving me plenty of room to No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-13087940917175384412014-08-05T06:15:00.000-07:002014-08-10T05:47:29.542-07:00Slenderette Tropicale - Simplicity 2847, 1958 - Done! This is my third Vintage Pattern Pledge item for 2014! It's also the 3rd
Simplicity 2847 Slenderette pattern I've made; older ones here. I love a shirtwaist!
And here I am modeling it in front of our garden, which we began working on in earnest this year (as opposed to just mowing the grass & ignoring it). It's coming along quite well & is mostly No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-12003151516522493192014-07-29T07:31:00.000-07:002014-07-29T07:31:00.272-07:00From the Collection: Children's Hats from SW China - The Best is Last? I mentioned that the Roommate & I often try to buy things in sets of three. Not sure why we do that, but it's a habit we've tried to keep up. Of course sometimes we cannot resist & we buy some other odd number of items (7 Ethiopian pillows, for example). Anyway, the best of these three amazing items, another child's cap from SW China, which we bought in Dali in 1994.
The front of thisNo Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-81074719759717213532014-07-15T07:05:00.000-07:002014-07-15T07:05:00.032-07:00From the Collection: Children's Hats from SW China - 2nd Entry
Another child's cap from the Bai people in SW China. The first in this little series is here. Gorgeous embroidery & details on this scary face. Not sure what's in the nose--it's quite hard, and feels like it might be wood? I am especially partial to the teeth! I also love the mouth & eye details, including super eyebrows, which reminds me...
You'll be glad to know No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-24927470226528043182014-07-08T06:34:00.000-07:002014-08-11T11:07:37.210-07:00From the Collection: Children's Hats from SW China!
The Roommate & I will be on a big trip thru Finland & Iceland to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary (yes we are proud!), so the next few weeks I'll be sharing a few items From the Collection. I hope you enjoy these lovely examples of folk art.
Think about this: you're a parent in pre-science culture. You see the high death rate of children, especially babies. Even No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-27485651525823245332014-06-17T02:58:00.000-07:002014-06-17T02:58:00.265-07:00English Paper Piecing + West African Prints = Super Cool Clock!
Piece By Number
I really don't like doing handwork, and save up any hemming or button reattachments into a group...then do all the torture at once, usually while watching a DVD. However, a post on SewMamaSew inspired me to give English Paper Piecing a try. If you'd like some history, or more info, please check out this PDF from the International Quilt Study Center at the No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-54645864005517344962014-06-12T02:42:00.000-07:002014-06-12T03:21:57.848-07:00I'm Sewing Away on a Vintage Pattern Pledge Item, But...
The title above is true, I swear! However, I'm using Hug Snug & lining it with silk as I go along...which means it won't need much finishing when it's done. (Hug Snug tutorial here.) On the other hand I spent a lot of time on it yesterday & didn't even finish the top. So it's slow going.
But just to give you a glimmer, here are a few photos of what I'm working on...No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-67119466692791143472014-05-27T05:05:00.000-07:002014-05-27T05:05:00.120-07:00Special Guest Blog Post! On Seamstress Erin's Blog...I was quite fortunate to be asked recently to write a guest post (as an overeducated seamstress) on Seamstress Erin's blog, so I wrote about what I love most (besides the Roommate & Bella): travel & textiles!
In honor of Erin's recent completion of her PhD, she's asked a bunch of other overeducated sewists to blog. My post is about textiles we collected in Ghana, Japan, Thailand &No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-36135242802696524392014-05-20T06:09:00.000-07:002014-05-20T06:09:00.092-07:00It's Always a Quetzal Kind of Day...
Bella & I both like birds. So when we're traveling (me & the Roommate, not me & Bella), I'm on the lookout for any natural history included on artwork. Especially birds! This beautiful huipil from (probably) San Miguel Chicaj, has lots of quetzales. All overlapping in what is quite an intricate geometric pattern. Did she embroider by rows, swapping colors? &No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-75660653368436330792014-05-13T05:53:00.000-07:002014-05-13T05:53:00.019-07:00It's a Quetzal Kind of Day! Unless you're an avid birder, or into punk-rock hairstyles, you may not know what a quetzal is. Well, for one thing, quetzales are the national bird of Guatemala. The money is also called Quetzales--I love that!
Source
I haven't ever seen one in the wild...not for lack of trying. The Roommate & I have spent lots of times traipsing in rainforests, following a guide, No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-83204120009562107782014-04-29T04:50:00.000-07:002014-04-29T05:25:06.003-07:00See & Sew B5699 - ongoing project
White-Crowned Sparrow
courtesy of whatbird.com
I'm listening to punk rock and birdsong while I'm writing this. So life is pretty good. We have White-Crowned Sparrows passing thru on their way north, and they have a pretty distinctive call. They are keeping me & Bella entertained. I saw at least 3 this morning in our back yard.
Jackets! I am starting toNo Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-26636457489986827142014-04-22T04:23:00.000-07:002014-04-22T04:23:00.106-07:00One Yard Wonder: Lunch Bag for Roommate! This lunch bag was a quick project because the Roommate often leaves his lunch bag at work...so I decided to make another. I haven't figured out what I'll do when he leaves both at work, though!
The pattern is from One-Yard Wonders by Hoskins & Yaker, 2009. It's a great book to use up bits of your stash, the patterns are fairly easy, and there are plenty of ideas inside.
No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-2948570979882561572014-04-15T04:34:00.000-07:002014-04-28T06:09:58.413-07:00Cooper Backpack, from Colette Patterns: Finished!
Bella inspects my work, or does some birdwatching?
As you're reading this, you're going to find out some things about me you may or may not wish to know. For example, I'm a birder. And I can't make up my mind. So there. TMI? Hopefully not. Now way TMI about making this backpack/ messenger bag/pannier, from Colette Patterns, the Cooper, whichNo Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-24122313118871358252014-04-08T05:30:00.000-07:002014-04-08T05:30:02.192-07:00What do YOU do with your old North Korea maps?!I have mentioned before that we have plenty of old maps at my office. (Maps marked Soviet Union don't have a lot of credibility these days!) The Roommate has taken many of them to school for his 8 year olds to color on, and we have lots more stored downstairs in our basement either for pattern making, gift-wrapping, storage-box decorating, or...my latest idea...pattern storage!
No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-48166908047775999432014-04-01T03:29:00.000-07:002014-08-04T17:25:03.301-07:00More Western (African) Shirts...for Friends + 2 Vintage Patterns Sewn!! The Roommate's Western (African) shirts have been well-received all up & down the East Coast. We were having dinner w/ some good friends near Union Square & I got a request to make another western shirt.
So, I came home & went thru the remnants of my fabric from West Africa, and found one piece that I thought would be good for the contrast. The problem was finding main No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-49314352952653254482014-03-25T05:53:00.003-07:002014-03-25T05:53:17.485-07:00Quick Update! Stay Tuned for More Details on These Projects
First up, 2 western (African) shirts, made for a friend & his little boy. Both are from vintage patterns, and the contrast fabric is from my stash from our trip to West Africa.
And, this weekend I started on a Colette Patterns Cooper backpack, using canvas Charley Harper fabrics & Heat 'n' Bond iron-on vinyl! This is going to be a cool backpack, but I'm No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-57828512119791301612014-03-18T03:43:00.000-07:002014-03-18T04:36:16.389-07:00More Cushions for our Sun RoomIf you've been paying attention, or even if you've tried not to, you know that last summer we finally got our sun room fixed up. As we sit by our gas fireplace, looking out at another 8" of snow, we are feeling pretty pleased with ourselves! Others are complaining about the late winter weather, but having a gas fireplace makes it all okay!
I have really enjoyed making No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-25200076953801319752014-03-11T06:52:00.000-07:002014-03-11T06:52:00.408-07:00Stuff I've Made: Quilts with West African Wax Prints
African Market quilt.
I was trying to show a colleague my West African wax print quilts that I made shortly after our trip to Burkina Faso, Togo, Ghana & Cote d'Ivoire in 2006. And realized that I have mentioned them but never put them up on this site. The Roommate had 2 snow days last week (I had none!), so he took some photos for me. Thanks, Honey!
So, we did our last No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2283204230014369782.post-83827990217218896802014-03-04T04:11:00.000-08:002014-03-04T04:11:00.125-08:00Hawai'ian Star Quilt - A BeginningWe're in the middle of another blizzard right now. Really! But I'm sewing in the sunshine as I spent much of today working on a quilt made of old Hawai'ian shirts.
They were my father's. Though they are fun shirts and the Roommate would wear them...however, he doesn't need them & I think it would be a fun way to remember Daddy, & make something my mom could No Regrets, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01890145208250149963noreply@blogger.com0