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October 2008
Let's Make Mudcloth!

I've always been drawn to the immediacy of prints (e.g. linocuts, woodblocks), so it's not surprising that whenever I’ve seen mudcloth used in modern fashions, I’ve been drawn to its similarly fresh, graphic nature. This fabric has an interesting history…

The production of the traditional black and white cotton mudcloth is a centuries-old custom among the Bamana people of Mali, West Africa.

Mali: http://bit.ly/vZUF0

The Bamana men weave long thin strips of fabric which are sewn together to create panels about 32" x 48" (81.28 cm x 121.92 cm) to 45" x 72" (114.3 cm x 182.88 cm). The sewn panels are then hand-dyed by the women using techniques and designs that have been passed down over time from mother to daughter. While the basic ingredients (plant juice "teas" and mud) are known to all, each woman carefully guards her own secret "recipe".

I was intrigued to learn that the traditional mudcloth designs tell a story or portray a proverb and that traditional patterns have names like "fish bones", or "little stars", based on their appearance.

Creating the mudcloth design itself is a painstaking 2-3 week process involving washing, dying, setting the dye and bleaching. The intended black area of the design is painted with mud that's been mixed with water, stored and fermented for up to a year. The mud-painted fabric is then soaked in plant juice "teas" - the tannic acid in the "tea" reacts with the iron oxide in the mud to create a colour fast dye.

Since its use in modern fashion began in the 1980s, mudcloth has evolved from a localized African textile tradition to an internationally recognized symbol of African style.

I hope you'll find inspiration in this unique fabric for your crafts.

Experience mudcloth
In only a few minutes you can replicate the traditional mudcloth process and then print out your design courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History:
http://bit.ly/tVNE

Here’s a seasonal treat for you, courtesy of the Archives of Ontario… you can print out the pages of some archived Eaton's* Department Store Santa Claus Parade Colouring Books dating from 1951 to 1961. Great for the kids or use them yourself for embroidery and applique designs... the drawings are nicely stylized. There’s a link at the bottom of the initial page which features the 1952 book, to the rest of the books… lots of fun! You’ll find clowns, elves, circus animals, nursery rhyme and storybook characters, Mother Goose and, of course, Santa himself. Don’t miss the full-colour back covers (at the bottom of each book’s page) – they feature a special game, etc.

Tip: You can click and print a single page or download an entire colouring book.
http://bit.ly/3f56

January 2009
Textiles & Costume - it's a Kaleidoscope

I’d like to share with you a rich and diverse collection of 120 textile and costume artifacts from around the world and through time from Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum, where I worked as the Education Department’s artist back in the day. There’s inspiration for everyone… from exquisite beading, bobbin lace, embroidery, Givenchy, needle lace, shibori, tapestry, Vivienne Westwood and weaving, to a stylish jewel for a turban (#43) and an unusual "slapshoe" (#38).

The images are presented in sets of 12 with no continuity (hence my title) – click on one of these photos to see it larger. Then, if you'd like to see the larger photos in sequence, keep clicking "next". Most photos have alternate and close-up views and some have an interesting description below the photo.
http://bit.ly/mCTW

Here are some of my favourites from the collection – I'd love to hear what yours are:

#48 Right half of a man’s waistcoat - what breath-taking embroidery!

#50 Woman’s quilted underskirt - imagine the work that went into this mundane item of clothing and it wouldn’t even be seen… the wool batting would have made it nice and cozy

#68 Sample of Toile de Jouy - see the close-up view – the colours remind me of early American quilts – beautiful!

#70 Dress said to have belonged to Marie Antoinette of France from the 1780s – altered in the 1870s (imagine that!)

#92 Szur coat in the Hungarian tradition - (featured in Dorothy Burnham’s book Cut my Cote, 1973 which is on my bookshelf) see the close-up view - the cut-work felt looks like Scherenschnitte (the German art of paper cutting)

#99 Woman’s corset - the old-fashioned kind of "nip and tuck" - with real whale bones!

Now for some Kaleidoscope fun…
Create your own online Kaleidoscope with a selection of jewelry and costume accessories from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England. http://bit.ly/3xx0

Tip: Move the "buttons" to change the colours and images… once you’ve placed your selection of objects, you can even "shake" it to change the effect – just like a real kaleidoscope! Don’t miss the link to the objects’ interesting histories.



February 2009
Japanese Textile Masterworks – Then, as Now

An affinity for Japanese textiles (especially indigo and yukata) led me to visit the Kyoto National Museum’s online textile collection. The 7 garments presented as their finest masterpieces didn’t disappoint. I was surprised how readily they "translated" over time. The two Kosode (short-sleeved kimono worn by women as an outer garment) certainly look au currant – think Art-to-Wear. And the Jinbaori Vest’s likely fabric (a Persian carpet!) feels comfortably modern – think decorator fabric vests. The Kenda Kokushi Kesa (Buddhist priest's cassock) which, as the site says, "elaborately imitates those symbolic robes of poverty in high-quality silk tapestry" has a modern equivalent in textile terms as well…. think modern quilts, purpose-cut from new fabrics to delight the eye Vs antique quilts, assembled from recycled fabric scraps to warm the body. The icing on the cake for me was the Furisode (formal kimono worn by unmarried Japanese women) – don’t miss its detail view – it’s simply stunning (and curiously evocative of a tie quilt my son and his wife are currently creating)!
http://bit.ly/ZX0I Tip: Click the triangular Masterworks link, then click Textiles (at the side)

350 year-old Tsujigahana* textile fragment inspires modern craftsman
(*See the description of the Dobuku Coat at the link above)
It took only a small sample of Tsujigahana textile to inspire the life work of Japanese Master Itchiku Kubota. View his beautiful artistry, read about his life story and learn how a kimono is created as presented by Ohio's Canton Museum of Art - Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota. http://bit.ly/cvCL

More is more
For more insight into traditional Japanese fabric dyeing techniques, the next link is a treat. Be sure to visit the links at the bottom of the page for information about a specific technique with links to photos, easy-to-follow production notes with photos and fascinating interviews with the skilled men and women whose teamwork crafts Japan’s beautiful fabrics.
http://bit.ly/18nKe

DIY - Shibori (a family of Japanese techniques used for resist-dyeing textiles)
Shibori techniques provide a variety of ways of embellishing textiles by shaping cloth and securing it before dyeing with various gathering, binding, stitching, clamping and knotting techniques. The special characteristic of shibori is a soft- or blurry-edged pattern that is only revealed when the bindings are removed. Fun-filled suspense and surprise await! Here are some links to get you started. CAUTION. SOME DYES CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH. FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

"A How-to" Especially useful are the 6 stitching methods shown for creating specific patterns and shapes (good, clear photos). http://bit.ly/RZDQ

Paula Burch Lots of information about hand dyeing. You can purchase supplies through Paula's website (affiliated with Amazon.com) or use her thorough list of worldwide sources. The following link opens her hand-dyeing page – you can explore from there on your own.
http://bit.ly/LswiA

Dharma Trading Co. Fibre arts supplies and clothing blanks. I recently purchased some silk knitted tank tops from them – the price was good, the service was excellent and the quality beyond my expectation. This link opens their discussion about safety issues – explore on your own from there. http://bit.ly/1yWfgq

March 2009
Fashion at the Bag Museum

The unique Museum of Bags & Purses (Tassenmuseum Hendrikje) in Amsterdam follows the history of the ladies' bag in Western culture from the 1500s to the present day with nods to such famous designers as Channel, Dior, Fendi, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Their collection includes over 3500 special bags, pouches, suitcases, purses and other fashion accessories. Visit their online collection of 36 exceptional bags in a range of exciting forms and diverse materials. http://bit.ly/15rEk2

Tip: Click the magnifying glass a couple of times (found on the lower right hand corner of your bottom tool bar) to see the details more easily.

Creating your own
Ready to create a special bag or purse to juice up your wardrobe for Spring? Following are links to bag patterns in a wide range of techniques and materials – I hope you’ll find something inspirational among them… I think they’re all pretty special!

Crochet
Drawstring Purse: http://is.gd/h1mj
Rag Bag: http://is.gd/h1mo
Recycled Plastic Plarn Handbag: http://is.gd/h1mF

Knitting
Albem Cabled Bag: http://is.gd/h1mL
Little Felted Coco Bag: http://is.gd/h1mQ
Ruffles Purse: http://is.gd/h1mT

Sewing
Drawstring Bag: http://is.gd/h1n2
Easy Tote Bag: http://is.gd/h1na
Origami Purse: http://is.gd/h1ni

Unusual techniques
Chinese Take-out Box Purse: http://is.gd/h1nt
Hardcover book Purse: http://is.gd/h1nB


April 2009
Finland’s Korsnäs Sweater – a Living Tradition

As my paternal grandfather, Oskar Kultalahti, came from Lappajarvi in the South Ostrobothnian region of the province of Western Finland, I've been inspired to search for Finnish crafts. I discovered something exciting originating in the adjacent Ostrobothnian region, on the western coast of Finland, in a place called Korsnäs. The women there traditionally made a decoratively patterned crocheted and knitted sweater for their fiancé. A true work of art, it was an indication of wealth and a treasured family heirloom. The locals carry on this traditional craft today and their "Korsnäs Sweater" has become deservedly famous.

The exuberantly coloured, intricately patterned tapestry crochet hem, cuffs and neckline contrast nicely with the simpler knitted body. Traditionally, the body of the sweater is made by more than one person at the same time, using double-pointed needles! I was delighted by the combination of techniques and surprised by the concept of team-knitting! It means a great deal to me to discover this rich, living tradition - a precious link to the past and a grandfather I never knew.

See a Korsnäs Sweater: http://bit.ly/gipTN

See more Korsnäs crafts & three women team-knitting a Korsnäs Sweater:
http://bit.ly/12IZp6

Korsnäs Sweater - body area, knit pattern: http://bit.ly/vraZN

4 Korsnäs Sweater crochet tapestry patterns:
Geometric design: http://bit.ly/Tjkdj
Flowers + trees: http://bit.ly/jZN8
Dancing Girls: http://bit.ly/Yxoq
"S" Twists: http://bit.ly/yKAn

Related Knitting Links:
Learn to knit videos (incl. left handed instructions): http://bit.ly/aOyzs
Finnish Rosebud mittens pattern: http://bit.ly/5Vbv3
How to make a traditional Finnish mitten cuff fringe: http://bit.ly/VK8ar
How to make a traditional flat Finnish mitten top: http://bit.ly/10WBsR

Related Crochet Links:
Learn to crochet videos: http://bit.ly/dqygn - use the right slider to access all of the stitches: Basic, Fancy and Misc. details
Felted Tapestry Crochet video: http://bit.ly/CCE5
How to hold the yarns, switch colours, felt and block. Want to give it a whirl?
See the link at the top of the page for free Tapestry Crochet patterns!
Tapestry Crochet in Finland - helpful close-up photos: http://bit.ly/ICOKT

And, to finish off on a wacky knitting note…
Urban knitting: "The world’s most inoffensive graffiti.": http://bit.ly/38yxVw


May 2009
Bobbin Lace

Lauri has often reminisced about watching his grandmother in Orimattila, Finland make bobbin lace using turned wooden bobbins made by his uncle made on his foot-operated lathe. He recalls seeing her fingers fly as she manipulated the many bobbins, following the paper pattern pinned to her leather, lace-making pillow.

Researching this craft so that Lauri could "relive" those memories, I was astonished by the technique’s seeming complexity. I say "seeming" because, while it looks daunting, it boils down to 2 basic "moves": crossing the bobbins (left over right) and twisting them (right over left)!

Social history
Making beautiful lace turns out not to be the relaxing pastime I had imagined! The social history of the time reveals that there were strict lace schools where children as young as five years of age were sent. By the age of eleven or twelve, young lace makers were able to earn better wages than farm labourers. Families of agricultural workers supplemented their income by working at the lace. Even whole towns were employed in lace making – such as Rauma, Finland where the craft is still being taught today at the Rauma Lace Museum.

The introduction of machine-made lace and changes in fashion after World War I put an end to the bobbin lace industry, spelling financial ruin for many. Bobbin lace making, a pleasurable hobby today, has been transformed from the sweatshop cottage industry of the past when lace makers worked in cramped conditions, by candlelight.

A close-up of lace from the Rauma Museum: http://bit.ly/bIOej

More lace examples from the Rauma Lace Museum: http://bit.ly/2BrEM
TIP: Click "1 poytaliina", and scroll down to the lace photo. Keep clicking "seuraava" (in yellow, top right) to see all of the examples.

Bobbin lace tools
Making bobbin lace required specialized tools like the wood bobbins Lauri’s uncle turned for his mother. Some bobbin styles have picturesque names like "Mothers-in-Babe" and "Cows-in Calf" - these have tiny bobbins carved inside the regular bobbin. The "Church Windows" style has tiny Gothic openings; "Tiger" has inlaid pewter stripes while "Leopard" has inlaid pewter spots. Bobbins have been found with charming carved inscriptions such as: "Love is Love; Marry Me Quick and Lowly Speak", "Kis Me Court Me Hold Me Tite; Don't Crump my Hair Tonite" and "Kis Me Quik My Mome is Comin". Other unique tools include the original "flash light"!

Photos of Wood Bobbins: http://bit.ly/BSR9d

Bobbin lace equipment and its fascinating stories: http://bit.ly/fMDrJ
TIP: Click the "next" button at the bottom of each page to see the next tool.

Want to try it?

Lessons in Bobbin Lace: http://bit.ly/Fx6as

Preparing Bobbins for Lace Making (YouTube): http://bit.ly/Y5lHS

Making simple 4-bobbin lace (YouTube): http://bit.ly/5GKtY

Madejas Bobbin Lace making No. 1 (YouTube): http://bit.ly/UtarF

And, just because they’re so beautiful…

Garments with lace from the Visual Arts Data Service: http://bit.ly/S7Jmi
TIP: Click on the first photo and then keep clicking "Next Record" to see all of the examples.



June 2009
June 20, 2009 - Happy Finnish Midsummer’s Day!

Due to Finland's northern location, stretching across the Arctic Circle, nights there become short or non-existent near the longest day of the year (Midsummer’s Day). This provides an energizing contrast to the long, dark days of the Finnish winter that’s worth celebrating! Days before Midsummer’s Day, Finns start preparing for the upcoming festivities by cleaning the house inside and out and tying fragrant birch tree branches to doorways.

During Midsummer’s Eve, the sauna is heated and family and friends are invited to bathe and BBQ. Traditional events mark this special occasion: folk songs accompanied by the lute-like Finnish national instrument, the kantele; traditional dances accompanied by accordions and fiddles with participants dressed in colourful national costumes and general participation in lively polkas and waltzes.

Close to midnight (which in most areas is not at all dark), tall, conical bonfires (Finnish kokko) are ceremoniously lit beside lakes and sea. Celebrations are likely to stretch on into Midsummer Day’s early hours. Finnish Swedish-speaking coastal communities follow a Swedish tradition and raise a midsummer pole and dance around it.

It's common for Finns to start their summer holidays on Midsummer’s Day and many families move to their lakeside summer cottages for the month of July.

When we were holidaying in Finland at this special time of year, we discovered a joyful sense of freedom from the tyranny of the clock… we could eat at any hour and sleep didn’t depend on the dark of night. Wonderful!

Listen to the Finnish kantele:

Kalevala "Konevitsan kirkonkellot": http://bit.ly/3qhY4L

Hard Rock Halleluja: http://bit.ly/2TPAqG

See Finnish regional folk costumes: http://bit.ly/XO8NL

And, just for fun, visit the Sauna Championships – Finland: http://bit.ly/gZdRv


July 2009
Shoes: a reflection of Societal Mores & Technology

I’m willing to bet that we all have shoe-related memories. Mine include: my childhood's durable, brown leather oxford style "clodhoppers" with what looked like a treble clef stitched on the side; "It" - a white, liquid shoe polish popular when I was a child; our neighbourhood's 1950s shoe shop with an entertaining X-ray shoe-fitting machine (yikes!); my late 50s red leather pointy-toed shoes with antique brass buckles and kitten heels; the smelly black liquid shoe polish I used on my school oxfords; little black shoe buttons inherited from my mother-in-law in my button box; a tour of The Bata Shoe Company, Batawa, Ontario in the early 1980s while doing research for their corporate brochure design. They were using water jets to cut the leather - "high tech" at the time.

Jump ahead now to 2009... let's visit the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada which celebrates footwear spanning 4,500 years - a 12,000 + collection begun in the 1940s by Mrs. Sonia Bata.

You can relish some of the museum’s gems via podcasts with text by the museum’s Assistant Curator Sarah Beam-Borg with large accompanying feature photos and close-ups of the exquisite details and fine workmanship. Sarah illustrates how society’s attitudes and values are reflected in shoes as well as how technological developments and architecture have affected shoe design. Case in point: Dior’s "New Look" stiletto heel of 1947 which was made possible by innovations in steel-making that enabled the extrusion of thin steel rods.

I discovered: what original rhinestones were (not glass, as I thought); that high heels are intended to foster the illusion of smaller feet (the symbol of beauty - think Cinderella); and that in Venice in the 1500s, to advertise her social status, her ladyship wore 5" to 3’ high chopine shoes (that’s right - 3 feet high!) – necessitating the assistance of servants to help her walk. What price, fashion!

Podcasts from the Bata Shoe Museum: http://bit.ly/36EUh

The Virtual Shoe Museum: http://bit.ly/MrIDO
Everything shoes here - don’t miss the video links (on the left hand side) to the amusing Amsterdam Glamour Stiletto Run and the strange aKabi dance and the link at bottom right for shoe designer Mark Schwartz’s blog.

A blast from the past: http://bit.ly/YYzXX
(that shoe fitting X-ray device from my youth)

Find your shoe size (without the X-rays!): http://bit.ly/GWLA4
A step-by-step guide for measuring your feet.

Where to "green" your used shoes: http://bit.ly/1arFx4 and http://bit.ly/2LffyW

And, just for fun: http://bit.ly/5ese
33 different ways to lace your shoes!



August 2009
The Bayeux Tapestry

I’ve had a small, treasured book about the Bayeux Tapestry on my bookshelf for years. Every once in a while I take it down and spend a few moments enjoying the various scenes. What’s the appeal beyond the obvious historical insights it offers into life in the "Middle Ages"? Is it the drawing style, the colours, the embroidery textures, the costume details? For me, it's "all of the above"! And, after seeing Haley’s comet in 1986, its appearance on this work of art added another dimension to its appeal – a personal connection.

Here’s a wonderful photo of Haley’s comet: http://bit.ly/jO7Oi .

From a needlework point of view, the "tapestry" is inspirational (technically, it’s not tapestry, it's embroidery). The fabric base is said to be 48-count evenweave linen. Since the closest threads-per-inch count needlecraft fabric I could find for sale on the internet was 45 count, that would seem to make it extraordinarily finely woven by today’s standards. "Evenweave" means that there are the same number of threads, vertically and horizontally - imagine the skill that must take! At the time, linen was a labour intensive material to produce – from growing the flax plant to weaving the fabric. Coloured wools dyed with the natural products madder, weld and woad (they even sound Medieval!) were used in the embroidery. Think of the time that was required, just to create these materials!

I think you will enjoy this charming UTube animated version of the Bayeux Tapestry (with sound effects): http://bit.ly/yDZ3b

View the Bayeux Tapestry: each of the green links shows a number of scenes with interesting commentary: http://bit.ly/RumAB
Tip: Enlarge the view to 150% (bottom right on your monitor)

You may be inspired to print out a scene and reproduce a portion of it or, better yet, create your own personal embroidered "history".

More…

Want to try your hand at the embroidery stitches used to create the Bayeux Tapestry? Choose one of the stitch links below and then scroll down to see the how-to videos:

Chain stitch: http://bit.ly/3Qn6rM

Couching: http://bit.ly/qYMLl

French knot: http://bit.ly/Qexu7

Outline stitch: http://bit.ly/17ls33

Split stitch: http://bit.ly/nRRHy

Minnesota State University presents an entertaining look at Medieval Europe – "The Middle Ages" as seen through the eyes of your choice of a guide: knight, merchant, nun or peasant, with many interesting links: http://bit.ly/BwFvY .

"Hello Pamela - love this stuff that you attach - the Bayeux Tapestry is of particular interest as I am an avid needlepointer.  I had never seen this particular piece.  Fascinating how they made it come to life! Thanks so much for sending these newsletters. I hope they keep coming."

September 2009
Worldwide Wedding Fashions

As Lauri and I are getting married this month, I decided to take a look at wedding customs as they relate to fashion.

The Bata Shoe Museum’s website reviews various international wedding shoes and their related wedding costumes. Featured shoe materials include embroidered silk, fur, leather and even silver! Queen Victoria is there in her wedding finery! Apparently she started the Western world's white wedding dress trend at her wedding in 1840. Before then, it seems, brides simply wore their best dress. You can discover the international wedding costumes and here: http://bit.ly/7Priq .

By the way, wedding flip-flops weren’t included – perhaps that trend’s too recent! (There really are wedding flip-flops!)

What has to be the most unusual bridal fashion fabric ever comes from the Hezhe ethnic group in China – fish skin! Watch the mini slide show of these beautifully crafted wedding garments and read the fascinating story of the skilful Hezhe women below it: http://bit.ly/mR7Op .

Future brides, I hope you may be inspired to implement some of your heritage’s wedding customs to your wedding to bring deeper levels of personal meaning to the occasion. Lauri and I will be doing that with our venue and our menu – our wedding and reception will be held in a log house reminiscent of the Finnish log homes of our ancestors. We’ll be serving our guests a meal created from Finnish recipes. We’ll make the final toast with Finnish Lapponia Lingonberry and Cloudberry liquors.

On another level, perhaps you’ll be inspired to personalize your shoes or revive “tired” ones with beads, crystal “jewels”, machine embroidery and ribbons, etc.

Here are instructions for adding some shoe glam…

Non-crocheted fun fur flip-flops: http://bit.ly/NpUNm

Cute crocheted flower flip-flops: http://bit.ly/Nawba

How to add machine embroidery to purchased shoes: usaapp.husqvarnaviking.com/education/pdf/2604.pdf

Tips for gluing machine embroidery to shoes: http://bit.ly/7OhZm

"Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, Pam and Lauri. I wish you both many days of happiness together. One special thing that my husband and I did with our ceremony was to plant a tree as a symbol of strength, longevity, vitality and love for the earth. We also liked the symbolism of planting roots together. He dug the hole and I put the soil around it with my bare hands and my white dress.  Amazingly, I didn't get any smudges on it although there was much speculation amongst the guests."



October 2009
A Rose for You

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, Lauri and I were married last month. We’d like to thank all of you who wrote, expressing your good wishes for us. 

My favourite part of our ceremony was when Lauri and I extended the circle of our love to each of our guests with the gift of a red rose, the symbol of love. In turn, I’d like to share the following roses with you for your crafting pleasure:

Fabric: burnt edge technique with synthetic fabric: http://bit.ly/ryZMR

Fabric: folded & twisted: http://bit.ly/prolX

Crochet: http://bit.ly/22n6VK

Cross-stitch (a sampler - simply change the year): http://bit.ly/uOM2F

Cross stitch: "To Someone Special" (suitable for mounting in a greeting card):
http://bit.ly/uRDNT

Fillet crochet (a placemat): http://bit.ly/4picp

Knitting: http://bit.ly/53iaR

Origami (Japanese paper folding - complex but lovely!): http://bit.ly/UJnWG

"One Stroke" Folk Art Style Painting (by Donna Dewberry on You Tube): http://bit.ly/CQMgQ

Silk ribbon embroidery: http://bit.ly/4AhjDv



November 2009
Wearable Technology... the future is now!

Changes in technology have always affected the way we dress. Now, "smart" textiles appear to be on our fashion horizon… fabrics implanted with nano-technology (nano - think VERY tiny) used perhaps to monitor and respond to our bodily functions - possibly heating or cooling or dispensing perfume/pheromones or capturing energy from our movement to power our personal electronic devices.

Clothing that moves (hemlines that raise and lower), lights up and even displays LED videos has already appeared on recent fashion runways! The designer Manel Torres has filed a patent for spray-on clothing! Suzanne Lee, Senior Research Fellow, School of Fashion & Textiles, Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London, England is investigating the use of bacterial-cellulose to grow fabric.

Soon clothing that only existed in the realm of science fiction may be ours to enjoy. Exciting times!

A sampling…

Spray-on fabric: http://bit.ly/vpfc (see the video: http://bit.ly/10iVx5 )

Leather "wallpaper"/clothes: http://bit.ly/1m0QYp

Fashion + art = software generated one-of-a-kind apparel by Los Angeles design studio 1 of 1. Each signed and numbered piece results from collaboration between a commissioned artist and fashion designer Cait Reas: http://bit.ly/3RKLET . More prints created with the Tissue software: http://bit.ly/2jcBtG

A look back to the ‘60s - paper clothing: http://bit.ly/Qjvsr

And for some fun on the low-tech side…

Making wool felt: http://bit.ly/b5Vre

Making homemade paper: http://bit.ly/1gepfI

P.S. To follow up on my "Diaries – linking us with the past" eNewsletter note of Nov. 2008, a 20-second long film of Anne Frank has recently been made available to the public for the first time on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3b3hGS

December, 2009
Artistic inspiration...

The Textile Museum of Canada's fascinating Digital Threads website highlights new digital artworks by 5 Canadian artists who are pushing the envelope of conventional textiles. The varied sources of their inspiration is eye-opening... http://digitalthreads.ca
P.S. You’ll need Flash 7 Player to enjoy this interactive website – a download link’s provided (it’s free).

Take time to explore the related links to exhibitions by many other artists (found along the bottom of each section) - there are photos plus links to exhibit overviews and curatorial essays.

1) Myth & Science: Ruth Scheuing - Walking the Line
Using GPS technology to map her daily activities, Ruth then adds layers of pattern, colour, images and texture which she finds on the internet.
View artwork: keep clicking on the "lines" until a small "Daily Patterns" chart appears at the left side, then select one of the line images and click on the numbers 1-4 to add layers to it (descriptions are beneath the numbers)

2) Textiles and Everyday Life: Kai Chan - Everyday Blue, Green, Red and Yellow
Kai explores the powerful interaction of everyday life - juxtaposing historical and personal, past and present.
View artwork: use arrow at top to scroll to view (it cycles)

3) Clothing and Communication: Joanna Berzowska - "autobiography"
Joanna’s interest lies in electronic textiles and responsive garments and how clothing "communicates" on various levels.
View artwork: play with the effects on clothing of: design and background color changes; pattern size and spacing changes; adding "living" texture; opacity variations; potential use of slogans/logos

4) Moving across Cultures: Samuel Thomas - Great Tree of Peace
Sam focuses on Iroquois embossed (three-dimensional) beadwork (I wish there were more of his work presented!).
View artwork: complete the first "page" and then drag the central "bead" to the location of your choice then click the heading "View images of peace and beauty" – there are tiny photos you can click and view

5) Nature, The Environment and Weird Materials: Jennifer Angus - Til Death do us Part
Jennifer uses insects in a memorable way. :O
View artwork: "A Terrible Beauty" – you can turn the pages of Jennifer’s book by clicking and holding on the bottom right page corner and "pulling" the page to the left with your mouse… take the time to read the story too. Small photos of Jennifer’s work are included - clicking on them will enlarge them.

Studio: Now you have a chance to create digital artwork using some components from all 5 of these artists’ projects – to go to your "Studio", click on the colourful top right "grid" found on the top of the pages, on the far right (it's not on the home page).

January, 2010
Time...

At the start of a new year, thoughts about time are often top-of-mind as we make resolutions for the year ahead and reminisce of days gone by. But what exactly is time? It seems that that depends on your point of view. Apparently, among philosophers, there are two concepts of time:

#1 Time is part of the structure of the universe: a dimension in which events occur in sequence, like the frames of a film strip.

#2 Time is an intellectual structure (like space and numbers) within which we order events.
The natural rhythms and imposed schedules of our lives are shaped by the movements of the earth, moon, and sun.

Here are some time-related links I hope you'll find interesting:

A history of timekeeping devices: http://bit.ly/90lgSt (see the lower left link)

The evolution of time measurement: http://bit.ly/fkZo2

The scheduling of our lives: http://bit.ly/7ppnDR

"10 watches that shape the future of modern watch making": http://bit.ly/5tGilG

What time is it?
Official Canadian atomic time: http://bit.ly/L0AyH
Official U.S. atomic time: http://bit.ly/9nXf

Fun ways to pass the time:
General tips on how to make a clock: http://bit.ly/5hRoiW
How to make a custom clock (from a working clock): http://bit.ly/7C8GvM
Martha Stewart's (cute!) Button Clock: http://bit.ly/7U1Wpn
How to make a CD clock (wait for the ad video to end): http://bit.ly/4pEtUzhttp

Plutarch said it well: "The whole life of man is but a point of time; let us enjoy it."

February, 2010
Trashion (ethical statement and/or niche market)

FYI: Trashion ("trash" + "fashion") = fashion created from used, thrown-out, found and re-purposed elements

I just have to share 2 exciting environmentally conscious trashionistas whose creativity strikes me as knock-out inspiring…

Nancy Judd of Santa Fe, New Mexico crafts her "wearable sculpture" from such things as castoff plastic bags, electrical wire and old cassette tapes - leading some to dub her work "dumpster couture". She markets her work as an educational tool in light of the problems created by solid-waste and to raise awareness of these problems through instructive art exhibits.

Slide show of Nancy's art: http://bit.ly/4DmdlP – use the small left/right arrows to the (upper) right of the photo to move through the 20 photos, photo captions appear below the arrows

Article about Nancy: http://bit.ly/wPDO

OutsaPop – a self-described "crafty fashion addicted girl from Espoo, Finland" who wields a well-honed design sensibility in her reconstructed and recycled DIY fashions. She’s all about recycle design as opposed to recycle craft. You, too, can get "lost" in her fascinating blog:http://bit.ly/8KmzT2KmzT2 KmzT2

OutsaPop’s helpful "rules" (tips) for better design, etc. (color harmony, high street imitation, using your material in large numbers and multiples): http://bit.ly/5GkXyZ

OutsaPop's trashion tutorials:http://bit.ly/6G7p6J - click "My Fashion Tutorials" above the bold heading

"Don’t be calm and carry on… get excited and make things!"
(quoted from OutsaPop’s website)


March 2010
Patterns in architecture

Be prepared to be wowed! This month I’m going to introduce you to over 4000 images drawn from architecturally based art from the Islamic* world - an invaluable resource for all artists and crafters.

The designs range from formal geometry which hints at a highly complex underlying mathematical structure; flowing, repetitive calligraphy and graceful floral arabesques. It’s a rich offering of stunning colour, visual texture and seemingly endless variations on themes. Yummy!

Browse on your own http://bit.ly/39yyPQ or use the links provided below (click the photos to see a larger version):

8 Slideshows (50 photos from each region*) http://bit.ly/9UxPd2

Main archive (100s of photos from each of the 8 regions*) http://bit.ly/cCllxL

Peripheral material (numerous photos from Qatar, Sicily and Rajastan) http://bit.ly.df20TG

Museums (featured artifacts from the collections of 6 museums) http://bit.ly/9LUBoI

Drawings, diagrams and analyses (works from 7 collections) http://bit.ly/ba5mMT

*Islamic world's regions: Egypt, Syria, India, Iran, Morocco, Spain, Transoxiana** and Turkey
**this ancient name is used for the portion of Central Asia corresponding approximately with modern-day Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and southwest Kazakhstan. Nowadays, it usually implies that region in the time prior to about the 8th century AD

Play time: Taprats: Taprats is a small Java based application (applet) for designing Islamic star patterns which has a library of built-in designs for your use. http://bit.ly/aq7TBK
Tips:
-- If you try the Applet, (free) you won’t be able to print out the result.
-- If you try the Application, (also free) it has a limited loading, saving, and printing functionality – you’ll need either a postscript printer or a tool that can import postscript (such as Adobe Illustrator) to print them.


April 2010
What Proportions, Beauty?

There are some tried-and-true guidelines about proportion that will help you achieve a "thing of beauty" when you’re planning your next creative project...

The Golden Ratio

One of the oldest proportioning systems, the Golden Ratio, is ubiquitous in nature - in the arrangement of branches along the stems of plants and the veins of leaves; the skeletons of animals and the branching of their veins and nerves; the proportions of chemical compounds and even in the geometry of crystals, etc.

The ancient Greeks used the Golden Ratio, believing that in order for an object to be well proportioned, each one of its parts should relate to the others, based on a standardized ratio. The resulting relationships create a pleasing underlying sense of order and harmony, reassuringly reminiscent of those encountered in nature. See the links below for more details.

FYI: The golden ratio is approximately 1.6180339887 - it is often denoted by the Greek letter "phi" (uppercase Φ, lowercase φ).

The Fibonacci Numbers

Approximating the Golden Ratio is the ratio between the Fibonacci Numbers. These ratios also occur frequently in nature – in the branching of trees; the arrangement of leaves on a stem; the fruitlets of a pineapple; the flowering of an artichoke; an uncurling fern and the structure of a pine cone, etc.

This is the Fibonacci Number series (each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers):
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181…

* * *

Here are some related links which I hope you will find interesting and inspiring…

A list of amazing examples of the Divine Proportion (another name for the Golden Ratio) in the world around us: http://bit.ly/9wixfk (click the box to the left to see "Amazing (fashion) Before and Afters" created by proportion changes)

Learn how to construct a Golden Section, a Golden Rectangle and a Golden Spiral and see some examples of Fibonacci numbers as they appear in nature: http://bit.ly/B2dbj

See the world differently through a DIY Golden Ratio test grid: http://bit.ly/9oLOqe

The (subconscious) standards by which we judge physical beauty (Elle Magazine): http://bit.ly/bpyyLO

The Perfect Body Formula – for men (Men’s Health Magazine): http://bit.ly/b2aurg

As the author Pearl Buck said, "Order is the shape upon which beauty depends."

May 2010
The Art of Slit-tapestry Weaving

Threads magazine’s recent article, "Create intricate fabric with pin weaving", inspired me to look more closely at the technique behind this fun idea which has so many positive aspects – it can be spontaneous, doesn’t need much equipment, is on the go-able and uses up stash!

The weaving technique is called "slit-tapestry" because of the space or slit that forms at the colour changes. Each time you use a different colour horizontally (called the weft), the previously used colored weft is turned back and the new color's begun on the adjacent vertical thread (called the warp). The weaving can sometimes progress unevenly, with some areas completed before others, unlike other weaving techniques that are completed evenly, weft row by weft row.

See some basic slit tapestry weft colour change diagrams and pick up tips on how to avoid long slits: (see the first heading "Slit Tapestry"): http://bit.ly/bR7Gxj

The links that follow show patterns that are suitable for crafts other than weaving - such as cross stitch, knitting, quilting, etc. - who knows where inspiration may lead!

See many slit-tapestry weavings called kelims (or kilims) from various locations in the Middle East and Central Asia. The clear photos provide a powerful source of inspiration with vibrant colours and lively designs! http://bit.ly/95WDzD
Tip: Scroll down to the list of different kelims…then, if you wish, click on the red number following the photo's text for more information about the item – then you can click and see a large full view and/or a large detail.

See 10 early kelims and learn about the historical basis for their patterns: http://bit.ly/buA328

See 937 kelims here!: http://bit.ly/ckBB08

DIY! Here’s a link to the Threads article: http://bit.ly/7FbKYE