New Class Schedule

Winter 2012 Sewing for Wearable Art Diane Ricks bobbydi@charter.net home 909/941-0337 cell 909/210-0887 Each week I will present and demonstrate one or more techniques. You can then make a sample of the presented technique(s) in the morning. After lunch you are encouraged to sew on a garment either one of your choice or something using the techniques(s) shown in a previous week. Example: This week we will do seams and next week you could work on a garment using the seam technique taught or work on garment of your choice. There will be some fabric or supplies needed for some techniques that you may need to look for. They will be shown and listed for the dates needed. Jan 4 Seams: Demo: Bound seam, and Slot seam Supplies: Sewing machine, zipper foot, sewing supplies, Look for: thicker fabric upholstery, polar fleece, quilted, etc. for bound seams. Garment fabric and underlay for Slot Seams, Jan 11 Scrappy Cloth 1,2,3,4 Demo: 4 ways to assemble those scraps to make unique garments and accessories. Supplies: Sewing machine, Free motion foot, spool of black thread plus 2 or 3 favorite colors of rayon embroidery thread, 7” zipper to match color of scraps. Look for: Scraps of hand dyed silks, large bead. This will be a special projects day. You may make either a small purse or scarf using a “Scrappy” technique demonstrated. I will bring supplies for the purse base and thread for the tassel you bring the zipper, and the bead. If you want to make the scarf bring ribbons and yarns to go with your scraps. Jan18 Threaded Trapunto and Silk Flower Buds Demo: how to make flower buds from ribbon and free motion stitching. Threaded Trapunto designs Supplies: Sewing Machine, Free motion foot, rayon embroidery thread, embroidery needle for machine, 9” hoop, for flowers large blunt yarn needle for Threaded Trapunto Look for: Upholstery fabric with suitable design for adding flowers. Crepe or crepe backed satin and loosely woven flannel for trapunto. Design to use for trapunto. (Quilting stencils work great) Jan 25 no class I will be in Costa Rica Feb 1 Wing Needle and Double Needle Demo: Using specialty needles Supplies: Sewing machine, wing needle, double needle 2.5 to 4.00 spacing between needles. Pin tuck or high groove foot, regular size 40-50 white thread also white embroidery, lingerie or invisifil size 60 -100. hoop, 1 yard gathered lace, optional: lace and ribbon scraps. Look for: Cotton batiste or cotton organdy if you want to make more than one heart sachet. This will also be a special projects day. You may make a heart sachet ` using the techniques taught. Valentines day is approaching. Feb 8 Metamorphosis Demo: Using collected textiles to make into a garment, Ways to cut, join, repurpose, and embellish for a vest or jacket. You will not make a sample, but I will help you envision your possible projects with the textiles you bring. Supplies: sewing machine and sewing supplies. collected textiles, trims, and such. Look for: something to re-purpose Feb 15 Show line up Bring the garments you will be showing in the WAC Fashion Show on Saturday February 18, THE FASHION SHOW will we held here at the Hughes Center. Sewing Day to finish projects. Feb 22 Field Trip This will be our annual field trip to F.I.D.M. to see the Academy Award garments on display in the Museum. Also a quick trip to downtown. Meet at the Museum at 10:00 am. Carpools will be arranged. Bring a sack lunch. schedule subject to change at teachers whim, but I’ll let you know in advance

Back Again

Here are the drapes I made. Lesson Learned: When you have a long span and the lining is heavier than the drape fabric make the lining bow upward in the middle. I made the lining shorter but it hangs down below the drape in the middle. I am re-hemming this morning. This side of the room looks nice, but the other side is bare. Oh well, another project in the making. The Sewing class starts next Wednesday, and I'm anxious to get back to all of you. Bring your sewing machines and a zipper foot for making the samples. I will post the schedule when I finish typing it.

I just finished this silk painting and will be putting it in a Surface Art Show in February. It is silk painting with bits of hand dyed silk applique for accents. Then I backed it with batting and free motion quilted it. I then stretched it onto a 16" X 16" wooden frame (like we did with the painted and quilted canvas) It looks very interesting and definitely looks like wall art when presented in that way. I am through making felt hearts and moving onto other projects. I need to make something to wear into the cold when we go to Utah next week, but I also want to make something using the techniques we will be doing in sewing class (two birds with one stone theory). I have several ideas I just have to buckle down and sew.

I have been getting into the Christmas spirit making these felt ornaments. So far I have made about 1 dozen. I worked on them while I was at my daughters in Nevada. Each one is different but uses all the same elements. Now I am home again and working on drapes for my bedroom. I have never made drapes before and they are sooooo much fabric to rassel around with. They are starting to look good, but I am going to have my son re-enforce the curtain rods; because these things are really heavy. Wish me luck, I want to finish them while I have time off. Tomorrow night 4-7 is "Meet the Teachers" at Gingers Quilt Shoppe, Upland. I will be teaching "Free Motion Machine Doodling", "Monkeys or Macaws" and "Silk Painted Butterfly Wall Hanging". If you sign up on Dec 7 you get a discount on the class price. Hope to see you there.

Put together

Break Down is put together. This is the vest I made from the breakdown printing I did the last day of class. I backed the fabric with flannel (I'd gotten it to make nightgowns for my daughters 30 years ago)from the stash and quilted the flowers. On the band I did a technique I have been wanting to try for quite awhile. I did bobbin stitching Crazy Quilting. By choosing single stitch decorative stitches on the machine I stitched with perle rayon in the bobbin and followed along the stitch line from the wrong side to create the look of embroidery. I could have added beads and flourishes to make it look more hand done, but this was just for fun. I hope you are having fun also. I will post another thing I am doing in a few days. Bye for now.

Art Show At Hughes Center

They have hung out little art show at the Hughes Center. I went over today to clean out the and organize the closet and the show was up. They did a very nice job of hanging the paintings. The girls at the desk said they had gotten lots of good comments about the show. Be sure and take the time to go take a friend and show them what we did. I'm so proud of you all.

Taking time off

Yesterday was the last class for the year 2011. I am taking off December so I can go be with my children and grandchildren during the holiday season. I also hope to get some new things ready for the sewing class which will begin on January 4, 2012. WOW 2012 just around the corner. I took a few photos of "show and tell" yesterday, but they didn't turn out well. I guess my phone was having a breakdown along with the rest of the class. Some very nice printing happened and I am happy with what we got done. Sorry we ran out of Sodium Alginate, I never know how much stuff to make up it; varies from class to class. My printing turned out well, and I am steaming it this morning. When I get it made up I will post a photo.