Anna dress

Sprout Patterns pre-prints a pattern on fabric using Spoonflower fabric designs and lays it out perfectly.  I have made Sprout Pattern, Short Anna Dress, which is the design of By Hand London. I chose to make in using my Hexie Roses Deep Hues pattern in cotton poplin.  The cotton poplin has a nice hand and is a good fabric for hot weather.  There is a long skirted version available as well. 
When you purchase the pre printed pattern, you also receive a link to sewing directions and the pattern, should you want to create it again.  I found the directions clear and sewing the Short Ana Dress simple.  Sprout also offers a 'White Glove Service', that is, you can pay an additional fee to have select patterns sewn for you.

Art Swap - USA edition

I am friends with a lot of terrific artists from the art doll making community.  One of these friends suggested a paper based swap and I jumped at the opportunity.  I sent each of my partners a different 1ft x 2ft wallpaper sheet from my designs.  In return, these treasures arrived in the mail.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Untitled by Cody Goodin, digital image

Untitled by Dot Lewallen, bead, marker, ink, paper collage

'Doodle Do' by Emily Eckel, linocut

'Out in the Garden' by Karen Mallory, collage

 

Birch Trees by Judi Wellnitz, mixed media on paper

Christmas in August

The traditional summer months of the United States are actually the coolest months of the year in Ghana. It's the closest thing to winter here although it is known as the rainy season.  Once you are acclimated to the local climate it actually feels cool at night.
So, thinking of 'winter', I began playing with some cartoon style Santas and seasonal greenery of a United States Christmas time.  The designs are listed clockwise:

Cartoon Santa Vintage Styles

Cartoon Black Santa Head on Green and Stars

Christmas Holiday Décor

Cartoon White Santa Head on Green and Stars

Painterly Christmas Holiday Décor

A vintage Christmas design contest has begun at Spoonflower.  I have no design in this contest but the entries are very good.  Please consider voting. 

Continuing on the winter theme, I went through my Christmas Card stash and noticed that I still have a few cards left from Senegal.  These became my canvas for some fun new Christmas card collages.

Seahorses

While visiting Ames, Iowa my family stopped by the Ames Main Street Farmer's Market (every Saturday 8-12) to pick up some veggies that are hard to get in Ghana.  It's definitely recommended if you find yourself in Ames. My daughter decided to wear her new Seahorse outfit designed by mom to the farmer's market. 
I created the seahorse design during Spoonflower's design a day block print daily prompt back in March.  This week Spoonflower posted a seahorse ditsy weekly challenge prompt so I used that print to create the ditsy print.  I also used the block print to create another coordinating seahorse print. The material was then printed on Organic Cotton Knit.
I designed the shirt to have a curved hem which is slightly longer in the back.  Instead of traditional sleeves I used a ruffle.  The shorts also have a curved hem in front in back.  I have further plans for a dress and wide pants.
Fabric info: Seahorse Symphony Ditsy on Peach for her shirt and the contrasting ruffle is made with Japanese Fan Scale Dots Green and Teal.  Her shorts are made with the coordinating fabric Seahorse Symphony on the Reef on Peach. 


Seahorse Symphony Ditsy on Peach

Japanese Fan Scale Dots Green and Teal

Seahorse Symphony on the Reef on Peach

 

 

Ghanian Artist Spotlight: Tei Huagie and Circles Class

The artist, Tei Haugie, in one of his Clothoncloth pants

Tei Huagie is a man of many talents.   He is an environmentalist, clothing designer, artist, and sculptor. He also believes that he is ethically responsible for helping to clean up the environment.  Huagie puts this all in action through is many endeavors.  He is the co-founder of RECNOWA, Recycle Not A Waste, an organization dedicated to reusing waste materials into functional, artistic new items.  His Clothoncloth project reuses fabric print manufacturing and tailor extras to create new fabric.  He designs this new fabric to emphasize flow and movement for use in high fashion clothing. 
Huagie was trained at Ghanatta College of Arts and Design.  One can see the effects of his training through his inventive recycled sculpture and his dynamic composition in his highly textured canvases.  His artwork has been exhibited nationally as well as in Germany, the U.S. and Canada.

Recycled metal sculpture 'sewn' with copper wire & acrylic canvases

The intent for tonight's workshop with Huagie was to work with his concept of circles on canvas.  In his view, 'The circle symbol meaning is universal, sacred and divine. It represents the infinite nature of energy, and the inclusivity of the universe.' He went on to show us how he develops his canvases by first sketching a composition and then painting an base layer of color.  He then may further break up the original composition and reinterpret it with circles.
Huagie frequently uses circular shaped objects in his environment, such as bottle caps, lids or bubble wrap to apply the shapes to the painting.  He also makes heavy use of the palette knife to add dimension to the canvas. 

Tei Haugie's acrylic impasto canvas paintings

I strove to use his framework within my canvas during the class but I just could not quite put on enough paint for that impasto look.  It was fun to play with another artist's framework.  Thanks to Eat and Paint for organizing the workshop.  Not only do I enjoy an occasional night off to paint but I also enjoy the gourmet dinner!


My sketch, underpainting & beginning to add the circles

Our class hard at work

my neighboring student with her painting inspired by Venetian masks

My finished canvas, 20 x 40 cm

Hexies: A Long Time Coming

Just finished my quilt top of African Wax hexies.  The colors are a little more intense and pure than appear in this photo. I have been gathering materials, cutting out hexies and sewing for most of a year now.  I like a generous quilt so this quilt top is a little larger than a king size is usually but this one is for a queen bed.  I hope to find someone with a long arm to quilt the layers for me.

Getting Ready for the Kentucky Derby

One of the families in Ghana has decided to host a Kentucky Derby event.  We can not go to the actual derby of course, but we are all looking forward to this event with the seriousness of people going to the real thing.  This is the first derby for many of us.  The women have been searching for the perfect hat in the local markets and visiting milliners.  Click here to check out some local hats. 

I found a local fabric shop with sinamay, a woven, flexible plant material used in hat making, and decided to try to make my own fascinator.  Dee's videos were super helpful on sinamay and other hat making information.  Aside from the feathers, I crafted all of the items on my hat including the flower.  The peach flower is made from cut shapes of peach polyester and cream silk.  I stiffened the fabric with Stiffy and sewed the layers together.  Coiled wire rimmed ribbons make the little silver flowers peaking out.

The outfit is just as important as the hat, and I wanted to highlight one of my fabric designs.  This box pleat skirt is made from my Boho Blossoms Elegant Blush and Sage Petite in Organic Cotton Sateen Ultra. 
And lastly, SALE!
Get 15% off of yardage of any fabrics through 10 am, May 9th EDT.