Amethyst River Flow

Not too long ago, I took a trip with my camera to Aburi Botanical Gardens, a somewhat neglected, but still beautiful botanical garden outside of Accra. The gardens were full of great texture, especially the mosses and rocks.  I used these photographs as a jumping point to make a series of fabric designs. Amethyst River Flow was the version of the design I chose to make into a wrap dress from poly crepe de chine.  The fabric is pretty light weight and has good drape. 
Oh, and FREE SHIPPING world wide until 12:00 EST 12/13.

 

See this fabric in my shop here

See this fabric in my shop here

See this fabric in my shop here

 

 

Art Deco PJs

My youngest boy loves lounge wear. Playing on his computer or with his video games are his favorite things to do after jumping on the trampoline.  When he gets home from school, he just wants to put on something soft and comfy.  So, as soon as he saw a sample of Spoonflower's fleece he wanted something made in it.  It is very soft and not too heavy to wear.  I let him select any of my designs and he picked the turquoise and green shades of Modern Style Art Deco Greens and Japanese Fan Scale Dots Green and Turquoise because the geometric patterns appealed to him and the colors made him happy. 
You can purchase almost the same thing in a pre-printed pattern from Sprout Patterns--the Jasper Pajamas and the Kids Recess Raglan or for a bigger sized top I would suggest the Lane Raglan. 
While you are at Sprout Patterns get in on the 50% off Sale of the Holiday Stockings and Lined Zipper Pouches 'til 11/9.  Use code BOGOFQ.  You still have enough time to make them for gifts and they are super easy.  (I shared making some of these pouches in an earlier post.)

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.

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.

What to wear to the concert

At Sprout Patterns, one can use any of the Spoonflower patterns to customize unique clothing. 
This month the Moneta Dress is 20% off with the code MONTETAMADNESS.  These dresses strike me as being particularly great outfits for going out for an evening.  Bonus:  Free US and International shipping through March as well on orders over $100.
Presenting:  What to wear to the concert.....

Afrocuban Retro Sleeveless Moneta Dress

This dress invokes the hot nights and hot rhythms of Afrocuban beats.  Get your dance on.

Collar: Solid Mint by Littlearrowdesign, Dress: African Visage Spring by Bloomingwyldeiris

or buy it at Sprout Patterns here.

Island Breeze Short Sleeve Moneta Dress

A fresh, breezy dress for listening to the mellow sounds of the steelpan band.

Dress: Tropical Paradise Scatter with Blue Mosaic Background by bloomingwyldeiris

or buy it at Sprout Patterns here.

 

Coffeehouse Acoustic 3/4 Sleeve Moneta Dress

Casual yet stylish threads to wear to open mic night.

Dress: Boho Blossoms Elegant Blush and Sage Large by bloomingwyldeiris

 or buy it at Sprout Patterns here.

 

And if dresses aren't your thing, Sprout Patterns also has shirts.

Bluegrass Blues

Wear your love for Bluegrass on your sleeve.

Shirt: Strumming the Strings Blue by bloomingwyldeiris

or buy it at Sprout Patterns here. 



Sunshine and Relaxation

Here I am relaxing on the couch after finishing these lounge pants.  As soon as I completed my Art Gallery Printed Paper Play print, I said to my nieces this print needs to be made into soft pants.  Spoonflower recently made available Cotton Spandex Jersey, perfect for my project; so soft and comfy. This colorful organic print was made from a leftover printing project from my daughters class last year.  I cut out a bunch of shapes that were used by her class as an ink resist for Gelli plates.  I scanned in the shapes and then played with them in my design program.   Summer Blossoms Garden and the other color variations (below,) part of my Monoprint Variations collection, were designed in collaboration with my daughter using the same process.

Spoonflower will soon be changing the format of it's contests, so this may or may not be my last entry.  The theme is weather and love.  I chose to draw elements with colored pencils to make a sweet and sentimental ode to my children.  I have been singing You Are My Sunshine to them since they were infants.  Sometimes I still serenade them to wake them in the morning.  :)  Please consider voting.


You are my Sunshine

Here is a brief clip of the Soggy Bottom Boys singing You Are My Sunshine from the excellent film O Brother Where Art Thou.

Ghana and Butterflies

Last year I came up with a design collection (seen in this previous post), inspired by my time in Africa.  I had never been to Ghana, but had learned about it and had researched it's birds, plants and butterflies.  It was a country that intrigued me.  Now, it looks like my family may be moving to Ghana. In the midst of getting our household ready, I added to the Ghana Fantastic Floral collection for Spoonflower's new contest, Butterfly Coordinates.  The idea of the contest is to create four coordinating patterns that fit onto one yard.

Please consider voting.

Gelli Plate Experiment & Star Attraction

I have had fun in the past experimenting with gelatin plate printing so when I discovered the Gelli printing plate I was pretty interested to work with it too.  The Gelli plate has a clear, soft surface.  It holds it's shape, unlike the slow (or sometimes quick) decomposition of gelatin.
I first tried printing on fabric using my usual Jacquard fabric paints.  I did not like the response of the paints to the printing plate.  I need to experiment further but the paints seemed to react to the plate.  Once dry, the paint easily peeled off of my silk, an effect I have not seen before. 
My next experiments were much more successful.  I made the prints shown here using lightweight cardstock paper shapes.  This time I used transparent and semi-transparent Liquitex Basics acrylic paints. 

Steps to Monoprinting
1. Smooth a small amount of paint with brayer on the Gelli plate.
2. Quickly arrange cardstock cut-out shapes on plate
3. Align paper over plate
4. Gently but firmly press hand all over paper.
5. Carefully lift paper and set aside.
6. Remove cutouts. Optional, place 2nd paper down to pick up ghost image (paint that remains on the plate.
7. Clean Gelli plate and brayer. (I used wetwipes.)

In other news, a new fabric design available in my shop: Star Attraction.

Unveiling

OK, breaking news!  I have been working on this for a while and the kinks are still not all worked out, more collections will be added but I think it is ready to unveil....
I have a website! If you have made an item with my fabric, you may be featured in my Customer Projects page. If you have made something with my designs and would like to be added, let me know.

Little Drawers

Anyone who has moved knows that there is always a lot of set up to do in the new place.  It seems that every new space has different requirements.  In our new home it seems we need more desks.  So I have lost my sewing desk but it has been replaced with our old, and now too small dining table.  The good news is that I now have space for my cutting mat and sewing machine all in one area.  The bad news is I lost all of the drawer space of my former sewing desk.  I have a lot of little tools and pens that I prefer tucked away in drawers.  After looking into my local options, I found an older cabinet for the larger items and a little wooden drawer cabinet in a craft store for the rest. 
The little cabinet seemed to be just the perfect size for my wallpaper sample of Ghana Fantastic Floral on White Petite  from my Ghana Floral Collection and indeed I was able to wrap it in the design.  I simply removed the drawer pulls and traced around the drawer faces to get a total wrap look.  I really like the little black drawer pulls in contrast with the light and bright design.  Now my supplies will be happy!

 

Ghana Fantastic Floral on White Petite