Another update on my new "Art Skirt"

Isn't this exciting! I love blogging about this skirt, making pictures , and just watching this whole thing come together. It has a mind of its own, and I am thinking it wants to be Victorian. Check out how its coming along: I put in another hour yesterday and another hour today on it and here it is so far after 7 total hours:









You can click any of these pictures to view it in its true size which is pretty darn big.













I was looking around here for some fabric pieces to use in this and I found these HAND SEWN 2 by 2 patches that my wonderful friend Andrea sent me in a box of love a while back. I decided to use them and this element is what made the whole skirt turn around into what you see now. It really gave it an old fashioned "Victorian" look to it. Its like a big textile art collage, I got everything in here!




Here is another close up shot of just a piece of it so you can see in more detail what I am doing here. I broke out the beading foot! LOL I love my beading feet and use them every time I have any reason to. I have so many stands of those fake pearl beads its unreal...anyhoo, I used a lot of iridescent pearls and also some white ones on this. They really played up the Victorian look as well. Once I get done sewing and get started on the handwork, like the buttons and stuff, its really gonna be amazing.

I am starting to get concerned I may not be able to find fabric to go with this panel. I had even considered making patchwork panels for the rest of it...I am thinking that may be the only thing to do it all justice. i really want to take my time with this and pour my heart and soul into it. I know with the price tag I am gonna put on it, it will never sell. But I can sit back and look at this and say "I DID THAT ALL BY MYSELF!!!!!!!" It has been so therapeutic making this skirt. I just feel so creatively alive, and I haven't felt that way in a while. I like it, and I wish I could spend my days making skirts just like this one all the time....what fun!

Update on Art skirt

its coming along wonderfully. I worked another 2 hours on it last night and got this much more done This is after 5 hours of work all total:
Oh and you can click on this picture to make it full size if you want to really get a good look at it all






Here are some random shots of different places up close on it so you can see closer what I am doing here














I am thinking I would like to go to the quilt shop and get some fancy fabric for the rest of this skirt...I am thinking about going all out for this one....I dunno. I may end up doing three more panels like this and make a whole skirt...I am still undecided right now. i just want to finish up this panel for now and go from there, maybe something will hit me LOL

My new project: Art Skirt

I am so excited about this new project I have to show it off before its finished.

"What the heck is that!", you ask. Well it is an a-line skirt panel cut from bleached white muslin with all kinds of stuff sewed onto it. I have yarn, ric-rac,fabric of all types, tulle (for a 3 d effect) ribbons of all kinds and I have some bridal trims I am gonna hand sew on here too. I am planning on using some of everything I have in this house meant for sewing. Bias tape,buttons, ect....


I got this idea when I made that one cuff...you know, this one:


I thought this kind of thing looked so cool on a cuff, what if I did it on a bigger scale?? like a skirt panel! Or better yet a whole skirt!!!!!!!!!

OK I am 3 hours into that panel pictured up top and you see what I have got done on it so far...I have many hours to go on that one, so a whole skirt may be a long term project.

I am hoping I can find my cowery shells I have here someplace...I am sticking with greens and blues on this panel and I am trying to get an ocean type theme going so having some shells on there would be cool. I am using so many different fabrics on this. I have some velour I will be using. There are already some glittery decorator fabrics in it, and some batiks. I am just having a ball going thru my scrap box!

When I get this finished it will be posted here! I am hoping I can get it done soon. i plan on spending a few hours every day on it till its done. This project may very well be the highlight of my career till now! YAY!

fancy new Fabric cuff

This is it! The new fancy fabric cuff. I love the way it turned out, EXCEPT for the back....


I had this thing totally completed, and I was locking the thread on the last stitch and I realized....I put the elastic loop on the same side as the button (sigh) So I had to cut it off and sew it like you see here in the picture....tacky.


You can see from this close up how pretty this turned out. its a scrap of the Alexander Henry fabric I got for Maylee's pants, and I added in some yarn,some pretty trim Kelly sent me, and some ribbon with fray check added to keep it from getting crazy. I also used a metallic pink thread to do the freehand quilting. Oh yeah this has a wee bit of lavender added inside of it too...nice touch! Not only does it look pretty it smells pretty too!


I am gonna be putting this on Etsy at a discounted price because of my HUGE mistake...I feel like its so pretty someone would love to have it but its got issues with the craftsmanship so maybe someone would love it at a cheaper price...lets keep our fingers crossed! LOL

I just love making these things, and I am hoping to be getting a new sewing machine very soon, and I will be doing more and more stuff like this.

I am having major issues with my machine which is an embroidery/sewing combo machine, and I will never own another Janome again EVER! I hope I can get a Husky-something...they look pretty heavy duty! Anyone want to comment and leave your suggestions for a good sewing machine that dont break down every couple of months please feel free to comment!! I could use some suggestions