It's Gingham Party Time!

Welcome to a new month of Link-up fun!
This month's theme is GINGHAM.
In a couple of weeks, I'll get all technical about gingham.
(Because I'm a professor and a textile geek and I can't help myself).
(Oh wait. I already did that here. Hey, I'll do it again!)

One is gingham, the other not. Can you tell which?

For now, give me your best shot!

Add your GINGHAM looks here:






This month's theme was inspired by Nancy and Shelbee's The Good Bye/Good-Buy Book series. They are accepting GINGHAM submissions still. See the link for more information.

#100daysofsole and Me

I've been featured!

100 Days of Sole is a project comprising of "daily stories told from the intersection of footwear and identity". I was all set to include the site in a post about "my latest Instagram crushes" or "my many obsessions distractions" or some such. And, while I was busy at a handwork workshop, it transpired that Kelsy contacted me to be a part of it! WooHoo!

After great deliberation, I decided upon the above hand painted Indian Buffalo Sandals, which I photographed on my block printing experiments and collaged over the paisley block printed on striped cotton lawn. To read my story, you'll have to go to Instagram!

Then it was time to conjure up an outfit for this post.
On a whim, I tried on a pair of golden baroque lounge pants from work.
(I was involved with working on this print, but not this version of it).
I had them in one of my "to repurpose" boxes. How many months have I been walking past them?
They're work's sample size small, and I assumed that they wouldn't fit.
Well, as long as my stomach and butt are covered, they are fine!

I can't wait to wear these to a summer pool party.
Oh yeah, I attend those all the time!

I tried hiking up the pants to show the sandals without much success.

You can see how the layers of the sole are starting to separate.

Close up, highlighting Patucci's painting.

How did I discover 100 Days of Sole?
Through Richard Haines, the fashion illustrator who inspired me to take up fashion sketching again!
The Instagram algorithm gods smiled on me yesterday.

Linking with Patti's Visible Monday
Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike
Shelbee's Spread the Kindness

Forgot to mention! Post #1000 for SpyGirl!

#MeMadeMay Week 3, Mending Mishap

Not all my mending goes smoothly. I tried a quick fix on another tunic with a too-wide neck and here's what happened:

Weird poufs in the middle of my shoulder seams.

This is one of my rare tunics where I turned back and sewed the edges on the neckline.

I'm not claiming it's an excellent sewing job. It's adequate. 

Fixing this one will require ripping out machine stitching at the neckline and resewing the shoulder seams.
That won't be happening soon, so I will endure it falling off my shoulders for now.

Old in-phone photo collage from last September.

This photo is probably the one that helped me decide to add sleeves:

With Kelly at my art exhibition, #myshittycommute April 2016

WAIT A MINUTE! I SAW (and chased) THAT SAME TRUCK YESTERDAY!

#dailytrucks with One Orange Door
left: circa 2016 .  right: 5.23.18
#dailytruck is an Instagram series that I can't seem to stop and has resulted in two art shows so far.

And now you know how easily I'm distracted and why the I have Mending Mountain.

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday

#MeMadeMay Week 2: Tunic Rehabs

These items are NOT from Repair/Repurpose Mountain.
Instead, it was adding a tiny bit of hand sewing that made me love them all over again.

First, the green stripe rayon tunic.
It kept sliding off my shoulders and driving me batty.
The problem? Neck hole too wide!
A simple 2" in at the shoulder on both sides and my sanity was restored.

"This tunic matches my eyes. Yes, I'll pose with it."

Next, the Japanese kimono textile:

I'm "backstage" at the Palm Desert Civic Center Amphitheater.
Severo had a gig with The Pettybreakers. It was 106ºF.
I found this a good print for disguising spilled guacamole.
Write up on the Glutton blog soon.

And last, the BOOM! tunic, which I tolerated at work in order to be extra festive for the Otis Senior Exhibition after work.

The Chico's ombre dot scarf, acquired last year, pairs perfectly with the tunic.

At Otis. Couldn't figure out the student who created this mirror piece.

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday

Catherines #iwillwearwhatilike

Oh yeah, DOTS!

PSA: #MyTealTicket for Food Allergies

Meet Katie Parkins, 14, creator of MyTealTicket.

In her own words:
"My name is Katie Parkins, and I am 14 years old. I was first diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies when I was 3. Since then, I have found it challenging to eat at restaurants due to my food allergies. When I was twelve, I came up with the idea of MyTealTicket.
MyTealTicket is a restaurant order form that alerts the staff of your specific food allergies. MyTealTicket was launched in July of 2017. Since then, I have been presenting at FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) Teen Summits, being interviewed on WGN, NEWSY, WTMJ, appearing in Allergic Living Magazine, and other media outlets."

GIVE BACK
When you use MyTealTicket, you are protecting yourself, and you are raising money and awareness for food allergy research. Part of the proceeds go to FARE.

[I'm using copy sent by a PR firm]

Linking up with Catherine's #SaturdayShareLinkup

#MeMadeMay '18 Week 1 -- Buttons

I blame Pao of Project Minima. She tempted me into this.
Last week, I signed an intention statement over on So, Zo's page:

[Now that I reread my statement, I might not be exactly following it this week. Oops].

This week I tackled the pile of shirts that need buttons replaced.

First, this shirt of Severo's:

Os are missing buttons, Xs are extras that I can move.

I really like the print on this. Even though it's made up of squares, it looks like dots.

Fixed! It only took ten minutes! And how long was it sitting in a To-Do pile?

I won't say!

Totally pretend outfit. Perhaps will wear tomorrow!

Next up, the African explosion shirt:

I gave this to Severo, then took it back.
I'm holding it closed where the button is missing because I haven't fixed it yet.

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday

and Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike

We're still on the Dots Month Linkup. Let's see those dots, new, old, whatever!

My skirt has dots, don't give me any grief.

May Lost and Found

There was that time I said I'd start doing a Lost and Found series.
[Words of warning: if I say "stay tuned" I think that files the idea into a fog of forgetfulness]. 

I wrote:
"Every time I'm looking for one thing, I find something else, something I've often COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN ABOUT! Usually it's a happy discovery. So, my plan is to document: 

1) what I was (or still am) looking for

2) what I found

Get ready for many "interesting" discoveries!"

There was also a time when I did regular link-up posts. The link-ups were always themed because I thought it would be more interesting. I suppose I also like bossing people around (I AM the eldest of four, so it's ingrained). When Rena and I met up at the Poshmark Live Party last month, she said how much she enjoyed my link-ups.

I FOUND this post recently, over on my Pattern blog (can't remember what I was searching for):

It has a really fun group of link-ups, and I'm resurrecting it!

As you can see in the screenshot above, it's a link-up from FOUR years ago. I'm including the original links. And the links post randomly! Fun, yes?

Get your dots on and join in!

Ambulatory Portfolio at a College Reunion

Yesterday I attended a 50th year celebration of the first college I attended,
the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

[reactment of outfit, one day later -- forgot to ask someone to take my picture -- 

what kind of fashion blogger am I?] 

IF I had stayed in school, it would have been my 40th reunion.
But at age 20, I was too much of a smartass, and moved to NYC instead.
However, I think it all worked out in the end!

I planned my outfit deliberately -- for starters, I wanted to wear one of my custom prints and my 52 Blogger scarf.
Genius idea: wear the repeat I made from a piece I did AT SCHOOL!

"Reflection", Lithograph, silkscreen, watercolor on paper, 1976

The scribble leggings and silkscreened bag were last minute additions.
While chatting with someone, I realized I was wearing an example of every Print on Demand site that I use!
I was a walking advertisement for myself!

Spoonflower fabric
Redbubble scarf
Society6 leggings
[I get a small commission on all sales]

I had a good laugh at that!

Here I am, with my reunion carpool buddies and classmates Lani and Stanley:

I'll be writing up more about the reunion itself over on my newly fresh art website that, yes, has a blog. (Blog #8?)

Meanwhile, linking up with Patti's Visible Monday
and Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike

Local Color

Happy Earth Day!

Here is some local color from "downtown" Mar Vista and the Mar Vista Farmers' Market, including me!

Linking with Patti's Visible Monday
Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike

DIY Yarn from Old Tees with Frau Fiber

Last week I finally had my first Frau Fiber experience!
It was GREAT!
I'm all excited about turning reject garments into yarn that I can use to make new fiber creations.
(I'm leaning toward weaving).

The event transpired at the California African American Museum coinciding with the Shinique Smith exhibition Refuge (more on that, if I can find the time). Some people upcycled tees into tote bags. I made yarn.

Here's how:

Cut off the hem. Turn tee inside out, fold so you see both seams (if you have side seams).

Cut across the tee through the seam CLOSER to you. DO NOT cut the other seam.

Closeup of cuts.

Pull tee apart so you can see remaining seam spine. (Some did this on their arm).

Cut DIAGONALLY from one cut to the next across the "spine".
This will give you a continuous strip of "yarn".

Pull the "yarn taut to get it to curl (only works with jersey. Not interlock, I discovered).

The "yarn"!

 Do the same process with the sleeves, or cut in a spiral after you cut off the hem.

My tee yarn and leftover bits.

I also did the same with lounge pants:

One leg's worth of yarn.

Two balls of yarn and the leftover bits.

Here's the start of what I'm making (pay no attention to that cat):

He's lying on a stripe that will match nicely. It was in a random pile in the living room and caught my eye.

Linking with Catherine's #SaturdayShareLinkup
Shelbee's Spread the Kindness