UFO Progress report - A Scrappy Short Story

Pleased as punch to have completed another UFO  Yippee!! 

This mini quilt was started in the summer of 2007 while at a horse show in Madison
Wisconsin.  Yes I take my sewing machine just everywhere that I think I will have an opportunity to sew.  My opportunity during this horse show was between the morning and evening classes.  The perfect little project to while away the time.

The pattern is called Short Story by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. from her Schnibbles line of patterns.

The original pattern finishes up at 33" x 33" but mine is smaller because I decided to make a pillow sham out of it.

It's not everyday that you get to see the back of the quilt.

This is my chosen method for pressing the seams to help reduce the bulk.

Quilting my layers together.  

 The Piano key border will become the flange around the pillow.

The finished pillow is now sitting proudly if not a bit lonely in our new guest room.  

You know the room...the one vacated by our daughter a few years back. 

 It has been painted apricot, such a soothing color.

 I have big plans for the bedding/day bed and this is it's first official item:)

I am still looking for the right fabric for the mattress cover but I do have the fabric for the dust ruffle and some thrift store finds to make more pillows with.

My super sized week

 Can you guess what I am sewing up?  It was a fun few days in the studio creating an over sized but under sized article of clothing for a mystery man.

 Well now you know....it's a super sized fishing hat....of course

 Say what?  

My ex-husband asked me to make this gigantic fishing hat for a mascot he created for his company Pier of d'Nort.  He has an upcoming convention and wants to make a splash (so to speak) so he has created a large figure of a man named Pierre....of course.  Every fisherman needs a fishing hat right?

 The crown is 21" in diameter. 

 The side band is 12" tall with a head circumference of 80"

 The brim is 7" wide

It is constructed out of shower liner fabric to be water repellent and is fully self lined.

The lining has been interfaced with fusible craft interfacing.

The face fabric has been interfaced with fusible batting.

I am really pleased with the body these options provided,  It holds any shape you care to give it. Standing proud, or my favorite, looking rumpled.

 I managed to grab this picture when I delivered the hat.

 Although this hat is large it is meant to be small for Pierre's head.

 The crew at Pier of d'Nort was in the process of painting and assembling Pierre when I arrived.

This project was a fun change of pace from wedding season alterations and bat capes and reminded me of this job......

a 30 ft tall pant leg for "Honey I Blew up the Kid" which was my final job in Los Angeles before leaving for the North Woods of Wisconsin.  This pant leg is made from 1" fake fur channel quilted to replicate corduroy.  Cotton laundry line was used for the top stitching and a brilliant soft sculpture artist(Bill Bryant) created that incredible shoe.

Now it's back to all things batman:)

Have you ever sewn any super sized items?

Fiber optic costume by Lynne Williams & Project Runway Allstars

This week on Project Runway the designers  had a technology challenge.  This required the designers to use lights and/or black light products within their garment. 

It got me thinking about this project I did in 1988 for the Folies Bergere. 

  The client asked me to make them a costume for a dancer inspired by a Lion Fish or Butterfly.  The Lion fish comment really struck a chord, as its always been an inspiration for me.  As I recall I had a 3 day weekend to work it out and absolute freedom with the design.  The restrictions...outside of the lights she would only be wearing a  nude thong.

One of the funniest projects ever!! 

Photo by Sujit kumar

 Unlike the project runway contestants I only had to make the framework for the lights.  A lighting company that specialized in fiber optics (leading edge technology at the time) ran the lights thru the nylon marquisette I used to create the "wings"

I will admit to being somewhat blown away when the contestants were able to walk into a store to purchase their "technology"  A store that carried all sorts, yes all sorts of various lights and black light products.  From tape that glowed in the dark , fiber optic wands, bubble lights led's etc.  But overall I was disappointed with their results.

Jerrel......Seriously?

I do wish they had more time to work on these garments.  Honestly I know it's tv, so give them a few days and do some editing....sheesh!  

Austin won this competition and it was my favorite as well. 

Photo from Hack in Mod

This is rather obvious and tacky, but think what you might be able to do with it.

This costume is using electroluminescent wire or EL

Hack in Mod - has instructions on how to add luminescient wire to clothing

Check out this link to fiber optic kits as well
Fiber optic kits

Have you ever added technology to any of your projects?

Are you a little inspired to do so now?